manuginobili.com | Emanuel Ginobili Official Website | 2009-2010
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I am just prioritizing London 2012 to Turkey 2010 2010-04-24 / by Manu After several days of internal debate and putting into balance my family, my head and heart, the time to make a decision about my participation in the Basketball world cup has arise. I always believed that the right thing was to inform the National Team coach in advance my plans once I had them clear so he could assemble the roster knowing who he could count with and whom he could not. That’s why, I think this is the right moment for me to talk about my future with the National Team.
I have arrived to the tough conclusion that today the best for me and my family is not to play Turkey’s world Cup.
Yes I know, some people may not share my point of view and maybe angry or disappointed in this moment, but believe me that it wasn’t easy to decide it. It’s not, or better said, it wasn’t an easy decision to take. I mentioned it in one of my columns a couple of weeks ago: I love to play with my friends of so many years, I enjoy every pick Fabri (Oberto) sets for me and his defensive play too, I surprise myself and celebrate each move Luifa (Scola) does that the majority of the times ends up in a basket, every brilliant Pablo (Prigioni) assist, each rebound or adventurous play Chapu (Nocioni) makes, those jaw dropping Carlitos (Delfino) moves , the triples by Paolo and Leo and so everybody else’s contribution. But on this occasion there are a lot of factors into play and I had to analyze it profoundly.
As it is publicly known and after several years trying, my wife and I will become parents of twins in May. I would like to be present on each one of those moments that I know will never be repeated, help my wife with everything she needs and enjoy every minute of this unique experience. The other of the reasons that made me make this decision and that is also important, is that my body isn’t ready to play three straight years with the National Team without having proper rest neither an appropriate athletic conditioning.
What do I mean by this? As I expressed before, my two previous experiences on the Olympics where the best thing that ever happened to me as an athlete, including the NBA rings, European championships and everything I lived on my almost 15 years of career, and I have no doubts in my head that I would like to live that again. I know the qualification won’t be easy either. That’s why my intention is to also play the pre Olympic tournament in 2011 that I understand have great chances to be organized in Argentina. It would be really nice to play an official championship on our own home court with our people after a decade (the only one was in 2001 in Neuquen) don’t you think? The idea is to accomplish the qualification and then yes, play my last (very possibly but one never knows) championship with the guys and with the white and blue in my chest.
After what happened in Beijing 2008, the surgery, the two fractures and the horrid 2008-2009 season, it took me a whole lot of time to be back in shape and recover my game. It has been two years already since I haven’t been able to have a good pre season conditioning,; the 2008 one, because of the games themselves and doubts about my ankle and the 2009 one to recover from my last fracture. Then I would like to take advantage of this recess to be physically 10 points, have a great 2010-2011 season and then, be in optimal condition both mentally and physically to qualify in 2011 and then play the London Olympics in 2012. Just in case, I would like to clarify that the Spurs have nothing to do with my decision and that in fact they told me they have no issues with me playing in 2011 and 2012.
I have no doubts that it will be really tough to watch the World Cup on TV, that I will try to eat the screen on every play and that I will miss that competition like no one. But I analyzed my decision carefully, very tough sentimentally, but I think fair.
I hope you also are able to understand my position. I am not retiring from the National Team; I am just prioritizing London to Turkey and the possibility to be inside the Olympics once again.
Anyway, the heart, the talent and the character of the team it’s never under scrutiny, with or without me. It was demonstrated both in Vegas 2007 and Puerto Rico 2009. If you add to those teams Chapu, Fabri and other guys we are, like always, ready to fight for the highest positions and be on the podium yet again. I will firmly follow the team from San Antonio like the number one fan with Dante and Nicola on their National Team jersey’s standing fiercely for them and helping from the distance.
MANU
