Tony Parker
Encyclopedia
William Anthony "Tony" Parker (born 17 May 1982) is a French professional basketball
player who currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs
of the NBA.
The son of a professional basketball player, Parker played for two years in the French basketball league
before entering the 2001 NBA Draft
. He was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 28th overall pick in the draft and quickly became their starting point guard
, helping the Spurs win three NBA Championships
in 2003
, 2005
and 2007
. Employing his pace and high field goal percentage
to great effect, Parker has been selected as an NBA All-Star three times, an All-NBA Third Team member once, and was the 2007 NBA Finals MVP.
Parker is also a music artist with his own music album TP.
He married actress Eva Longoria
, best known for her role in the ABC
television
series Desperate Housewives
, on 7 July 2007. In November 2010, both parties filed for divorce.
, Belgium, but raised in France. His father, Tony Parker Sr., an African-American, played basketball at Loyola University Chicago
, as well as professionally overseas. His mother, Pamela Firestone, is a Dutch
model. Parker enjoyed close relationships with his brothers and they would often attend their father's basketball games together. At first, Parker was more interested in soccer, but after watching the evolution of Michael Jordan
into a global basketball superstar, he changed his mind. Moreover, Parker's two younger brothers were also heavily involved in basketball; T.J. and Pierre would go on to play basketball at college and professional levels. As Parker built his skill, his lack of size (notwithstanding a growth spurt at 15) decided his position on-court. He played the point guard
position, recognizing that his speed and agility made this position ideal for him. He was eventually talent-spotted and asked to attend the National Institute for Sports and Physical Education in Paris. After playing in the French amateur leagues for two seasons, Parker turned professional and signed with Paris Basket Racing
in 1999.
In the summer of 2000, Parker was invited to the Nike Hoop Summit
in Indianapolis
. There, in front of professional scouts and college coaches, he competed against the likes of future NBA players Darius Miles
, Zach Randolph
and Omar Cook
. In a contest between the American and European All-Star
s, Parker recorded 20 points
, seven assists
, four rebounds
and two steals
. The Frenchman's performance prompted a recruiting war between several colleges, including UCLA and Georgia Tech
who were on the verge of persuading Parker to join them. However, Parker decided to forgo the NCAA and to remain in France; he spent the next two years with Paris Basket Racing in the French League
before entering the 2001 NBA Draft
.
, Parker was invited to the San Antonio Spurs
summer camp. Parker's first experiences were daunting as coach Gregg Popovich
had him play against Spurs scout and ex-NBA player Lance Blanks
. Parker was so overwhelmed by Blank's tough and physical defense that Popovich was ready to send him away after just 10 minutes. But after seeing a "best of" mix tape of Parker's best plays, Popovich decided to invite Parker a second time. This time, Parker made a better impression against Blanks; the Frenchman later described Blanks as a "one-man wrecking crew". But while Popovich decided that Parker was worth the gamble, the Spurs still had to hope that other teams would not pick Parker during the draft. As it were, Parker's name was barely mentioned in the pre-draft predictions and the point guard was drafted 28th overall by the Spurs on draft day.
After initially playing backup to Antonio Daniels
, Parker was made a starter and made 77 regular season appearances in his rookie season, averaging 9.2 points
, 4.3 assists
and 2.6 rebounds
in 29.4 minutes per game. When he played against the Los Angeles Clippers
on 30 November 2001, he became the third French player ever to play in an NBA game, after Tariq Abdul-Wahad
and Jerome Moiso
. Parker brought to the Spurs a greater tempo in their game, getting his teammates better looks at the basket whenever he was involved in transition offense. He could also hit open jump shots, and this created greater space for the big men on the team, Tim Duncan
and David Robinson
. By the end of the season, the rookie led San Antonio in assists and steals
, and was named to the All-Rookie First Team for 2001–02, becoming the first foreign-born guard
to earn the honor. Although the Spurs were eliminated during the playoffs
, Parker's performances did not go unnoticed.
By his sophomore season, Parker had won his first championship ring. He played in all 82 regular season games as San Antonio's starting point guard
in a team that was largely revamped from previous years. He improved his regular season statistics significantly, averaging 15.5 points per game
(ppg), 5.3 assists per game (apg) and 2.6 rebounds per game (rpg). Parker's role as the team's playmaker
was reflected in his leading the team in assists on 49 occasions. During the 2003 NBA All-Star Weekend
, Parker represented the Sophomores in the Got Milk?
Rookie Challenge
, and also participated in the inaugural 989 Sports Skills Challenge
. In the post season
, Parker recorded two career bests in scoring as the Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, defeated the New Jersey Nets
4–2 in the finals
, and Parker earned his first NBA championship ring
. Despite the victory, Parker struggled with inconsistent play throughout the playoffs, and was often substituted for the more experienced guards Steve Kerr
and Speedy Claxton
late in the games. Throughout the season, Parker also felt that he was often criticized too harshly by coach Popovich; in retrospect, coach Popovich admitted he was critical of his young playmaker, stating he wanted Parker to build a thick skin and mature sooner than his peers.
' Jason Kidd
, but Parker told coach Popovich that he wanted to be San Antonio's starting point guard and he was ready to work hard to become a great player. Parker played well during the regular season, recording 14.7 ppg, 5.5 apg and 3.2 rpg. However, the Spurs were defeated by perennial rivals Los Angeles Lakers
in the Western Conference
semi-finals in the 2004 NBA Playoffs
, and the favorites were denied back-to-back titles.
During the 2004–05 season, Parker recorded improved regular season statistics, securing career-highs of 16.6 ppg, 6.1 apg and 3.7 rpg. He was also ranked 13th in the league in total assists, and was third among point guards in field goal percentage
. The Spurs were strong in the playoffs
, and Parker was instrumental in the victories over the Denver Nuggets
, Seattle SuperSonics
and Phoenix Suns
. However, the Frenchman struggled in the Finals series against the Detroit Pistons
. Spurs colleagues Manu Ginóbili
and Brent Barry
often took over playmaking duties as Parker was unable to perform as well as he did in the regular season. Pitted against ex-Finals MVP and All-Defensive Team member Chauncey Billups
, Parker's jump shot became inconsistent, and his trademark drives to the hoop were often smothered by the defensively strong Pistons frontcourt
anchored by four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace
. Nevertheless, with the combination of Tim Duncan's consistent performances, the emergence of Argentine
star Ginóbili and Parker operating as playmaker, the Spurs won their third ever NBA championship by defeating the defending champions 4–3 in the 2005 NBA Finals
.
Parker was selected for the first time in his career an NBA All-Star for the 2005–06 season as he managed a regular season career-high 18.9 ppg and a solid .548 in field goal percentage. Parker's scoring average was even higher than Duncan's, and his form propelled the Spurs to a 63–19 win–loss record and qualification for the 2006 NBA Playoffs
. However, the top-seeded Spurs were again unable to win back-to-back titles as they were eliminated in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks
.
On 14 February 2007, after delivering consistent numbers in the first half of the 2006–07 season, Parker was selected to play in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game
as a reserve guard. With Parker operating as the starting point guard in the 2006–07 season, the Spurs qualified for the 2007 NBA Playoffs
and finished second in the Southwest Division
. In the Western Conference Semifinals, the Spurs met the Phoenix Suns
led by two-time and reigning NBA MVP Steve Nash
. In the match-up versus the best point guard of his generation, Parker used his speed to score an easy layup
, or hit with his improved mid-range jump shot. Suns coach Mike D'Antoni
even used All-Defensive Team forward Shawn Marion
to cover Parker, but the Frenchman used the pick and roll
to beat his much bigger counterpart. After eliminating the Suns, the Spurs defeated the Utah Jazz
4–1 to win the Western Conference Finals. Parker and the Spurs went on to face the Cleveland Cavaliers
and swept them 4–0 to win the 2007 NBA Finals
. In this series, Parker consistently outplayed his Cavaliers counterparts Daniel Gibson
and All-Defensive Team member Larry Hughes
and scored a series-high 24.5 points, accompanied by a high field goal percentage of 56.8% and of 57.1% from three point range. For his performances, he was named the 2007 NBA Finals MVP, becoming the first European-born player to receive the award.
. For the third time in four years, San Antonio prevailed over Phoenix; Parker had an outstanding first round series, averaging nearly 30 points and 7 assists a game. In the next round against Chris Paul
's New Orleans Hornets, the Spurs dropped the first two road games before responding with a strong win in the third game. In that game, Parker recorded a double-double with 31 points and 11 assists. The experienced Spurs took seven games to defeat the Hornets, but were unable to get past arch-rivals Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Finals, and the Spurs once again failed to capture back-to-back NBA championships.
San Antonio got off to a rocky start in their 2008–09 NBA season
, losing the first three contests. In their fourth game against the Minnesota Timberwolves
, however, Parker scored a career-high 55 points to lead the Spurs to their first victory of the campaign. The Spurs recovered soon enough, and approached the All-Star break ranked second in the Conference. With Parker averaging career-highs in points and assists per game, he was named as a reserve for the 2009 All-Star game. The Spurs were without influential shooting guard
Ginóbili for much for the season, and greater responsibility fell on Parker's shoulders. Assisting the team to a 54–28 record and the third seed for the playoffs
, Parker also registered career-highs in points and assists per game. In Game 4 of the first round against Dallas, Parker matched George Gervin
's franchise playoff record for points in a half with 31. However, the Spurs were put on the back pedal from the start and eventually lost 4–1, bowing out of the playoffs in the first round for the first time since 2000. Parker's 28.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game broke his previous playoffs career-best averages of 22.4 points and 3.7 rebounds. On 13 May 2009, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team.
, Parker signed with ASVEL Villeurbanne, the team that he owns a stake in. However, unlike other players who signed lucrative contract overseas during the lockout, Parker opted to play in his home country
for minimum wage. Parker, who in the summer had received a four-year contract extension from the Spurs worth over $50 million, received only $ 2,000 per month from ASVEL. He also paid his own insurance, which reportedly cost $ 250,000 for three months.
, both the 1998 and 2000 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
s, and the 2002 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
. He was elected the Most Valuable Player
of the 2000 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, when France captured the gold medal, and Parker averaged 25.8 points, 6.8 assists and 6.8 steals per game. With the French senior national team
, Parker has played in the 2001
, 2003
, 2005
, 2007
and 2009
FIBA European Championships
.
France won the bronze medal in the 2005 FIBA European Championships, by defeating the Spanish national team
98–68 in the bronze medal game. As the captain of the French national team since 2003, Parker was slated to lead France at the 2006 FIBA World Championship
, but he was unable to play after breaking a finger when he caught his hand in the jersey of a Brazilian national team
player in France's final warm up for the tournament. During the 2007 FIBA European Championship
, Parker averaged 20.1 points per game and 2.8 assists per game in nine tournament games, but France was defeated in the quarter-finals by the Russian national team
. He passed the 2010 FIBA World Championship
to recover fully from some injuries he had during the 2009–10 NBA season
. Parker returned to the team in 2011, and France reached the finals of the FIBA European Championship, losing to Spain.
or teardrop shot. Despite his relatively small size for a basketball player (6'2"), he led the league in "points in the paint" for a large portion of the 2005–06 season.
In the initial part of his NBA career, Parker was still considered an erratic shooter of the ball and during the 2005 off-season, coach Popovich decided to work on this aspect of his play. Seeing his mediocre shooting percentages (at that point, Parker only hit 65% of his free throw
s, and only 27.6% of his three point shots), he let him train extra sessions with Spurs shooting coach Chip Engelland. Engelland forbade Parker to shoot any three point shots, and among others, corrected his shooting motion and his thumb position. As a result, by the 2006–07 season, Parker had reduced his three point shots by 117 while shooting 147 more normal field goal attempts compared to 2005, and his accuracy rose by 4% (field goals and three point shots) and he was able to connect on 78% of his free throws that season. Parker's field goal percentage
is also high for a point guard, and his speed also makes him a fast break player. However, his style of play has had adverse effects on his knees (tendinitis).
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 77 || 72 || 29.4 || .419 || .323 || .675 || 2.6 || 4.3 || 1.2 || .1 || 9.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 82 || 82 || 33.8 || .464 || .337 || .755 || 2.6 || 5.3 || .9 || .1 || 15.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 75 || 75 || 34.4 || .447 || .312 || .702 || 3.2 || 5.5 || .8 || .1 || 14.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 80 || 80 || 34.2 || .482 || .276 || .650 || 3.7 || 6.1 || 1.2 || .1 || 16.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 80 || 80 || 33.9 || .548 || .306 || .707 || 3.3 || 5.8 || 1.0 || .1 || 18.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 77 || 77 || 32.5 || .520 || .395 || .783 || 3.2 || 5.5 || 1.1 || .1 || 18.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 69 || 68 || 33.5 || .494 || .258 || .715 || 3.2 || 6.0 || .8 || .1 || 18.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 72 || 71 || 34.1 || .506 || .292 || .782 || 3.1 || 6.9 || .9 || .1 || 22.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 56 || 50 || 30.9 || .487 || .294 || .756 || 2.4 || 5.7 || .5 || .1 || 16.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 78 || 78 || 32.4 || .519 || .357 || .769 || 3.1 || 6.6 || 1.2 || .0 || 17.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 746 || 733 || 33.0 || .493 || .315 || .732 || 3.1 || 5.7 || 1.0 || .1 || 16.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 3 || 0 || 21.3 || .538 || .000 || 1.000 || 2.0 || 6.0 || 1.0 || .0 || 10.0
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 10 || 10 || 34.1 || .456 || .370 || .750 || 2.9 || 4.0 || .9 || .1 || 15.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 24 || 24 || 33.9 || .403 || .268 || .713 || 2.8 || 3.5 || .9 || .1 || 14.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 10 || 10 || 38.6 || .429 || .395 || .657 || 2.1 || 7.0 || 1.3 || .1 || 18.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 23 || 23 || 37.3 || .454 || .188 || .632 || 2.9 || 4.3 || .7 || .1 || 17.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 13 || 13 || 36.5 || .460 || .222 || .810 || 3.6 || 3.8 || 1.0 || .1 || 21.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 20 || 20 || 37.6 || .480 || .333 || .679 || 3.4 || 5.8 || 1.1 || .0 || 20.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 17 || 17 || 38.5 || .497 || .350 || .753 || 3.7 || 6.1 || .9 || .1 || 22.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 5 || 5 || 36.2 || .546 || .214 || .710 || 4.2 || 6.8 || 1.2 || .2 || 28.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 10 || 2 || 33.5 || .474 || .667 || .595 || 3.8 || 5.4 || .6 || .0 || 17.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2011
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 6 || 6 || 36.8 || .462 || .125 || .756 || 2.7 || 5.2 || 1.3 || .3 || 19.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 138 || 130 || 36.3 || .461 || .293 || .708 || 3.1 || 4.9 || 1.0 || .1 || 18.8
, Parker signed to play for ASVEL for minimum wage until the lockout ends.
Parker's parents continue to remain influential in his life even after their divorce
. His mother, a health-food coach, gives him tips on healthy eating, while he discusses his performance after each game with his father over the phone.
Parker met actress Eva Longoria
, seven years his senior, in November 2004. In August 2005, Longoria confirmed she and Parker were dating, and on 30 November 2006, the couple became engaged. Longoria, a Texas
native from nearby Corpus Christi
, was a courtside regular at Spurs home games. Parker was quoted during the 2007 NBA All-Star Game
saying that, "Eva is doing everything, I'm just going to show up and say yes." They were officially married in a civil service on 6 July 2007, at a Paris city hall. It was followed by a full Roman Catholic wedding ceremony at the Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois
Church in Paris, France, on 7 July 2007.
In December 2007, tabloid websites and magazines reported that Parker had been having an extramarital affair with supposed model Alexandra Paressant. Both Parker and Longoria vehemently denied these allegations through their spokespeople, saying "All high profile couples fall victim to these sorts of things in the course of their relationships. It appears that this is not the first time this woman has used an athlete to gain public notoriety." Parker initiated a $20 million lawsuit against the website that first reported the story, which later issued a full retraction and an apology, stating "X17online.com and X7 [sic], Inc. regret having been misled by Ms. Paressant and her representatives and apologize to Mr. Parker for any damage or inconvenience this may have caused him or his wife."
On 17 November 2010, Longoria filed for divorce in Los Angeles
, citing "irreconcilable differences", and seeking spousal support from Parker. The couple had a prenuptial agreement
that was signed in June 2007, the month before their wedding, and amended two years later in June 2009. Longoria believed that Parker had been cheating on her with another woman;. Extra
identified the other woman as Erin Barry, the wife of Brent Barry
, Parker's former teammate, and revealed that the Barrys are also in the midst of a divorce. On 19 November 2010, Parker filed for divorce from Longoria in Bexar County, Texas
on the grounds of "discord or conflict of personalities", thus establishing a legal battle over where the divorce case would be heard. Unlike Longoria's divorce petition, Parker's did not mention a prenuptial agreement and claimed that the parties "will enter into an agreement for the division of their estate". The divorce was finalized in Texas on 28 January 2011, the same day Longoria's lawyer filed papers to dismiss her Los Angeles petition.
, Parker donates a block of 20 tickets for each home game
to underprivileged youth. Parker is also the first ambassador for Make-A-Wish France
. The Foundation
is a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. On his personal website, Parker states: "I already knew Make-A-Wish as it is very famous around the world and I have previously taken part in the granting of wishes by meeting children and their families. I decided to commit to working with Make-A-Wish France when I understood the true dedication there and I realized that I could help to grant as many wishes as possible."
taken from the album include:
for the 2012 Summer Olympics
. His reaction to London's successful bid
was: "I don't know what else we could have done. If we don't have it now, I guess we will never get it. The IOC seems to be very pro-Anglo-Saxon. I feel extremely gutted."
Parker has a well-known friendship with compatriot footballer Thierry Henry
. The two were often seen together at some of Parker's NBA games. Parker was seen with his wife at Euro 2008 during one of France's matches.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
of the NBA.
The son of a professional basketball player, Parker played for two years in the French basketball league
Ligue Nationale de Basketball
The Ligue National de Basket is the top men's French professional basketball league. There are two divisions: French Pro A League and French Pro B League .-Pro A:...
before entering the 2001 NBA Draft
2001 NBA Draft
The 2001 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player drafted with the first overall pick...
. He was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 28th overall pick in the draft and quickly became their starting point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
, helping the Spurs win three NBA Championships
Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy
The Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy is a trophy awarded to the National Basketball Association team that wins the NBA Finals at the conclusion of every NBA season....
in 2003
2003 NBA Finals
The 2003 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2002–03 NBA season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference took on the New Jersey Nets of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a best-of-seven format. The Spurs...
, 2005
2005 NBA Finals
The 2005 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2004-05 National Basketball Association season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference faced the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a...
and 2007
2007 NBA Finals
The 2007 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2006-07 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs and the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland...
. Employing his pace and high field goal percentage
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
to great effect, Parker has been selected as an NBA All-Star three times, an All-NBA Third Team member once, and was the 2007 NBA Finals MVP.
Parker is also a music artist with his own music album TP.
He married actress Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria
Eva Jacqueline Longoria is an American actress, best known for portraying Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives...
, best known for her role in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
, on 7 July 2007. In November 2010, both parties filed for divorce.
Early life
Parker was born in BrugesBruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, Belgium, but raised in France. His father, Tony Parker Sr., an African-American, played basketball at Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
, as well as professionally overseas. His mother, Pamela Firestone, is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
model. Parker enjoyed close relationships with his brothers and they would often attend their father's basketball games together. At first, Parker was more interested in soccer, but after watching the evolution of Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
into a global basketball superstar, he changed his mind. Moreover, Parker's two younger brothers were also heavily involved in basketball; T.J. and Pierre would go on to play basketball at college and professional levels. As Parker built his skill, his lack of size (notwithstanding a growth spurt at 15) decided his position on-court. He played the point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
position, recognizing that his speed and agility made this position ideal for him. He was eventually talent-spotted and asked to attend the National Institute for Sports and Physical Education in Paris. After playing in the French amateur leagues for two seasons, Parker turned professional and signed with Paris Basket Racing
Paris Basket Racing
Paris Basket Racing, or PBR, is a now-defunct French professional basketball club from Paris. It was founded in the year 1922 as the basketball section of the sports club Racing Club de Paris. The team took the name "Paris Basket Racing" in 2000....
in 1999.
In the summer of 2000, Parker was invited to the Nike Hoop Summit
Nike Hoop Summit
The Nike Hoop Summit is a basketball all-star game sponsored by Nike, held once a year, which features the USA Basketball Men's Junior Select Team against a World Select team of international players. The players demonstrate their skills and hope to attract attention from either NBA scouts or...
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. There, in front of professional scouts and college coaches, he competed against the likes of future NBA players Darius Miles
Darius Miles
Darius LaVar Miles is an American professional basketball player.The , small forward was selected directly out of high school by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 3rd overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft...
, Zach Randolph
Zach Randolph
Zachary Randolph , nicknamed Z-Bo, is an American professional basketball player currently with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA...
and Omar Cook
Omar Cook
Omar Cook is a naturalized Montenegrin professional basketball player and member of the Montenegro national basketball team who grew up in the United States. He is often referred to as a prime example of college basketball players who declared for the NBA Draft too early. He is 1.86 m tall...
. In a contest between the American and European All-Star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
s, Parker recorded 20 points
Point (basketball)
Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
, seven assists
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
, four rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
and two steals
Steal (basketball)
In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
. The Frenchman's performance prompted a recruiting war between several colleges, including UCLA and Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball team represents the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in NCAA Division I basketball. The team plays its home games in Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Under the tenure of Bobby Cremins, Georgia Tech established itself as a national force in basketball...
who were on the verge of persuading Parker to join them. However, Parker decided to forgo the NCAA and to remain in France; he spent the next two years with Paris Basket Racing in the French League
Ligue Nationale de Basketball
The Ligue National de Basket is the top men's French professional basketball league. There are two divisions: French Pro A League and French Pro B League .-Pro A:...
before entering the 2001 NBA Draft
2001 NBA Draft
The 2001 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player drafted with the first overall pick...
.
First championship
Prior to the 2001 NBA Draft2001 NBA Draft
The 2001 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player drafted with the first overall pick...
, Parker was invited to the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
summer camp. Parker's first experiences were daunting as coach Gregg Popovich
Gregg Popovich
Gregg Popovich is an American basketball coach, and is currently the head coach of the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs. With the resignation of Jerry Sloan as head coach of the Utah Jazz on February 10, 2011, Popovich is the longest tenured coach in the NBA and also the...
had him play against Spurs scout and ex-NBA player Lance Blanks
Lance Blanks
Lance Blanks is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft. A guard, Blanks played for the Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves in 3 NBA seasons, averaging 2.0 ppg...
. Parker was so overwhelmed by Blank's tough and physical defense that Popovich was ready to send him away after just 10 minutes. But after seeing a "best of" mix tape of Parker's best plays, Popovich decided to invite Parker a second time. This time, Parker made a better impression against Blanks; the Frenchman later described Blanks as a "one-man wrecking crew". But while Popovich decided that Parker was worth the gamble, the Spurs still had to hope that other teams would not pick Parker during the draft. As it were, Parker's name was barely mentioned in the pre-draft predictions and the point guard was drafted 28th overall by the Spurs on draft day.
After initially playing backup to Antonio Daniels
Antonio Daniels
Antonio Robert Daniels is an American professional basketball player. He most recently played for the Philadelphia 76ers.-Career:...
, Parker was made a starter and made 77 regular season appearances in his rookie season, averaging 9.2 points
Point (basketball)
Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
, 4.3 assists
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
and 2.6 rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
in 29.4 minutes per game. When he played against the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
on 30 November 2001, he became the third French player ever to play in an NBA game, after Tariq Abdul-Wahad
Tariq Abdul-Wahad
Tariq Abdul-Wahad is a French former professional basketball player.Saint-Jean was born near Paris from parents who were natives of French Guiana. He changed his name to Tariq Abdul-Wahad after converting to Islam in 1997. He is the first player to be born and raised in France and play in the NBA...
and Jerome Moiso
Jérome Moïso
Jérôme Moïso is a French professional basketball player.-College career:He played college basketball at UCLA with the UCLA Bruins.-Pro career:...
. Parker brought to the Spurs a greater tempo in their game, getting his teammates better looks at the basket whenever he was involved in transition offense. He could also hit open jump shots, and this created greater space for the big men on the team, Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
and David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
. By the end of the season, the rookie led San Antonio in assists and steals
Steal (basketball)
In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
, and was named to the All-Rookie First Team for 2001–02, becoming the first foreign-born guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
to earn the honor. Although the Spurs were eliminated during the playoffs
2002 NBA Playoffs
The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2001–02 season. This would be the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; next year's postseason would see those series expanded to a best-of-7 format...
, Parker's performances did not go unnoticed.
By his sophomore season, Parker had won his first championship ring. He played in all 82 regular season games as San Antonio's starting point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
in a team that was largely revamped from previous years. He improved his regular season statistics significantly, averaging 15.5 points per game
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
(ppg), 5.3 assists per game (apg) and 2.6 rebounds per game (rpg). Parker's role as the team's playmaker
Playmaker
In association football, a playmaker is a player who controls the flow of the team's offensive play, and is often involved in passing moves which lead to goals....
was reflected in his leading the team in assists on 49 occasions. During the 2003 NBA All-Star Weekend
NBA All-Star Weekend
The National Basketball Association holds an All-Star Weekend every February, the festival has a variety of basketball-related events, exhibitions, and performances culminating in the NBA All-Star Game held on Sunday night.-The All-Star Game:...
, Parker represented the Sophomores in the Got Milk?
Got Milk?
Got Milk? is an American advertising campaign encouraging the consumption of cow's milk, which was created by the advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Processor Board in 1993 and later licensed for use by milk processors and dairy farmers. It has been running...
Rookie Challenge
Rookie Challenge
The Rookie Challenge is an exhibition basketball game held by the National Basketball Association on the Friday before the annual All-Star Game as part of the All-Star Weekend....
, and also participated in the inaugural 989 Sports Skills Challenge
Skills Challenge
The Taco Bell Skills Challenge is a National Basketball Association contest held on the Saturday before the annual All-Star Game as part of the All-Star Weekend. First debuted in 2003, it is a competition among guards. In this contest, participant first shoots a layup...
. In the post season
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
, Parker recorded two career bests in scoring as the Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, defeated the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
4–2 in the finals
2003 NBA Finals
The 2003 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2002–03 NBA season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference took on the New Jersey Nets of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a best-of-seven format. The Spurs...
, and Parker earned his first NBA championship ring
Championship ring
A championship ring is a ring presented to members of winning teams in professional sports leagues, and—in North America—college tournaments. In recent years, it has become common for American, and Canadian high schools to give championship rings to teams that win the state or provincial...
. Despite the victory, Parker struggled with inconsistent play throughout the playoffs, and was often substituted for the more experienced guards Steve Kerr
Steve Kerr
Stephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
and Speedy Claxton
Speedy Claxton
Craig "Speedy" Claxton is an American former professional basketball player. He is now a college scout with the Golden State Warriors.-College:...
late in the games. Throughout the season, Parker also felt that he was often criticized too harshly by coach Popovich; in retrospect, coach Popovich admitted he was critical of his young playmaker, stating he wanted Parker to build a thick skin and mature sooner than his peers.
Second championship
Despite winning a championship with the Spurs, doubts lingered over Parker's future. The Spurs had attempted and failed to acquire New Jersey NetsNew Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
' Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas...
, but Parker told coach Popovich that he wanted to be San Antonio's starting point guard and he was ready to work hard to become a great player. Parker played well during the regular season, recording 14.7 ppg, 5.5 apg and 3.2 rpg. However, the Spurs were defeated by perennial rivals Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
semi-finals in the 2004 NBA Playoffs
2004 NBA Playoffs
The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...
, and the favorites were denied back-to-back titles.
During the 2004–05 season, Parker recorded improved regular season statistics, securing career-highs of 16.6 ppg, 6.1 apg and 3.7 rpg. He was also ranked 13th in the league in total assists, and was third among point guards in field goal percentage
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
. The Spurs were strong in the playoffs
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
, and Parker was instrumental in the victories over the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
and Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
. However, the Frenchman struggled in the Finals series against the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. Spurs colleagues Manu Ginóbili
Manu Ginobili
Emanuel David "Manu" Ginóbili is an Argentine professional basketball player. Coming from a family of professional basketball players, he is a member of the Argentine men's national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association .Ginóbili spent the early part of...
and Brent Barry
Brent Barry
Brent Robert Barry is an American former professional basketball player. The , shooting guard was selected out of Oregon State University by the Denver Nuggets with the 15th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly after to the Los Angeles Clippers.Barry played professionally...
often took over playmaking duties as Parker was unable to perform as well as he did in the regular season. Pitted against ex-Finals MVP and All-Defensive Team member Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
, Parker's jump shot became inconsistent, and his trademark drives to the hoop were often smothered by the defensively strong Pistons frontcourt
Frontcourt
Frontcourt is a term used in basketball referring to the small forward, power forward, and center positions as a cohesive unit....
anchored by four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace
Ben Camey Wallace is an American basketball center for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and signed with the Washington Bullets as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
. Nevertheless, with the combination of Tim Duncan's consistent performances, the emergence of Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
star Ginóbili and Parker operating as playmaker, the Spurs won their third ever NBA championship by defeating the defending champions 4–3 in the 2005 NBA Finals
2005 NBA Finals
The 2005 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2004-05 National Basketball Association season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference faced the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a...
.
Third championship
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
. However, the top-seeded Spurs were again unable to win back-to-back titles as they were eliminated in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
.
On 14 February 2007, after delivering consistent numbers in the first half of the 2006–07 season, Parker was selected to play in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game
2007 NBA All-Star Game
The 2007 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas's Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It was the 56th annual All-Star Game. It was the first time the All-Star Game was played in a city without an NBA franchise and...
as a reserve guard. With Parker operating as the starting point guard in the 2006–07 season, the Spurs qualified for the 2007 NBA Playoffs
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
and finished second in the Southwest Division
Southwest Division (NBA)
The Southwest Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies, the New Orleans Hornets and the San Antonio Spurs...
. In the Western Conference Semifinals, the Spurs met the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
led by two-time and reigning NBA MVP Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
. In the match-up versus the best point guard of his generation, Parker used his speed to score an easy layup
Layup
A layup in basketball is a two-point shot attempt made by leaping from below, laying the ball up near the basket, and using one hand to bounce it off the backboard and into the basket. The motion and one-handed reach distinguish it from a jump shot. The layup is considered the most basic shot in...
, or hit with his improved mid-range jump shot. Suns coach Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...
even used All-Defensive Team forward Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion
Shawn Dwayne Marion is an American professional basketball player currently with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Marion attended high school in Clarksville, Tennessee. Before transferring to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Marion...
to cover Parker, but the Frenchman used the pick and roll
Pick and roll
The pick and roll in basketball is an offensive play in which a player sets a screen for a teammate handling the ball and then slips behind the defender to accept a pass...
to beat his much bigger counterpart. After eliminating the Suns, the Spurs defeated the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
4–1 to win the Western Conference Finals. Parker and the Spurs went on to face the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
and swept them 4–0 to win the 2007 NBA Finals
2007 NBA Finals
The 2007 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2006-07 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs and the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland...
. In this series, Parker consistently outplayed his Cavaliers counterparts Daniel Gibson
Daniel Gibson
Daniel Hiram Gibson is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. His nickname, "Boobie," was given to him by his mother. He has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers ever since 2006 when he was drafted in the second round...
and All-Defensive Team member Larry Hughes
Larry Hughes
Larry Darnell Hughes is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Charlotte Bobcats. He is a and shooting guard. Hughes attended Saint Louis University and was the eight pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, selected by the Philadelphia 76ers...
and scored a series-high 24.5 points, accompanied by a high field goal percentage of 56.8% and of 57.1% from three point range. For his performances, he was named the 2007 NBA Finals MVP, becoming the first European-born player to receive the award.
The next era
In the 2007–08 regular season, Parker recorded similar averages as the previous two seasons for points and rebounds, and set a career-high for assists per game. The Spurs finished third in the Western Conference and faced the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
. For the third time in four years, San Antonio prevailed over Phoenix; Parker had an outstanding first round series, averaging nearly 30 points and 7 assists a game. In the next round against Chris Paul
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball point guard for the New Orleans Hornets.Paul was born and raised in North Carolina. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake...
's New Orleans Hornets, the Spurs dropped the first two road games before responding with a strong win in the third game. In that game, Parker recorded a double-double with 31 points and 11 assists. The experienced Spurs took seven games to defeat the Hornets, but were unable to get past arch-rivals Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Finals, and the Spurs once again failed to capture back-to-back NBA championships.
San Antonio got off to a rocky start in their 2008–09 NBA season
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
, losing the first three contests. In their fourth game against the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
, however, Parker scored a career-high 55 points to lead the Spurs to their first victory of the campaign. The Spurs recovered soon enough, and approached the All-Star break ranked second in the Conference. With Parker averaging career-highs in points and assists per game, he was named as a reserve for the 2009 All-Star game. The Spurs were without influential shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
Ginóbili for much for the season, and greater responsibility fell on Parker's shoulders. Assisting the team to a 54–28 record and the third seed for the playoffs
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
, Parker also registered career-highs in points and assists per game. In Game 4 of the first round against Dallas, Parker matched George Gervin
George Gervin
George "The Iceman" Gervin is a retired American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association for the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls...
's franchise playoff record for points in a half with 31. However, the Spurs were put on the back pedal from the start and eventually lost 4–1, bowing out of the playoffs in the first round for the first time since 2000. Parker's 28.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game broke his previous playoffs career-best averages of 22.4 points and 3.7 rebounds. On 13 May 2009, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team.
ASVEL Villeurbanne
During the 2011 NBA lockout2011 NBA lockout
The 2011 NBA lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . The owners began the work stoppage at 12:01 am EDT on July 1, 2011. The main issues dividing the owners and the players are revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap...
, Parker signed with ASVEL Villeurbanne, the team that he owns a stake in. However, unlike other players who signed lucrative contract overseas during the lockout, Parker opted to play in his home country
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for minimum wage. Parker, who in the summer had received a four-year contract extension from the Spurs worth over $50 million, received only $ 2,000 per month from ASVEL. He also paid his own insurance, which reportedly cost $ 250,000 for three months.
International career
Parker played for France's Junior National Teams at the 1997 FIBA Europe Under-16 ChampionshipFIBA Europe Under-16 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, previously known as European Championship for Cadets, is a basketball competition inaugurated in 1971. Until 2003 it was held every second year, but from 2003 onwards it is held every year. The current champions are Croatia.-Results:-Performances by nation:-MVP...
, both the 1998 and 2000 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship was inaugurated in 1964 and for the following 40 years it had been held biannually. From 2004 onwards, it is held every year.-Summaries:-Performances by nation:...
s, and the 2002 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, previously known as European Championship for Men 'Under22 and Under, is a basketball competition inaugurated in 1992. Until 2004 it was held biannually, but from 2004 onwards it is held every year. The current champions are Spain.Since 2005, a second level...
. He was elected the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the 2000 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, when France captured the gold medal, and Parker averaged 25.8 points, 6.8 assists and 6.8 steals per game. With the French senior national team
France national basketball team
The French national basketball team is the national basketball team representing France. It is administrated by the Fédération Française de Basket-Ball . The team has been competitive, but has yet to win a major international tournament...
, Parker has played in the 2001
EuroBasket 2001
The EuroBasket 2001 was the 32nd EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Turkey, began on 31 August 2001 and concluded with the final on 9 September 2001. Yugoslavia won the gold medal,...
, 2003
Eurobasket 2003
-5th to 8th place:-Awards:-All-Tournament Team : Tony Parker Šarūnas Jasikevičius Saulius Štombergas Andrei Kirilenko Pau Gasol-Top scorers :# Pau Gasol 25.8# Andrei Kirilenko 23.1# Dirk Nowitzki 22.5# Mehmet Okur 18.7...
, 2005
Eurobasket 2005
The EuroBasket 2005 was held in Serbia and Montenegro between 16 September and 25 September 2005. Greece won the gold medal by defeating Germany, while France won the bronze medal over Spain...
, 2007
Eurobasket 2007
-Group B:-Group C:-Group D:-Second round:- Group E :- Group F :-Championship bracket:- Quarterfinals :-Classification rounds:- Semifinals :- Third place game:- Final :...
and 2009
EuroBasket 2009
The EuroBasket 2009 was the 36th EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Poland, began on 7 September 2009 and concluded with the final on 20 September 2009...
FIBA European Championships
Eurobasket
The EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and...
.
France won the bronze medal in the 2005 FIBA European Championships, by defeating the Spanish national team
Spain national basketball team
The Spanish national basketball team is the basketball team representing Spain in international competitions, organized and run by the Spanish Basketball Federation...
98–68 in the bronze medal game. As the captain of the French national team since 2003, Parker was slated to lead France at the 2006 FIBA World Championship
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
, but he was unable to play after breaking a finger when he caught his hand in the jersey of a Brazilian national team
Brazil national basketball team
The Brazilian National Basketball Team represents Brazil in FIBA's basketball competitions.-Men's team:First drafted in 1922, the men's team has won two World Championships , three bronze Olympic medals , four Americas Championships and five Pan American Games .-Olympic Games:-FIBA...
player in France's final warm up for the tournament. During the 2007 FIBA European Championship
Eurobasket 2007
-Group B:-Group C:-Group D:-Second round:- Group E :- Group F :-Championship bracket:- Quarterfinals :-Classification rounds:- Semifinals :- Third place game:- Final :...
, Parker averaged 20.1 points per game and 2.8 assists per game in nine tournament games, but France was defeated in the quarter-finals by the Russian national team
Russia national basketball team
The Russian national basketball team represents Russia in international basketball matches. The team came into existence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and its powerful basketball team. It has won 2 silver medals in the FIBA World Championships...
. He passed the 2010 FIBA World Championship
2010 FIBA World Championship
The 2010 FIBA World Championship, hosted by Turkey, was the international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams. The tournament ran from August 28 to September 12, 2010. It was co-organized by the International Basketball Federation , Turkish Basketball Federation and the...
to recover fully from some injuries he had during the 2009–10 NBA season
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
. Parker returned to the team in 2011, and France reached the finals of the FIBA European Championship, losing to Spain.
Player profile
Parker plays the point guard position and has established himself as a potent scorer. Voted by his peers in a 2007 poll as one of the quickest players in the NBA, he often slashes to the basket for a layupLayup
A layup in basketball is a two-point shot attempt made by leaping from below, laying the ball up near the basket, and using one hand to bounce it off the backboard and into the basket. The motion and one-handed reach distinguish it from a jump shot. The layup is considered the most basic shot in...
or teardrop shot. Despite his relatively small size for a basketball player (6'2"), he led the league in "points in the paint" for a large portion of the 2005–06 season.
In the initial part of his NBA career, Parker was still considered an erratic shooter of the ball and during the 2005 off-season, coach Popovich decided to work on this aspect of his play. Seeing his mediocre shooting percentages (at that point, Parker only hit 65% of his free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
s, and only 27.6% of his three point shots), he let him train extra sessions with Spurs shooting coach Chip Engelland. Engelland forbade Parker to shoot any three point shots, and among others, corrected his shooting motion and his thumb position. As a result, by the 2006–07 season, Parker had reduced his three point shots by 117 while shooting 147 more normal field goal attempts compared to 2005, and his accuracy rose by 4% (field goals and three point shots) and he was able to connect on 78% of his free throws that season. Parker's field goal percentage
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
is also high for a point guard, and his speed also makes him a fast break player. However, his style of play has had adverse effects on his knees (tendinitis).
Honors
- Club honors
- NBA Champion: 2003, 2005, 2007
- French LeagueLigue Nationale de BasketballThe Ligue National de Basket is the top men's French professional basketball league. There are two divisions: French Pro A League and French Pro B League .-Pro A:...
Rookie of the Year: 2001
- Individual honors for club
- NBA Championship Finals MVP: 2007
- NBA All-Star: 2006, 2007, 2009
- All-NBA Third Team: 2009
- Member of the 2006 San Antonio All-Star Shooting Stars team. He sealed the victory by making the half-court shot on his first attempt, setting an All-Star Shooting Star record time of 25.1 seconds. He was joined on the team by retired Spur Steve KerrSteve KerrStephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
, and Kendra WeckerKendra WeckerKendra Renee Wecker is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA. She formerly played forward for the San Antonio Silver Stars and Washington Mystics...
from the San Antonio Silver StarsSan Antonio Silver StarsThe San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
of the WNBA.
- Junior national team
- FIBA Europe Under-18 ChampionshipFIBA Europe Under-18 ChampionshipFIBA Europe Under-18 Championship was inaugurated in 1964 and for the following 40 years it had been held biannually. From 2004 onwards, it is held every year.-Summaries:-Performances by nation:...
Gold Medal: 2000
- FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
- Individual honors for junior national team
- FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship MVP: 2000
- Senior national team
- Bronze medal at the 2005 FIBA European ChampionshipEurobasket 2005The EuroBasket 2005 was held in Serbia and Montenegro between 16 September and 25 September 2005. Greece won the gold medal by defeating Germany, while France won the bronze medal over Spain...
- Bronze medal at the 2005 FIBA European Championship
- Other honors
- Inducted into the Legion of Honor with the rank of Chevalier: 2007
- European Player of the YearEuropean Basketball Player of the Year AwardsThe European Basketball Player of the Year Awards are the three awards given out on a yearly basis to the best male European basketball player of the year. More specifically, those are the Mr. Europa award, which began in 1976, the Euroscar, established in 1979, and the FIBA Europe Player of the...
: Euroscar: 2007 - On the cover of NBA Live 09NBA Live 09Critics praised the new pick & roll system, though the new feature ,"Dynamic DNA", was called "not deep enough". GameSpot nominated it for the dubious award of Least Improved Sequel in its 2008 video game awards. However, the Wii version received mediocre score from critics.-External links:* * *...
Regular season
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
| 77 || 72 || 29.4 || .419 || .323 || .675 || 2.6 || 4.3 || 1.2 || .1 || 9.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 82 || 82 || 33.8 || .464 || .337 || .755 || 2.6 || 5.3 || .9 || .1 || 15.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 75 || 75 || 34.4 || .447 || .312 || .702 || 3.2 || 5.5 || .8 || .1 || 14.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 80 || 80 || 34.2 || .482 || .276 || .650 || 3.7 || 6.1 || 1.2 || .1 || 16.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 80 || 80 || 33.9 || .548 || .306 || .707 || 3.3 || 5.8 || 1.0 || .1 || 18.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 77 || 77 || 32.5 || .520 || .395 || .783 || 3.2 || 5.5 || 1.1 || .1 || 18.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 69 || 68 || 33.5 || .494 || .258 || .715 || 3.2 || 6.0 || .8 || .1 || 18.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 72 || 71 || 34.1 || .506 || .292 || .782 || 3.1 || 6.9 || .9 || .1 || 22.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 56 || 50 || 30.9 || .487 || .294 || .756 || 2.4 || 5.7 || .5 || .1 || 16.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 78 || 78 || 32.4 || .519 || .357 || .769 || 3.1 || 6.6 || 1.2 || .0 || 17.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 746 || 733 || 33.0 || .493 || .315 || .732 || 3.1 || 5.7 || 1.0 || .1 || 16.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 3 || 0 || 21.3 || .538 || .000 || 1.000 || 2.0 || 6.0 || 1.0 || .0 || 10.0
Playoffs
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2002
2002 NBA Playoffs
The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2001–02 season. This would be the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; next year's postseason would see those series expanded to a best-of-7 format...
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
| 10 || 10 || 34.1 || .456 || .370 || .750 || 2.9 || 4.0 || .9 || .1 || 15.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 24 || 24 || 33.9 || .403 || .268 || .713 || 2.8 || 3.5 || .9 || .1 || 14.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004
2004 NBA Playoffs
The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 10 || 10 || 38.6 || .429 || .395 || .657 || 2.1 || 7.0 || 1.3 || .1 || 18.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 23 || 23 || 37.3 || .454 || .188 || .632 || 2.9 || 4.3 || .7 || .1 || 17.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 13 || 13 || 36.5 || .460 || .222 || .810 || 3.6 || 3.8 || 1.0 || .1 || 21.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 20 || 20 || 37.6 || .480 || .333 || .679 || 3.4 || 5.8 || 1.1 || .0 || 20.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 17 || 17 || 38.5 || .497 || .350 || .753 || 3.7 || 6.1 || .9 || .1 || 22.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 5 || 5 || 36.2 || .546 || .214 || .710 || 4.2 || 6.8 || 1.2 || .2 || 28.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 10 || 2 || 33.5 || .474 || .667 || .595 || 3.8 || 5.4 || .6 || .0 || 17.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio
| 6 || 6 || 36.8 || .462 || .125 || .756 || 2.7 || 5.2 || 1.3 || .3 || 19.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 138 || 130 || 36.3 || .461 || .293 || .708 || 3.1 || 4.9 || 1.0 || .1 || 18.8
ASVEL Villeurbanne
In 2009, Parker bought a 20 percent stake in the French ASVEL Villeurbanne club; he currently holds the ceremonial title of Vice President of Basketball Operations. Parker has the option to purchase an additional 20 percent and assume the club's presidency, presumably when he retires from the NBA. During the 2011 NBA lockout2011 NBA lockout
The 2011 NBA lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . The owners began the work stoppage at 12:01 am EDT on July 1, 2011. The main issues dividing the owners and the players are revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap...
, Parker signed to play for ASVEL for minimum wage until the lockout ends.
Family life
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
. His mother, a health-food coach, gives him tips on healthy eating, while he discusses his performance after each game with his father over the phone.
Parker met actress Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria
Eva Jacqueline Longoria is an American actress, best known for portraying Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives...
, seven years his senior, in November 2004. In August 2005, Longoria confirmed she and Parker were dating, and on 30 November 2006, the couple became engaged. Longoria, a Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
native from nearby Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
, was a courtside regular at Spurs home games. Parker was quoted during the 2007 NBA All-Star Game
2007 NBA All-Star Game
The 2007 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas's Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It was the 56th annual All-Star Game. It was the first time the All-Star Game was played in a city without an NBA franchise and...
saying that, "Eva is doing everything, I'm just going to show up and say yes." They were officially married in a civil service on 6 July 2007, at a Paris city hall. It was followed by a full Roman Catholic wedding ceremony at the Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois
Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois
The Church of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois is situated at 2, Place du Louvre, Paris 75001; the nearest Métro station is Louvre-Rivoli.Located at the center of Paris, by the Seine and near the Louvre, this former parish of the kings of France is generally regarded as the Church of the Louvre...
Church in Paris, France, on 7 July 2007.
In December 2007, tabloid websites and magazines reported that Parker had been having an extramarital affair with supposed model Alexandra Paressant. Both Parker and Longoria vehemently denied these allegations through their spokespeople, saying "All high profile couples fall victim to these sorts of things in the course of their relationships. It appears that this is not the first time this woman has used an athlete to gain public notoriety." Parker initiated a $20 million lawsuit against the website that first reported the story, which later issued a full retraction and an apology, stating "X17online.com and X7 [sic], Inc. regret having been misled by Ms. Paressant and her representatives and apologize to Mr. Parker for any damage or inconvenience this may have caused him or his wife."
On 17 November 2010, Longoria filed for divorce in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, citing "irreconcilable differences", and seeking spousal support from Parker. The couple had a prenuptial agreement
Prenuptial agreement
A prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement, commonly abbreviated to prenup or prenupt, is a contract entered into prior to marriage, civil union or any other agreement prior to the main agreement by the people intending to marry or contract with each other...
that was signed in June 2007, the month before their wedding, and amended two years later in June 2009. Longoria believed that Parker had been cheating on her with another woman;. Extra
Extra (TV series)
Extra is an American entertainment television news program covering events and celebrities which debuted on September 5, 1994 in syndication. It is produced at Victory Studios in Glendale, California by Telepictures Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution...
identified the other woman as Erin Barry, the wife of Brent Barry
Brent Barry
Brent Robert Barry is an American former professional basketball player. The , shooting guard was selected out of Oregon State University by the Denver Nuggets with the 15th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly after to the Los Angeles Clippers.Barry played professionally...
, Parker's former teammate, and revealed that the Barrys are also in the midst of a divorce. On 19 November 2010, Parker filed for divorce from Longoria in Bexar County, Texas
Bexar County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...
on the grounds of "discord or conflict of personalities", thus establishing a legal battle over where the divorce case would be heard. Unlike Longoria's divorce petition, Parker's did not mention a prenuptial agreement and claimed that the parties "will enter into an agreement for the division of their estate". The divorce was finalized in Texas on 28 January 2011, the same day Longoria's lawyer filed papers to dismiss her Los Angeles petition.
Philanthropy
In the field of philanthropyPhilanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
, Parker donates a block of 20 tickets for each home game
AT&T Center
AT&T Center is an indoor arena, located in San Antonio, Texas, USA. It seats 18,581, for basketball , 13,800, for ice hockey and 19,000, for concerts or religious gatherings and contains 2,018 club seats, 50 luxury suites and 32 bathrooms .It was completed in 2002, as the SBC...
to underprivileged youth. Parker is also the first ambassador for Make-A-Wish France
Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization founded in the United States that grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.The president & CEO of this...
. The Foundation
Foundation (charity)
A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes....
is a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. On his personal website, Parker states: "I already knew Make-A-Wish as it is very famous around the world and I have previously taken part in the granting of wishes by meeting children and their families. I decided to commit to working with Make-A-Wish France when I understood the true dedication there and I realized that I could help to grant as many wishes as possible."
Music
Parker is an avid fan of hip-hop music and rap. He has released a French hip-hop album titled TP with producer Polygrafic (Sound Scientists). The singlesSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
taken from the album include:
- "Top of the Game", featuring rapper FabolousFabolousJohn David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
and BoobaBoobaElie Yaffa better known under his stage name Booba, is a French rapper from Paris. He is half Senegalese from his father's side and half French of Moroccan origin from his mother's side...
, was released in March 2007. The accompanying video features Spurs teammate Tim DuncanTim DuncanTimothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
, as well as former teammates Robert HorryRobert HorryRobert Keith Horry Jr. is a retired American basketball player and current sports commentator. He played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association , winning seven championships, the most of any player not to have played on the 1960s Boston Celtics...
, Brent BarryBrent BarryBrent Robert Barry is an American former professional basketball player. The , shooting guard was selected out of Oregon State University by the Denver Nuggets with the 15th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly after to the Los Angeles Clippers.Barry played professionally...
, and Nazr MohammedNazr MohammedNazr Tahiru Mohammed [NAW-zee] is an American professional basketball player with the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder. He plays the center position. He is 6 ft 10 in and 250 lb...
. - "Balance-toiBalance-toiFor the 1996 song, see Reciprok"Balance-toi" is a 2007 song recorded by NBA player Tony Parker. Written and composed by Skalp, Eloquence and Tony Parker, it was the singer's debut single from his eponymous album. It was released on 26 March 2007, and achieved success in France.-Background:The song...
", which features Longoria. It reached number one position in the SNEPSyndicat National de l'Edition PhonographiqueThe Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry...
official French chart staying there for one week. - "Premier Love" (with Parker doing the French part and singer Rickwell the English part).
Other interests
Parker was also involved in the Paris bidParis 2012 Olympic bid
Paris 2012 was an unsuccessful bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games to be held in Paris. The bidding race was eventually won by the London 2012 bid after a 54-50 vote of the International Olympic Committee on 6 July 2005...
for the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
. His reaction to London's successful bid
London 2012 Olympic bid
London 2012 was the successful bid for the 2012 Summer Games, to be held in London with most events taking place in Stratford, Newham. The British Olympic Association had been working on the bid since 1997...
was: "I don't know what else we could have done. If we don't have it now, I guess we will never get it. The IOC seems to be very pro-Anglo-Saxon. I feel extremely gutted."
Parker has a well-known friendship with compatriot footballer Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
. The two were often seen together at some of Parker's NBA games. Parker was seen with his wife at Euro 2008 during one of France's matches.
See also
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders
- List of French NBA players
External links
- Tony Parker – Official Site
- Tony Parker Player Profile (InterBasket)