#GraciasManu

Doesn't it feel eerie that in just one summer, the San Antonio Spurs lost Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Kyle Anderson, and ultimately, Manu Ginobili?

Earlier this day, Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs announced that he will be retiring from basketball after a colorful 16-year NBA career.

Ginobili's announcement

Ginobili achieved success in all of his 16 years with the San Antonio Spurs, that has got to be one of the longest stints ever in one team. But of course, Tim Duncan, the main man of the Spurs' Big 3, played with the Spurs for all 19 years of his NBA career.

Notice how I sued the preposition "with" and not "for". I used "with" because, from my point of view, Ginobili was not just a player that is on the payroll of the San Antonio Spurs office. He was a vital part of the Spurs system, just as everybody in the team is. Everybody is working with one another for the betterment of the team, just as Duncan, Gregg Popovich, Tony Parker, and all of the Spurs team did.

Ginobili and Coach Pop

Popovich spoke about the significance of Ginobili to their system a year before they won their fifth title. He said that it was impossible to win the title with an injured Manu Ginobili. No can do.

Pop and the Big 3 won four championship titles together with role players who gave whatever the team was needed in each of those years. Although Ginobili did not take the Finals MVP honors at the end of the 2014 NBA Finals, I thought that title was because of his performance. This would be because a sub-par performance from him in the 2013 NBA Finals was not helpful for their fight. It can be remembered that he was very apologetic knowing that he did fail to give his best.

Nevertheless, he gave a redeeming performance and helped the Spurs the next year. Four years after, he gave us this announcement of retirement. 

#GraciasManu for the extra four years of showing your clutch shots, razzle-dazzle handles, incredible passing, multiple stealing, and of course, your James Harden block (which has been my cellphone wallpaper ever since you did it).

Ginobili's block from 2017 Playoffs

#GraciasManu for accepting that sixth man role and actually getting that Sixth Man of the Year award.

#GraciasManu for pulling pranks on Timmy, and for catching that bat.

#GraciasManu for everything. There will never be another Manu.

MANU GINOBILI

*Photos are grabbed from the Internet and all thanks are for those who own it. For sharing purposes only. Thank you for understanding.