Kori Ellis
10-12-2005, 04:46 AM
Taking Care of Big Tim
Duncan has been great for Spurs, and the team is returning the favor
By John Delong
Journal Columnist
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_Columnist Article&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767484222
Tim Duncan could pawn three NBA championship rings and two NBA MVP trophies if he ever needed the money, which isn't likely.
That alone illustrates Duncan's impact on the San Antonio Spurs.
But to explain Duncan's contribution to the franchise in more detail, it's necessary to go back to the day that the Spurs selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 1997 NBA Draft.
The Spurs had gone 20-62 the previous season, the worst record in franchise history. The franchise had undergone an ownership change the year before. There were questions about the long-term viability of keeping the team in San Antonio, with heated debate over funding for a new arena.
It was an organization at a crossroads.
Two summers later, the Spurs were NBA champs. The long-term status of the franchise was secure. The city had its hoops spirit back, and support for a new arena had grown substantially.
The team moved into the SBC Center in 2002. Everything has continued to get better since.
In fact, things could be better than ever this season with the Spurs heavily favored to win a fourth NBA title in eight years.
None of this is lost on Gregg Popovich, either.
Popovich has been the Spurs' coach since Duncan arrived, and also calls the shots as executive vice president. He is the envy of the rest of the NBA, first because he lucked into getting Duncan and second because he has made all the right moves since.
He has gone to great lengths to accommodate Duncan, even giving Duncan a voice in trades and free-agent signings. And this year, he is accommodating Duncan in another way, tailoring the first two weeks of training camp to honor his star.
The Spurs are on what amounts to a Tim Duncan Appreciation Tour, visiting the people and places that have had a direct impact on Duncan's career. The team spent six days training in Duncan's homeland, the Virgin Islands. Tonight, it will play a preseason game in Columbia, S.C., the current residence of Duncan's coach at Wake Forest, Dave Odom. And Thursday night, the Spurs will come to Winston-Salem, for a preseason game at Joel Coliseum against the Washington Wizards.
"It's kind of a reward for all the work and effort Timmy's put into making the organization what it is," Popovich said in a telephone interview earlier this week.
"We wanted to do something to show our appreciation and show his friends and family that we can come back. The schedule is so hectic he doesn't get to go home as much as he'd like, but this is a good opportunity for him to do it. There's not a lot of anxiety in the preseason. So it's just a lot of fun for Tim and his fans."
This is the way that Popovich operates. It's not just a matter of keeping his star happy, either. The Spurs played a preseason game in Paris last year as a tribute to Tony Parker. Popovich and other Spurs officials accompanied Manu Ginobili to his native Argentina this summer as part of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program.
"Timmy is important to us, and we feel it is important for him to know he is important, rather than just giving him a contract and paying him to play basketball," Popovich said. "We want him to know we really do care about him. This has been a little tougher than going to France or Argentina, because there's not really a place to play in the Virgin Islands. But the University of the Virgin Islands was so gracious and accommodating, it worked out well. The biggest problem was probably getting everyone there."
The Spurs actually trained in St. Thomas, not Duncan's native St. Croix, because of the lack of an adequate basketball facility in St. Croix. They ended their stay with a scrimmage at the University of the Virgin Islands' 2,500-seat Sports and Fitness Center, with about 800 from St. Croix boating over.
Media access to Duncan has been limited, as usual. But he told reporters in St. Thomas that he was enjoying the trip and appreciated the opportunity see old friends and fans on this tour.
He should enjoy this season, too.
The Spurs appear to have the weapons to successfully defend their NBA title. Some NBA analysts even think that the Spurs could make a run at a 70-win season. All the key players are back - Ginobili, Parker, Bruce Bowen, Nazr Mohammed, Robert Horry, Rasho Nesterovic. And three significant pieces were added in the offseason - Michael Finley, Nick Van Exel and Fabrico Oberto, one of the stars of Argentina's 2004 Olympics gold-medalist team.
Popovich calls this his most talented team yet.
The addition of Oberto should help the Spurs regulate Duncan's minutes, especially in February and March, to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Duncan played a career-low 33.4 minutes a game last season, an example of less meaning more in the NBA.
Duncan heartily endorsed the signing of Oberto - and Finley and Van Exel, for that matter.
"Our philosophy here is kinda like participatory management," Popovich said. "Decisions aren't just made by me or our GM or our owners. We try to fully engage everyone for the good of the organization. Timmy represents the players.
"He's our captain. The pieces need to fit around him. So whenever we make a trade or there's a free-agent signing, we discuss it with him.
"He needs to feel comfortable with the players he's playing with. It's been like that for a long time, too. It makes everybody feel like they have a piece of the pie."
The Spurs' appearance at Joel Coliseum on Thursday night is just another way of sharing the pie. And this time, Duncan's fans get a bite.
Duncan has been great for Spurs, and the team is returning the favor
By John Delong
Journal Columnist
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_Columnist Article&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767484222
Tim Duncan could pawn three NBA championship rings and two NBA MVP trophies if he ever needed the money, which isn't likely.
That alone illustrates Duncan's impact on the San Antonio Spurs.
But to explain Duncan's contribution to the franchise in more detail, it's necessary to go back to the day that the Spurs selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 1997 NBA Draft.
The Spurs had gone 20-62 the previous season, the worst record in franchise history. The franchise had undergone an ownership change the year before. There were questions about the long-term viability of keeping the team in San Antonio, with heated debate over funding for a new arena.
It was an organization at a crossroads.
Two summers later, the Spurs were NBA champs. The long-term status of the franchise was secure. The city had its hoops spirit back, and support for a new arena had grown substantially.
The team moved into the SBC Center in 2002. Everything has continued to get better since.
In fact, things could be better than ever this season with the Spurs heavily favored to win a fourth NBA title in eight years.
None of this is lost on Gregg Popovich, either.
Popovich has been the Spurs' coach since Duncan arrived, and also calls the shots as executive vice president. He is the envy of the rest of the NBA, first because he lucked into getting Duncan and second because he has made all the right moves since.
He has gone to great lengths to accommodate Duncan, even giving Duncan a voice in trades and free-agent signings. And this year, he is accommodating Duncan in another way, tailoring the first two weeks of training camp to honor his star.
The Spurs are on what amounts to a Tim Duncan Appreciation Tour, visiting the people and places that have had a direct impact on Duncan's career. The team spent six days training in Duncan's homeland, the Virgin Islands. Tonight, it will play a preseason game in Columbia, S.C., the current residence of Duncan's coach at Wake Forest, Dave Odom. And Thursday night, the Spurs will come to Winston-Salem, for a preseason game at Joel Coliseum against the Washington Wizards.
"It's kind of a reward for all the work and effort Timmy's put into making the organization what it is," Popovich said in a telephone interview earlier this week.
"We wanted to do something to show our appreciation and show his friends and family that we can come back. The schedule is so hectic he doesn't get to go home as much as he'd like, but this is a good opportunity for him to do it. There's not a lot of anxiety in the preseason. So it's just a lot of fun for Tim and his fans."
This is the way that Popovich operates. It's not just a matter of keeping his star happy, either. The Spurs played a preseason game in Paris last year as a tribute to Tony Parker. Popovich and other Spurs officials accompanied Manu Ginobili to his native Argentina this summer as part of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program.
"Timmy is important to us, and we feel it is important for him to know he is important, rather than just giving him a contract and paying him to play basketball," Popovich said. "We want him to know we really do care about him. This has been a little tougher than going to France or Argentina, because there's not really a place to play in the Virgin Islands. But the University of the Virgin Islands was so gracious and accommodating, it worked out well. The biggest problem was probably getting everyone there."
The Spurs actually trained in St. Thomas, not Duncan's native St. Croix, because of the lack of an adequate basketball facility in St. Croix. They ended their stay with a scrimmage at the University of the Virgin Islands' 2,500-seat Sports and Fitness Center, with about 800 from St. Croix boating over.
Media access to Duncan has been limited, as usual. But he told reporters in St. Thomas that he was enjoying the trip and appreciated the opportunity see old friends and fans on this tour.
He should enjoy this season, too.
The Spurs appear to have the weapons to successfully defend their NBA title. Some NBA analysts even think that the Spurs could make a run at a 70-win season. All the key players are back - Ginobili, Parker, Bruce Bowen, Nazr Mohammed, Robert Horry, Rasho Nesterovic. And three significant pieces were added in the offseason - Michael Finley, Nick Van Exel and Fabrico Oberto, one of the stars of Argentina's 2004 Olympics gold-medalist team.
Popovich calls this his most talented team yet.
The addition of Oberto should help the Spurs regulate Duncan's minutes, especially in February and March, to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Duncan played a career-low 33.4 minutes a game last season, an example of less meaning more in the NBA.
Duncan heartily endorsed the signing of Oberto - and Finley and Van Exel, for that matter.
"Our philosophy here is kinda like participatory management," Popovich said. "Decisions aren't just made by me or our GM or our owners. We try to fully engage everyone for the good of the organization. Timmy represents the players.
"He's our captain. The pieces need to fit around him. So whenever we make a trade or there's a free-agent signing, we discuss it with him.
"He needs to feel comfortable with the players he's playing with. It's been like that for a long time, too. It makes everybody feel like they have a piece of the pie."
The Spurs' appearance at Joel Coliseum on Thursday night is just another way of sharing the pie. And this time, Duncan's fans get a bite.