Five-time NBA champion Tim Duncan is preparing his return to the NBA but players in the Western Conference won’t have to worry about his presence in the paint. Duncan, who is just a few years into retirement, will rejoin the San Antonio Spurs as an assistant to coach Gregg Popovich.
A player doesn’t win five championships by accident. Duncan obviously has the basketball IQ to help the Spurs get back into title contention. With the Golden State Warriors retooling in 2019-20 due to free agency changes and injuries, that prospect may be easier than at any point during the Warriors’ five-year reign atop the Western Conference.
According to Yahoo Sports, here’s what Popovich had to say about the return of The Big Fundamental to NBA arenas:
It is only fitting, after I served loyally for 19 years as Tim Duncan’s assistant, that he returns the favor.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr got a kick out of his counterpart’s comments, calling it “one of the great quotes of all time.”
Out are the days of pure fundamentals in the NBA; in are the days of versatility. Thanks to the Stephen Curry’s penchant for three-point shooting, and an entire team and league willing to transform their style of play because of it, Duncan will have to modify his mindset to be effective.
