Updated: July 29, 2016 at 3:31 p.m.
Former men’s basketball forward Patricio Garino has reached a deal with the San Antonio Spurs, the team announced Friday. The terms of the contract have yet to be announced.
The 6-foot-6-inch swingman was named to Argentina’s 2016 Olympic roster earlier this month along with NBA veterans Luis Scola and Manu Ginobli, who has spent 14 years with the Spurs.
According to a tweet by The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Garino caught the eye of Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich last week in Las Vegas when Argentina played an exhibition contest against the U.S. men’s national team.
Last season, Garino helped lead the Colonials to a 2016 National Invitation Tournament championship –GW’s first ever postseason title– averaging 14.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.37 steals and a 51 percent shooting clip from the field.
Garino also played for the Orlando Magic’s 2016 NBA Summer League team, where he averaged 12.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
The Mar del Plata native will be the first Colonial on an NBA team since 2010-2011, when Pops Mensah-Bonsu appeared in his final season in the pros with the New Orleans Hornets.
Garino and Argentina open play in Rio on Aug. 7 against Nigeria.
Spurs sign forward Patricio Garino » https://t.co/GIBP7WpRQ7
Welcome to San Antonio, Pato! pic.twitter.com/I0UZDOWjd9
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) July 29, 2016
Garino will play in Olympics for Argentina with Manu Ginobili and Luis Scola. Gregg Popovich watched Garino vs. Team USA in Vegas last week.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) July 29, 2016
