The San Antonio Spurs announced that franchise legend Manu Ginobili will return to the team as a special advisor to basketball operations.
OFFICIAL: Spurs Announce Basketball Operations Staff Additions & Promotions
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) September 24, 2021
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According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Ginobili will work in a player-centric role focusing on the on-and-off court development of a young Spurs roster.
Wojnarowski added that Spurs CEO RC Buford, general manager Brian Wright and head coach Gregg Popovich have been imploring Ginobili to take on a role within the franchise since his retirement, looking to further advance his influence on the culture of Spurs basketball to the next generation of players and staff.
Ginobili was a four-time NBA champion with the Spurs, playing all 16 seasons of his career in San Antonio. He retired in 2018, leaving the game as the franchise's all-time leader in 3-pointers made and steals. His jersey was hung in the rafters in that same year, immediately honouring his contributions to the franchise.
Ginobili is the second member of the Spurs' famous trio to join the organization in some capacity, as Hall of Famer Tim Duncan spent one season as an assistant coach in 2019, aiming to make a similar impact on relaying the style of Spurs basketball to the next wave of players on the roster.
After 22 consecutive playoff appearances from 1997 to 2019, the Spurs have missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Entering a rebuilding phase, Ginobili will look to educate a young roster that includes Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Zach Collins and Canadian rookie Joshua Primo.
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