The U.S. basketball team in the World Championships took care of Yao Ming.
Now it gets a chance to stop the international player more likely to be NBA Rookie of the Year this season.
That’s Emanuel Ginobili, an exciting 6-foot-6-inch guard who will play for the San Antonio Spurs. He has been a sensation in leading his Argentine team to an undefeated record here with an average winning margin of 21 points per game.
Now, it has a showdown with the United States.
“He’s good,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who is an assistant with the U.S. team that went to 5-0 Tuesday with a 110-62 victory over New Zealand. That victory, which Argentina matched with an 86-77 triumph over Germany also to go to 5-0, sets up the matchup of undefeated teams Wednesday.
It also gives the U.S. team of NBA players what some believe will be its first true test in this tournament.
“I think it’s a real possibility someone is going to get the U.S.,” said New Zealand coach Tab Baldwin, whose team lost to Argentina by 32. “They have as good a shot as anyone.”
The vulnerability of the United States is the remaining drama of this 16-country tournament.
But the curiosity of it may be the ability of Ginobili and his impact on the NBA. Although Popovich has been evasive, Spurs insiders say they expect Ginobili to eventually displace Steve Smith and become the starting shooting guard alongside promising Tony Parker. That would give the Spurs an exciting young backcourt to entice Tim Duncan to re-sign there after next season.
Ginobili, who is averaging 17 points and shooting 60 percent in the tournament, is just one international face that will become familiar to NBA fans this season.
Of course, there is Yao, the 7-5 center from China who was the No. 1 overall pick of the Houston Rockets and who has drawn a big following already around the United States. There also is Marko Jaric, a point guard who plays for Yugoslavia and will join the Clippers, and Mehmet Okur, a forward who plays for Turkey and will join the Pistons.
There also are several players here who could be first-round NBA draft picks in the coming seasons, including forward Anderson Varejao from Brazil, impressive Wisconsin guard Kirk Penny of New Zealand, Chinese forward Zhu Fangyu and Russian forward Viktor Khriapa. And 7-1 Russian center Alexei Savrasenko went undrafted two years ago when he was 21 and is a free agent now.
But the real surprise of the group may be Ginobili.
“I know I have to get stronger,” he said after Tuesday’s game. “You never know what will be expected of you, so you just go and play.”
He said his team has more than a “10-20 percent chance” of defeating the United States and reach its goal of winning a medal.
Ginobili, who is known as “Manu,” has played remarkably well. He’s quick with plenty of nifty moves to the basket, though he doesn’t seem to play out of control. He has displayed a fearlessness in leading his team with good passing, shooting ability and court vision.
He carried his team to the European Final Four last season and starred in the championship game. The question remains his strength and ability to drive against NBA players.
“I know I can play in the NBA,” said Ginobili, who speaks English and comes across as exceedingly humble. “I don’t know if I can succeed like [Peja Stojakovic] and play in an All-Star game. But I know I can make my way.
“It’s probably going to take some time, but I’m calm. I don’t have to hurry, I can show everyone I can play. I have a two-year contract.”
Ginobili, 25, was a second-round pick by the Spurs in 1999 who played in Italy the last four years.
Getting Parker as the last pick in the first round last season may enable to Spurs to remain a top contender for years even without high draft picks and major free-agent acquisitions to complement Duncan.
It puts the Spurs in the company of the Kings for securing top international talent at little cost– and potentially big returns.
