INDIANAPOLIS -- As of right now, Emmanuel Ginobili is the backup shooting guard for the San Antonio Spurs. If you've seen him play for Argentina's national team this summer in any one of several tournaments, you know that won't be for long.

	Emmanuel Ginobili scored 24 in Saturday's win over New Zealand.

Ginobili, despite being plagued by foul trouble, led Argentina with 24 points in 19 minutes to a 112-85 win Saturday over one of the World Championships' early surprises, New Zealand. Put Argentina with Spain and Yugoslavia as teams capable of upsetting the USA squad and include Ginobili, despite his less extensive resume, in the group of international players with NBA star-quality talent.

What Ginobili did against the Kiwis was flat-out sick in any language. He didn't simply score points, he did so with overwhelming NBA-caliber flair. Inside-out dribble, hanging step-back J in the paint, 3-point range -- it was all on display. Working off a high pick-and-roll, he drove directly through the heart of the New Zealand defense, literally going past all five of its players and eluding the last, forward Dillon Boucher desperately swiping at the ball, with a double-pump up-and-under reverse layup.

"That," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, watching from the stands before switching to his USA team assistant coach duties, "is why he's ready for the NBA. Because he can do stuff like that."

That "stuff" being plays built on athleticism as well as skill and guile. The tournament is loaded with players who can put up numbers, but the NBA requires a special combination of size, speed and quickness to go with the scoring touch. "Manu," as the Spurs' staff calls him, has it at 6-6 and 197 pounds with that Kobe-esque wiry speed and agility. He also showed a deft passing touch, setting up one easy basket on a in-the-air wraparound dish and another fake-right, flip-left fastbreak dime.

This was the first time Popovich had seen Ginobili play live since San Antonio drafted him in '99. He knew what to expect, though, having monitored his progress through game tapes from Italy's Kinder Bologna, including one that shows him tip-dunking a ball that caromed level with the top of the backboard box.

What Popovich likes best is his demeanor. "He's just like Parker," said Popovich, referring to last year's surprise, French rookie point guard Tony Parker. "He's confident, but in the right way, and he just plays through everything."

One skeptical NBA scout suggested a backup role at first might be best for Ginobili since he'll be playing the most athletic spot in an NBA lineup. Working against the second unit might make the transition easier than seeing Vince Carter or Kobe or Tracy McGrady every night. Wednesday could offer a look at how accurate that is -- that's when Argentina faces the U.S. squad at Conseco Fieldhouse.

AND ONES: Argentina also has another Spurs' second-round pick, forward Luis Scola taken this June, but unless he makes significant improvement he's not likely to see their roster anytime soon. His one advantage is that he's only 22, which means he could develop another year or two overseas and still get a shot. … How desperate is J.R. Rider to play in the NBA again and how badly do the Timberwolves need backcourt help? Enough to consider joining forces again. While the T-Wolves are a long way from signing their 1993 first-round pick, who last suited up for the Nuggets, there's a good chance they'll invite him to training camp if he continues his current level of cooperation and behavior. … Would the NBA rather have Yao Ming or Wang Zhi Zhi playing next season? That's the question Chinese authorities are expected to pose. Talk about Wang returning to Dallas -- which will not happen in any event, a source says -- or signing elsewhere doesn't take into account how upset the Chinese are that Wang didn't report to the national-team training camp. Rest assured the Chinese Basketball Association will withdraw approval for Yao to play if the NBA allows Wang to become a millionaire after he defied their authority. … Unable to secure a multi-year deal in Miami, veteran point guard Rod Strickland is talking to the Cavs, who'd like to play rookie guard DaJuan Wagner at the 2. … Chris Gatling, tired of being shipped around the NBA, has signed a three-year deal with a Moscow team. … Sights and scenes unique to an international hoop tournament: Longtime Brazilian legend Oscar Schmidt stopping to kiss the hand of another legendary Oscar, as in Robertson; and Kings forward Hedo Turkoglu punting a basketball into the second deck of Conseco Fieldhouse after a last-second loss to Brazil. Only someone with a soccer background could launch one like that. The Turks' disappointing performance is being attributed, in part, to the fact that their bonuses haven't been defined. Advancing to the Euro finals last fall was so unlikely that each Turk earned $75,000 in bonuses, dwarfing the $15,000 each Yugoslav received for winning the title. Apparently the Turkish Federation isn't sure what it can afford this time around so nothing has been promised definitively. … The Spurs tried to hire Tim Floyd as their first assistant coach but terms couldn't be reached. Floyd has two years left on his contract with the Bulls. Popovich is planning to go with only two assistant coaches, Mike Budenholzer and Mike Brown, with no particular ranking.

Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ric.bucher@espnmag.com.