Ginobili to undergo surgery to fix injured ligament in heel

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili says he needs arthroscopic surgery to repair a ligament injury in his left heel.

Manu Ginobili says the ligament injury didn't get any worse during the Olympics -- but it certainly didn't get better, either.

"They're going to operate on me," he told Argentina's La Nacion newspaper Friday. The 31-year-old doesn't know when he'll have the surgery or who will do it.
Ginobili, who helped lead Argentina to a bronze medal in the Beijing Olympics, said an MRI exam of the injury showed no improvement.

"It's the same as it was two months ago, when they did the first exam," he said. "Now, the thing is, it's not better either, and it seems like the only way to repair it completely is arthroscopic surgery."

Ginobili hurt the ankle during the NBA playoffs, and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had urged his player not to compete in the Olympics unless the injury improved.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

National Pride: Manu Represents Argentina In Opening Ceremonies

Manu Ginobili was one of four NBA stars to have the prestigious honor of carrying their respective nation's flags in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitzki and Andrei Kirilenko were the other players to be rewarded with the opportunity.

VIA: NBA.com