Wide-Euro Manu vs. Tight-Euro Wade
San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili went 1-1 against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. Although Dwyane Wade unanimously holds the title for the better player over Ginobili, the debate over who has the better Euro step makes for a better discussion. Ironically, Gilbert Arenas and Rashad McCants had a refreshingly tasteful conversation over who had the better rendition of the move.
"When Ginobili brought it, it was wide, and he was going left,' Rashad McCants said on Gils Arena Show .
Ginobili wasn't the first player to flop in the NBA, but he made the term famous. The Argentine guard sacrificed his body for the Spurs. Ginobili swinging his euro step wide makes sense in terms of how he played. The wider the move, the more chance there is to flail with the lighter contract.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr made quite a comparison for "bushy-tailed" Ginobili.
"Manu looks like a squirrel running through traffic trying to avoid getting hit by a car... you couldn't believe the angles and the speed and the change of direction," he added. "It was stunning," Kerr said on Fox Sports in 2019. Gregg Popovich gave Ginobili hell for his loose passing and "chaotic" moves.
Although the Spurs' early 2010s version made for pleasurable viewing, the 2000s rendition had little space for Ginobili's topsy-turvey offense.
Kerr's simile for Ginobili fits, as he moved at a sporadic speed, but the dangers of getting hit by the bigger bigs of the 2000s could derail his finish. But, like many squirrels, he got to the other side of the road with no scratch.
However, Wade's Euro step was more concise and close to the chest.
Related: Manu Ginobili Displays Respect for Spurs LegendArenas, though, went with Wade's euro step.
"D-Wade's was sharper. It was crisp. He's coming at you full speed," Arenas said.
Wade took the move to the next level and, in a way, was the original James Harden. The Miami Heat star averaged 10 free-throw attempts per game for two consecutive seasons. Wade was nearly impossible to guard in his prime, and the Euro step played a pivotal role.
Although Ginobili is a pioneer of the Euro step, it's fair to say Wade took it to the next level - at least Ginobili got the last laugh in 2014.
This story was originally published September 19, 2024, 6:33 PM.
