"Meng, have you really decided? Aren't you thinking about it? “

On June 18, 2014, in the office of the president of the San Antonio Spurs club, the owner and CEO of the Spurs club, Pete Holt, Buford, and the chairman and head coach Greg Popovich, all looked at Meng Xu who was sitting on the sofa with regret and disappointment.

In the summer of 2012, Meng Xu signed a two-year $40.6 million contract with the Spurs, which officially expired after the end of this season's finals, and the Spurs' championship parade had just ended, and the Spurs management handed Meng Xu a 3-year $70 million contract extension, hoping that Meng Xu could stay and help the Spurs achieve the great cause of three consecutive championships, but when the two sides were negotiating for a contract renewal, Meng Xu said that he had decided to retire.

After beating the Heat last season to complete the top, the Spurs swept the Mavericks and Warriors in the first and second rounds in the playoffs this season, and then eliminated the Thunder in the division finals, and once again met the Heat in the finals, 4-1, exactly the same score as in the last Finals, the Spurs defeated the Heat with the Big Three again, completed the title defense, and won the fifth championship trophy in the history of the Spurs.

And Meng Xu also won the ninth championship trophy in his career, and the eighth Finals MVP, not only that, at the end of the regular season, Meng Xu was also elected as the regular season MVP of this season, and entered the best team for a while, and the best defensive team for a while, although Meng Xu is now 34 years old, but with Meng Xu's current state, there is no problem at all to play until he is 40 years old, and the Spurs also hope to take advantage of Meng Xu's good condition, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Veterans like Manu Ginobili can still struggle, and young people like Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green in the team can also have the opportunity to take on heavy responsibilities and win several championships again, but Meng Xu suddenly decided to retire.

Meng Xu's decision to retire has undoubtedly disrupted the deployment of the Spurs in the next few seasons, without Meng Xu's Spurs, although it will not sink quickly, but it is basically impossible to complete the triple championship, so from Pete Holt to Greg Popovich are now repeatedly persuading Meng Xu, hoping that he can stay, three years is unwilling, two years, one year is fine!

Under Popovich's repeated persuasion, Meng Xu smiled and said to Popovich: "You must always give young people a chance." “

Although Meng Xu is now 34 years old, Meng Xu's physical condition has not fallen off a cliff, in this season's regular season and playoffs, Meng Xu can still contribute 25 + 8 + 7 and 32 + 8 + 8 data, after winning the finals MVP for two consecutive seasons and being crowned the regular season MVP this season, Meng Xu has surpassed James and once again ascended to the position of the first person in the league, so Meng Xu is still a mountain on the heads of all young players in this league.

Nine championships, for an NBA player, is already a very terrifying number, plus Meng Xu's eight Finals MVP, six regular season MVP, four All-Star MVP, four Best Defensive Player, so many honors, Meng Xu can't give birth to those young people to fight, to grab, and for the Chinese, nine is already the ultimate, is complete, and after helping the Spurs win two championships, the last regret in Meng Xu's heart is gone, In addition, David Stern is also about to announce his retirement, so Meng Xu can leave with more peace of mind.

"Will you come back later?" After seeing Popovich's repeated dissuasion, he couldn't shake Meng Xu's determination, Buford knew that the Spurs should prepare for Meng Xu's departure, but Buford still asked Meng Xu to see if Meng Xu would make a second comeback like Jordan.

"Probably not, this season is my last season in the NBA as a player." After Buford's inquiry, Meng Xu answered his question with a smile, but soon, Meng Xu said with a mysterious face: "However, maybe one day I will come to the AT&T arena as a head coach and take a team to kick your ass as an opponent." “

"I wish there was a day." After Meng Xu's words fell, Popovich's office fell silent, obviously Meng Xu's joke was not very funny, but after the silence, Popovich still responded to Meng Xu's "challenge", Meng Xu and Popovich expressed their desire to take charge of a team after retiring after the Spurs returned, and Popovich was also very optimistic about Meng Xu's coaching career, and even thought in his heart that when Duncan and Meng Xu retire one day, they would retire together. Then he passed the whip to Meng Xu's hands, but now it seems that that day will not appear.

There was no grand farewell ceremony, no grand press conference, Meng Xu seemed to disappear after the finals, until the NBA league announced the schedule of the 2014-2015 season, the news of Meng Xu's possible retirement, was circulated, and reporters throughout the United States flocked to San Anthony, ready to get first-hand information, the Spurs official also held a press conference, announcing that the new season opener, for Meng Xu to hold a jersey retirement ceremony.

After the news of Meng Xu's retirement was stonehammered, Pat Riley, who had not appeared in public for a long time, also publicly stated that the Heat would retire the No. 5 jersey of the Heat like the No. 23 jersey, as a way to express respect for the players who ruled an era.

After the Spurs and the Heat, Meng Xu played for 7 seasons and won six championships for the Pacers, and also announced that they would hold a jersey retirement ceremony for Meng Xu in the new season, and in addition to Meng Xu, the Pacers will also hold a jersey retirement ceremony for Jermaine O'Neal and James Posey.

Meng Xu's retirement marks the complete end of an era! The end of an era that belongs to Meng Xu!

And the collective retirement of Meng Xu, Jermaine O'Neal, and James Posey also marks that the team that once ruled this league and set countless records has since become history!