Transcripción de la Conferencia Telefónica con Emanuel Ginóbili

[Kori Ellis]

Transcripción de la Conferencia Telefónica con Emanuel Ginóbili

MIAMI, Florida (8 de Febrero, 2005) – A continuación el texto de la conferencia telefónica que se realizó este martes con Emanel Ginóbili.

“Un saludo para todos. No puedo negar que el día comenzó muy bien para mí. Esta mañana en el entrenamiento ‘Pop’ (Gregg Popovich) me llamó a un costado de la cancha para contarme sobre mi nominación para el Juego de las Estrellas. No lo podía creer, estoy muy feliz y aunque se había hablado demasiado, es algo que ni siquiera soñaba. Es algo que siempre he visto con mucha admiración y ser parte de esto es algo increíble, muy fuerte y trato de disfrutarlo. Pero debo dejarlo a un lado porque ahora tenemos cuatro partidos de visitante y debemos seguir, pero no puedo ocultar que estoy feliz por la noticia”.

Eres el primer latino desde que Rolando Blackman lo hizo cuando jugaba con Dallas y que tiene el honor de participar en el Juego de las Estrellas. ¿Qué opinas de esto y de ser parte de este evento superando a otras estrellas de la liga?
Nunca pienso sobre la historia, de quién fue el primero o quién llegó antes. Pero el hecho que sea yo por encima de otros jugadores es algo increíble. Mis sensaciones son difíciles de expresar y al ser un admirador de este evento por mucho tiempo resulta difícil de asimilar.

¿Ayudó aquel partido en el que anotaste 48 puntos?
Puede que si. Fue televisado, se habló mucho de ese juego y creo que me dio un impulso y si ayudó.

Cuando veías el Juego de las Estrellas de niño, ¿soñabas con ser parte de este evento?
Lo veía desde chico con mis hermanos pero era algo inalcanzable. Soñaba más con Europa y como milagro llegar a la NBA. Y ahora verme entre estos 24 jugadores es algo único. No entraba en mis mejores sueños.

¿Dónde ubicas este logro?
A nivel individual sin duda es lo mejor que me ha pasado en la NBA. El título y la medalla olímpica fueron logros colectivos y no pensaba que se fuera a dar tan rápido. No es como ganar un anillo pero es una satisfacción personal muy grande.

¿Con cuál jugador soñabas jugar y compartir el Juego de las Estrellas?
La verdad, jugar aunque sea por un ratito con estrellas como Garnett, Duncan, Kobe o McGrady nunca es difícil de creer. No se piensa, es algo único. A Nash lo conozco hace varios años y es un base con el que se disfrutaría jugar.

Ahora hay más jugadores latinos en la NBA pero se notan menos en la cancha, ¿qué opinas de esto?
Depende de cada jugador y su adaptación al equipo. Algunos aportan desde el primer día, otros necesitan un período para acomodarse. Cada uno busca su lugar en el equipo y eso no es fácil.

¿Hay alguna jugada que sueñas hacer en este evento?
No para nada. Mis jugadas no son planeadas y salen en el momento. Eso no se planea, simplemente trataré de divertirme y si sale algo lo haré. Lo importante es disfrutar de esta fiesta.

Hay un auge de jugadores latinos, especialmente en la Conferencia Oeste, ¿cuál es tu aporte a este nuevo fenómeno?
No fui el primero pero hago parte de esta camada extranjera que ha empezado a cambiar un poco el concepto de los extranjeros. Antes tenían el estereotipo de buenos lanzadores y no muy eficientes en defensa y creo que de a poco se ha cambiado esa imagen con jugadores como Pau Gasol, Andrei Kirilenko y otros. Yo trato de hacer lo mío y si eso contribuye, muy interesante.

¿Qué jugadores lideran esta nueva camada?
Gasol, Kirilenko, hay otras estrellas como Carlitos Arroyo y una generación que seguirá aportando en la NBA.

¿Cuál es tu próxima meta?
Bueno esta participación en el Juego de las Estrellas no era una meta personal ni algo parecido. Si me preguntabas hace un par de meses o al comienzo de la temporada ni siquiera lo pensaba. Es un regalo, un premio que no esperaba. El objetivo es el mismo, ser un campeón, estamos en una situación inmejorable, con un buen equipo que está en un gran nivel y el objetivo no cambia.

¿Qué recuerdos tienes del Juego de las Estrellas?
Los primeros que me acuerdo fueron los duelos de Jordan contra (Dominique) Wilkins, esos torneos inolvidables de volcadas, algo que se te queda en la retina. Es algo que asombraba y te dejaba con la boca abierta. Son muchos recuerdos y es algo inolvidable.

¿Qué opinas sobre la probable vinculación de Karl Malone a los Spurs?
Es un gran jugador, uno de los históricos. Necesitará tener el balón y sería un gran aporte y una amenaza acompañando a Duncan.

¿Por qué se dio esta nominación?
Es algo que no esperaba, es increíble no se porqué llegue a esto y creo que ser parte del mejor equipo del momento ayuda.

¿Tu nivel en este momento es similar a la época cuando ganaron el título?
Si se comparan los números ahora estamos mejor. Jugamos muy sólido, estamos bien y el desarrollo de la temporada es algo incierto. El primer año tuvimos un gran final de temporada y ganamos. Ahora somos grandes candidatos para ganar el campeonato.

¿Entiendes la dimensión que tiene este logro para los argentinos?
Claro que si, yo creo que se va hablar mucho de esto en mi país así como se habló cuando hice los 48 puntos. Para mi es un orgullo representar a Argentina en un evento de esta magnitud todavía no me imagino la repercusión que va a tener esto en nivel general. Esperemos también que llegue el juego para ver que pasa y poder representar bien a mi equipo y a mi país.

¿Cuál puede ser el mensaje para los niños que te ven como ídolo?
Dar consejos exactos de lo que pueden hacer para lograr lo que he hecho es imposible. Pero si puedo decirles que disfruten en la cancha, los juegos, los entrenamientos y en general que se entreguen.

[TMTTRIO]

Can somebody translate it please?

[GrandeDavid]

Nice interview!

Looks like Manu is giving his personal thumbs up to the Malone acquisition, but then again, what else is he really going to say to the press, nonetheless? He's a smart guy!

As Manu points out, though, Malone would be a great asset to Duncan as the season wears on. Obviously Tim is more tired than usual this season and come playoff time, you never know if another reserve will have gone down, if Horry will go cold, if Malik will get buried in the doghouse, if Massenburg will come back to reality. Having Malone would provide some needed front court quality depth come playoff time.

Then Tim can rest from mid June till October, not even touching a basketball and come back next season recharged and probably without Malone.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Nice interview!

Looks like Manu is giving his personal thumbs up to the Malone acquisition, but then again, what else is he really going to say to the press, nonetheless? He's a smart guy!

As Manu points out, though, Malone would be a great asset to Duncan as the season wears on. Obviously Tim is more tired than usual this season and come playoff time, you never know if another reserve will have gone down, if Horry will go cold, if Malik will get buried in the doghouse, if Massenburg will come back to reality. Having Malone would provide some needed front court quality depth come playoff time.

Then Tim can rest from mid June till October, not even touching a basketball and come back next season recharged and probably without Malone.

Manu makes sense. His points mirror the Chopper's. If you look at the possible Malone signing with your head instead of your heart there isn't much negative to it other than the fact that we're already in February.


1. If this team has a weakness, it's in our frontline support of TD. Rasho, Horry and Malik don't garner the kind of respect that Karl does. He's bigger and stronger than all 3 of those guys. He's a better shooter and passer. He'd get the kind of respect from the refs and opposing coaches that would allow Duncan to free up and be even more effective, and he would probably be able to spell Duncan enough to allow TD to be completely rested come playoff time. Malone can step out and hit jump shots and is a great interior passer, he'd make his teammates better.

4. Marks and Massenbug suck as our ummm. . .backups backups. Sorry, they do. Who would you rather see Pop resort to if someone is hurt, or if Malik is playing catch with Grandma in the 4th row....Sean "I should have been a CPA" Marks, or Karl Malone? Karl at 50% is better than Marks and Massenburg combined. I hear people saying all the time that one of those guys should be getting more minutes because our 4 and 5 spots are so inconsistent after you get past TD in the rotation. Why not have Karl as your fail-safe instead of those two?

[Leo_ARG]

My english stinks, I'll try my best

"I can't deny my the day started very well for me.This morning while training Pop called me over to tell me about me being chosen to play in the ALL STAR GAME.I couldn't believe it, I am very happy and despite they talked much about it before, this is something I've never even dreamed with.This is something I've always looked with admiration and to be part of this is unbelievable, it's huge and I try to enjoy it.But I have to put it back because we have four games on the road and we have to go on, but I can't hide my happines for this."

-You are the first latin player since Rolando Blackman did it with Dallas that has the honor of being part of this huge event beating out other stars from the league?

I never think about the histoy, who was the one that did it first or who did it before.But the fact that I am the one above other players is unbelievable.
It's tough to express what I feel to be such and admirator of this event, it will take some time to realize it.

-Did your 48 points-game help you?
Maybe it did.It was televised, there was a lot of talk about that game and I think it pushed me, it helped.

-When you watched the ASG when you were a kid.Did you dreamed about being there?
When I was a kid I watched it with my brothers, but it was something imposible to reach.I mostly dreamed about playing in Europe and miraculously get to play in the NBA.To see myself beetween those 24 is awesome.It wasen't even on my wildest dreams.

-What place does this have on your career?

Individually, it's without a doubt the best thing that has happened to me in the NBA.The NBA championship and the gold medal were team succes and I didn't thought they will como so quickly.It not as big as winning a ring, but it's a great personal satisfaction.


-Which one of the players do you dreamed to play with? (the interviewer keeps talking about the dream thing :drunk )

Trully, to play at least for a while with stars like Garnett, Duncan,Kobe or McGray is never easy to believe.You don't think about it, it's unique.Nash is someone I know since several years before and he is a PG you enjoy to play with.

-Nowadays, there are more latins in the NBA, but you don't notice them much in the court, what do you think about this?

It depends on each player and his adaptation to the team.Some guys deliver from the first day, and others need some time to get used.
You look for your role on the team, and that's not easy.

-Do you think of doing something in particular?

No.I don't plan on doing what I do, it comes to me in the momment.You don't plan that, I'll just try to have fun and if I come up with something I'll do it.Bottom line is to have fun in this party.


-There are a lot of latin players, especially on the Western Conference.
What have you contribution with this events?

I wasen't the first but I am part of that big wave of foregeins that has started to change a bit the concept of a foregein.They formerly had de stereotype of good shooters, not defensively solid and and I think slowly the image has changed thanks to players as Pau Gasol and, Andrei Kirilenko and others.I try to do my thing and if it helps, it's great.

-What players lead this wave of players?
Gasol, Kirilenko, and other stars like Carlitos Arroyo and a new generation that will still leave their mark.

-What's your new goal?
Well, in this wasen't something I planned of or something like that.If you asked me this a few months before, or back in the start of the season I wouldn't even think about it.It's a present, a gift I wasn't expecting.
The goal is the same, to be a champion, we are in a situation that couldn't be any better, with a team on a great level, the goal doesen't change.

-What memories of the ASG do you have?
The first one that I remember are the duels of Jordan agaist Wilkins, on those unforgettables dunks competitions.It's something that amazes you and makes you drop your jaw.There are a lot of unforgettable memories.

-What's your opinion regarding Karl Malone probably joining the Spurs?
He is a great player, one of the legendary players.He would need the ball and would be a huge threat with Duncan.

-Why this nomination came?
It's something I wasen't expeting, it's unbelievable that I get there and I think being part of the best team helps ----- HOME COME HE CAN BE SO HUMBLE?

-The way you are playing right now, is as good as the time you won the title?

If you compare the numbers we are better now.We are playing solid , were are fine, and the outcome of this season is uncertain.The first year we were great down the strech of the season and we won.Now we are huge candidates to win the championship.

-Do you realize how huge is this for the argentinians?
Of course, I think there will be a lot of talk about this in my country as there was when I scored 48 points.I am proud to be representing Argentina in an event so important that I don't realize what kind of impact it will have.
Let's wait for the game and see what happens and to represent well my team and my country.


-What could be the message you give to the boys that see you as an example? (I don't know if you guys call Idols players and not only music performers :rolleyes...maybe role model is the proper translation )

To give exact advices of what they could do to do what I did is imposible.But I can tell them to enjoy the court, the games,the trainings and to give it all.

[TMTTRIO]

Thanks:)


No.I don't plan on doing what I do, it comes to me in the momment.You don't plan that, I'll just try to have fun and if I come up with something I'll do it.Bottom line is to have fun in this party.

Pop better not read this :lol j/k. It just makes me more excited to see what kind of plays he can come up with.

[xcoriate]

Thanks for the translation, damn manu is a great fuy, so humble and team orientated.