Doc Rivers explained why the legendary Tim Duncan did not sign with the Orlando Magic back in 2000.
Duncan was a free agent after the 1999/00 season and was close to joining the Magic. However, he asked for one last meeting with the head coach of San Antonio, Gregg Popovich, and eventually remained with the Spurs.
“That story isn’t told correctly because it’s true we talked about it and I actually told him absolutely families can fly not all the time but families can fly every once in a while. That story is not told correctly.
As a matter of fact what I remember the most about that was Tim Duncan looked at me and said, ‘I’m pretty sure that I’m actually coming to the Magic. I just need to go back to San Antonio because I love Pop and I want to have my last meeting with Pop.’
I want to say it was John Calipari but I’m not sure because I called a lot of coaches during this time because they recruit. I think it was Cal, I called him after Tim left and he said, ‘Did you get him?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, it looks like we got him. He wanted to go back and talk to Pop and David (Robinson).’
He said, ‘Well, you lost him. We have one rule. You don’t let the kid leave campus without signing him,'” Rivers, then head coach of the Magic, told Ernie Johnson on the #NBATogether, via Jeff Garcia of News 4 San Antonio.
