Gregg Popovich apparently wrestled Tim Duncan during 2000 free agency

The San Antonio Spurs may owe most of Tim Duncan’s tenure with the franchise to a wrestling match that took place between himself and head coach Gregg Popovich during free agency in 2000.

This is a true story—insofar as you believe Spurs general manager R.C. Buford is a trustworthy dude (I do). He recently made an appearance on the The Vertical Pod with Woj, and that’s when he dropped the following anecdote, which Pounding the Rock’s Quixem Ramirez was kind enough to transcribe:

So. Many. Questions.

First of all, who won? Duncan was 24 at the time, but Pop is Pop. It was his house. It seems like this took place late at night. He probably had pinot noir muscles by the time Duncan rolled up.

Second of all, what were the stakes? Loser buys the next round at the local watering hole? Or has to take jump-shooting lessons from Avery Johnson? Or get the same haircut as then-assistant coach Mike Budenholzer? Would the outcome determine whether Duncan re-signed with the Spurs or joined the looming Orlando Magic?

I can hear Pop now: “Look, Timmy, if I win, you have to re-sign. If I lose, you still have to re-sign, but I’ll stop making you crawl under 2,500 feet of barbed wire in lieu of running suicides on off-days.” What a deal.

In all seriousness, this just proves the Spurs owe a great deal to the man with the perpetual scowl. The unique bond he forged with a 24-year-old superstar who started to have wandering eyes altered the entire course of this organization.

Without Duncan, the Spurs don’t win another four titles after 2000. And they most definitely don’t become the spitting image of what every franchise, across every major professional sport, aspires to be. Now that Duncan has retired, leaving the Spurs on their own, you can really appreciate just how pivotal Pop has been to San Antonio’s livelihood both on and off the court.

Essentially, what I’m trying to say is: Thank god Popovich is a feisty late-night wrestler.