Spurs GM: Pop and Duncan wrestled during free agency in 2000
The relationship between longtime San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and now-retired franchise legend Tim Duncan was always known to be close. Yet Spurs general manager R.C. Buford relayed a story to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski that indicates they may be as tight as teenage brothers.
Under the old NBA collective-bargaining agreement, players could become unrestricted free agents after three seasons in the league. In 2000, Duncan was pursued heavily by the Orlando Magic, and considered leaving San Antonio.
"Orlando had draft picks and Disney (World) and a very bright picture," Buford told Wojnarowski, as transcribed by the San Antonio Express News' Quixem Ramirez. "The meeting we shared with Tim was a disaster. I walked out and we blew it. What saved us was Pop and Tim's relationship and their trust."
Related: Pop says Duncan 'the most real, consistent, true person I've ever met'
At this point, Popovich and Duncan had already won their first championship, but had only been together for three years. Still, their friendship sounded impenetrable, because apparently they wrestled before agreeing on a deal.
"Tim stopped by Pop's home after leaving (David Robinson's) house," Buford said. "The two of them rolled over on the floor and wrestled and cried and laughed, and I think that was when things were real, and who we are. It was the sincerity of his relationship with Pop that saved us."
At the time of the reported wrestling, Popovich would have been 51 years old and Duncan 24. There is nothing about this story that is not awesome.