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Spurs #20: Manu Ginóbili

Emanuel David Ginóbili (born July 28, 1977 in Bahía Blanca, Argentina), also known as Manu Ginóbili , is an Argentine basketball player. He is a member of the Argentine national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA. He is generally regarded as one of the finest basketball players ever to come from Argentina, and indeed from South America. Like many Argentines, Ginobili is a descendant of Italian immigrants. Ginóbili comes from a basketball family. Older brothers Sebastian and Leandro have played professionally in Argentina and Spain, respectively, and their father, Jorge, was a coach at a club in Bahía Blanca where Ginóbili learned to play. Ginobili is a wiry, 6-6 (1.98 m) left-hander who is also adept at going to his right. Being fearless, though, could be one of his better assets.

He made his professional basketball debut for the Andino team of La Rioja in the 1995-1996 season and was traded to Estudiantes de Bahía Blanca the next year. He played with his hometown team until the Italian league attracted him, and in 1998 he moved to Europe, playing in the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 seasons with Basket Viola Reggio Calabria, after which he was traded to Kinder Bologna, which he helped win the 2001 Italian Championship, 2001 and 2002 Italian Cups, and the 2001 Euroleague, where he was named MVP. He also made the Italian league's All-Star game three times during this period.

In the 1999 NBA Draft, the Spurs selected Ginóbili late in the second round with the 57th overall pick, the penultimate choice in the entire draft. However, he did not sign with the Spurs until after the 2002 Basketball World Championship in Indianapolis, where he made the all-tournament team (alongside fellow NBA rookie-to-be Yao Ming and established NBA stars Dirk Nowitzki and Peja Stojakovic) and helped lead Argentina to second-place finish. In the years since, some commentators have deemed him the greatest draft day steal in modern NBA history, and perhaps all-time.

File:Manu serbia.jpg

Manu´s last second shot vs. Serbia and Montenegro, 2004 Olympic Games

In his first season, Ginóbili rose from the bench to help the Spurs climb to the NBA championship in 2003, when San Antonio beat the New Jersey Nets in six games. In 2004, however, the Spurs lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in an NBA playoff rematch with a memorable shot from Derek Fisher with no time remaining in the series' fifth game. Then Spurs were demoralized and the Lakers went on to win the series a game later.

On August 15 of the same year, Ginóbili led the Argentine team to an 83-82 win over Serbia-Montenegro with a shot he made while falling to the floor with less than one second to go, in Argentina's basketball opener at the Olympic Games in Athens. Argentina team went on to win the gold medal, with Ginóbili leading the team in both scoring (19.3 ppg) and assists (3.3 apg). Ginobili was named the MVP of the Olympic tournament.

On February 8 of the following year, Ginóbili was selected (by a vote of NBA coaches) to the 2005 Western Conference All-Star team as a reserve, his first time making it to the elite midseason showcase.

On June 5th, 2005 of Finals Game 2, it was reported that the Finals global ratings had been at a record high of over 105 million viewers tuning in to watch as Ginóbili had a stellar performance in Games 1&2. If his style of play continues, his marketability as a new face of basketball might play a role in the globalization of Basketball, considered second only to Soccer in the world.

During the 2005 Playoffs Ginóbili and teammate, Tony Parker starred in an NBA-produced ad promoting the Finals where NBA players phoned in the "Love Doctor" (portrayed by NBA legend Julius Erving) to get advice and to give their opinions about how much they loved the trophy. In his ad, Ginóbili coined one of his now famous quotes about love being "like stars in the night sky." It has been noted that ABC executives considered advertisements to attract more U.S. viewers after games 1&2, that portrayed the finals as a cheesy sitcom, with its star Ginóbili, and referred to the Finals as "The Manu Show." In scenes edited from the basketball footage of Pistons Spurs games, the Wallaces were portrayed as the bullies plotting against Ginóbili with each game. However, that idea was scrapped as they did not want it to look like Manu and the Spurs were favored by ABC and the media. On June 23, Ginóbili won his second title with the Spurs playing as starter on a very defensive 7 games series against the Detroit Pistons, with a game seven score of 81-74. In the NBA Finals MVP Award voting, Manu was barely edged out (6 votes to 5) by teammate Tim Duncan. He was the second leading scorer of that team, finishing a memorable 2004-2005 season for him.

File:Manu celebrate.jpg

Manu celebrating the playoff victory

Ginóbili is known for his up-tempo style of play, his passing, and behind-the-back moves when attacking the basket. His modus operandi (for example, lowering his head while driving toward the basket, and willingness to draw charges on defense) is the source of much consternation for opponents, among the most vocal of whom have been coach George Karl of the Denver Nuggets, and several players on the Phoenix Suns.

He is the only player in basketball history to win the European Cup, an Olympic gold medal, and an NBA Championship ring.

Titles

2001 Italian Championship (Kinder Bologna)
2001 Italian Cup (Kinder Bologna)
2001 Euroleague (Kinder Bologna)
2003 NBA Championship (San Antonio Spurs)
2004 Summer Olympic Games Gold Medal (Argentina)
2005 NBA Championship (San Antonio Spurs)

Awards

2001 Italian League Most Valuable Player
2001 Euroleague Most Valuable Player
2001 Italian League Most Valuable Player
2002 Italian League Most Valuable Player
2002 Ideal Indianapolis World Cup Team.
2004 Ideal Olympics team.
2004 Summer Olympic Games Most Valuable Player
2005 Nike Baller Of The Year (fan poll)

External links

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 [[Image:Manuginobili.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Spurs #20: Manu Ginóbili]]
-'''Emanuel David Ginóbili''' (born [[July 28]], [[1977]] in [[Bahía Blanca]], [[Argentina]]), also known as ''' ''Manu Ginóbili'' ''', is an Argentine [[basketball]] player. He is a member of the Argentine national basketball team and the [[San Antonio Spurs]] in the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]. He is generally regarded as one of the finest basketball players ever to come from Argentina, and indeed from [[South America]]. Like many Argentines, Ginobili is a descendant of [[Italy|Italian]] immigrants. Ginóbili comes from a basketball family. Older brothers Sebastian who btw likes to block other people on MSN and Leandro have played professionally in Argentina and Spain, respectively, and their father, Jorge, was a coach at a club in Bahía Blanca where Ginóbili learned to play. Ginobili is a wiry, 6-6 (1.98 m) left-hander who is also adept at going to his right. Being fearless, though, could be one of his better assets.
+'''Emanuel David Ginóbili''' (born [[July 28]], [[1977]] in [[Bahía Blanca]], [[Argentina]]), also known as ''' ''Manu Ginóbili'' ''', is an Argentine [[basketball]] player. He is a member of the Argentine national basketball team and the [[San Antonio Spurs]] in the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]. He is generally regarded as one of the finest basketball players ever to come from Argentina, and indeed from [[South America]]. Like many Argentines, Ginobili is a descendant of [[Italy|Italian]] immigrants. Ginóbili comes from a basketball family. Older brothers Sebastian and Leandro have played professionally in Argentina and Spain, respectively, and their father, Jorge, was a coach at a club in Bahía Blanca where Ginóbili learned to play. Ginobili is a wiry, 6-6 (1.98 m) left-hander who is also adept at going to his right. Being fearless, though, could be one of his better assets.
 He made his professional basketball debut for the ''[[Andino]]'' team of [[La Rioja, Argentina|La Rioja]] in the [[1995]]-[[1996]] season and was traded to ''[[Estudiantes de Bahía Blanca]]'' the next year. He played with his hometown team until the [[Italy|Italian]] league attracted him, and in [[1998]] he moved to [[Europe]], playing in the 1998-[[1999]] and 1999-[[2000]] seasons with ''Basket Viola Reggio Calabria'', after which he was traded to ''[[Virtus Bologna|Kinder Bologna]]'', which he helped win the [[2001]] ''Italian Championship'', 2001 and [[2002]] ''Italian Cups'', and the 2001 [[Euroleague]], where he was named ''MVP''. He also made the Italian league's All-Star game three times during this period.