SAN ANTONIO Spurs legend Tim Duncan will join the organization as an assistant coach, the team announced in a release Monday.

Duncan will serve under his former head coach Gregg Popovich. Popovich drafted Duncan out of Wake Forest with the first overall pick in the 1997 draft. The duo spent 19 seasons together until the player’s retirement in 2016.

“It is only fitting, that after I served loyally for 19 years as Tim Duncan’s assistant, that he returns the favor,” Popovich said in the team release.

Popovich, 70, described Duncan, 43, as “like my son” and “more soulmates in life than we are in basketball” when Duncan’s No. 21 jersey was retired in December 2016. They had 1,001 wins together over nearly two decades.

The Spurs won five NBA titles and Duncan was named Finals MVP in three of those years. The two-time league MVP and former Rookie of the Year went to 15 All-Star games. He averaged 19.0 points and 10.8 rebounds per game over his career.

Duncan is the franchise leader in games, points, rebounds, blocks, double-doubles and made field goals.

Will Hardy will also join the coaching staff. Hardy joined the Spurs as a basketball operations intern in 2010.(SD-Agencies)