Tim Duncan retired months ago now, and finally the true story about his carrot cake habits have been revealed. Gregg Popovich had mentioned the dessert in his Tim Duncan farewell press conference here, but with little in the way of context.
Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan’s relationship, summed up in this sweet story about carrot cake
Awwwwwww this is adorable.
Now we know exactly what Pop meant thanks to this touching story in the San Antonio Express-News.
It was the thoughtful act of a father. Gregg Popovich would go to a Zagat-approved restaurant on the road with his staff, and sometimes, toward the end of the meal, he would ask the waiter for a small carrot cake to go.
He would then leave the package outside Tim Duncan’s hotel door, and Popovich’s original thinking was simple. He knew Duncan loved carrot cake.
But they say this became a road ritual that went on for years, and that the gesture was about more than a late-night snack. It was a nod to partnership and appreciation.
Room service is over now. Popovich has moved on.
There’s nothing that could more perfectly sum up Popovich’s and Duncan’s relationship after the duo spent 19 seasons together — longer than many marriages, even as Pop himself notes in this all-around great story.
Duncan can have all the carrot cake he wants now that he’s retired. You can help but think it won’t quite taste the same, though, being delivered to him by anyone but Pop.
