Future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan won’t be on the San Antonio Spurs’ bench next season. According to NY Times’ Marc Stein, Duncan decided to step down as Gregg Popovich’s assistant after spending one year in the position.
Stein reports that Duncan will remain with the organization and be part of the player-development process, something he has done since retiring in 2016.
It is believed that the Spurs were not surprised by the decision, as Duncan previously gave the team indication that his stint as an assistant will be temporary.
Drafted by the Spurs as No. 1 pick in 1997, Tim Duncan is considered one of the best power forwards in basketball history. In 20 seasons in NBA, Duncan led the Spurs to five titles while being named NBA Finals MVP three times.
Duncan also has 15 All-Star nods and 15 All-NBA team honors to go with two NBA Most Valuable Player awards.
He was scheduled to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this year, but the induction ceremony was postponed to 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
