How Manu Ginobili transformed from a little-known second-round pick into a Spurs legend

Paul Sancya/AP

The San Antonio Spurs came up with a big Game 5 win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, thanks in part to the heroics of Manu Ginobili.

Even at 39 years old, Ginobili remains a pivotal part of a Spurs team that just keeps chugging along.

As ESPN’s Zach Lowe brilliantly detailed in 2016, Ginobili has one of the most inspiring, captivating stories in the NBA.

Over the course of 18 years, Ginobili has gone from a little-known guard playing in Italy to a famous sixth man and future Hall of Famer who’s won four championships with the Spurs.

Here’s how Ginobili transformed over the years to help San Antonio become the NBA’s most dominant team over two decades, with details from Lowe’s profile.