Goodbye Tim Duncan, Who Retires as Perhaps the NBA's Last Small Market Megastar
By Jason McIntyre
Tim Duncan has retired after 19 glorious seasons, and the outpouring will be gushy and it will all be deserved. Duncan, the most boring-great athlete in sports over the last two decades – Peyton Manning was quotable and hosted Saturday Night Live and excelled in commercials, so don’t try to go there – leaves behind this legacy: I think Tim Duncan might be the NBA’s last small market megastar.
Going back 35 years in the NBA, I think you can pinpoint seven NBA MegaStars: Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaq and Duncan. All six are unquestionably Top 15 players in the history of the sport. Duncan stands out because he’s the only one to play in a small market for his entire career.
Will we ever see another all-time player who stays in the same small market his entire career, wins 3+ titles, and never leaves?
LeBron left Cleveland for Miami, got two rings, then headed home. Kevin Durant spent nine years in OKC, didn’t win a title, and left for the Warriors, where he should win multiple.
Dirk Nowitzki is probably the closest to Duncan, as he’s a Top 30 player all-time and has a ring, but I’m not sure he qualifies as a MegaStar nationally.
[Aside: I’m sure there will be pushback about guys like Hakeem Olajuwon (two titles), Patrick Ewing, Dwyane Wade (three rings, but just changed teams), Isiah Thomas, Clyde Drexler, etc. All Hall of Famers. All historically great players. But MEGASTARS?]
Kawhi Leonard seems to have the potential, and like Duncan, he’s quiet, extremely reserved and seemingly camera-shy. He’s got a title, but when does Pop leave?