My dream scenario (and I know it's greedy) would be for SA to get to the finals and have Manu win a finals MVP (out of the blue like IGGY).
It's been the only thing I've really rooted for selfishly. I want each of the big 3 to have a FMVP. That would be the fairy tale ending for me.
Oh, and I will translate to Farsi soon..
could you imagine
fielding 4 FMVPs on one team
Ghazi would appreciate that
Nothing new or noteworthy on the article TBH. Just the same things he's been saying even before training camp. To be added is that he wishes that nobody would ask him if he's going to join the NT until the 15th of July.
Manu Ginobili and the chance to go to the Olympics: "In 10 months anything can happen"
Four days away from a new season in the NBA, the bahiense, 38, speaks of what comes next and tells why he hesitated with coming back: "I'd like to do other things"
MIAMI (DPA) .- When one is 38 years old, has a wife, three young children, has a lifetime playing basketball and has won everything, doubts arise. Manu Ginobili had another in the offseason, but he decided to continue at least one more year with the San Antonio Spurs , clear favorites to win the NBA ring.
"The fact that I had so many doubts about coming back, makes me wants to embrace it, enjoy it", Ginobili said of the new season in an interview dpa made a few days ago in Miami.
The argentine admitted that the season that starts next week could be his last. But he's said that before. Right now and after deciding to continue, he says he's "excited" about his 14th season in the NBA, again next to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich as the coach.
"I didn't want charity", said Ginóbili, 4x NBA champion and only wanted to hear that he would be useful for the new look Spurs, where he'll likely get less minutes and that with the arrival of LaMarcus Aldrige and David West reinforce their usual favorites tag.
- Finally one more year after thinking about it for long. What changed?
- Doubting for so long if I wanted to continue or not makes me want to make this season worth it, enjoy it, because it might be my last. Maybe it won't be. I said the same thing last season, but you never know. Once I made up my mind and I'm here, I'm ready to go, try to do my best and help the team win. I'm more excited and more energized than I thought I would be.
- How was the renewal process?
- I didn't want charity, I didn't want to be re-signed because I've been playing here for so long and because of the famous 'Big Three' (w/Duncan & Parker) or something like that, but because they needed me on the court, they needed my game. And that's how they brought it up to me. I also thought I wasn't ready to retire.
- Why the doubts?
- There are times that the season gets tedious, physically it's just draining, that I feel like I want to do something else, be with my kids instead of traveling. All that said, I think there are more moments I enjoy doing all this. And to take such a strong and important decision in my career I have to be sure, not in doubt, and I definitely wasn't sure.
- Last season you averaged 22.7 mpg and Pop has said that you'll probably play less minutes. Have you talked about it?
- We haven't talked about it. It's natural, I think it will happen and he does too. After a while, we'll see, maybe I feel great, I'm playing great, the team needs me and I play more. Or not. This team is more deep with the big man than the perimeter, so we'll see. I'm ready in case I have to play less. No problem.
- Do you assume a different role beyond playing?
- That was slowly developing, obviously. When you have so many years in the same place, it's only natural you know the system almost as well as the coaches. So you pass that information along. Same thing with Tim (Duncan), with Tony (Parker). It's not that I'm asked to be more of a coach than a player, it's just something that happens naturally.
- And you like that?
- Sure, you feel important, a point of reference in the team, and that helps.
- This season with Aldrige and West, are the Spurs stronger?
- On paper sure, but we have to play together and make sure we use LaMarcus' talent for the benefit of the team, same with David's experience and strength. That everybody push towards the same goal and play the same as always. But there's no rule that you add talent and you'll play better automatically. That definitely doesn't exist, you have to work to make that happen. They're both great players with a lot of talent and strength. They make us have a jump in quality when it comes to talent, scoring and experience.
- Did anything from Aldrige surprise you?
- I was always surprised when we played against him, trying to guard him as a team has been a nightmare. I hope that now happens to our opposing teams.
- Down the horizon are the Olympic Games in Rio with Argentina. Are you going to play?
- I don't know. Ten months down the road anything can happen, it's too early. But I think Argentina is eager to compete, is hungry and there's always talent. I don't know if I'll be there, now it's not the time to answer that. There's 10 months to go and I'd prefer if I'm not asked about that until at least July 15th...
- What did your wife and kids said when you decided to play one more season?
- My kids (two 5 y/o twins and a 1 year old) don't understand anything, don't know what's going on. They know I play, but they're not that interested in sports. My wife said there's no problem, that whatever I decide would be ok, that it was up to me. So she's fine in San Antonio, has a good time there, and that also helps to make decisions like that one.
Excuse the typos, and sorry for the delay. I literally almost dieded last Saturday, I'm well, but recovering now, and it takes me a while to do something like this.
Hopefully we'll continue getting articles and interviews like this from Manu over the season.
1. He admits he had doubts on whether he was going to retire or not. They were real. The fact that he decided to return, made it so that he's determined to have a good time.
2. Admits that this current season could be his last (enjoy it folks!), although he has said that b4.
3. He's very enthusiastic and would not have returned for "charitable" reasons. He wanted to feel like he was going to help.
4. States the regular season is long, and there are times during the season where at his age, you physically don't feel well, you are too aware that your game is not what it used to be, and you would rather do other things with your life, your kids, travel, etc. But he's still at the point where the majority of the time, he enjoys the game, and he knew that once he retired there was no coming back at his age if he regretted it. He wasn't 100% sure he was done, and that last season was it.
5. He and Pop have not talked about minutes per se. He will probably play less than the 22 mins he averaged last season, but it will depend. Right now he's playing well and the team is not so deep on perimeter players, and they may need him, but it will depend. He would have no problem seeing a reduced min allotment though.
6. He's asked what surprised him about Aldridge, and he says that playing against him was always a "nightmare" and he hopes that LMA now causes that same nightmare for other teams.
7. He's unsure if he'll play in the Olympics, still 10 months to go.
Excuse the typos, and sorry for the delay. I literally almost dieded last Saturday, I'm well, but recovering now, and it takes me a while to do something like this.
Hopefully we'll continue getting articles and interviews like this from Manu over the season.
I was doing a summary lol still posted it. Cheers.
Thanks for the translation, hope for a speedy recovery!Excuse the typos, and sorry for the delay. I literally almost dieded last Saturday, I'm well, but recovering now, and it takes me a while to do something like this.
Hopefully we'll continue getting articles and interviews like this from Manu over the season.
Cheers El Nono Thanks for the translation for us single language idiots!
Wish you health my friend!Excuse the typos, and sorry for the delay. I literally almost dieded last Saturday, I'm well, but recovering now, and it takes me a while to do something like this.
Hopefully we'll continue getting articles and interviews like this from Manu over the season.
Wish you health my friend!
Many thanks for the translation. Glad you are doing better. This going to be too great a year to miss, so get well soon!!Excuse the typos, and sorry for the delay. I literally almost dieded last Saturday, I'm well, but recovering now, and it takes me a while to do something like this.
Hopefully we'll continue getting articles and interviews like this from Manu over the season.
Many thanks for the translation. Glad you are doing better. This going to be too great a year to miss, so get well soon!!
Hope you're okay Nono,thanks for the translation
Sorry to hear of your illness. But, well, you should leave those Nevada house shenanigans to Odom, ok?Excuse the typos, and sorry for the delay. I literally almost dieded last Saturday, I'm well, but recovering now, and it takes me a while to do something like this.
Hopefully we'll continue getting articles and interviews like this from Manu over the season.
And yay for Manu!
grazie amiciHope you're okay Nono,thanks for the translation
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