BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- San Antonio Spurs star guard Manu Ginobili needs arthroscopic surgery to repair a ligament in his left heel.

Ginobili, who helped Argentina earn a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, revealed the information in his column for Argentina's La Nacion newspaper Friday.

The reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year was originally injured during the NBA playoffs and aggravated it in a semifinal loss to the United States during the Olympics. He did not play when Argentina downed Lithuania in the bronze medal game.

Ginobili averaged 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 74 games for the Spurs last season.