Today is Day 20. Yesod sheb’tiferet. The beautiful pioneer.

With the 57th pick from the in the 1999 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected an unknown guard from Argentina, Manu Ginóbili. Once Ginóbili made his NBA debut in 2002, it didn’t take long for Manu to make a name for himself. Over an illustrious 16 year career with the San Antonio Spurs, he became a 2x All-Star and 4x NBA Champion, while averaging 13.3 points and 3.8 assists/game.

When he retired in 2018, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wrote: “An NBA champion and All-Star, Manu Ginóbili is also a pioneer who helped globalize the NBA.” Like Joseph, the Biblical figure associated with today’s sefirah, yesod, Ginóbili was a pioneer. 

He was the star of Argentina’s Golden Generation that produced 10 NBA players and a 2004 Olympic Gold Medal. In their critical semifinal game, he scored 29 points…