National Basketball Association

Gregg Popovich: I'd rather go to dinner with Tim Duncan than Jesus

Published Jul. 12, 2016 7:49 p.m. ET

foxsports

Gregg Popovich isn't good at goodbyes.

The San Antonio Spurs coach is more of a "I'll see you when I see you," type of guy. And he's physically incapable of hyperbole or feel-good pandering.

So, weirdly enough, I honestly believe the man when he says he'd rather hang out with Tim Duncan than Jesus, Mother Theresa or any another historic figure to ever across this mortal plane.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Popovich spoke at length about Duncan's retirement, his influence on the Spurs and himself personally.

His most Pop-ish praise: an old hypothetical about the one dinner companion, living or dead, he'd choose to eat with.

An emotional Gregg Popovich says farewell to Tim Duncan. https://t.co/zRuAvhZFfl https://t.co/8Ar9nA7zS2
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 12, 2016

For Popovich, it's Duncan over everything.

"You know if you have one night and you could go to dinner, go to lunch with so-and-so, who would you like to do it with?" Popovich said. "People say, 'Mother Teresa, Jesus. and the Dalai Lama.' And okay, I get it. And I can honestly tell you, my dinner would be with Timmy."

I'll say two things: I'm going to miss Tim Duncan greatly. And I can only imagine at the amount of Redd's Hard Apple Ale he'd drink at this dinner.

Dan is on Twitter. His person would be probably be Gregg Popovich. Or Raiden. Raiden seems cool.