Ginobili: “[In the U.S.] I was despised for being whitey, for coming from South America”

November 18, 2011

In an interview, Emanuel Ginobili referred to his early starts in basketball in the United States, the discriminatory treatment he received and the reality of that country.

“I was despised for being whitey, for coming from South America, because nobody knew me. I noticed for example when I was defending a rival could see how he looked at me, probably thinking ‘where did this guy came from, who is he?’ And I told his colleagues: ‘Give it to me, look who’s covering me,’” Manu told a local magazine.

“Discrimination exists in the whole world,” he said, adding: “The discrimination did not touch me for being a popular and because the basketball in San Antonio is very important. This is unfortunate because there are many anonymous people who do suffer it”.

He explained that in the United States “not everything is light and luxurious, there are many slums and cities that after this latest crisis were impoverished,” adding that there are lots of people “who can not read or write.”

“Education is paramount. In this country [Argentina] there are all kinds of possibilities for children to study, because it is public, but truly public. In the United States you have public schools, but when you get to the end of the year you have to pay. Study is expensive and not everyone can afford it “? he said.