Tim Duncan turned down President Obama's invitation to Rio Olympics
Tim Duncan might have walked away from the game of basketball and his beloved San Antonio Spurs, but the 19-year NBA veteran hasn't changed one bit since calling it quits.
Duncan's former teammate Bruce Bowen, who is in Rio for the 2016 Olympics with NBA House, told SI.com Duncan had a chance to make the trip as well. Known for his calm demeanor and general shunning of anything flashy, Duncan wasn't too keen on the idea of flying down to Brazil, not even after President Barack Obama offered a personal invitation.
In a discussion about Duncan's legacy, Bowen mentioned the Spurs star's unassuming lifestyle, and eventually explained how Duncan turned down the President's offer.
"Tim, his legacy is always going to be more of the foundation guy in San Antonio and a guy that wasn't ever concerned with the limelight," Bowen said, "but more importantly concerned with others, making sure that they could really reach the most out of their potential.
"It's not often you find individuals like that. And it's funny that he was offered an opportunity to fly here with the President of the United States, and he discussed it with me and I'm like, 'You're going, right?' He was like, 'You know I'm not about that stuff.' Even that moment where you'd say, 'I sure would like to be a part of that,' it doesn't happen with Tim because he's not concerned with that stuff."
So, in short, not even the President could get Duncan to come out of his shell. Duncan's one of the greatest basketball players ever, and he still manages to be one of the humblest people around.
Come back to SI.com for a full Q&A with Bruce Bowen on NBA House, San Antonio, Rio Olympics and more.
