DeMar DeRozan Wore Manu Ginobili-Inspired Sneakers On The Night Of His Jersey Retirement

Manu Ginobili inspired a generation of basketball fans to learn how to be creative dribblers. The San Antonio Spurs legend had a nasty handle during his career and a deceptive game that helped make the Eurostep popular in the NBA. He’s the greatest sixth man to ever play the game and his longevity as a player made him so wonderful to watch. It was a sad day for basketball when he retired.

But on Thursday, everybody was given a chance to celebrate Ginobili again. The Spurs are retiring Ginobili’s jersey, and that means an entire ceremony devoted to honoring everything he stood for as a player. It’s also an opportunity for current Spurs players to honor a franchise legend.

DeMar DeRozan never got to play with Ginobili, but there are aspects of his game that remind you of the legendary Argentine. Are they the same player? No, but many of the moves in DeRozan’s crafty arsenal have similarities to what we used to see out of Ginobili. It’s only fitting that DeRozan would wear shoes meant to honor Ginobili with a color scheme reminiscent of Argentina’s flag.

This is the kind of impact Ginobili had on the NBA. Even though he never played a single game with DeRozan, the current Spur made it a point to honor the franchise legend. It’s a nice nod to the team he currently plays for, of course, but this is a respect that goes beyond franchise. And besides: the sneakers rules.