From Texas Public Radio:
San Antonio Spurs legend Manu Ginóbili was enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday, surrounded by former teammates, coaches and family.
Ginóbili’s presenter at the ceremony was fellow Spurs legend Tim Duncan, who was also enshrined last year.
A large contingent of Spurs made the trip up to Springfield, including Tony Parker and Head Coach Gregg Popovich.
The Argentine native was drafted by the Spurs with the #57 overall pick in 1999 and played his entire NBA career in San Antonio. He scored more than 14,000 points, 4,000 assists, and 1,300 steals in his 16 year career with the Spurs.
He won NBA championships in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014 alongside Duncan and Parker.
Ginóbili, Duncan, and Parker remain the winningest Big Three in NBA history.
“I appreciate our run together so much in the championships, of course, but the disappointments also. They got us together, the conversations, the terrible trips, the late dinners, the early breakfasts, the jetlag. It was all worth it,” Ginóbili said. “I love you guys. That’s friendship. That’s brotherhood.”
Those Spurs teams were known for team basketball and Ginóbili embodied that spirit, agreeing to come off the bench for much of his career to benefit the team.
Members of the Argentina National Basketball team also made the trip up to Springfield. Ginóbili led them to an Olympic Gold Medal in 2004.
Ginobili still lives in San Antonio and works with the Spurs as a Special Advisor to Basketball Operations.
