Olympic medal record
Competitor for  Argentina
Men's basketball
Gold	2004 Athens	Team

Manu Ginobili

Manu Ginobili with President of Argentina Néstor Kirchner
Position	Shooting guard
Nickname	Manu, Gino, Narigon
Height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Team	San Antonio Spurs
Nationality	Argentina
Born	July 28, 1977 (age 29) Bahía Blanca, Argentina
Draft	2nd round, 57th overall, 1999 San Antonio Spurs
Pro career	1995–present
Former teams	Andino Sport Club (1995-96) Estudiantes de Bahía Blanca (1996-98) Viola Reggio Calabria (1998-2000) Kinder Bologna (2000-2002)
Awards	2002-03 NBA All-Rookie Second Team 2004-05 NBA All-Star

Emanuel David Ginobili (Spanish: Ginóbili) (born July 28, 1977 in Bahía Blanca, Argentina), better known as Manu Ginobili, is an Argentine basketball player of Italian descent. He is a member of the Argentine national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA. The NBA All-Star shooting guard is generally regarded as one of the best basketball players ever to come from Latin America. Image File history File links Flag_of_Argentina. ... Basketball has been played consistently on the Summer Olympics since 1936, with a demonstration event in 1904. ... The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the indoor arena in the Helliniko Olympic Complex for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. ... Image File history File links Ginobili_y_Kirchner-1jul05-presidencia-govar. ...  , full name Néstor Carlos Kirchner Ostoic (born 25 February 1950), is the President of Argentina, sworn in on May 25, 2003. ... Shooting guard (SG), also known as “two guard” or “off guard”,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ... The pound (abbreviations: lb or, sometimes in the United States, #) is a unit of mass in a number of different systems, including various systems of units of mass that formed part of English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The U.S. National Prototype Kilogram, which currently serves as the primary standard for measuring mass in the U.S. It was assigned to the United States in 1889 and is periodically recertified and traceable to the primary international standard, The Kilogram, held at the Bureau International des Poids et... It has been suggested that San Antonio Gunslingers (ABA) be merged into this article or section. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Argentina. ... July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 156 days remaining. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Plaza Rivadavia Bahía Blanca is a city located in the south east of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, head town of Bahia Blanca Partido. ... 1999 NBA Draft - 30 June 1999 - MCI Center in Washington, D.C. The 1999 NBA Draft class was a solid one, with nine of the top-10 picks (all except Jonathan Bender, forced into retirement by injuries) rising to prominence in the NBA. Corey Maggette, Ron Artest, Andrei Kirilenko and... It has been suggested that San Antonio Gunslingers (ABA) be merged into this article or section. ... Estudiantes de Bahía Blanca is a basketball club located in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. ... Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna is a prominent Italian basketball club, based in Bologna. ... July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 156 days remaining. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Plaza Rivadavia Bahía Blanca is a city located in the south east of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, head town of Bahia Blanca Partido. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005. ... Argentina national basketball team is the basketball side that represents Argentina in basketball international competitions, and depends on the Argentine Basketball Federation. ... It has been suggested that San Antonio Gunslingers (ABA) be merged into this article or section. ... The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the worlds premier mens basketball league. ... The National Basketball Association (NBA) holds an All-Star Weekend every February, with a variety of basketball-related events, exhibitions, and performances culminating in the NBA All-Star Game held on Sunday night. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ...

Biography

Ginobili comes from a basketball family. Older brothers Sebastián and Leandro have played professionally in Argentina and Spain respectively. Their father, Jorge, was a coach at a club in Bahía Blanca, where Ginobili learned to play. Like many Argentines, Ginobili is a descendant of Italian immigrants.

Professional career

Argentine and Italian years

Ginobili made his professional debut in the Argentine basketball league for the Andino Sport Club[1] team of La Rioja from 1995–1996, 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. Team's coach Ettore Messina helped him improve his shooting, defense and leadership. He also made the Italian league's All-Star game three times during this period. The Liga Nacional de Básquetbol (LNB) is the Argentine National Basketball League, and controlled by the Asociación de Clubes de Básquetbol (Association of Basketball Clubs). ... La Rioja is a city in Argentina. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Estudiantes de Bahía Blanca is a basketball club located in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna is a prominent Italian basketball club, based in Bologna. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... The Euroleague is a high-calibre professional basketball league with teams from thirteen different European countries. ... Ettore Messina (September 30, 1959 – ) is an Italian basketball coach. ...

San Antonio Spurs

In the 1999 NBA Draft, the Spurs selected Ginobili 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 the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis, where he made the all-tournament team alongside future NBA star Yao Ming and established NBA stars Dirk Nowitzki and Peja Stojakovic. Ginobili helped lead Argentina to a second-place finish. When he did return, he carried an injury in his ankle; and was forced to watch training camp on the sidelines for two weeks. In the years since, some commentators have deemed him the greatest draft day steal in modern NBA history, and perhaps all-time. 1999 NBA Draft - 30 June 1999 - MCI Center in Washington, D.C. The 1999 NBA Draft class was a solid one, with nine of the top-10 picks (all except Jonathan Bender, forced into retirement by injuries) rising to prominence in the NBA. Corey Maggette, Ron Artest, Andrei Kirilenko and... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... The FIBA World Championship (also called the Basketball World Championship) is a world basketball tournament for mens national teams held quadrennially by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). ... Location in the state of Indiana Coordinates: County Marion Founded 1821 Government  - Mayor Bart Peterson (D) Area  - City  372 sq mi (963. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Yao Yao Ming (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (born September 12, 1980, in Shanghai, China) is a Chinese professional basketball player and one of the premier centers in the National Basketball Association. ... Dirk Werner Nowitzki (IPA pronuncation: ) (born June 19, 1978 in Würzburg, West Germany) is a German basketball player for the United States National Basketball Associations (NBA) Dallas Mavericks. ... Stojakovic playing for the Kings Predrag Peđa Stojaković (born June 9, 1977) is a basketball star for the NBAs Sacramento Kings. ...

Manu playing for the Spurs

In his first season in the NBA, Manu fought to get minutes playing backup for veteran Steve Smith. He spent much of the early season injured, and found it hard to adjust to the NBA's style of play. The Spurs didn't have much need for him and went 60-22 for the season. They entered the playoffs eager to upset the highly fancied Lakers. As the situation with his injury improved, so did Manu, winning Rookie of the Month in March. In the postseason, Manu became an integral part of Gregg Popovich's rotational set up. The Spurs proceeded to wipe out Phoenix and Los Angeles. In these games Manu's scoring threat took opponents by surprise, giving them one more thing to cope with against the now highly fancied Spurs. He helped guide them past the Mavericks and then the Nets in the Finals. After the win, Manu's life changed a lot. He was named Argentina's top sportsman in the country's main newspaper, Clarin. He met Nestor Kirchner, the Argentine president, had a gym dedicated in his honour, and often required a police escort wherever he went. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

After some issues with San Antonio over his contract, with agent Herb Rudoy, Ginobili re-signed and he became a starter for the Spurs in 2005. On February 8 of the following year, Ginobili 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 23, Ginobili won his second title with the Spurs playing as starter on a very defensive 7-game series against the Detroit Pistons, with a game seven score of 81-74. In the NBA Finals MVP Award voting, Manu was edged out (6 votes to 4) by teammate Tim Duncan. He was the second leading scorer of that team, finishing a memorable 2004-2005 season for him. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... All-star (also, Allstar or All Star) is a term with meanings in both the worlds of sports and entertainment. ... June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... The Detroit Pistons are a National Basketball Association (NBA) team based in the Detroit metropolitan area. ... The NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award is presented to the National Basketball Association (NBA) player in the NBA Finals that is seen as contributing the most to the series. ... Timothy (Tim) Theodore Duncan (born April 25, 1976 in Christiansted, St. ...

The 2005-2006 started with troubles for Ginobili, who suffered different foot and ankle injuries that hindered his ability.

On the February 21, 2007, Manu set a Spurs franchise record 24 straight points against the Atlanta Hawks. He scored 40 points to lead his team to a 103-96 victory. February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... It has been suggested that San Antonio Gunslingers (ABA) be merged into this article or section. ... The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. ...

Olympic gold medal 2004

On August 15, 2004, Ginobili led the Argentine team to the gold medal. Ginobili was named the MVP of the Olympic tournament, sporting heroics like in the 83-82 win over Serbia and Montenegro with a shot he made while falling to the floor with less than a second to go, in Argentina's basketball opener at the Olympic Games in Athens. Ginobili lead the team in both scoring (16.7 ppg) and assists (3.3 apg). August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In sports, a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests. ... Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the indoor arena in the Helliniko Olympic Complex for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. ... For other uses, see Athens (disambiguation). ...

Player profile

Ginobili is a 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), 205 lb (93 kg) shooting guard. His NBA career averages are 13.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He is a relative latebloomer, entering the NBA at age 25 in a period where entering the NBA as a teenager was very popular. Shooting guard (SG), also known as “two guard” or “off guard”,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. ... Prep-to-pro, or the Jump, is a term given to basketball players who enter the NBA directly following the graduation of high school. ...

Initially a sixth man, Ginobili soon established himself as a starter. He is known for his up-tempo style of play, behind-the-back moves when attacking the basket and for his dunking skills. Ginobili is also known for his clutch play, documented by his numerous European league MVP awards, becoming 2004 Olympic tournament MVP, and proven by his strong play in the Spurs' 2004-05 championship-winning campaign, where he narrowly lost the Finals MVP vote to team mate Tim Duncan by 2 votes. Timothy (Tim) Theodore Duncan (born April 25, 1976 in Christiansted, St. ...

Ginobili's modus operandi is the source of much consternation for opponents (for example, lowering his head while driving toward the basket, and willingness to draw charges on defense), among the most vocal of whom have been coach George Karl of the Denver Nuggets. These critics frequently accuse Ginobili of "flopping," or exaggerating the amount of contact that occurs when he is playing defense. Modus operandi (often used in the abbreviated form MO) is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as mode of operation. ... George Matthew Karl (born May 12, 1951 in Penn Hills, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA) and American Basketball Association (ABA) player and current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. ... The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. ... In basketball, flop is a derogatory term that refers to a defensive player, when contact is made with an offensive player, intentionally falling backward to the floor in hopes of making it look as though he was knocked off of his feet by the offensive players contact. ...

Playing against the Lakers

Ginobili also deserves mention for being one of the few players who are successful under both the physical, one-on-one play of the NBA and the more technical, jumpshooting rule set of the FIBA. He is the only player in basketball history to win the Euroleague, an Olympic gold medal, and an NBA Championship ring. He is also the only non-U.S. player ever to win both the NBA Championship ring and the Olympic gold medal, and the only second Latin American to be selected to play in an NBA All-star game (after Panama's Rolando Blackman). Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The term Lakers can refer to the following: a Laker, a type of cargo ship used on the Great Lakes the Los Angeles Lakers, a professional basketball team originally based in Minneapolis This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the... The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the worlds premier mens basketball league. ... The International Basketball Federation (French Fédération Internationale de Basketball) is an association of national organizations which governs international competitition in the sport. ... The Euroleague is a high-calibre professional basketball league with teams from thirteen different European countries. ... The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the worlds premier mens basketball league. ... The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the worlds premier mens basketball league. ... The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... Rolando Ro Antonio Blackman (born February 26, 1959 in Panama City, Panama) was an All-Star NBA basketball player who spent most of his career with the Dallas Mavericks. ...

Ginobili's career high in points is 48, which he scored vs. the Phoenix Suns during an overtime game in January 2005.

Argentine National Team

Manu made his Argentina debut on the 30th of July 1998 at the World Cup in Athens. He is considered one of Argentina's most skillful and important national players ever, despite his age. His greatest accomplishment as a member of the national team came at the 2004 Athens Olympics when he and the Argentinians became the first non-American team in 26 years to win the gold medal. His highlight of the tournament was probably his game-winning buzzer beater with 0.1 seconds remaining, on the opening day of the Olympics, in a game versus Serbia & Montenegro. (Redirected from 2004 Athens Olympics) The Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, commonly known as the 2004 Summer Olympics were the 28th Summer Olympic Games. ... Anthem Serbia() on the European continent() Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian written with the Cyrillic alphabet1 Government Parliamentary republic  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment  -  Formation 8th century   -  Independence c. ... Anthem: Oj, svijetla majska zoro Oh, the bright dawn of May Montenegro() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city)  Podgorica Official languages Serbian (Ijekavian dialect)1 Government Republic  - President Filip Vujanović  - Prime Minister Željko Å turanović Independence from Serbia and Montenegro   - Declared June 3, 2006   - Recognised June 8, 2006  Area...

In the media

• During the 2005 Playoffs, Ginobili and teammate Tony Parker starred in an NBA-produced advertisement promoting the Finals where NBA players phoned in to the "Love Doctor" (portrayed by NBA legend Julius Erving) to get advice and to give their opinions about how much they loved the trophy.
• Manu Ginobili speaks three languages fluently: Spanish, Italian and English.

William Anthony (Tony) Parker, II (born May 17, 1982, in Bruges, Belgium[1]) is a French National Basketball Association (NBA) player with the San Antonio Spurs and captain of Frances national basketball team. ... Julius Winfield Erving II (born February 22, 1950 in Roosevelt, New York), commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a former American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim. ...

Jersey Numbers

6 Bahiense del Norte, Andino de la Rioja, Kinder Bologna
10 Estudiantes BB, Reggio Calabria
20 San Antonio Spurs
5 Argentina National Team
Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna is a prominent Italian basketball club, based in Bologna. ... Estudiantes de Bahia Blanca is a team in Bahia Blanca, Argentina playing in the Liga Nacional de Básquetbol (LNB). ... It has been suggested that San Antonio Gunslingers (ABA) be merged into this article or section. ... Argentina national basketball team is the basketball side that represents Argentina in basketball international competitions, and depends on the Argentine Basketball Federation. ...

Titles

• 2001 Italian League Championship (Kinder Bologna)
• 2001 Italian Cup (Kinder Bologna)
• 2001 Euroleague (Kinder Bologna)
• 2001 Americas Championship (Argentina)
• 2002 Italian Cup (Kinder Bologna)
• 2003 NBA Championship (San Antonio Spurs)
• 2004 Summer Olympic Games Gold Medal (Argentina)
• 2005 NBA Championship (San Antonio Spurs)

Awards

• 1999 Italian League All-Star
• 2000 Italian League All-Star
• 2000 Italian League Most Improved Player
• 2001 Italian League All-Star
• 2001 Italian League Most Valuable Player
• 2001 Euroleague Most Valuable Player
• 2002 Italian Cup Most Valuable Player
• 2002 Italian League Most Valuable Player
• 2002 All-Tournament Team, FIBA World Championship
• 2004 Ideal Olympics Team
• 2004 Summer Olympic Games Most Valuable Player
• 2005 NBA All-Star
• 2005 Nike Baller Of The Year (fan poll)
• 2006 All-Tournament Team, FIBA World Championship

The 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from August 29 to September 8, 2002. ... Nike, Inc. ... Official logo The winner, Spain, is being celebrated The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. ...

External links

• Official site in English
• (Spanish) Web Oficial en español
• NBA.com Profile - Manu Ginobili
• Manu Ginobili at ESPN.com
• Manu Ginobili Player Profile (InterBasket)
• Bballcentral.com - Argentinian Force: Manu Ginobili
• Manu Ginobili article on Hoopsworld.com
• Sports Illustrated's Chris Ballard on Manu Ginobili