Manu Ginobili back to the San Antonio Spurs? Here are 5 players who could benefit under his tutelage

The San Antonio Spurs are bringing back one of the franchise's most popular players. No, not as a player. The legendary Manu Ginobili is returning to the organization to take on a role in the front office. Ginobili will be part of the Spurs basketball operations department, with a focus on player development. It was reported by Adrian Wojnarowski that head coach Gregg Popovich and the rest of the San Antonio Spurs front office have been trying to get Ginobili back involved with the organization since he retired in 2018.

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Anytime you can bring back a Hall of Fame type of player, it's going to be something to take serious note of. What's most interesting is the type of role that the Spurs want the former legendary guard to take on. With the current state of the San Antonio roster, it's no secret that there's an intriguing amount of young talent. They also have some notable young wings that could use the guidance of a legend like Ginobili. Let's take a look at five players who could benefit from learning under the former legend.

What players can benefit the most from working with Manu Ginobili?

#5 Joshua Primo

San Antonio Spurs 2021 NBA Draft pick Joshua Primo

Here's what's important to remember when it comes to the San Antonio Spurs organization. They love to bring talent along slowly. So while certain players might not have been given serious playing time early in their careers, it's usually important to keep track of how specific talent has developed. One name to keep an eye on this year is 2021 NBA Draft selection Joshua Primo. The former Alabama product was selected 12th overall by the Spurs this year and is oozing with upside.

Still just 18-years-old, San Antonio is going to take a long-term approach with a player like Primo. Manu Ginobili will spend plenty of time with Primo, teaching him how to understand the game on both sides of the floor and making sure that the young talent is going to be put on the right path.

#4 Lonnie Walker IV

Another young wing who has continued to take strides forward for the San Antonio Spurs has been Lonnie Walker IV. San Antonio has done a nice job of slowly bringing along the former Miami Hurricane product. Now, Walker looks to be an intriguing offensive weapon in the Spurs rotation who is oozing confidence. One of the most athletic players on this roster, Ginobili would be great for Walker and his development when it comes to adding to his offensive weaponry. If he can take another step forward for the Spurs, it's going to be a huge boost for this roster moving forward.

#3 Dejounte Murray

After missing the majority of his third season in the NBA recovering from an injury, the San Antonio Spurs took a chance and gave Dejounte Murray an extension. It was a leap of faith, as the Spurs were gambling that Murray could recover and continue to take leaps forward in his game. Murray showcased last year that the gamble was going to pay off. The 25-year-old guard had his best season yet, averaging 15.7 points per game to go along with 7.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.5 steals.

For a player who still has so much potential ahead of him, Manu Ginobili should be a fantastic mind to learn from. Murray is at his best when it comes to using his quickness and feel for the game to create offense. Both of those areas were something of a specialty for Ginobili as well.

#2 Devin Vassell

Although he finds himself listed here at number two, I do think that Devin Vassell could be a player who blossoms under Manu Ginobili's training. Vassell has a very similar type of two-way presence to Ginobili's over the course of his career. Both players are intelligent and make plays that won't show up in the box scores. They understand how to position themselves on both sides of the ball to make an impact and help their team out. Vassell is a player viewed as a potential breakout candidate in his second season and Ginobili should only continue to help with that idea.

#1 Keldon Johnson

There's been a history when it comes to young players having successful NBA seasons after they spent time playing in the Olympics. A similar potential situation could happen for Keldon Johnson this year. After turning some heads with his play for Team USA, Johnson now looks like a potential force for the Spurs moving forward in the starting lineup. Heading into his third season in the NBA, Johnson should be oozing with confidence after showing that he belonged with some of the best basketball players in the world this summer. Ginobili should only continue to help Johnson reach his full potential.

Edited by Arnav Kholkar