An era has come to a close in San Antonio. Manu Ginobili, aged 41, revealed on Monday that he is stepping away from the NBA after an illustrious 16-year career with the San Antonio Spurs.
In a tweet, Ginobili expressed his mixed emotions about retiring: “Today, with a wide range of feelings, I’m announcing my retirement from basketball. It’s been a fabulous journey. Way beyond my wildest dreams.”
He had one year remaining on his contract with the Spurs, valued at $2.5 million. According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN on August 22, the veteran shooting guard had been seriously contemplating retirement and planned to discuss his future in basketball with Gregg Popovich.
Ginobili, a former 57th overall pick, leaves behind an impressive legacy, averaging 13.3 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds over his 16-year NBA career. In his 218 postseason games, he averaged 14.0 points, 3.8 assists, and 4.0 rebounds.
A two-time All-Star, NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2008, and four-time NBA champion, Ginobili was drafted by the Spurs after their first championship win in 1999. Alongside Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, he helped lead the franchise to remarkable consistency, with over fifty wins in 18 consecutive seasons. Throughout his 16 seasons, Ginobili never missed the playoffs and his team never won fewer than 47 games.
Known for his nightly contributions of around fifteen points and six assists, Ginobili was always ready to step up for the Spurs whenever needed.
With his retirement, the golden era of the Spurs fades into the past. While Popovich remains with the organization, it appears unlikely that any core players of that era will continue on.
