A 41-year-old former San Antonio Spurs player and four-time NBA champion Manu Ginobili speaking with the media about his decision to move away from professional basketball said:
“I am very sure about the decision, but it is still awkward, still tough… it was not an easy decision… after so many years 23 seasons I am doing this… it was an intense situation I was a little sensitive so I want to wait a couple weeks before facing you and responding your questions“.
Talking about the moment when he made his final decision Ginobili said: “I took last season mentally as my last season… I left the door open just in case because after a month or two vacations I watch a game… I will give a try but slowly the door started to close more I couldn’t see my body going through that kind of grind again… then I came back here to work out a little bit I saw the guys working out preparing for the season I was so far from that and that is when I sad this is it”.
During his 16-season career in NBA Ginobili averaged 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. He won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award (2008) and played two times in NBA All-Star games (2005, 2011).
Last season Ginobili was averaging 8.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Alongside his outstanding NBA years Manu Ginobili had an impressive international career as well.
In 2001 he became a EuroLeague champion. With Argentina national team he won Olympic gold medal in 2004 and silver medal in FIBA World Cup in 2002.
