Manu Ginóbili and Luis Scola: must-sees in the cradles of Argentine basketball | NBA | Bakeball | Argentinian | FULL-SPORTS

In the NBA, in the most demanding European competitions, in the World Cups and the Olympic Games, Argentine basketball players stand out for their quality. Many of them, although they live in some of the most cosmopolitan places in the world, always emphasize that their hometowns are their place in the world.

A visit to the cities where some of the stars of Argentine and world sports were born and took their first steps is a must for basketball lovers. There is a lot to know there as well as spaces where you can breathe the history of these greats of the hoop.

With the Olympic medal in Athens 2004, basketball became enormously popular in Argentina. Some of the so-called “Golden Generation” players became hugely popular and had successful careers in the United States, Europe, and China.

Bahía Blanca, the birthplace of Manu Ginobili

Perhaps the most emblematic is Emanuel “Manu” Ginóbili. And he is the one who gave his hometown the most fame: Bahía Blanca, the National Capital of Basketball for the players that emerged from its clubs, among which the Olympic champion stands out. Estudiantes is the team in which Manu played before his time in Italy and his consecration in the San Antonio Spurs. His rival is Olimpo, the other great exponent of sport in the city from which great players continue to come out.

Located in the south of the Province of Buenos Aires, it is one of the most important ports in the country and an obligatory stop to travel to Patagonia. It has a beautiful port promenade and an impressive historic center, with squares and buildings of different styles, from Art Nouveau to Neoclassical.

That architecture from the end of the 19th century has to do with the great agricultural development of the area, so different places related to that period can also be visited. But today the city is also an important point for meeting tourism and, of course, for sporting events.

school in Buenos Aires

Luis Scola is another of the proper names of that Golden Generation. A native of the city of Buenos Aires, the player began his career at Ferrocarril Oeste, a club in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Caballito, in the geographical center of the Argentine capital.

Buenos Aires has hundreds of attractions, among which the bohemian neighborhood of San Telmo, the luxurious avenues of Recoleta or the glamor of Palermo stand out. The Plaza de Mayo, Puerto Madero or a tango show, among the essentials.

The architecture of downtown Buenos Aires is an open-air history book to understand the changes that the city and the country went through. For sports lovers, soccer is perhaps the highlight, but basketball is becoming more and more popular.

Dolphin de Santa Fe

Another great exponent of the Gold winners in Athens 2004 who laid the foundations of the powerful Argentine team is Carlos Delfino. He is a native of one of the oldest cities in the country: Santa Fe. On the banks of the Paraná River, the capital of the homonymous province has a beautiful waterfront to enjoy nature and the aquatic environment.

In addition, Santa Fe is the cradle of the National Constitution since the Magna Carta was drafted there. When it was reformed, in 1994, it was done in Paraná, the capital of Entre Ríos, located on the other side of the river. For this reason, it was also the venue for a good part of what the Convention involved and there are many vestiges and related visits.

Basketball in Cordoba

Facundo Campazzo is one of the players who joined the generational renewal of Argentine basketball. At 30 years old, he currently plays for the Denver Nuggets but spent six very successful years at Real Madrid.

The base played many years in his native Córdoba, the second largest in the country. La Docta is proud to have the oldest University in the country, founded in 1613. Its colonial past is clearly visible, with a Historic Center of great beauty and architectural relevance. The Jesuit Block, where the religious and educational buildings of that religious order are located, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.

The city also has areas where the contemporary vibrates. The Nueva Córdoba neighborhood, for example, is one of the most modern corners, with its buildings and its Museum of Fine Arts as obligatory steps. Together with Cerro de las Rosas and Villa Belgrano, they are the most cosmopolitan and refined areas of La Docta.

a careful trip

To enter the country and enjoy its wonders, all travelers must present the complete vaccination schedule according to what the country where the doses were applied considers as such. Also, it is necessary to have Covid-19 health insurance and an antigen test of up to 48 hours or a negative PCR carried out up to 72 hours before embarking for Argentina from non-border countries.

Basketball and travel can go hand in hand at convenient values ​​in Argentina. Enjoying them together or using one as an excuse for the other is not that important. The key is to do it with the passion and dedication with which these great players gave everything on each ball.

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