"I didn't think he would get to do so much so fast," said Sanchez who coached Ginobili for Andino la Rioja, Ginobili's first professional team in Argentina. Sanchez was listening to Ginobili talk to reporters during Saturday's practice at the SBC Center.

Sanchez did see talent and also noted Ginobili's maturity.

"The first game that he played," Sanchez said, "He made his own decisions and scored 11 points."

Manu Ginobili answers questions from a crowd of reporters on Saturday. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty

It has grown far beyond that – so much, so fast indeed.

Thursday's Game 1 drew an estimated 2 million viewers in Argentina – the most ever for an NBA telecast in Ginobili's home country.

"Every year his popularity is growing," said Julian Mozo from "Diario Ole," Arengetina's all-sports newspaper. "In 2003, when he reached The Finals but he was not a starter, not a star of the team, that was very big. But right now it's very different because they saw Manu with the ball in his hand in the last minute with Tim Duncan on the same team, and the Argentine people can understand how big he is.

"When the NBA grew in popularity in Argentina it was with Michael Jordan and the Bulls, but now with Manu it's a whole different level because it's a hometown boy with the best players in the world, being a star with the best players in the world. It's very big."

As usual, Ginobili downplayed his popularity in his home country a bit.

"It's not like something crazy, like I can't walk down the street," he said, though he did add that for some quiet family time, it's best to stay at home.

Juan Anton, president of the Bahiense del Norte basketball club that is located just down the street from the Ginobili's home in Argentina, has also made the trip to the U.S. for The Finals.

"Every time he's a better player, more determined," Anton said. "All of us from Bahiense feel he hasn't reached his full potential, he's always outdoing himself. He's completely indispensable to make San Antonio become champions."

That sentiment is not limited just to Ginobili's local neighborhood.

"Inside of the country, everybody are joining in the houses or restaurants or bars to see Manu's games…," Anton said. "A lot of people don't know how basketball is played but watch Manu and suffer when Manu goes to the floor or gets hit, but they don't know exactly how the game is played or whether it's a matchup zone or three-pointer or illegal defense, but they like to see Manu on the court and play like he plays."

And you certainly don't need to understand the intricacies of the NBA rulebook to appreciate that.