Argentina - Marcelo Milanesio
When you talk about Argentinean basketball, one the countries most steeped in FIBA and basketball tradition, the name of Marcelo Milanesio should be at the very top of the list. The point guard made his international senior debut at the 1984 South American Championship in Asunción, Paraguay.
DOB: 11 February 1965
Place of birth: Hernando, Cordoba, Argentina
Height: 188cm
Position: Point guard
When you talk about Argentinean basketball, one the countries most steeped in FIBA and basketball tradition, the name of Marcelo Milanesio should be at the very top of the list.
The point guard made his international senior debut at the 1984 South American Championship in Asunción, Paraguay.
His biggest acclaim would come 10 years later, when he led his team in assists at the FIBA World Championship in Toronto, Canada, where Argentina finished ninth.
Milanesio is considered as one of the best players to have ever played in the Argentinean National League.
He started out with Military Fabric of Rio Tercero in his home town and then, along with his brother Mario, moved to Asociacion Deportivas Atenas which took him to the National Club League.
Milanesio went on to play his entire professional career with Atenas de Cordoba. He featured in 649 consecutive games at one point.
He shot an impressive 43.9 percent from three-point territory over the course of his professional career, career in the Clubs National League. In all he played in 848 games. His streak was interrupted when he suffered an injury just before the start of the 1998-1999 season. He made up for it by returning and leading Atenas to one of 14 championships.
As impressive as he was on the court, Milanesio was even more so off of it. He has gained great recognition for fans and organizations alike.
In 1993, he received the 'Olimpia de Oro' award, the most prestigious honour given by the press in Argentina. He was the first basketball player to receive it. Manu Ginobili became the second 10 years later.
By the time he called an end to his playing career in 2002, he had scored 10,835 points and was the first player in the league's history to play more than 600 games.
His no 9 jersey was retired by Atenas de Cordoba.