 He moved to Europe to spend the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 seasons with Italian team Basket Viola Reggio Calabria.In 1999, he teamed with Brent Scott, Brian Oliver and Sydney Johnson to earn promotion from the Italian 2nd Division to the Italian 1st Division.Ginóbili then entered the 1999 NBA draft and the San Antonio Spurs selected him late in the second round with the 57th overall pick.