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It's been almost 20 years, and Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs is ready to slow down a bit. On Monday he announced his retirement, signaling the end of an era, CBS News reports.
It's been a long ride, marked with five NBA titles, two NBA MVP awards and 15 All-Star appearances, ESPN notes, but Duncan, who turned 40 in April, is ready to wrap it up after 19 long seasons.
"More cutthroat than people give him credit for," recently retired Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant told ESPN Monday. "I loved everything about him on the court."
As ESPN notes, Duncan's last game was May 12 in a 113-99 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals.
"Tim Duncan is one of the most dominant players in NBA history. 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," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement about Duncan's retirement. "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."
According to ESPN, Duncan finishes his career with an average of 19 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game.