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Ginobili returns to Spurs as player development adviser

Chris Elise / National Basketball Association / Getty

Beloved former San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili is returning to the franchise as a special adviser to basketball operations, the team announced Friday.

The 44-year-old Argentine will have a player-centric role on and off the court, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Ginobili played all 16 of his NBA seasons in San Antonio under head coach Gregg Popovich, winning titles in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014 and earning a pair of All-Star nods. Most commonly deployed as the first player off the team's bench, Ginobili captured Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2007-08. He is the team's all-time leader in 3-pointers and steals.

After he retired as a player following the 2017-18 season, the Spurs reportedly broached the possibility of him joining Popovich's coaching staff in 2019. Ginobili declined, and his longtime running mate Tim Duncan joined the Spurs' sidelines for the 2019-20 season instead.

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