Kori Ellis
12-31-2004, 03:00 AM
Leader of a revolution: Manu Ginobili helped make Argentina the real Dream Team
Web Posted: 12/31/2004 12:00 AM CST
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA123104.8D.sportsman.ginobili.5c033262.html
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
The gold medal is stashed in a drawer in Manu Ginobili's house.
It has been more than four months since Argentina defeated Italy for the Olympic gold, yet Ginobili still hasn't properly displayed his spoils from Athens. He plans to do something with the medal — displaying it next to his 2003 NBA championship ring is one idea — he's just not sure what or when.
Anyway, the Spurs guard said, it's probably better not to look at the medal too often. He doesn't want to feel satisfied. Even if he has every right to.
"If you're from Argentina, you don't dream about these things," Ginobili said. "You probably dream about being in an Olympic game, but winning it?
"Going there and beating the NBA stars' team ... you don't dream about that."
For leading Argentina to its first Olympic gold medal in 52 years, as well as capturing the imagination of San Antonio, Ginobili is the Express-News Co-Sportsman of the Year.
From the moment he tossed in a running, off-balance bank shot at the buzzer to beat defending world champion Serbia-Montenegro on the first day of competition, Ginobili embraced the pressure of playing on the world's biggest stage.
"That kind of shot," Argentina center Fabricio Oberto said, "is only for chosen players."
Ginobili ended the gold-medal hopes of Spurs forward Tim Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich by scoring 29 points during Argentina's semifinal victory over Team USA. One day later, he totaled 16 points, six rebounds and six assists against Italy, a victory that touched off frenzied celebrations in the streets of Buenos Aires.
"It was like a revolution," Argentina forward Luis Scola said. "Basketball, for me, was the second sport in the country, but always so far, far away from soccer.
"For one week, it changed. Basketball was what everybody was focused on. People in restaurants, bars, nightclubs were looking at us. It was unbelievable."
Already one of the country's most popular athletes, Ginobili was afforded national-hero status after the Olympics. He and his teammates were invited to appear on the country's talk shows. Thousands of fans clamored for his autograph.
"People who had never seen a basketball game," Ginobili said, "were getting emotional about it."
With Argentina mired in economic turmoil, the basketball gold medal — and the soccer team's subsequent gold — gave the nation reason to be proud. As a result, Argentina's national newspaper, Clarín, recently gave Ginobili its Golden Achievement of the Year award.
"For the first time," said Hernán Sartori, a journalist for Clarín, "I heard people shouting from other buildings about a basketball game."
Ginobili's passionate, unpredictable style of play also has earned him a legion of fans in San Antonio and throughout the NBA. And his success has helped lead NBA scouts to Argentina. In addition to Detroit guard Carlos Delfino and Chicago forward Andres Nocioni, both rookies this season, Scola and Oberto also could make the jump to the NBA next season.
"If we had this conversation 10 years ago, nobody would believe us," Scola said. "Not only about the NBA. If you talked about the gold medal, it would have been a joke."
It wasn't a joke. Or a desperate dream.
Buried in a drawer, somewhere in Ginobili's house, is proof.
Web Posted: 12/31/2004 12:00 AM CST
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA123104.8D.sportsman.ginobili.5c033262.html
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
The gold medal is stashed in a drawer in Manu Ginobili's house.
It has been more than four months since Argentina defeated Italy for the Olympic gold, yet Ginobili still hasn't properly displayed his spoils from Athens. He plans to do something with the medal — displaying it next to his 2003 NBA championship ring is one idea — he's just not sure what or when.
Anyway, the Spurs guard said, it's probably better not to look at the medal too often. He doesn't want to feel satisfied. Even if he has every right to.
"If you're from Argentina, you don't dream about these things," Ginobili said. "You probably dream about being in an Olympic game, but winning it?
"Going there and beating the NBA stars' team ... you don't dream about that."
For leading Argentina to its first Olympic gold medal in 52 years, as well as capturing the imagination of San Antonio, Ginobili is the Express-News Co-Sportsman of the Year.
From the moment he tossed in a running, off-balance bank shot at the buzzer to beat defending world champion Serbia-Montenegro on the first day of competition, Ginobili embraced the pressure of playing on the world's biggest stage.
"That kind of shot," Argentina center Fabricio Oberto said, "is only for chosen players."
Ginobili ended the gold-medal hopes of Spurs forward Tim Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich by scoring 29 points during Argentina's semifinal victory over Team USA. One day later, he totaled 16 points, six rebounds and six assists against Italy, a victory that touched off frenzied celebrations in the streets of Buenos Aires.
"It was like a revolution," Argentina forward Luis Scola said. "Basketball, for me, was the second sport in the country, but always so far, far away from soccer.
"For one week, it changed. Basketball was what everybody was focused on. People in restaurants, bars, nightclubs were looking at us. It was unbelievable."
Already one of the country's most popular athletes, Ginobili was afforded national-hero status after the Olympics. He and his teammates were invited to appear on the country's talk shows. Thousands of fans clamored for his autograph.
"People who had never seen a basketball game," Ginobili said, "were getting emotional about it."
With Argentina mired in economic turmoil, the basketball gold medal — and the soccer team's subsequent gold — gave the nation reason to be proud. As a result, Argentina's national newspaper, Clarín, recently gave Ginobili its Golden Achievement of the Year award.
"For the first time," said Hernán Sartori, a journalist for Clarín, "I heard people shouting from other buildings about a basketball game."
Ginobili's passionate, unpredictable style of play also has earned him a legion of fans in San Antonio and throughout the NBA. And his success has helped lead NBA scouts to Argentina. In addition to Detroit guard Carlos Delfino and Chicago forward Andres Nocioni, both rookies this season, Scola and Oberto also could make the jump to the NBA next season.
"If we had this conversation 10 years ago, nobody would believe us," Scola said. "Not only about the NBA. If you talked about the gold medal, it would have been a joke."
It wasn't a joke. Or a desperate dream.
Buried in a drawer, somewhere in Ginobili's house, is proof.