San Antonio Spurs legend Manu Ginobili is set to be inducted as a First Ballot Hall of Famer, but he knows he did not do it alone.
Speaking to the media after his induction into the 2022 Hall of Fame class has been confirmed, Ginobili opened up about his journey in the NBA from being a second round pick, a contributor for the Spurs, a Sixth Man of the Year, an All-Star and an NBA Champion. While he did work hard for everything, he is thankful for all the people who supported him and made it possible for him to succeed at the highest level of professional basketball.
“I never won a scoring championship, an MVP, even First Team. I'm here because of my surroundings. The players I played with, the coaches, and the organization. I don't take it as an individual achievement. I've been in the right place at the right time,” Ginobili said, per Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype.
Manu Ginobili was never a highly touted prospect, but he found the perfect team and coach in Gregg Popovich who can utilize him to the best of his abilities. While he was selected 57th overall in 1999, he got the opportunity to play a significant role alongside Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. They looked like the original Big 3 even before it became a thing, with the Spurs trio headlining the kind of selfless and team basketball that Coach Pop wanted.
Ginobili went on to become a two-time All-Star and a four-time NBA champion. He spent his whole career in San Antonio, and he's definitely happy that he did.
Now, he's set to become a Hall of Famer, something that he didn't imagine when he entered the NBA. He admitted as much in his talk with reporters after he got his Hall of Fame nod.
“The conversation was special,” Ginobili shared on getting the call about entering the Hall of Fame, per Paul Garcia of Project Spurs. “It’s something you don’t expect.”
Ginobili joins his fellow Spurs icon Duncan in the Hall of Fame. Sure enough, Parker is expected to complete the Hall of Fame trifecta sooner rather than later.
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