Mark Your Calendars: July 21 Is ‘Tim Duncan Day’

This time last week, fans were grieving from the news of Tim Duncan’s announcement of his retirement from the game of basketball after 19 years.

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Almost two decades of playing the sport, and all be-it with the same franchise, Duncan had many of accolades and performances to be proud of. Everyone around the city of San Antonio know that Duncan is not a man of fame, he was not one to be in the spotlight, he in fact, did his job each and every night and did it with passion.

There have been questions about when will we see a statue of Duncan outside of the AT&T Center? Will he be a first ballot Hall of Famer? Where does he rank amongst the leagues best that have stepped foot on the hardwood? All of which will be answered in time. If you approach Duncan with these questions, he probably will come out and tell you he doesn’t want it, or need it.

Though Duncan may not want to be the talk of the Hall of Fame or even a statue, but there is one thing that is certain, he left his mark on the game as well as the fans in San Antonio. With that, San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor has done something that even Duncan surely does not want, she announced that July 21 to be Tim Duncan Day.

“Tim may not be comfortable with all the attention, but I do think he deserves it. Besides being one of the greatest players of all time, he’s also an outstanding role model. He taught us how to work hard, win and remain humble,” said the mayor.

Taylor hit the nail right on the head. But that is the person that Duncan was, and still is. In the 1-on-1 interview he gave with his best friend Duncan was real candid and opened up more than he would of with say ESPN, Fox Sports, or even the local news. He was asked first why he does not have a Facebook or Instagram page and Duncan simply stated he wanted to keep his personal life just that, personal.

Over the course of his 19 year career, Duncan always stayed the same. He was never a flashy player, in fact, some called him boring to watch. But, he did it his way. He did not change the way he played because someone did not like his style. You don’t get chosen to All-Star Games, All-NBA teams Most Valuable Player if you did not have the talent, and he did.

There will be a banner hanging in Duncan’s honor in City Hall in honor of Tim Duncan Day. So, what is asked of everyone on this day? Fans in San Antonio are being encouraged to wear their Duncan apparel. Additionally, they are using the hashtag #TimDuncanDay for the posting of photos online to honor Duncan.

Next: Tim Duncan's 10 Most Memorable Games