Manu Ginobili remembers what Michael Jordan meant to him in his youth

Manu grew up idolizing an NBA legend, then became on himself.

Manu Ginobili is currently visiting his family in Argentina, and the trip included a visit to his childhood home, complete with the Michael Jordan poster he grew up idolizing.

Per mysanantonio.com, Ginobili mentioned the poster back in a 2016 blog post:

“I had only one chance to play against the guy featured in that poster. That life-size poster that looked at me every single night as a kid before going to bed and challenged me to get better and better,” he remembered in his post.

The game was on New Year’s Eve in 2002. Ginobili was 25, Jordan was 39 and playing his final season with the Washington Wizards. He was on the court with Jordan, who was being guarded by Bruce Bowen. Coach Greg Popovich put Ginobili, a rookie at the time, in for 5.2 seconds and his 40-foot shot attempt at the buzzer was an airball.

“I know it’s not a terrible story, but as a rookie, I hoped for a great one,” Ginobili wrote.

Manu Ginobili remembers what Michael Jordan meant to him in his youth
Manu Ginobili remembers what Michael Jordan meant to him in his youth