NBA
Manu Ginobili: Most Successful International Player Ever?
Retirement
San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, 41, announced his retirement from the NBA after an illustrious 23 year career.
Ginobili’s Case In Being The Most Successful International Player Ever
The Argentinian native retires as the only non-American player to ever win four NBA titles and a gold medal. This puts him in the conversation as one of the best international players to ever play basketball in general. To go along with those championships, he also made two all-star appearances (2005, 2011) and won sixth man of the year (2008).
Other players in this conversation are players like Hakeem Olajuwon, Dirk Nowitzki, and Steve Nash. Those three players have never won an Olympic gold medal. That is what really separates Ginobili from the crowd. Although those players had more successful NBA careers, he was able to do it on the international stage.
Argentina, led by Ginobili, won the 2004 Olympics basketball tournament. He averaged 19.2 points in the tournament, which includes an amazing 29 point semi-final victory over the United States. Team USA had an unbelievable wealth of superstars in LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Allen Iverson. Ginobili scored his 29 points in an assortment of ways, which includes crafty lay-ups and long range three pointers.
While everyone knows about Ginobili’s outstanding career in the NBA, he also had a successful run in Europe prior to coming to the United States and joining the Spurs at age 25. After he was drafted by the Spurs in 1999, he was outstanding in all competitions, winning the MVP of the Italian League in both 2000-01 and 2001-02.
Ginobili made a great case for himself to be the greatest foreign player ever. We will remember him for a long time and young players will continue to be inspired by him for many years to come.
