Tag: Fabricio Oberto

Ginobili’s heart in FIBAs, mind on lockout

By Mike Monroe
mikemonroe@express-news.net

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina — As Spurs guard Manu Ginobili has helped his Argentine national team qualify for the semifinals of the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament, he has kept track of two situations thousands of miles from here: the NBA lockout and teammate Tony Parker’s pursuit of an Olympic berth for his French team.

Thus far, it has been much more enjoyable for Ginobili to read about Parker’s exploits for France in the Eurobasket tournament in Lithuania than to follow the progress, or lack of, in the labor talks..

The unquestioned leader of one of the best international teams of the past dozen years, Ginobili and four of his NBA colleagues have remained focused on the competition at Malvinas Argentinas Arena while receiving details on the state of negotiations for the lockout imposed by the league on July 1.

As important as the tournament is to Ginobili, Luis Scola (Houston Rockets), Andres Nocioni (Philadelphia 76ers), Carlos Delfino (Milwaukee Bucks) and Fabricio Oberto, the lockout never is far from their thoughts in this resort town on the Atlantic coast, some 300 miles northeast of Ginobili’s hometown of Bahia Blanca.

“Of course we all pay attention to what is happening with the lockout,” Ginobili said. “We get updates. We talk about it. We are all worried. We don’t want this to happen, but we know every decade there is a chance this can happen.

“We understand it is a huge business and everyone wants to take care of their part. So we are just here now thinking about this (tournament), and once it is over, we will start to be more concerned about what is going on in the NBA.”

Ginobili expressed regret that the lockout has the potential to interrupt the love affair between San Antonians and the Spurs.

“I think it is a pity,” he said. “I am with such a wonderful organization with an amazing fan base. I’d really love to go back and start training camp and be with all the guys. Hopefully, it is a one-time thing and is not going to happen again in a few years.

“Hopefully it is just once in a blue moon. I’m just hoping for a fair solution.”

Ginobili spends some of his time between games keeping tabs on what is happening at Eurobasket, where Parker has been one of the leading scorers and has yet to suffer a loss with the French national team.

“I haven’t been able to watch the games, but I follow the stats, and I know (France) is undefeated,” Ginobili said before Argentina fell to Spurs teammate Tiago Splitter and Brazil 73-71 on Wednesday. “I know they beat Serbia in the last second. Tony is rolling.

“Good to see that France is doing what they are capable of doing. In the past, they were always a threat, but they were never able to finish it. Hopefully, this year they do.”

Ginobili for several years has touted the Olympic experience to his Spurs teammate.

“I’d really love for Tony to get to play the Olympic Games,” Ginobili said. “He’s a good friend, and any athlete of a high level should learn what it is to be in the Olympics. I told T.P. this a million times, and I think he’s really focused and wants to be there.”

Oberto’s hand injury could keep him out of FIBA Americas tourney

Former Spurs center Fabricio Oberto’s chances of playing for Argentina in the upcoming FIBA Americas tournament will hinge on a quick recovery from a recent hand injury.

Oberto sustained  a fibrillar rupture on his left adductor muscle, a long muscle buried deep in the hand that adducts to the thumb, last week. After the injury, doctors plan to limit Oberto’s practice for about two weeks.

But Argentina coach Julio Lamas told FIBA.com that he for use in the FIBA tournament next month. 

“I hope I can count on him for the tournament,” said Lamas, who plans keep Oberto on the 12-man roster even if he can’t play in early games of the tournament.  “I’m not sure he will make it, though.”

Oberto, 36, returned to his hometown of Cordoba, Argentina, for recovery before returning to the team earlier this week.

The Argentina team will play an exhibition Thursday night in Buenos Aires against Venezuela before Lamas trims the roster to 12 players.

Oberto, a member of the Spurs 2007 NBA championship team, was an important member of the Argentina team that claimed the gold medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. And his absence from his current team would be a big loss, according to teammate Manu Ginobili.

“We need him,” Ginobili told FIBA.com.

But teammate Leonardo Gutiérrez expects Oberto to contribute to the team.
 
“Oberto will be part of the team,” Gutiérrez said. “He’s a key player and he has to be there even if he plays five, 10 or 15 minutes.”

A heart ailment cut short Oberto’s NBA career after he announced his retirement after five games with the Portland Trailblazers last season. He played with the Spurs from 2005-09.

Oberto worked hard to get back into playing shape and apparently can still help the Argentinian team. It would be a shame not to see him compete at the FIBA tournament because of his recent nagging injury.

Would it really be the Olympics with no NBA players next year in London?

The start of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London is exactly one year away.

Since the introduction of the American “Dream Team” in 1992, men’s basketball has been one of the Olympics biggest and most anticipated events. And it figures to be that way again in London.

That is, if NBA players choose to represent their countries.

The Olympics are a huge part of David Stern’s globalization of the sport. And the league has its fingerprints all over USA Basketball, starting with managing director and former majority Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo running the show.

But if the lockout stretches through at least one season through the early summer next season, it’s extremely doubtful that the players would give in and join up with their national teams.

This promises to be perhaps the United States’ best team since the original “Dream Team” in 1992. Kobe Bryant has committed, eager to match Michael Jordan for his second gold medal. The United States has a deep collection of transcendent young talent like Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose along with emerging superstar players like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. 

Other countries look similarly stacked. The Spain team still has the Gasol brothers, but could also add international icon Ricky Rubio and Serge Ibaka. The Argentinians are stacked with veterans who helped them win in 2004, including Manu Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto. France will have Tony Parker along with Joakim Noah and Boris Diaw

But Yahoo.com columnist Adrian Wojnarowski doubts we’ll see any NBA players if the .

It’s just another part of the equation as owners and players sit down next month to settle their differences when negotiations continue. 

No doubt the executives at 30 Rock for NBC-TV have the fingers crossed for an eventual resolution, too.

Because there’s only so much synchronized swimming, field hockey and dressage they can force feed to the American public in their search for ratings.