Longtime San Antonio Spurs power forward/center Tim Duncan announced his retirement on Monday. The iconic big man is being remembered for his dominance during his 19 seasons in San Antonio, for his less-than-savvy fashion choices, and for being a genuinely nice guy. Among the flood of stories that followed his announcement was this incredible anecdote from former NBA center Etan Thomas.

Giving an opposing player props isn’t exactly unheard of—tennis players routinely acknowledge opponents’ exceptional shots with racket applause and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck compliments opposing defenders with “nice play, buddy” or “good hit” after a sack. But doling out advice to your opponent during a game? Respect.