Rumors

The 2004 Argentina squad was the peak of that country’s golden basketball generation. Led by Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola and Sanchez, they were the first team to beat Team USA in international play two years earlier at the FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis. That was brushed aside as a lesser tournament. But beating USA in the Olympics was a historic moment, for both Argentina and international basketball. Pepe Sanchez, who played collegiately for John Chaney at Temple and briefly in the NBA, is frustrated that it seems to be forgotten. “Just because we are a small-population country, I guess we are being overlooked,” he said. “If we were Americans, we would be in the Hall of Fame.” Symbolically, Argentina winning gold in 2004 was a basketball parallel to the Miracle on Ice in 1980 without the same geopolitical undercurrent.

Booth Newspapers

Argentina did, and the result was a gold medal. But the impact stretched well beyond the South American country’s borders. It spurred further development around the world, including the United States. “They called them the Redeem Team. What were they redeeming themselves from?” Sanchez asked rhetorically. Hall of Famer Larry Brown, the USA coach in 2004 agreed with Sanchez. “Basketball has been getting better around the world because of what the Dream Team did in ’92,” Brown said after the tournament. “Rather than knocking our guys, we should give credit to the guys who won.”

Booth Newspapers

Dylan Harper's pick-and-roll prowess and crafty, powerful style of play made him the choice for the Spurs, who have been optimizing for additional playmaking around Victor Wembanyama moving forward. Even if he winds up coming off the bench as a rookie, Harper projects as a foundational long-term player. "[Harper] has some [Manu] Ginobili to his offensive game," one Western Conference scout said. "If the 3-point shot ever becomes a true weapon [for him], he makes Fox expendable and gives San Antonio a nice trade asset."

ESPN

But Harper said he has spent considerable time receiving words of wisdom from Ginobili, an Argentinean who works for the Spurs as a special advisor and has his No. 20 jersey retired with the franchise. “I talk to him the most,” Harper said of Ginobili. “More about just the game and the speed and just how he adapted to it from a FIBA standpoint to coming over here. What was his biggest changes being a player and being professional outside of basketball? What kept you locked in? Just all little things I think that every NBA player goes through. … “I’ve hung out with Ginobili every day since I’ve been here. I’m just picking his brain and just asking him questions. From past players to coaches, everyone is involved in it. Everyone comes back.”

Andscape

StatMuse: Obi Toppin off the bench: 20 PTS 6 REB 2 STL 4-7 3P The first bench player since Manu Ginobili with a 20/5/2s game in the Finals.

x.com

StatMuse: Bench players with a 25-point game in the Finals this century: — Jason Terry — Manu Ginobili — Bennedict Mathurin Great company.

x.com

StatMuse: Fun Fact: Cason Wallace has the highest plus/minus (+140) by a bench player in a playoff run since Manu Ginobili in 2014. pic.x.com/eUYeVp7BtT

Twitter

At a Miami restaurant named seagull in Italian, stunned players were sobbing and looking at one another in disbelief as Pop consoled each Spur. Earlier that evening, on June 18, 2013, the Spurs were seconds away from celebrating another championship when Ray Allen hit one of the most iconic shots in NBA Finals history. It was as crushing a blow to the Spurs as any during the Popovich era, as the Miami Heat won Game 6 in overtime before taking Game 7 and the NBA Finals. Still, Pop stuck to his routine and gathered his team. "It was almost the championship won," said Ginobili, the pain still audible in his voice nearly a decade later. "[But Pop's] phrase was, 'Win it together. Lose it together. Man's got to eat.' "So we ate together."

ESPN

A championship slipped away that night. But as players were replaying the catch-and-shoot Allen 3 in their heads, Popovich did what so many of those closest to him say is what makes him the greatest of all time: He's there for friends and players, telling them the truth and sharing that there is more in life than basketball. "We talked and we basically cried together," Ginobili said. "He went one table at a time with different players and had conversations and tried to cheer us up when we were devastated."

ESPN

Popovich, the consoling and compassionate mentor, surpassed Don Nelson on Friday in San Antonio's 104-102 win over Utah for the title of the NBA's winningest coach with 1,336 wins. The victories are a testament to the 73-year-old's ability to adapt to a constantly changing game and to nurture relationships, and his Belichickian longevity of success. Many of those in the Popovich orbit talk about his uncanny ability to put things in perspective no matter the circumstances. "One of his phrases that we've heard many times is, 'If this is the worst thing that happened to you in your life, you got a very lucky, blessed and fortunate life,'" Ginobili said. A year after that dinner in Miami, the Spurs beat the Heat 4-1 to win their fifth championship. "He demands the most out of you," said Ginobili, who spent 16 seasons with the Spurs. "The thing that makes him great was the day after, or once it happened, a couple hours later, the following day or even on Christmas Day [at his house], you think that he was pissed, upset, disappointed at you. "And then all of a sudden you are drinking wine and talking. Like [whatever happened in the game] didn't happen."

ESPN

Jorge Sierra: Stephen Curry passed Tony Parker in playoff scoring and is now No. 10 in NBA history. He also moved ahead of Russell Westbrook for No. 20 in assists. Also: Kawhi Leonard passed Manu Ginobili is points for No. 26 all-time.

bsky.app

Jorge Sierra: Jayson Tatum passed Manu Ginobili in three-pointers last night for No. 55 all-time.

bsky.app

Stephen Curry is also going to speak about Klay Thompson before the game. Where do you rank that partnership in NBA history? Thompson: “That’s one of the greatest partnerships ever. You can compare it to peanut butter and jelly. They’re one of the greatest duos of all time. No question about it. They won four championships together. You have to win championships together to be compared to Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan or to Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. They are definitely in that category or that conversation.”

SportsKeeda

From there, it was years of learning from some of the best. There were so many players who were kind enough to pass along some of their expertise. Way too many to name. But I’ll always be grateful to Mike Miller for showing me how to put in work. How to hone your craft through consistent and focused training. Mike was a maniac with that stuff, and if you were around him enough you couldn’t help but to have it rub off. Patty Mills and Manu Ginobili were two other guys I absolutely loved. They’re both tireless competitors, and Patty is literally the most optimistic, positive person I’ve ever met. Darrell Arthur, too, another Memphis guy. Did all the little things, the dirty work. He had a huge impact on me. Then there’s Chris Paul, my friend and also one of the most competitive people I have ever met. I remember us not talking for years over a playoff series! And Kyle Lowry. Kyle is one of my best friends in the entire world, going all the way back to middle school. So, it was awesome to be able to suit up and play in NBA games with Kyle.

The Players' Tribune