NEWARK, NJ – Players drafted late in the second round come with high risk. Teams just hope the 
player will pan out but more than often, the player rarely develops into a significant contributor to the team.
Unless the team is the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs have a solid track record at finding talent late in the second round of the NBA Draft. Case in point – Manu Ginobili.
And it is a player drafted late in the second round like Ginobili, that the 54th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Georgian Tornike Shengelia, compared himself to when asked if there is a player in the NBA he sees himself becoming in his NBA career.
“I would say more like (Manu) Ginobili, like to penetrate. I have to work on my shot.”
Tornike was drafted by the 76ers but his rights were then traded to the Brooklyn Nets for cash.
Striving to become like Ginobili is quite a lofty goal for Shengelia. Giniobli was a proverbial “diamond in the rough” find for the Spurs. If he does pan out to become like Manu, then the Nets struck gold.
But with a resume like Manu’s, what player drafted in the first or second round wouldn’t want to be like Manu?
I think I speak for all Manu fans when I say to Shengelia, good luck with becoming the next Ginobili. You’re going to need it.
