Spurs’ Ginobili retires

Manu Ginobili retired Monday at 41 after a ‘‘fabulous journey’’ in which he helped the Spurs win four NBA championships in 16 seasons with the team.

The left-handed guard with the quick moves and sure shot had a pro career that lasted 23 seasons in all, starting with stints in Italy and his native Argentina. He came to San Antonio in 2002 and formed what was a ‘‘Big Three’’ with the Spurs, alongside Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.

That era is now officially over. Duncan has been retired, and Parker elected this summer to sign with the Hornets.

Ginobili, the No. 57 pick in the 1999 draft, averaged 13.3 points and 3.8 assists in 1,057 regular-season games. He was a two-time All-Star and was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2008.

‘‘Today, with a wide range of feelings, I’m announcing my retirement from basketball,’’ Ginobili wrote on Twitter in making the announcement. ‘‘IMMENSE GRATITUDE to everyone (family, friends, teammates, coaches, staff, fans) involved in my life in the last 23 years. It’s been a fabulous journey. Way beyond my wildest dreams.’’

The image Ginobili chose to accompany that tweet was a photo of him walking off the floor, away from the camera, with four fingers aloft — signifying his four titles.

Ginobili leaves as an absolute Spurs legend. He teamed with San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich for 135 playoff victories, the third-most for any player-coach combination in NBA history.

The only two with more? Popovich and Duncan won 157, and Popovich and Parker won 137.

And Ginobili, even though he often came off the bench, has a résumé of postseason production like almost no one else in NBA history. Only two players have more than 800 rebounds, 800 assists and 300 threepointers in their playoff careers: Ginobili and LeBron James.