By George Orfanakis/ info@eurohoops.net
Talent, passion, guts and audacity are only a few of the elements that make up the profile of players who were born in Argentina and whose journey in basketball led them to the EuroLeague.
Some made history and tried their luck in the NBA, others had a more complementary role, but all of them created some beautiful memories for basketball fans.
Eurohoops presents some of the most important Argentinian players that have competed in the EuroLeague…
Luis Scola
Team: Tau Ceramica
Stats: 144 appearances, 14.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Is Luis Scola the greatest power forward in the history of the EuroLeague? The Argentine played in the colors of Tau Ceramica for a number of seasons and put up some amazing performances, combining consistency with leadership. He may not have won a European title but he’s rightly considered among the elite of the competition.
Scola cashed in his course in Europe with a move to the NBA for the Houston Rockets (2007), while he has been an integral part of the Argentine national team for almost 20 years.
Pablo Prigioni
Teams: Tau Ceramica (Caja Laboral, Baskonia), Real Madrid
Stats: 186 appearances, 6.1 points, 4.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds
Pablo Prigioni has many elements in common with Luis Scola. He remained faithful to Tau Ceramica for many years, he didn’t win the EuroLeague but was a benchmark for the team and left his mark on the competition. An excellent point guard with skills in execution and creation, a great ability in defense and a brilliant course in the national team. Prigioni played in the NBA too, before returning to Europe again for Baskonia.
Carlos Delfino
Teams: Skipper Bologna, Baskonia
Stats: 39 appearances, 11.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Carlos Delfino belongs in that category of players we will remember mainly for their achievements with the national team and in the NBA. Besides, the Argentine guard’s experience in the EuroLeague was brief and includes 39 appearances mostly in the colors of Skipper Bologna but also of Baskonia.
Delfino has won several medals with Argentina but no European titles at the club level, while he has played in 507 games in the NBA. Without a doubt he was a charismatic player who perhaps didn’t have a career that was representative of his real talent.
Walter Herrmann
Teams: Malaga, Caja Laboral
Stats: 50 appearances, 7.4 points, 2.8 rebounds
Walter Herrmann is not at the same level as the players mentioned above, he didn’t have the same kind of career but he made a positive impression on EuroLeague fans. The dynamic forward mainly played in Malaga, he has experience in the NBA, while at the age of 39 he continues to do what he loves in the colors of Cordoba. It will be very interesting to see whether he will be at the World Cup this summer, for a last show with Argentina.
Pepe Sanchez
Teams: Panathinaikos, Malaga, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Stats: 105 appearances, 4.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Greek fans remember Pepe Sanchez mainly from his stint in Panathinaikos and his contribution in winning the European title in Bologna (2002). The Argentine point guard never had a leading role in the teams he played for, but he always helped in scoring, creation, defense and through his organizational skills.
He managed to get to the NBA but without many successes, while he was a consistent member of the golden generation in the Argentinian national team.
Manu Ginobili
Team: Kinder Bologna
Stats: 44 appearances, 15.5 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.7 steals
The one and only, the myth, the best of them all! Manu Ginobili is in a class of his own since wherever he played he was loved by the fans and he confirmed that he’s one of the best in the history of the sport. He led Kinder Bologna to the top of Europe (2001), lost one year later to Panathinaikos (2002), made history with the San Antonio Spurs and is one of the main reasons we loved the national team of Argentina.
His stats in Europe were magical (15.5 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.7 steals), his achievements in the NBA (4 championship rings) were even bigger and his career has been enviable. Manu Ginobili is one of those players for whom you say, “There won’t be another one like him”…