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MySA.com: MySanAntonio.com: Spurs: Ginobili leads Argentine quality, quantity on global stage

Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Juan Pablo Figueroa is a 5-foot-11, sharp-shooting point guard on Argentina's junior national team. Like most young point guards these days, he calls the Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash his favorite NBA player.

But as much as Figueroa, 19, hopes to model his game after that of the NBA's reigning MVP, he knows he will always be indebted to a pair of basketball pioneers from his own country: Spurs guard Manu Ginobili and Chicago Bulls forward Andres Nocioni.

'Because of those players,' Figueroa said, 'we think our dreams can come true.'

They did for Fabricio Oberto last week. Oberto, 30, a power forward who has spent the past six years playing in Spain, became the sixth member of Argentina's gold-medal Olympic team to reach the NBA when he signed with the Spurs on Aug. 2.

Luis Scola, whose draft rights are owned by the Spurs, would have joined that group this summer had he been able to reach a buyout agreement with his Spanish team. Forward Walter Herrmann also has attracted interest from NBA scouts.

'Manu has opened big doors for Argentina players,' Oberto said. 'NBA teams trust Argentina players now.'"