Ginobili talks relationship with Spurs, Future

Despite the fact that the San Antonio Spurs denied Manu Ginobili the change to play for his native Argentina during the upcoming World Cup of Basketball, all is well with the veteran G and the franchise.  Recently Ginobili addressed that matter as well as his future in the NBA. 

If it had gotten to that point (mediation), it might have (hurt my relationship with the Spurs) because I would have been basically disobeying orders. But I was willing to do it if I felt well and in a condition to play. But when the moment came to start playing and doing impact workouts, the pain was still there. I know myself, this is the third time this has happened to me. I know that when the pain starts, it doesn’t stop; taking a day off wasn’t going to solve it. The bone has to heal and it hadn’t or something else was wrong. During the first training session in which I felt pain, I knew there was no way I could play.

I’m not going to say there would have been not point to it but why call for a mediator when I knew I had a losing hand? If I was going to put up a fight, I had to feel well and know that it was worth it. If I made it to the tournament hurt, the whole thing would have been in vain because I wasn’t going to be able to play like I wanted to. Just to be with the team and be able to say “I’m here” — that’s not what I wanted. If I’m going to play a World Cup I need to be healthy, help the team and feel well. When I felt pain I knew there was no way I could play.

I was six years younger and it’s not the same to recover from injury at 31 than it is at 37. So in 2008 (the Spurs) relented and told me “go play and we’ll see how it goes.” They indulged me. I was happy, I played and in the last game my ankle said “enough.” It didn’t set a good precedent.

I don’t like to speculate as to when it’s going to end. I know I’ll play the upcoming season. If I feel like I did this past season, I’ll keep going for sure. If I feel like I did the season before, I don’t know. More than age, what matters the most is my health and the mental aspect. Basketball-wise, I’m in a perfect situation. I’m with a team that takes great care of me, in which I have my role and I’m not asked to do too much. I’m a leader to my teammates. And I feel respected enough to not have to prove myself every day. So if I feel like I did last season, I’ll keep playing.