Manu Ginobili: 'I'm still surprised I don't play basketball' / News - Basketnews.com

Ginobili admitted that he still hasn't gotten over the fact that his career is over, but was glad that he was able to play until almost 41 years of age, a fact not many players can say.

Credit: Ronald Cortes/Getty Images North America/AFP - Scanpix Credit Ronald Cortes/Getty Images North America/AFP - Scanpix

It's been five years since Manu Ginobili retired from basketball. However, it's still a fact that he sometimes has to grasp.

Talking with Tony Parker on his Skweek show, the Argentinian San Antonio Spurs legend said that although his life is different now, he is grateful he could play in the NBA until there was nothing left in the tank.

"I'm actually still surprised that I don't play basketball. I play padel, I play tennis, I ride a bike. I've done it enough, I gave it all I had to this sport. Now, I want to do other things. I was very lucky - I played until almost 41," he said.

"There are some guys that get hurt, or they don't have a good situation for them to keep playing. They leave with something in the tank that they don't know where to use afterward," Ginobili explained. "In my case, I was empty. At 41, I was with the team in the playoffs every year. National team, Olympic, World Cup - everything. I did everything I wanted and way more."

Throughout 16 seasons in the NBA, all with the Spurs, Ginobili won four NBA titles (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014), was named All-Star twice (2005, 2011), and won the 6th Man of the Year trophy in 2008. With the Argentinian national team, Manu captured silver at the 2002 FIBA World Cup and won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

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