Chicago (USA), Oct 13 (EFE).- The NBA celebrated the legendary career of Argentine Manu Ginóbili, winner of four rings with the San Antonio Spurs and recently inducted into the league’s Hall of Fame, launching a Spurs number 20 jersey, signed by the former shooting guard, into the stratosphere with a depressurized balloon.
The curious initiative was taken by the NBA in collaboration with the B2Space organization, which has offices in Spain, Wales and Japan and the launch was launched from the Spanish city of León, the league reported in a statement on Thursday.
The depressurized, biodegradable, helium-powered balloon carried Ginóbili’s shirt more than 30 kilometers high, where it remained for about four hours before coming down.
“We chose to wear the Manu Ginóbili jersey to space because of everything it means for basketball in Latin America and for sports in general. His legacy on and off the court makes Manu an exceptional person. An athlete who has always represented the best virtues of sport and that has contributed to extolling the values of the NBA throughout the world,” said the director of marketing for NBA Latin America, Emilio García Duarte.
“With his induction into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, his legacy has reached tremendous heights, and we wanted to celebrate him in a unique way. Manu was a star on the pitch, so seeing his jersey in space near the stars is a must. the height of his legacy,” he added.
Ginóbili, 45, said goodbye to the courts in 2018 after an impressive career that also saw him hang Olympic gold in Athens 2004.
The Argentine played in the NBA from 2002 to 2018, always with the San Antonio Spurs, and formed a historic trio with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.
The shooting guard was also Euroleague champion with the Italian Virtus Bologna in 2001.
(c) EFE Agency