San Antonio Spurs southpaw Manu Ginobili had his No. 20 jersey lifted to the rafters following the team's victory Thursday over the Cleveland Cavaliers. There were tears, jokes and a whole lot of Spurs legends on the floor during the jersey retirement ceremony, which concluded with no San Antonio Spur ever again rocking the 2-0:

It was all the way back in the 1999 NBA Draft that the Spurs snatched up Manu Ginobili with the No. 57 overall pick. It wasn't until prior to the start of the 2002-03 year that Ginobili would make his way over to the United States for his age-25 season. His career began much in the same manner that it ended — as a bench ace for head coach Gregg Popovich.

Related NewsArticle continues below
San Antonio Spurs center Bismack Biyombo (18) celebrates with San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) after Barnes made the game-winning shot in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.
Spurs’ Harrison Barnes challenges team’s ‘commitment’ entering big summer
Ace Bailey in a 76ers uniform, a Spurs uniform, and a Hornets uniform
Ranking 3 best Ace Bailey destinations in 2025 NBA Draft

Sprinkled throughout his 16-year NBA career were a pair of All-Star appearances (2004-05, 2010-11), a Sixth Man of the Year award (2007-08) and maybe most importantly, four NBA championship celebrations. Ginobili, who never averaged better than 20 points per game in a single year during the regular season, did so twice during the postseason. It helps that the Argentinian got there nearly every year; the only season he missed was 2008-09 due to injury.

Even entering the 2018-19 year, there was debate as to whether Manu Ginobili would return for year No. 17. Tim Duncan had since retired and Tony Parker joined former assistant coach James Borrego on the Charlotte Hornets. Even with Ginobili out of the picture this year, San Antonio is on the doorstep of a return to the place where the immortalized No. 20 in black and white made his name — the playoffs.