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Ranking the 75 best players in NBA history for 75th anniversary

By Josh Cornelissen

Kobe Bryant (Photo credit should read Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images)
Kobe Bryant (Photo credit should read Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs. Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /

Ranking the 75 best players in NBA history: No. 60 – Manu Ginobili

Career: 2002 – 2018

Achievements: Four-time champion; All-NBA (2x); All-Star (2x); Sixth Man of the Year

One of the greatest international guards in NBA history, Manu Ginobili found an NBA team that allowed him to maximize his team success but at the cost of individual statistics. He embraced that, coming off the bench for the San Antonio Spurs for most of his career.

That means his per-game numbers or career statistics aren’t necessarily special. He did make two All-NBA teams, credit to the league for recognizing his impact, but he lags behind other candidates for the back part of this list in many areas.

Yet Ginobili’s impact on an all-time Spurs dynasty was clear, and every sort of advanced metric tends to scream of his value. He brought the Euro Step to the NBA as a fashionable move, he played hard on every possession and he brought a certain energy to the league that drew fans in. Everyone loved Ginobili, and he deserves a place on this list, so he gets one.