Tim Duncan announced his retirement from the NBA after 19 seasons on Monday.  After four years at Wake Forest, the San Antonio Spurs selected him as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft.  He spent all of his 19 seasons in the NBA with the Spurs, won five NBA Championships, 3 NBA Finals MVP Awards, 2 NBA MVP Awards, and 15 All-Star teams.

For the past five years, former Tar Heel Danny Green was his teammate.

Green is 11 years younger than Duncan and he grew up idolizing his future teammate.  In a Monday night Facebook post, we learned just how important Duncan is to Green.

Green writes:

“I’ve been waiting all day for someone tell me it was a joke or a lie….I feel like one of the luckiest guys of my generation to be able to share the court with you for 5 years…you were and still are one my biggest idols since I was in middle school…I will forever cherish these moments and the countless times you’ve been the guy to encourage me and lift me up with confidence as if the roles were reversed…you truly are the greatest most humble teammate and person I’ve ever come across…I can go on for days about how much you’ve taught me, you are the ultimate professional and the reason why the spurs organization has been the best in sports for 20yrs…the league/game won’t be the same without you, you will be truly missed…and I will miss you the most, because you were also the guy to have my back when pop cussed me out lol…and a final note, I would like to call…Dibs! On your parking space, seat on the plane, locker, everything! Lol I’m lucky to be able to call you family, much love tiny Tim‪#‎Thebigfundamental‬ #21 ‪#‎GPFOAT‬ ‪#‎Legend‬“

The Spurs won the NBA Championship in 2014.  It was Duncan’s fifth and final title.  It was the first for Green.

UNC head basketball coach Roy Williams also shared his thoughts on Duncan.

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