Competitiveness is the common denominator among NBA players. However, there are levels to it. For instance, San Antonio Spurs head Gregg Popovich famously never does business with the Lakers, stemming from the competition in the early 2000s. Still, Pop preached that there is life outside basketball and encouraged his wards to pursue other interests.
And then, there are guys like Manu Ginobili , who live and breathe basketball. The Argentine legend was so fiercely competitive that Spurs CEO R.C. Buford noted he'd never seen someone so self-critical.
Manu does not take losing lightly
Argentinan was not a sore loser, but when he felt he did something that directly contributed to a loss, he was harder on himself than anyone else.
"After (Pepe) Sanchez's team, Panathinaikos, beat Ginobili's in the 2002 Euroleague final, Ginobili didn't leave his house for a week," former ESPN writer Zach Lowe wrote .
The lefty guard made a good account of himself that game. He topscored for Kinder Bologna with 27. He also had five rebounds, two dimes, and three steals. But they ultimately lost to the Greek squad, whose best player was Serbian legend Dejan Bodiroga.
In Game 7 of the 2006 Western Conference semifinals series against the Dallas Mavericks, Manu fouled Dirk Nowitzki on a layup attempt. German converted the three-point play opportunity, the game went into overtime, and the Mavs ultimately won.
"Ginobili was inconsolable. He felt he had cost Michael Finley and Fabricio Oberto, the Golden Generation center who signed in San Antonio largely because of Ginobili, their best shot at an NBA title," the article noted.
The rest of the Spurs were worried about Ginobili. Tim Duncan contacted Malik Rose, one of Manu's closest friends, to reach the two-time All-Star.
"I don't say this lightly, but we all told each other: We have to stick with Manu," said Sean Marks, the Nets GM and a Spurs reserve that season. "We had to talk him off the ledge. We had everyone calling, texting, trying to hang out with him," the article continued.
" He moped all summer. "I don't think I've ever seen a person so hard on himself," Buford said. "He is maybe the greatest competitor that we have ever witnessed here."
Related: Julius Erving believes no player is similar to him in the modern NBA: “I was a small forward, but I really played like a power forward”
Manu was a winner
Aversion to losing is also a common attribute for many all-time greats. "Obi-Wan Ginobili" sacrificed individual accolades in San Antonio to come off the bench, but make no mistake, the 6'6" shooting guard was a winner anywhere he went.
He is one of only two players who won an NBA championship, a Euroleague title, and an Olympic Gold Medal. Bill Bradley was the other. In the NBA, the two-time All-Star won four championships (2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014). He also made an All-NBA Team twice and became the 2008 Sixth Man of the Year.
Manu was hard on himself because he set the bar higher than anyone else could. Anything short of perfection wasn't good enough.
Related: "Learning from the great teammates I had" - Kawhi Leonard credits Duncan, Parker and Ginobili for his evolution
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