San Antonio Spurs legend Manu Ginobili was a problem even before he broke into the NBA world, and no one knows it better than former NBA coach Jay Triano, who coached the Phoenix Suns last season.
Triano was coaching the Canadian basketball team back in 2001 and had Jerome Robinson, a star wing at Bradley University, as his primary defensive stopper. Naturally, it was Robinson's task to stop Ginobili during the Tournament of Nations, an experience he detailed in an hourlong conversation with Geoff Grammer of The Albuquerque Journal.
Robinson, now an assistant coach with the University of New Mexico, explained what took place once Jay Triano tasked him with guarding the lefty shooting guard, admitting he was someone he didn't yet know.
“He was an Italian (league) MVP or something like that,” recalled Robinson. “I remember coach (Jay) Triano saying, ‘Rome, you got Manu Ginobili.’ I didn’t know who he was. We were watching game film – he looks pretty good. … I didn’t know who the kid was. Not a kid, but I didn’t know who he was.”
Ginobili scored 25 points in that initial game in an 85-76 Argentine victory over Canada, two days before beating the Canadians yet again, this time a more decisive 97-76, in the semifinals of the tournament.
“That was the hardest person to defend in my entire life,” Robinson said of the 2001 game. “It was unbelievable the things he was doing, and I thought I had defense. I was like, ‘Why isn’t this guy in the NBA? If this guy’s a European player, man, goodness.’ That summer, I believe, was when he went in and had a great, amazing career. …
“I couldn’t stay in front of him. No one on our team could, so I don’t feel too bad.”
Ginobili had already been drafted by the Spurs in 1999, but was yet to make his NBA debut, playing his last three years overseas in Italy. During his short time in the Italian circuit, Ginobili had capture two league MVPs, a EuroLeague MVP, along with two league championships and an EuroLeague title. The Argentinian wasn't short of accolades, also winning the MVP of the FIBA AmeriCup in 2001 along with two league scoring titles before putting on a Spurs uniform.
Follow Us
Subscribe