97. Manu Ginobili, SG, Spurs
Even at 39, Ginobili is the kind of playmaker around whom all seem to flourish. Small, scoring guards are allowed to follow their bliss. Spot shooters find the ball in their hands off of wild, whip passes and quick swings alike. The misdirection running throughout Ginobili’s game makes him all the more effective in setting up rolling bigs a beat earlier or later than the defense might expect. You live with the reckless streaks and the porous defense because he brings a dimension to the game that no other role player can. The step Manu lost along the way changed his game but couldn’t derail it. Still he found the angles to average 17.6 points (on strong shooting percentages), 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per 36 minutes in his 14th season with the Spurs. (Last year: Not ranked)
+ High-level playmaker capable of running an offense or filling a seamless facilitator
+ Outstanding spot shooter with a counter driving game defenses have to respect
– Side effects of his game include: rapid aging and vocal strain on the part of his coach
– At a stage in his career where his minutes (and games) need to be carefully monitored
