Emanuel Ginobili made history by receiving one of the most important awards of his career. The Argentine was chosen to enter the basketball Hall of Fame. However, this news generated a stir within the United States.
Journalist Ben Maller, in his program on Fox Sports Radio, ruled that the Basketball Hall of Fame made a mistake by including the 42-year-old Bahian in its select list of athletes.
“The Hall of Fame made a mistake in honoring Manu Ginobili. Nothing against him. I hear he's a good guy. He was a good player; he's just not a Hall of Fame member. My theory about the Hall of Fame is accurate. They have extremely low standards for admission,” he bluntly stated, referring to the four-time NBA champion during his successful 16 seasons (2002-2018) defending the San Antonio Spurs jersey.
The former basketball player of the Texas franchise (the institution decided to withdraw the number 20 shirt in his honor), will be distinguished alongside former players Tim Hardaway and Swin Cash, as well as former coaches George Karl and Bob Huggins in early September at the Hall of Fame headquarters in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Ginobili, who participated twice in the NBA All-Star Game (2005 and 2011), won nine medals with Argentina, including the 2004 Athens gold medal and the silver medal at the 2002 Indianapolis World Cup. In the next Olympic edition, in Beijing 2008, he won the bronze medal. His award-winning curriculum also includes 1 Liga Italia, 2 MVP Liga Italia, 2 Copa Italia, 1 MVP Copa Italia, 1 Euroleague, 1 MVP Final Four Euroleague and the 6th Man of the Year award in the US league.
“There have to be some requirements to be in the Hall of Fame. As an NBA player, how many MVP awards did Manu Ginobili have? The same number you and I have. We are tied with Manu Ginobili. Capaz finished in the top 5, how many top 5 did he have in his 14, 15 year career for the MVP award? None! Not one! The same number as you and me. Okay, maybe he was an all-NBA player. I'm sure he was in the first all-NBA team. Let me check my notes, no. He wasn't in the first all-NBA team. What about second team, he must have been in the second All-NBA as a Hall of Fame player,” the radio announcer attacked.
Maller's analysis did not stop, when he later stated: “At some point you have to be first or second team to be in the Hall of Fame. No, no. He was not part of the second all-NBA team. Capable was a defensive player, like Dennis Rodman. Defensive dominator. Defender of the Year, did he win the Manu Ginobili Prize? No. How was the first defensive team? He must have been part of the first defensive team at some point, right? No, no. Ginobili was not in any first team. How about the second NBA defensive team? No, no.”
“Ginobili was a substitute in 70% of the matches, 67% of the matches. He must have won seven or eight awards for the sixth man of the year. At least four or five. No, just one. Once the sixth man of the year. All-star twice, twice. Only that,” he concluded.
The Kens5 network, for its part, contributes that these statements were not well seen among the inhabitants and fans of San Antonio, who did not hesitate to show their repudiation on social networks.
During his time in the NBA, Manu accumulated 14,043 points, 4,001 assists, 3,697 rebounds and 1,392 steals, in addition to being named twice to the NBA Third Team (2008, 2011).
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