Emotional Gregg Popovich bids farewell to Tim Duncan

SAN ANTONIO – Gregg Popovich bade an emotional farewell to Tim Duncan's playing career Tuesday, the longtime San Antonio coach saying the now-retired Spurs star was the best teammate anyone could have known.

Watch: Gregg Popovich talks about Tim Duncan's retirement (Clip 1)  

Sounding as if he were choking up at times and wearing a T-shirt with Duncan's face printed on the front, Popovich spoke at the Spurs' practice facility in San Antonio.

Duncan announced his retirement after 19 seasons on Monday in a statement released through the Spurs.

Watch: Gregg Popovich talks about Tim Duncan's retirement (Clip 2)

Popovich said Duncan is "irreplaceable" and "it's really difficult to imagine" the Spurs playing without the five-time NBA champion.  

Popovich spoke not only about Duncan's on court accomplishments, but his character off the court and his relationship with the iconic Spurs big man.

"You know everybody always talks about who they would like to eat dinner with, if you had one night to cook dinner or have lunch with, who would it be," said Popovich. "Mine would be with Timmy and it would be because he's the most real, consistent true person I have ever met in my life.

"He is so genuine that it blows your mind," Popovich said. "To spend time with Timmy is sublime." 

Popovich discussed what Duncan has meant to the franchise over nearly two decades and the amount of people Duncan has directly affected.

"He's been so important to so many people it's just mind-boggling," Popovich said. "And to think he's gone makes it very difficult to imagine walking into practice, going to a game, getting on a bus, grabbing a piece of carrot cake whatever it might be, so he's been true to himself."  

One of the more emotional moments during the press conference was when Popovoch discussed what Duncan's father told him before he passed away. It appeared as if the Spurs head coach was holding back tears.

"This is the way one would always expect Timmy to go out. He's the same person as far as his values, opinions of himself as the day he came in," Popovich said. "I can still remember before his father passed away he looked me in the eye and said 'I'm going to hold you responsible to make sure when he's done, he's the same person he is now,' and in that respect he is."

Duncan and Popovich won more games together than any player-coach combination in NBA history. 

Popovich says he hopes Duncan will remain involved with the Spurs in some capacity, even if only part time.