Manu Ginobili will be a first ballot Hall-of-Famer

Good luck! For those who are unaware of how the Basketball Hall of Fame works, a player is generally nominated if his career as a basketball player was extraordinarily successful. There are many areas that the selection committee evaluates when considering which players to induct. Most players who are accepted on their first nomination (hence the name "first-ballot Hall-of-Famer) excelled in at least two of the following categories: 1) Elite statistical production in the NBA 2) Playing a large role in winning championships in the NBA 3) Directly changing the way basketball is played in the NBA 4) College and/or International Basketball success I will argue that Manu Ginobili excelled in categories 2, 3, and 4, and that while his statistical production over the length of his career may not be comparable to most other first-ballot HOFers, his stats will still be good enough for the voters to induct him on his first nomination. First, Ginobili undoubtedly played a huge role in the 4 championships won by the San Antonio Spurs since his arrival there. During the 2005 playoffs, Ginobili led the team in steals and was second on the team in points and assists. He also led the team in 3-pointers and free throws, which are two of the most efficient shots in basketball. He barely missed out on being voted Finals MVP in a 6-4 decision to Tim Duncan, another first-ballot HOFer. Ginobili"s NBA accomplishments are extremely impressive: 4x champion, 2x All-Star, and Sixth Man of the Year. He could easily have even more All-Star appearances, but he never played enough minutes to rack up stats in large volume. However, Ginobili"s per minute stats have always been elite. Second, Manu Ginobili definitely had a direct impact on the way that basketball is played in the NBA. He was one of the first foreign players to truly dominate the league. He was the 57th pick of the draft because most teams back then didn"t bother to scout players outside of the US. Because of the success of Ginobili and others like him, NBA scouts pay much closer attention to basketball overseas. Ginobili also popularized the move called the "Euro-Step. " Today, many American players like James Harden use this move effectively, but it was Ginobili who first brought it to the NBA. I will admit that even all these accomplishments taken together would not be enough to send Ginobili to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. However, the biggest item on Ginobili"s resume is the success he brought to the Argentinean national basketball team. In 2001, his team won the FIBA Americas Championship, and he was voted MVP. The same year, his club team in Europe won the Euroleague championship, and he also won Finals MVP. In 2002, he led Argentina to the FIBA World championship, defeating the US team along the way. Finally, in 2004, Argentina made history and became the first team to defeat the US in the Olympics since the Americans started sending professional players. Manu Ginobili led all scorers in the US game, with 29 points, and he was named the MVP. To get a sense of how unique Manu Ginobili"s career has been, realize that he is one of only two players ever to win a Euroleague title, an NBA title, and an Olympic Gold Medal. My opponent has suggested that Ginobili will not be a first ballot HOFer because he usually comes off the bench. While it is true that not many sixth men are first ballot material, this is a special case. When voters consider the scope of Manu Ginobili"s historic accomplishments in the NBA, Euroleague, and FIBA, they will certainly recognize that he is worthy of immediate induction to the Hall of Fame. . http://en.wikipedia.org... . http://www.basketball-reference.com... . http://www.thebasketballworld.com...