Goodbye to Tim Duncan, the dullest superstar of all-time

By Kels Dayton
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Updated: July 12, 2016

San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan holds the ball near the start of the game against the New Orleans Hornets in the first half of Game 7 of an NBA Western Conference semifinals basketball playoff series Monday, May 19, 2008, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

You may or may not remember this, but Kobe Bryant retired earlier this year.

He made a point to let everyone know before the season, so they could shower him with 82 games’ worth of standing ovations and retirement gifts.

Thankfully, he did it before the All-Star Game, so that All-Star Weekend could be about Kobe and not about Steph Curry (who hit a half-court shot on a whim) or LeBron, or any of the best players in the game today.

In his movie-like final game, Kobe scored 60 points on 50 shots, including shooting a robust 6-for-21 from three-point range. His performance literally broke Twitter, inspired all kinds of tear-jerking video montages with heartfelt goodbyes from celebrities and even a shoutout from President Obama.

Tim Duncan retired over the weekend, doing so in a press release sent out by the Spurs. There were no quotes from Duncan himself in the release, just a bunch of stuff about his accomplishments in San Antonio and with Wake Forest.

He probably called Gregg Popovich on a pay phone to let him know.

This past season ended up being the last we’d ever see of both Bryant and Duncan, but whereas Kobe’s farewell was like a rich girl’s Super Sweet 16 party, Duncan’s was like a 70-year-old man reluctantly meeting his grandchildren at the local coffee shop for breakfast.

Both won five championships (although Kobe should only have four, shoutout to the ’02 Sacramento Kings). Duncan won two MVP awards, Kobe won one. TD won three Finals MVP’s, Kobe won two.

Pop and Duncan were perfect for each other. (AP Photo)

Duncan will be remembered as the greatest power forward of all time (although that’s nonsense because he really wasn’t a power forward), and Kobe will be remembered as one of the league’s 10-15 greatest players, and the greatest Michael Jordan imitator of all time.

Kobe got all of the adulation and attention he deserved, and Duncan will get none of that. He isn’t even showing up for his retirement press conference in San Antonio on Tuesday. Gregg Popovich will host it for him (which should be fun).

But what else would you expect from The Big Fundamental?

He truly was the dullest superstar of all time.

Bank shots. Cargo shorts. Blank stares. Double-doubles. Getting ejected for laughing.

These are the things I’ll remember Tim Duncan for.

Even though he became a role player last season, going some nights where he didn’t play 20 minutes and others where he didn’t register a point, he didn’t mind. He never criticized Pop, never pouted. He hung on for as long as he could because he just loved playing basketball. He wanted to get every drop out of it that he possibly could.

No, he didn’t get the season-long sendoff with the video tributes and speeches from Hollywood stars. But Tim Duncan was every bit the legend Kobe Bryant was.

Basketball fans will miss him, even though we never really got the chance to say goodbye.