Former NBA coach and San Antonio Spurs guard Vinny Del Negro was excited about Tim Duncan‘s coaching debut in 2019. Del Negro was an eight-year veteran in the league when the Spurs drafted Duncan. For him, TD’s remarkable basketball IQ was evident at the time.
In fact, Del Negro was convinced that Duncan would make a great NBA coach, especially for the Spurs. Del Negro was sold on the idea that The Big Fundamental would thrive in his new job, as he was already used to leading his team like a coach, even when he was still playing.
“He’s a leader,” Del Negro said of Duncan. “He’s going to get instant respect. Guys are going to listen to him. Tim was a coach on the floor for Pop (Popovich) for years. He was a very cerebral player.”
“That’s why he’ll be successful,” he predicted. “He wants to be a coach and whatever he wants to do. He will put the work in because he sees the bigger picture and guys will respect that.”
TD isn’t made for coaching
Duncan decided to embark on an NBA coaching journey three years into his retirement. He didn’t need to have an impressive resume, as the years in which he played his heart out for the Spurs were already more than enough credibility for Gregg Popovich.
In the 2019-2020 season, Duncan officially joined Popovich’s coaching staff. He came to games wearing suits and struck everybody like a well-respected coach.
However, Popovich revealed that it didn’t take long before he realized that coaching was not meant for Duncan. Or perhaps, he wasn’t made for coaching. Either way, Pop knew early on that Duncan wouldn’t make a good coach.
“I gave up. When we had him [Duncan] that one year, I gave up after a week,” Popovich once revealed. “It shows a maturity and intelligence. Unlike some of us, we just keep doing it because we love it. But he has other interests. He’s not wedded to basketball. People fall in love, but basketball doesn’t really love you. Your friends and family love you. Basketball doesn’t love you.”
“He comes to practices and walks around to see the boys play. But he has no interest in coaching,” Pop added of Duncan.
Duncan left his mark as a coach in a different way
Unsurprisingly, Duncan’s tenure as an assistant coach to Popovich in San Antonio came to an end after the season concluded. However, he remained an inspirational figure for the new generation of Spurs players.
Duncan may not have the qualities required for coaching, but he has helped his former team in a different way. For them, TD’s presence in the gym alone was already uplifting.
“Just to see how he trains before our practice, how he stays in shape, and the habits he has — you immediately understand why he was so great,” former Spurs power forward Luka Samanic once said of Duncan.
In retrospect, Duncan is undoubtedly one of the greatest players to ever play the game. However, it was a bit shocking that the same thing couldn’t be said about him as a coach. Nevertheless, that short and underwhelming stint as a Spurs assistant coach doesn’t take anything away from his legacy.