Aug 29, 2008 - 3:26 PM
0 shoutsBUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Ticker) -- Manu Ginobili's risky decision to play in the Olympics evidently has backfired - and it could cost him a significant portion of the upcoming NBA season.
Ginobili needs surgery on his left ankle, an operation that will sideline the San Antonio Spurs guard for six to eight weeks.
Ginobili told Argentina's La Nacion that after undergoing a recent MRI, he has decided to undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair ligament damage in the ankle.
"The (MRI) indicated that the ligament is like two months ago, when I had the first exam," Ginobili told the newspaper on Friday. "It is not worse - that's important. Now the issue is that it is not better, and it seems that the only way to full recovery is to have an arthroscopy."
Ginobili, 31, said that he does not know who will operate on his ankle, which he originally injured during the Spurs' playoff run this past season.
The Spurs announced Friday afternoon that the surgery, which will correct an impingement of the ankle, will take place next week.
The team has not released an official timetable for Ginobili's return, but the NBA's reigning Sixth Man of the Year did not sound optimistic regarding a speedy recovery.
"(The ankle) does not hurt when I walk, only when I run and jump," Ginobili said. "In these cases, the recovery period is six to eight weeks, although I do not know if in the eighth week I will be ready to play or just return to training."
Ginobili was visibly hampered by his ankle during the Spurs' five-game loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals this past May.
But instead of resting his ankle or having surgery to address the injury, Ginobili opted to represent his native Argentina at the recent Beijing Olympics.
After an impressive six-game run in which he led his team in scoring, Ginobili aggravated the ankle injury in the first quarter of Argentina's semifinal loss to the United States.
The tournament's leading scorer entering the game, Ginobili limped off the floor with 3:39 remaining in the opening session and did not return to the contest.
Ginobili, who returned to San Antonio on Thursday night, admitted he was aware that he would need surgery if he re-injured the ankle during the Olympics.
"I knew if I suffered some kind of pain, I was going to have to operate," he said. "It is not something that takes me by surprise. I am not here today saying, 'I never expected (surgery).'"
Ginobili revealed that Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich greeted him upon his arrival in San Antonio on Thursday night. The acrobatic Argentine claimed that Popovich agreed with his decision to play in the Olympics.
"The most important thing is that Popovich agrees with me," Ginobili said. "He is, after all, my (boss), to say the least. That is why I have complete peace of mind regarding the manner in which I proceeded and feel the backing of all the people of San Antonio.
"Frankly, I surprised a lot to me Popovich at the airport in San Antonio. Not what I expected at all, because it was 10:30 at night, which is rather late. But of course, I appreciate his gesture. It is a sign of affection and very important class."
Ginobili's long-term absence certainly would hurt the Spurs, who went 56-26 in the regular season but looked old and slow against the Lakers in the conference finals.
A 2005 All-Star, Ginobili averaged career highs of 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists primarily as a reserve last season.
But after playing brilliantly in leading San Antonio past upstart New Orleans in the conference semifinals, Ginobili clearly was affected by the ankle injury in the Western finals, as he averaged just 12.6 points while shooting 36 percent from the floor during the series.
