Carlos Delfino

Delfino with the Bucks
No. 10 – Milwaukee Bucks
Small forward / Shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1982-08-29) August 29, 1982 (age 29) Santa Fe, Argentina
Nationality	Argentine / Italian[1]
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 25th overall
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Pro career	1998–present
Career history
1998–1999	Olimpia de Venado Tuerto (Argentina)
1999–2000	Unión de Santa Fe (Argentina)
2000–2002	Viola Reggio Calabria (Italy)
2002–2004	Skipper Bologna (Italy)
2004–2007	Detroit Pistons
2007–2008	Toronto Raptors
2008–2009	Khimki Moscow Region (Russia)
2009–present	Milwaukee Bucks

Carlos Francisco Delfino (born August 29, 1982, in Santa Fe, Argentina) is an Argentine professional basketball player. He also has Italian citizenship.^[2] Delfino plays at the small forward and shooting guard positions. He stands 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) tall and weighs 104 kg (230 lb). He is also noted for his defense and three point shooting skills.^[3] He is currently a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Pro career[link]

1998–00[link]

He began his professional career playing in the Argentine Basketball League for Olimpia de Venado Tuerto in the 1998–99 season, and he then transferred to Unión de Santa Fe in 1999–2000. Delfino moved to Italy in 2000 and played four seasons in the Italian A-1 League, the first two with Reggio Calabria and the other two seasons with Skipper Bologna.

2000–01[link]

In his first season in Italy, he played for Reggio Calabria. In just under 21 minutes per game he averaged 8.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals. He scored a season-high 25 points in his second game against Scavolini Pesaro, making five of eight three-point attempts. He scored 15 points in just 20 minutes against Cordivari Roseto and tallied 14 points apiece against Paf Bologna, Muller Verona and Kinder Bologna. He hit at least one three-pointer in 19 of 24 games.

2002–03[link]

In his first season with Skipper Bologna, he moved into the starting lineup in the third game of the season and averaged about 26 minutes. He scored 18 points, including shooting 3-of-5 from three-point range, versus Euro Roseto and posted double-doubles against Benetton Treviso (13 points, 13 rebounds), Oregon Scientific Cantù (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Pippo Milano (14 points, 11 rebounds). He suffered torn ligaments in his ankle late in the season, but returned in late May.

2004–05[link]

Beginning in 2004, Delfino signed to play for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association, who made him the 25th pick in the first round of the 2003 NBA Draft, making him the first Argentine player ever to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. In November 2004, he suffered a knee injury that kept him on the injured list for over three months. He had an operation in the U.S. and then another in Argentina, where he recovered. However, Delfino did not immediately return to form after his rehabilitation, and was left off the Pistons' 2005 playoff roster. After he recovered from the knee injury, Delfino averaged 15.3 minutes, 3.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game in 30 games under coach Larry Brown. Many regarded Brown as having limited space for Delfino's offensive creativity. It was perceived that under the Pistons upcoming new coach Flip Saunders, that Delfino would thrive.

2005–06[link]

In his second season on the Pistons' active roster, Carlos averaged 10.7 minutes, 3.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game. Delfino played off the bench substituting for either Tayshaun Prince or Richard Hamilton. He had three straight games where he scored in double digits before being sidelined for the next 4 with the flu. Delfino became an important change-of-pace player in Flip Saunders' offensive scheme.

2007–08[link]

On June 15, 2007, the Detroit Pistons traded Delfino to the Toronto Raptors for 2nd round draft picks in both the 2009 NBA Draft and the 2011 NBA Draft.^[4] The 2007–08 season was his most productive in the NBA, as he averaged 9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game during the regular season.

2008–09[link]

In the summer of 2008, Delfino signed a 3 year contract with the Russian Super League club Khimki Moscow Region. Delfino was one of the highest paid basketball players in Europe, earning about $10 million US dollars per season, plus a house, a car and a driver, and savings on taxes.^[5] He averaged 13.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in Europe's second level competition, the ULEB Eurocup during the 2008–09 season.^[6]

2009–10[link]

On June 16, 2009, the Toronto Raptors extended a qualifying offer to Delfino.^[7]

On August 18, 2009, Raptors signed and traded Delfino to Milwaukee Bucks along with Roko Ukić in exchange for Amir Johnson and Sonny Weems.^[8]

Delfino had a breakout season with the Bucks, as he posted career highs in points per game, rebounds per game, assists per game, steals per game and blocks per game, while playing 30 minutes per game. He also played a major role in the playoffs, shooting a career high .405 from behind the 3-point line.

Argentine national team[link]

Medal record
Men’s basketball
Competitor for  Argentina
Summer Olympics
Gold	2004 Athens	National team
Bronze	2008 Beijing	National team
FIBA Americas Championship
Silver	2007 Las Vegas	National Team
Gold	2011 Mar del Plata	National Team
South American Basketball Championship
Gold	2004 Rio de Janeiro	National Team
FIBA Diamond Ball
Gold	2008 Nanjing	National Team
Marchand Cup
Silver	2007 San Juan	National Team

Delfino was a member of Argentina's junior national team that won the bronze medal at the 2001 FIBA Under-21 World Championship that was held in Saitama, Japan. Delfino was also a part of the senior Argentine national basketball team that won the gold at the 2004 Olympics basketball Tournament. He also played with Argentina's senior national team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship and at the 2008 Olympics basketball Tournament, where he helped Argentina to win the bronze medal.

NBA career statistics[link]

Correct as of 19 April 2012^[9]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• NBA.com Profile - Carlos Delfino
• Euroleague.net Profile

Emanuel Ginóbili

No. 20 – San Antonio Spurs
Shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1977-07-28) 28 July 1977 (age 34) Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nationality	Argentine/Italian[1]
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	1999 / Round: 2 / Pick: 57th overall
Selected by the San Antonio Spurs
Pro career	1995–present
Career history
1995–1996	Andino Sport Club (Argentina)
1996–1998	Estudiantes de Bahía Blanca (Argentina)
1998–2000	Viola Reggio Calabria (Italy)
2000–2002	Kinder Bologna (Italy)
2002–present	San Antonio Spurs
Career highlights and awards
3× NBA Champion (2003, 2005, 2007) 2× NBA All-Star (2005, 2011) 2× All-NBA Third Team (2008, 2011) NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2008) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2003) Italian League MVP (2001) Euroleague Finals MVP (2001) FIBA Americas Championship MVP (2001) All-Euroleague First Team (2002) Italian Cup MVP (2002) Italian League MVP (2002) FIBA World Cup All-Tournament Team (2002) Olimpia de Oro (2003, 2004 (shared)) FIBA World Championship All-Tournament Team (2006) UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador (2007) 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors (2008) Argentina´s Olympic Flag Bearer (2008) Diamond Konex Award (2010) FIBA Americas Championship All-Tournament Team (2011)
Stats at NBA.com
Medals Men's Basketball Competitor for Argentina Summer Olympic Games Gold 2004 Athens National Team Bronze 2008 Beijing National Team FIBA World Cup Silver 2002 Indianapolis National Team FIBA Americas Championship Gold 2001 Neuquén National Team Silver 2003 San Juan National Team Gold 2011 Argentina National Team South American Championship Silver 1999 Bahía Blanca National Team

Emanuel David "Manu" Ginóbili (born 28 July 1977) is an Argentine professional basketball player. Coming from a family of professional basketball players, he is a member of the Argentine men's national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Ginóbili spent the early part of his basketball career in Argentina and Italy, where he won several individual and team honors. His stint with Italian side Kinder Bologna was particularly productive, earning two Italian League MVP awards, the Euroleague Finals MVP and the 2001 Euroleague and Triple Crown championships. The shooting guard was selected as the 57th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft and is considered one of the biggest draft steals of all time. Ginóbili returned to Italy and only joined the Spurs in 2002. He did not take long to establish himself as a key player for the Spurs, and has since earned three NBA championship rings as well as being named an All-Star in 2005 and 2011. In the 2007–08 season, he was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

With the Argentina national team, Ginóbili has also enjoyed success. He made his debut with the national team in 1998, and was a member of the team which won the gold medal during the 2004 Olympics Basketball Tournament. Hailed as one of the finest European-based players to grace the NBA, he plays a high-tempo and intensive game. He is also one of only two players, along with Bill Bradley, to have won a Euroleague title, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal.

Family and personal life[link]

Ginóbili comes from an Italian-Argentine family of basketball players. His oldest brother, Leandro, retired in 2003 after seven years in the Argentine basketball league, while Sebastián has played in both the local league and the Spanish Liga Española de Baloncesto. Their father Jorge was a coach at a club in Bahía Blanca, where Ginóbili learned to play the game.^[2] Given the proliferation of basketball clubs in Bahía Blanca and his idolization of Michael Jordan, Ginóbili's love for basketball grew rapidly.^[3]

Ginóbili has dual citizenship with Argentina and Italy.^[4] As a result of his travels, he can speak Spanish, Italian and English fluently.^[5] In his free time, Ginóbili enjoys listening to Latin music, watching movies and relaxing with his friends.^[5] In 2004, he married Marianela Oroño.^[6] On May 16, 2010, his wife gave birth to twin boys, Dante and Nicola.^[7]

Professional career[link]

Argentine and Italian years[link]

Ginóbili made his professional debut in the Argentine basketball league for the Andino Sport Club team of La Rioja from 1995–1996, and was traded to Estudiantes de Bahía Blanca the next year.^[5] He played with his hometown team until the Italian league attracted him, and in 1998 he moved to Europe, spending the 1998–1999 and 1999–2000 seasons with Basket Viola Reggio Calabria.^[5] In 1999, he teamed with Brent Scott, Brian Oliver and Sydney Johnson to win a championship.^[8] Ginóbili then entered the 1999 NBA Draft and the San Antonio Spurs selected him late in the second round with the 57th overall pick.^[9] However, he did not sign with the Spurs at this point in time. Instead, he returned to Italy to play for Kinder Bologna, which he helped win the 2001 Italian Championship, the 2001 and 2002 Italian Cups, and the 2001 Euroleague, where he was named the Euroleague 2000–01 Euroleague Finals MVP.^[5] He was also named the Italian League MVP in 2000–01 and 2001–02, and made the Italian league's All-Star game three times during this period.^[5]

San Antonio Spurs[link]

It was not until after the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis that Ginóbili joined the Spurs. There, he made the All-Tournament team alongside future NBA star Yao Ming and established NBA stars Dirk Nowitzki and Peja Stojakovic,^[10] and helped lead Argentina to a second-place finish.^[5] In his first season in the NBA, Ginóbili played backup for veteran guard Steve Smith.^[3] He spent much of the early season injured, and found it hard to adjust to the NBA's style of play. As his injury improved, so did Ginóbili, winning the Western Conference Rookie of the Month in March, and being named to the All-Rookie Second Team at the end of the season.^[5] Still, he only started in five games as the Spurs chalked up a 60–22 regular season win–loss record.^[11][12] The Spurs then entered the playoffs eager to upend the defending champions Los Angeles Lakers, and this was when Ginóbili rose to prominence.

Ginóbili was drafted by the Spurs as the 57th pick (second to last) in the 1999 NBA Draft.

In contrast to his regular season, Ginóbili became an integral part of Gregg Popovich's rotational set up in the playoffs, playing in every game.^[5] The Spurs eliminated Phoenix and Los Angeles^[13] and in those games his scoring threat took opponents by surprise, giving them one more thing to cope with against the now highly-favored Spurs. He helped guide them past the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals and then the New Jersey Nets in the Finals,^[13] securing San Antonio's second championship. After the win, Ginóbili won his first Olimpia de Oro ("Golden Olympia") as Argentina's sportsperson of the year,^[14] and even met Argentine president Néstor Kirchner.^[3] A gym in Bahía Blanca was dedicated in Ginóbili's honor as well.^[3]

In the 2003–04 season, Ginóbili began featuring more regularly for the Spurs, starting in half of the 77 regular season games he played in.^[11] His statistics improved in all major categories, as he averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game.^[11] During the 2004 playoffs, the Spurs met their perennial rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, in the Western Conference Semifinals. Following Game 5 where Derek Fisher scored a buzzer-beating jumpshot,^[15] the Spurs lost Game 6 and the series 4–2.^[16] While Ginóbili did not start in a single playoff game as he did in 2003, his playoff statistics improved significantly, with 13.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.^[11]

Ginóbili met then-President of Argentina Néstor Kirchner following the 2003 NBA Finals.

After some initial issues with San Antonio over his contract, Ginóbili re-signed with the Spurs and started every game during the 2004–05 season.^[11] This was his best season yet as he was selected as a reserve by NBA coaches to the 2005 Western Conference All-Star team, marking his début in the elite mid-season showcase.^[5] During the playoffs, Ginóbili's play was pivotal to winning San Antonio's third championship. The Spurs first defeated Phoenix 4–1 in the Conference Finals,^[17] before prevailing in a very defensive oriented seven-game series against the Detroit Pistons.^[18] Ginóbili recorded career-highs in his playoff numbers, most notably 20.8 ppg and 5.8 rpg,^[11] and had the third highest point total in the entire playoffs.^[5] In the NBA Finals MVP Award voting, the shooting guard was a candidate but was edged out by teammate and captain Tim Duncan.^[3] The former finished the 2004–05 season as the second leading scorer on the team.^[5] During the season, he became only the fourth person to win consecutive Olimpias de Oro, this time sharing the award with soccer star Carlos Tévez.^[14]

The 2005–06 season was an injury-plagued one for Ginóbili, who suffered foot and ankle injuries that hindered his ability to play. He managed 65 games in the regular season, but saw a dip in major statistics as compared to the previous season.^[11] During the playoffs, he returned to form, but was unable to prevent the Spurs from being eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the Conference Semifinals.^[19]

In the 2006–07 season, the Spurs lacked energy from their reserves and Ginóbili provided it by coming off the bench for most of the second half of the season helping the Spurs attain the best record in the second half of the season. Ginóbili produced numbers closely identical to his successful 2004–05 campaign despite starting in only 36 of 75 games, his second lowest since arriving at San Antonio.^[11] The 2007 NBA Playoffs saw him help the Spurs to defeat the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz, before sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers to win his third and San Antonio's fourth championship.^[20]

Ginóbili was to play an even bigger role for the Spurs the following season, reaching career high averages in points, rebounds, assists, and three point field goal percentage.^[11] On 21 April 2008, the NBA announced that Ginóbili had won the 2008 Sixth Man Award;^[21] only a couple of weeks later, the Argentine was also named to the All-NBA Third Team.^[22] In the playoffs, the Spurs defeated the Suns 4–1 in the first round,^[23] Ginóbili was moved to the starting lineup in the second round against the New Orleans Hornets after the Spurs lost the first two road games. San Antonio eventually prevailed in seven games, the Argentine played another strong series, leading the Spurs in points and assists per game (21.3 and 6.0 respectively).^[24] However, San Antonio lost to arch-rivals Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Finals in five games, and once again failed to capture back-to-back NBA championships.^[25]

The following season, Ginóbili was injured for most of the campaign, managing only 44 regular season games and missing the 2009 NBA Playoffs entirely. San Antonio qualified for the playoffs as the third seed with a 54–28 record,^[26][27] but with an aging supporting cast (Bowen, Michael Finley and Kurt Thomas were all in their late 30s), the Spurs were only considered fringe contenders for the championship.^[27] As it turned out, the strong play of Duncan and Tony Parker were not enough to help the Spurs avoid a 4–1 defeat by Dallas, and the Spurs were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2000.^[28]

On 31 October 2009, in a game against the Sacramento Kings, a bat descended onto the court at the AT&T Center, causing a stoppage of play. As the bat flew past, Ginóbili swatted the bat to the ground with his hand. He then carried the creature off the court, earning the applause of the crowd.^[29] On 9 April 2010, the Spurs and Ginóbili agreed to a three-year, $39 million contract extension through the 2012–13 season.^[30]

NBA career statistics[link]

Correct as of 10 May 2010^[11]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]