False revisionist history can't erase Manu Ginobili's GOAT sixth man status

Manu Ginobili is probably the most consistent answer among Spurs fans if you ask them who their favorite player is in San Antonio's history. He was a smart and humble player who brought a flair to the game that we haven't seen in a silver and black uniform since. Interestingly enough, the only players in the league today with that much sauce in their game are foreign-born players like Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic.

Those players do things that you don't expect on the court and when Manu did it, it helped the Spurs win four championships. Most people in the NBA community recognize his contributions to the game. His status as the greatest sixth man of all time should be undeniable.

However, recently, musical artist Breland joined Michelle Beadle—a well-known Spurs fan—Chandler Parsons, and Lou Williams on the Run it Back show and he awarded that title to Williams instead.

It will take a lot for someone to supplant Manu from that spot

Revisionist history is a dangerous thing. It makes people say things that they have no business saying in public forums, leaving themselves open to criticism from any and everyone. I won't go too hard at Breland himself. He seems like a nice enough person.

Normally, one artist's opinion wouldn't be noteworthy but it made me wonder if others shared it, so I checked and an article published earlier this year didn't even have Manu in the top 3.

I am slightly surprised that Beads didn't take that opportunity to laud Ginobili and remind everyone of the real GOAT sixth man, but she was likely just being a good teammate. If you placed her on a lie detector, she'd name Manu in a heartbeat and honestly, you probably don't even have to do all of that. Just ask her directly. She's always honest and unabashed about her Spurs fandom.

There have been some great sixth men in the history of the NBA. Kevin McHale, Detlef Shrempf, and Jamal Crawford come to mind. They, like Lou Williams, are all deserving of mention in these conversations, but only one player sits atop the mountain.

As impressive a player as McHale was, he spent a good portion of his career as a starter. The same can be said for Shrempf. John Havlicek is a name you'll hear old-timers bring up as the first important sixth man the game had, and that's fair, but that's just a little too far back. We're getting into Wilt Chamberlain levels where 100-point games happen without proof. (I love a good conspiracy)

Crawford and Williams are tied for the most Sixth Man of the Year awards with three apiece, so that's their claim to the top spot, but neither player won a championship. Those players also came off the bench because they were defensive liabilities and were better suited to be explosive offensive players off the bench to give teams a spark.

Manu would have started on any team in the league. He came off the bench purely as a sacrifice for his team, giving the team a player in the second unit who other teams wouldn't be able to handle with backups... because he was actually a starter.

You can still see him drain the clutch shot in the 2013 playoffs against Golden State to win an epic game one, or the block heard 'round the world on James Harden to seal a victory in the postseason against the Houston Rockets in 2017.

He was incredibly selfless and gave his all in every possession and the four rings on his hand that came as a result of his grace and skill slam the door on any discussion for another player as the GOAT sixth man of all time. There's only one. It's Manu.