Tim Duncan walked away from the NBA quietly, but that doesn't mean he had nothing to say. Instead of a farewell tour or a press conference, he opted to write a letter, posted on the San Antonio Spurs' website, and do an interview with a childhood friend. On Wednesday afternoon, Duncan sat down with Rashidi Clenance, a childhood friend who founded the online radio station ViVid Streaming.
Duncan and Clenance had a lengthy conversation, and the future Hall of Famer explained that he knew it was time to retire because he wasn't having as much fun as he used to. Forty-five minutes of the interview are available to watch:
There was a little bit of everything here. Duncan said that he watched Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's emotional scrum with the San Antonio media. He said he's spent the last couple of days trying to respond to everybody who reached out to him, and he was overwhelmed with the kind words he received. He talked about his family, his competitiveness, his early years in the NBA and representing the Virgin Islands.
Duncan appeared to be at ease. He is known for his reticence when it comes to doing media, but this was nothing like a normal interview. It was two friends talking, and that's exactly what it sounded like.
It's unclear whether or not Duncan will talk to any traditional outlets about his incredible career and his decision to retire. If he does not, that's perfectly understandable. That was never his kind of thing, and it seems like he has now said all that he wanted to say.
