Spurs' Manu Ginobili says he likely will not play past 2016

San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili will likely retire after the 2016 season, he said in an interview with an Argentine newspaper.

San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili is unlikely to play past the end of the 2015-16 season, he said in an interview with an Argentine newspaper. 

"Every retired player tells me, 'Enjoy it, play one more year,'" Ginobili told La Nacion​, as translated by HoopsHype. "And well, I've been doing this for 19 years and if it's not at the end of the season it will be the following year. Then it's over and it won't come back."

Ginobili, 37, began his professional career in Argentina when he was 18 years old. He played three years there and four years in Italy before joining the Spurs in 2002. His contract expires at the end of this season.

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Ginobili has missed a total of 53 regular season games over the past two seasons, either because he was injured or because coach Gregg Popovich chose to rest him.

Last summer, the Spurs forbade him from playing in the FIBA World Cup because he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his leg during the NBA Finals. Ginobili also told La Nacion that he will no longer play for the Argentine national team. 

- Dan Gartland