Tag: In the News

Ginobili has offer from his former club in Italy

By Mike Monroe
mikemonroe@express-news.net

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina — Manu Ginobili’s agent, Herb Rudoy, on Thursday confirmed an offer made to Ginobili to rejoin the Virtus Bologna team in the Italian League, but said no response has yet been made to the offer.

Ginobili’s brother Leandro, working as a television analyst at the FIBA Americas tournament, also confirmed the offer for Manu to play again in Italy if the NBA lockout continues.

“I don’t think Manu is thinking he will go play in Italy for two months before returning to the Spurs,” said Manu’s 41-year-old brother.

Leandro Ginobili said his brother is completely focused on the final two days of the tournament and has made no response whatsoever to the offer from Virtus Bologna, first reported by the Italian sports publication Gazzetta Dello Sport.

Ginobili played in Bologna in 2001, leading the club, then Kinder Bologna, to the European Final Four and being named MVP of the tournament.

Ginobili is under contract to the Spurs for two more seasons, scheduled to make $14.2 million next season if the lockout were to allow a full season.

FIBA Americas

Ginobili had 17 points and five assists as Argentina scored a 84-58 victory over the Dominican Republic on the final day of the second phase of the tournament.

“I am not used to playing back-to-back-to-back-to-back,” said Ginobili. “I was exhausted and had no legs at all.”

Up by nine entering the fourth period, Argentina’s Carlos Delfino scored eight unanswered points in the first 1:40 of the period to give his team some breathing space.

Brazil’s 94-72 victory over Puerto Rico on Thursday earned top seed in the semifinals, meaning it will face the Dominicans. Argentina will play Puerto Rico. Spurs center Tiago Splitter scored 17 points in three quarters of an easy victory, and sat the fourth period.

The winners of Saturday’s games will be assured berths in the 2012 Olympics in London, regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s championship game.

Canada’s quest for an Olympic berth ended Thursday with an 91-89 loss to Panama. Spurs draftee Cory Joseph scored four points.

Parker says he won’t be joining his French team — for now

Spurs guard Tony Parker has shot down rumors that he planned to join his French team during the NBA lockout.

Parker told Basket Europe and Hoops Hype that , a team he owns,  during the work stoppage.

“This is not true, I did not sign anything. Nothing is done,” Parker said. “I did not commit to ASVEL during the lockout. There is insurance to pay, the case has stalled because I am playing with the (French) National Team.”

But Parker said he still would like to play for the team if the insurance could be resolved, but he doesn’t want to speak about it anymore.

“It is no secret. I’d like to play (for) ASVEL,” Parker told French reporters. “But it is a very complicated issue to manage. I would like  the media to stop with this story. If I do not come because of insurance, people will be extremely disappointed that I do not play with ASVEL “

Parker’s comments come as he plays in Eurobasket with a large contignent of French media following his every move. It obviously is a huge story among the French reporters if he joins the team after the tournament.

But a more pressing concern might be for Parker and his French teammates to tighten up their perimeter defense. After Latvia blistered them from the perimeter yesterday, the French will have little chance of  upsetting Spain for the Europebasket title unless they show some marked improvement.

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.”