Argentina president honors Ginobili

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -- President Nestor Kirchner lauded San Antonio Spurs star Emanuel Ginobili as a "source of national pride" on Thursday, celebrating the Argentine's role in leading his team to the NBA championship.

Kirchner greeted the Spurs guard known as "Manu" at his offices in Government House. The lanky Spurs star was accompanied by dozens of students.

Ginobili, who honed his basketball skills in the coastal city of Bahia Blanca, where basketball rivals soccer in popularity, gave the president a Spurs jersey emblazoned with Kirchner and the number 1.

Kirchner, a former high school basketball player, joked he wasn't sure how his friends back in his native Santa Cruz province might react to seeing him in an NBA jersey.

"They're gonna give me a hard time since I didn't start in high school, and now suddenly I'm wearing a San Antonio jersey," he said to laughs.

Ginobili is "a source of national pride and example for Argentine youth," Kirchner said.

Thousands of Argentines have turned out to greet Ginobili since he arrived in his home country this week on vacation.

He spent his first days back home offering basketball clinics for young Argentines.

In an open letter to fans published in Argentina's La Nacion daily, Ginobili said he had been taken aback by the warm reception.

"I really wanted to come home and share with Argentines everything that I had experienced so far in the NBA," he wrote.

Ginobili played for years in Argentina's professional league before heading to Italy, where he played for European clubs Reggio Calabria and Kinder Bologna, and later caught the eye of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

The Spurs defeated the New Jersey Nets 4-2 in the NBA Finals.

 

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