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The San Antonio Spurs will be raising Manu Ginobili's No. 20 jersey into the rafters of the AT&T Center on Thursday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ginobili spent his entire NBA career with the Spurs and is one of the best players in franchise history.
Besides being a stellar basketball player, Ginobili was a phenomenal person and leader as well, something Spurs guard Patty Mills touched on while speaking to reporters Thursday afternoon:
Patty on Manu's role in building team camaraderie: "We had so many people from all around the world, and he was the one who focused on getting to know everyone, so we could get along as a team, and grow as a team in the locker room, so we could trust each other on the court."
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) March 28, 2019
More from Patty on Manu's skill as a team builder: "He figured out that we can’t go anywhere on the court unless we know each other off the court. For him to really hone in on that was huge, and it’s obviously something we do today." #Spurs
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) March 28, 2019
Patty on how Manu's sometimes counter-culture leadership: "Throughout an organization that was strict on how the system is and the culture is, he was the guy who kept things light, especially when there was a losing streak or there were tough times."
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) March 28, 2019
You'll never hear anyone say anything bad about Manu Ginobili. He was the consummate professional and loved by every single one of his teammates and coaches. Heck, even opponents loved Manu.
Ginobili joined the Spurs in 2002. He had career averages of 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 1,057 games with San Antonio. The lefty won four titles with the Spurs alongside Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich.
Even during the end of his playing days, Manu was still able to produce at a high level. It's what he brought to the locker room, though, that made him even more valuable.
Ginobili will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer one day. His impact on the game as an international and Latin American player is legendary. It should be an emotional night on Thursday for Manu and Spurs fans.
