“Bruce used to beat the absolute crap out of you” – Tim Duncan on when he started believing Manu Ginobili was as good as he was advertised originally appeared on Basketball Network.
The adjustment for European players transitioning to the NBA after competing in their domestic leagues can be significant due to the difference in rules, playing style and overall game dynamics. So, naturally, when Manu Ginobili joined the San Antonio Spurs during the 2002-03 season, team leader Tim Duncan did not initially hold particularly high expectations for him, as Manu’s early numbers did not stand out.
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However, Timmy’s perception shifted dramatically when he saw the rookie’s refusal to be physically overpowered during practice sessions.
Tim Duncan on when he started seeing Manu’s potential
Standing at 6’6” and weighing 205 lbs, Ginobili used his speed to gather steals and relied on his natural shooting ability to be a consistent scoring threat from around the rim and from the perimeter. As a result, he never hesitated to have the ball in his hands in clutch situations. However, Duncan didn’t start respecting Ginobili due to his production, but from his unwillingness to back down in the face of unnecessary intimidation.
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Once, when the Spurs organization’s all-time greats sat for an interview, Duncan recounted an early impression wherein Bruce Bowen would willingly want to beat Ginobili during the team’s practice sessions. With Bowen having eight All-Defensive Team selections under his name, his hard-nosed, in-the-face type antics were already a hit. Even then, Ginobili wasn’t intimidated and allowed Bowen to charge at him without taking a break.
Duncan admitted that moment was when he first realized that Manu had the potential to be a great player.
“I remember first year when we had to practice, you had to play against Bruce Bowen and Bruce used to beat the absolute crap out of you,” Duncan recalled. “That’s when I kinda started believing or started seeing he had something; that he was as good as he was advertised.”
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Diligence and hard work were Ginobili’s strongest suits
Ginobili’s career with the Spurs went on to validate that assessment. Whether it was recording a series-high 2.2 steals per game in the 2003 NBA Finals, or scoring 23 points on 61.5 percent shooting in Game 7 of the 2005 NBA Finals when Tony Parker was struggling offensively, or averaging 17.8 points per game in the 2007 NBA Finals, the Argentinian shooting guard consistently proved his value and refusal to be put under pressure by the high-stakes of contests.
Put simply, he never allowed limited minutes to diminish his impact, as he was continuously adapting his game seamlessly to complement teammates, contributing equally on both ends of the floor and willingly shifting between leading the offense or playing a supporting role.
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So, it does seem safe to state that if Duncan’s reflections are to be taken at face value, Ginobili was never one to be intimidated – surely a trait that played a vital role in helping the Spurs capture four championships over a twelve-year window.
Long before the rest of the NBA world started paying respect to Manu, “The Big Fundamental” began doing so by observing his teammate’s small traits during daily practice sessions.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 13, 2025, where it first appeared.