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Who is Manu Ginobili?
Emanuel David Ginobili Maccari, better known as Manu Ginobili, is a former professional basketball player from Argentina. Furthermore, the player is one of the best the league has ever seen and will be recognized for his legacy.
He was one of only two players (together with Bill Bradley) to win a EuroLeague championship, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal during his 23-year professional career.
Furthermore, he is widely recognized for popularizing and introducing the popular Euro step move to the NBA.
Before that, review the following basic facts about the renowned basketball player.
Childhood and Family
Manu Ginobili was born in Bahia Blanca, Argentina on July 28, 1977.
Jorge Ginobili is his father, while Raquel Ginobili is his mother.
Manu was born into a basketball-playing household.
For example, his older brother, Leandro Ginoboli, departed from the Argentine basketball league in 2003 after seven years.
Sebastián Ginobili, his younger brother, also played in the Argentine provincial league and the Spanish Liga Espaola de Baloncesto.
Manu began playing soccer while his father, Jorge Ginobili, was a coach at a club in Baha Blanca, Argentina.
Because of the emergence of basketball clubs in Bahia Blanca and his idolization of Michael Jordan, the player’s passion for basketball grew.
Age, Body Measurements, and Other Facts
Manu Ginobili, a basketball player, was born in 1977. As a result, he is 45 years old.
Similarly, his zodiac sign is Leo, and he was born in the Chinese year of the Snake.
Manu was 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 meters) tall, 205 pounds (93 kilograms), and played left-handed.
His chest measurement is 42 inches. His biceps are 14 inches long, while his waist is 33 inches long.
After establishing himself as a terrific shooting guard, he was hailed as one of the most remarkable sixth men in NBA history.
Ginobili was a late bloomer, entering the NBA at the age of 25 when entering as a teenager was normal.
He was known as a dynamic and dependable backcourt player.
Hobbies
Ginóbili spends his free time listening to Latin music, watching movies, and traveling.
Due to his Marchesan ancestors, Manu has dual citizenship in Argentina and Italy.
The player is conversant in Italian and English in addition to his native Spanish.
As a result, Manu developed the habit of responding to media inquiries in the language of the inquiry.
In addition, the footballer enjoys cycling, traveling, and spending time with his friends and family.
Manu Ginobili’s Pro Basketball Career
Manu began his professional career in the Argentine Basketball League with La Roja in 1995.
The next year, he was traded to Estudiantes Bahia Blanca of the Argentine League.
For the 1998-99 season, he signed with Basket Viola Reggio Calabria in Italy.
Manu and his colleagues aided Reggio’s promotion from Italy’s second division to the first.
Manu was also signed to a $2.9 million contract by the San Antonio Spurs.
He returned to the Spurs for the 2004-2005 season.
The Spurs won the NBA title in 2004 and 2005.
In 2007, and again in 2014, he led the Spurs to another championship.
The player continues to play for the Spurs.
In January 2018, he became the only player in NBA history to have multiple 20-point games off the bench at the age of 40 or older.
Manu was also the first player in his 40s since Michael Jordan in 2002-03 to score 15 or more points in consecutive games.
Retirement
On August 27, 2018, Manu announced his retirement from professional basketball.
Following Nick Collison of the Oklahoma City Thunder, he became the second player that season to finish his career with just one franchise.
Manu’s No. 20 jersey was retired by the Spurs on March 28, 2019, with Tim Duncan’s No. 21 jersey.
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Manu Ginobili, did you play for the National Team?
Manu was a vital player of Argentina’s extremely successful Golden Generation national basketball team.
The player was also a member of Argentina’s junior national team, which finished fourth at the 1997 FIBA Under-21 World Championship.
Ginobili also represented Argentina’s senior national team, making his debut in the 1998 FIBA World Championship in Athens.
Similarly, the player competed in the 2002 FIBA World Championship and won a silver medal.
Manu’s most notable accomplishment as a member of the national team came in 2004 when Argentina became the first team other than Team USA to win the gold medal in 16 years.
The player competed for Argentina in the 2006 FIBA World Championship, finishing fourth.
Manu carried Argentina’s flag during the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, China.
Argentina won the bronze medal game at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics basketball competition despite Manu’s absence due to an injury acquired in the tournament’s semifinals.
Due to family obligations, Ginobili declared in April 2010 that he would not compete in the 2010 FIBA World Championship.
He did, however, play for Argentina in the 2012 London Summer Olympics, where Argentina barely lost the bronze medal game to Russia.
Manu Ginobili | Public Policy
In 2010, Manu declared his support for same-sex marriage legislation in Argentina.
While the player supported same-sex marriage, he did not believe himself equipped to talk about same-sex adoption.
Ginobili claimed that rather than an orphanage, he would prefer to see a child raised by two men or two women.
In March 2020, the player also declared support for gay basketball players and expressed optimism that the issue of sexual orientation would be resolved soon.
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Awards
- 4 NBA titles (20014, 2007, 2005, 20401)
- NBA All-Star No. 2 (20011, 2005)
- Second Team All-NBA (20011, 2008)
- NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2008
- 2003 Second Team NBA All-Rookie
- Argentina’s No. 5 was retired by the CABB, and San Antonio Spurs’ No. 20 was retired.
- EuroLeague champion in 2001
- MVP of the 2001 EuroLeague Finals
- Top Scorer in the EuroLeague Finals 2 (2002, 2001)
- 2002 First Team All-EuroLeague
- Italian League champion in 2001
- 2nd place in the Italian Cup (2002, 2001)
- 2 MVP of the Italian League (2002, 2001)
- MVP of the 2002 Italian Cup
- The 2002 Italian League takes the lead.
- 3 All-Star of the Italian League (2001, 2000, 1999)
- Winner of the 2001 Italian League All-Star Game Dunk Contest
- 2nd Olympic Games (2004, 2003)
- Diamond Konex Award in 2010, 2008 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors
2001 FIBA MVP of the AmeriCup
MVP of the 2004 Summer Olympics Basketball Tournament
Nickname: Manu Ginobili
The former NBA player has some of the most unique nicknames in NBA history.
The player is frequently referred to as ‘Demon Blade.’
Furthermore, the player was given this nickname because of his ability to slash to the basket by employing complex footwork such as the Eurostep.
Similarly, Manu’s threshold is out of this world, earning him the moniker “El Contusion.”
The player continued to play despite shattered bones, bruises, fractures, and contusions.
Furthermore, in 2016, he played with significant testicular damage, winning the respect of anybody who has ever played a sport.
The Magician, Gino, Madonna, and other nicknames have been given to the player.
Manu Ginobili’s Marital Situation
Manu met Marianela in 1997 while playing for his hometown team.
They met through a mutual friend. Manu fell in love with the lovely Argentine beauty Marianela Orono.
Over time, their love evolved into a romantic connection.
Before married on July 11, 2004, the Argentine couple dated for over six years.
Dante and Nicola Ginobili, the couple’s twin sons, were born on May 16, 2010.
Luca Ginobili, their third child, was born on April 21, 2014.
Facts and trivia about Manu Ginobili
On October 31, 2009, a bat fell onto the basketball floor at the AT&T Center during a game versus the Sacramento Kings, causing play to be paused.
As the bat flew by, Manu whacked it with his hand to the ground.
To the delight of the audience, he then carried the monster off the court.
Manu, on the other hand, wanted to drive to the left.
Despite attempts by opponents to force him to the right, he possessed an incredible ability to score on the left throughout his career.
Manu and his wife have also established “The Manu Ginobili Foundation.”
The nonprofit has provided lodging, food, and recreational activities to thousands of children and adults throughout Argentina.
Manu’s 2005-06 season was plagued by foot and ankle problems that limited his playability.
He appeared in 65 regular-season games, but his major statistics were down from the previous year.
During the playoffs, he returned to form, but the Spurs were defeated in the Conference Semifinals by the Dallas Mavericks.
Manu Ginobili | Twitter
Twitter: @manuginobili Instagram: @manuginobili
Manu Ginobili on YouTube
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Manu Ginobili’s Salary and Earnings
Manu Ginobili played in the NBA for 16 years.
He only played for the San Antonio Spurs during his NBA career.
The net worth of the player is $45 million.
The athlete got a yearly salary of $2,695,514 in the 2018/19 season.
In the 2017/18 season, Manu earned $2,772,917.
Manu was also the recipient of numerous international honors.
Manu amassed a total of $160,381,542 during his NBA playing career.
Aside from that, the player profited from endorsement and sponsorship arrangements.