Their relationship was forged when Popovich made a get-to-know-you trip to Duncan's home on St. Croix before the 1997 draft in which the Spurs held the top pick. They were scheduled to meet the first day at 10 a.m. Duncan showed up 40 minutes late, his boyhood buddy Rashidi Cleneance in tow, no explanation offered. Popovich let it roll, sensing that Duncan was putting his psychology degree from Wake Forest to work. So at the end of that first chat, when they agreed to meet at 6 for dinner, Popovich said, "Now, I just want to make sure I've got it right. Does that mean 6, or 6:40?"
Duncan grinned and got him back later. The two were at the beach catching rays when Duncan suggested they go for a run. After jumping into the surf to cool off, Duncan showed why as a kid he aspired to be an Olympic swimmer, putting several hundred yards between himself and Popovich in a matter of minutes. Popovich, landlocked for most of his life, had an eye out for shadows beneath the water when Duncan suddenly began splashing around as if he were drowning. By now Popovich didn't need to hear the ensuing cackle to know Duncan was goofing on him. "That's just me," Duncan says. "I'm not serious most of the time."