The legendary Manu Ginobili, four-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, will enter the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, The Athletic portal announced on Thursday. Shams Charania, one of the journalists with the best sources within basketball in the US, told The Athletic that the Argentine will appear in the 2022 class for the Hall of Fame, although he clarified that the official announcement will not be made until Saturday. This is the first year that Ginóbili could be chosen since one of the requirements to enter the Hall of Fame is that the honoree in question has been retired for at least four seasons.
Ginóbili, who said goodbye to the courts in 2018 after an impressive career that also saw him hang Olympic gold in Athens 2004, was one of the great favorites to enter the Hall of Fame this time since the list of finalists was announced. in mid-February. The Argentine, who is now 44 years old, played in the NBA from 2002 to 2018, always with the San Antonio Spurs, and formed a historic trio with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. The shooting guard was also Euroleague champion with the Italian Virtus Bologna in 2001.
Together with Ginobili, Charania explained that they will also enter the Hall of Fame George Karl, Tim Hardaway, Swan Cash and Bob Huggins. The ceremony for the new members of the Hall of Fame will be held in September in Springfield (Massachusetts, USA).