It's the end of a remarkable era for San Antonio and for the NBA as Tim Duncan retired Monday.
Duncan, considered the greatest power forward of all time, spent 19 seasons with the Spurs and led them to five NBA championships. A no-doubt first-ballot Hall of Famer, Duncan ends his career having amassed more than 26,000 points, 15,000 rebounds and 3,000 blocks.
"Even tho I knew it was coming, I'm still moved by the news," teammate Manu Ginobili tweeted. "What a HUGE honor to have played with him for 14 seasons! [hashtag]ThankYouTD."
Duncan, the first pick in the 1997 NBA draft, left the NBA in a way befitting the way he carried himself on the court. He never wanted the spotlight or the attention. There will be no farewell tour for one of the all-time great players in basketball history.
The Spurs announced Duncan's retirement in a news release that didn't include a statement from the 15-time All-Star and two-time NBA MVP.
"Wow! What an end to an EXTRAORDINARY career!!!" his former teammate, Avery Johnson, tweeted. "Great Teammate! Friend! [hashtag]champion Leader! [hashtag]TD [hashtag]BigFundamental [at sign]spurs."
Kobe Bryant, who retired this season and went through all the pomp and circumstance of a farewell tour, tweeted, "Congrats TD [hashtag]19yrs [hashtag]GoSpursGo."
"Say it ain't so!!!" tweeted Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, who went head-to-head against Duncan 90 times. "Greatest power forward ever!"
Dwyane Wade, who signed with the Chicago Bulls last week after 13 seasons with the Miami Heat, also tweeted about Duncan.
"Timmie D! Congrats on an Unbelievable career! Thanks for inspiring us all with just your PLAY! [hashtag]GreatestPowerforwardtoeverplaythisgame
Duncan, 40, proved to be the perfect star for a franchise that was all about team, and the model franchise for nearly two decades.
He spent all 19 NBA seasons playing for one team and one coach, Gregg Popovich, who will hold a news conference Tuesday to address Duncan's retirement.
The Spurs won at least 50 games for 17 consecutive seasons, the longest streak in NBA history. They went 1,072-438 in the regular season with Duncan, who is one of three players in NBA history to win at least 1,000 games (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Parrish are the others).
Duncan, who was mentored on being a professional by Hall of Fame center David Robinson, always did whatever Popovich and the Spurs needed from him. An egoless star, Duncan went from being the franchise player, to handing the keys of the team over to Tony Parker and Ginobili. He continued to play efficient basketball.
A three-time NBA Finals MVP, Duncan averaged 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in 1,392 games. He ranks fifth all-time in NBA history in double-doubles and blocks, sixth in rebounds and 14th in scoring.
Duncan averaged career lows of 8.6 points and 7.3 rebounds this past season and struggled in the playoffs when he averaged 5.9 points and 4.8 rebounds. But Duncan played well the previous two postseasons, including 2014 when he averaged 16.3 points and 9.2 rebounds during the Spurs' run to the NBA title.
"Tim Duncan is one of the most dominant players in NBA history," commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "His devotion to excellence and mastery of the game led to five NBA championships, two regular-season MVP awards and a place among the all-time greats, while his understated selflessness made him the ultimate teammate.
"For two decades Tim represented the Spurs, the city of San Antonio and the league with passion and class. All of us in the NBA family thank him for his profound impact on the game."
