Manu Ginobili

Manu Ginobili was the most unpredictable player in NBA history — a left-handed Argentinian guard whose Eurostep, creative passing, and willingness to take risks made him impossible to prepare for and a nightmare to game-plan against. His four championships with the Spurs (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014) came in a sixth-man role that he embraced, and his acceptance of coming off the bench despite being a starter-caliber player on any other team is one of the great acts of selflessness in basketball history.

Ginobili's 2004 Olympic gold medal with Argentina — defeating the United States in the semifinal — is one of the most significant achievements in international basketball history. He was the best player on a team that toppled the most dominant basketball country in the world, and his performance cemented his status as the greatest Argentinian basketball player ever.

Ginobili's Eurostep became the most imitated move in modern basketball. Every guard who attacks the rim with a step-through change of direction owes a debt to Manu's innovation. His competitive fire, his clutch shooting, and his ability to change the complexion of a game in a two-minute stretch off the bench made him the most impactful reserve in NBA history.