Hoops Habit
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NBA: 5 Biggest Stories From 2016

By James D. Tillman III

Jun 3, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; A view of the NBA Finals logo on the scoreboard during practice prior to the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 3, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; A view of the NBA Finals logo on the scoreboard during practice prior to the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 19, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green (14) and center Tim Duncan (21) defend against Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green (14) and center Tim Duncan (21) defend against Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Pair Of NBA Legends Hang Up Their Sneakers

Tim Duncan was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft. During his 19 seasons with the franchise, he helped lead the Spurs to five championships.

Although the Spurs never repeated as champions, they won at least 50 games in each of those seasons, with the exception of the lockout-shortened 2011-12 campaign.

Since Duncan’s arrival, the Spurs compiled a 1,072-438 regular-season record — the best 19-year stretch in NBA history and tops in the four major U.S. sports over the past 19 years, per ESPN.

Additionally, the Spurs were a playoff team every season of his 19-year tenure and they finished with the best record in the western conference seven times. Needless to say, Duncan’s presence had a lot to do with that.

In what proved to be his final game of the season, Duncan scored 19 points and grabbed five rebounds in Game 6 of the conference semifinals against the Thunder — by far his best outing of the series.

One of the Duncan’s greatest playoff foes — Kobe Bryant — also decided to call it quits following 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. As was the case with Duncan, Bryant played an integral role in helping the Lakers win five championships.

But unlike Duncan, Bryant announced his intention to retire early on in the 2015-16 campaign, stating that he just didn’t have the desire to suit up anymore.

"“Finally, I just had to just accept the fact that I don’t want to do this anymore, and I’m OK with that,” Bryant told ESPN. “Once I accepted that, then it became time to just let everybody know. I mean, why not? It just takes a load off my shoulders and everybody else’s. It’s just the right thing to do.”"

True to his often defiant personality, Bryant did not go out with a whimper. In the final game of his illustrious career, he scored 60 points on 22-for-40 shooting, much to the delight of the home fans.

Although both players felt it was time to move on to the next stages of their lives, they leave behind a plethora of memorable moments that NBA fans won’t soon forget.