Tony Parker

Tony Parker
Parker with the San Antonio Spurs in 2010
No. 9 Charlotte Hornets
Position Point guard
League NBA
Personal information
Born (1982-05-17) 17 May 1982
Bruges, Belgium
Nationality French
Listed height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight 185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school INSEP (Paris, France)
NBA draft 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 28th overall
Selected by the San Antonio Spurs
Playing career 1999–present
Career history
1999–2001 Paris Basket Racing
20012018 San Antonio Spurs
2011 ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne
2018–present Charlotte Hornets
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

William Anthony Parker Jr. (born 17 May 1982) is a French professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (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 Spurs with the 28th overall pick in the draft, and quickly became their starting point guard. Parker has won four NBA Championships (2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014), all of which were with the Spurs. He had also played for ASVEL Basket in his native France during the 2011 NBA lockout.

Known for his pace and high field goal percentage, Parker has been named to six NBA All-Star games, three All-NBA Second Teams, and an All-NBA Third Team. He was also the 2007 NBA Finals MVP. A severe injury to his left quadriceps tendon in Game 2 in the second round of the 2017 playoffs ended his season.

While playing with the French national team, Parker was named the MVP of EuroBasket 2013, following his team's victory over Lithuania in the gold medal game.[1] He finished as the tournament's top scorer, with an average of 19 points per game.[2] In 2015, he became the all-time leading scorer in the EuroBasket competition, a record that was broken by Pau Gasol two years later.

Early life

Parker was born in Bruges, Belgium, and raised in France.[3][4] His father, Tony Parker Sr., an African American, played basketball at Loyola University Chicago as well as professionally overseas.[5][6] His mother, Pamela Firestone, is a Dutch model.[4] Parker's great-uncle Jan Wienese is an Olympic gold medalist in rowing.[7] Parker enjoyed close relationships with his brothers, and they would often attend their father's basketball games together.[8] At first, Parker was more interested in football, but after watching the evolution of Michael Jordan into a global basketball superstar during summer trips to his father's native city of Chicago, he changed his mind.[9] 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.[4] As Parker built his skill, he played the point guard position, recognizing that his speed and agility made this position ideal for him.[9] He was eventually asked to attend the INSEP in Paris.[10]

Professional career

After playing in the French amateur leagues for two seasons, Parker turned professional and signed with Paris Basket Racing in 1999.[4] In the summer of 2000, Parker was invited to the Nike Hoop Summit in Indianapolis. In a contest between the American and European All-Stars, Parker recorded 20 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals.[11] His performance prompted a recruiting war among several colleges, including UCLA and Georgia Tech.[11] Parker decided to forgo the NCAA and to remain in France; he spent the next year with Paris Basket Racing in the French League before entering the 2001 NBA draft.

San Antonio Spurs (2001–2018)

First championship

"...[When] we gave [Tony Parker] his first workout, we didn't think he was tough enough – and we sent him home. And then we set up another interview, another workout... and he was fantastic in that one."

-Gregg Popovich, after the 2007 championship[12]

Before the 2001 NBA draft, Parker was invited to the San Antonio Spurs' summer camp. Coach Gregg Popovich had him play against Spurs scout and ex-NBA player Lance Blanks. Parker was overwhelmed by Blanks's tough and physical defense, and Popovich was ready to send him away after just 10 minutes.[13] But after seeing a "best of" mix tape of Parker's best plays, Popovich decided to invite Parker a second time.[11] This time, Parker made a better impression against Blanks; the Frenchman later described Blanks as a "one-man wrecking crew".[13] 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. 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.[11]

After initially playing backup to Antonio Daniels,[11] Parker became 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.[4] When he played against the Los Angeles Clippers on 30 November 2001, he became the third French player to play in an NBA game, after Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Jérôme Moïso.[14] 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.[4]

In 2002–03, Parker played in all 82 regular-season games as San Antonio's starting point guard[15] on a team that was largely revamped from previous years.[11] He improved his regular season statistics, averaging 15.5 points per game (ppg), 5.3 assists per game (apg) and 2.6 rebounds per game (rpg).[15] Parker's role as the team's playmaker was reflected in his leading the team in assists on 49 occasions.[4] During the 2003 NBA All-Star Weekend, Parker represented the Sophomores in the Rookie Challenge, and also participated in the inaugural Skills Challenge.[4] In the post season, the Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, defeated the New Jersey Nets 4–2 in the finals, and Parker earned his first NBA championship ring.[16] Despite the victory, Parker struggled with inconsistent play throughout the playoffs, and was often benched in favor of more experienced guards Steve Kerr and Speedy Claxton late in the games.[13]

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 Nets' Jason Kidd, but Parker told coach Popovich that he wanted to be San Antonio's starting point guard.[17] Parker played well during the regular season, recording 14.7 ppg, 5.5 apg and 3.2 rpg.[15] However, the Spurs were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semi-finals in the 2004 NBA Playoffs, and were denied back-to-back titles.[11]

During the 2004–05 season, Parker recorded improved regular season statistics, tallying 16.6 ppg, 6.1 apg and a career-high 3.7 rpg.[15] He was also ranked 13th in the league in total assists, and was third among point guards in field goal percentage.[4] The Spurs were strong in the playoffs, and Parker was instrumental in the victories over the Denver Nuggets, Seattle SuperSonics and Phoenix Suns.[11] However, Parker 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.[13] Nevertheless, the Spurs won their third ever NBA championship by defeating the defending champions 4–3 in the 2005 NBA Finals.[16]

"He told me, 'Coach, I'll play in the NBA and, one day, France will recognize me as a great player'. It's incredible how, at 18 years old, he could have such confidence. I thought he could play in the NBA, but not that he would become a player of the importance he is today."

-Claude Bergeaud, who coached Parker on the French junior team[6]

Third championship

Parker in a 2007–08 game against Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas

Parker was selected for the first time in his career an NBA All-Star for the 2005–06 season[18] as he managed 18.9 ppg and an impressive .548 in field goal percentage.[15] Parker's scoring average was even higher than Duncan's,[19] 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.[20]

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.[21] 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.[22] In the Western Conference Semifinals, the Spurs met the Phoenix Suns led by two-time and reigning NBA MVP Steve Nash. After eliminating the Suns, the Spurs defeated the Utah Jazz 4–1 to win the Western Conference Finals.[23] Parker and the Spurs went on to face the Cleveland Cavaliers and swept them 4–0 to win the 2007 NBA Finals.[24] 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.[13] For his performances, he was named the 2007 NBA Finals MVP,[24] becoming the first European-born player to receive the award.[6]

Falling short

"When there is talk about the best point guards, sometimes they don't talk about me. But that's not my main motivation. They can talk about Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Deron Williams and Chris Paul. I still have the most rings."

-Tony Parker[25]

In the 2007–08 regular season, Parker recorded similar averages as the previous two seasons for points and rebounds, and slightly increased his assists per game average.[15] The Spurs finished third in the Western Conference and faced the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs. 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.[26] 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.[27] The experienced Spurs took seven games to defeat the Hornets, but were unable to get past the Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Finals, and the Spurs once again failed to win back-to-back NBA championships.[28]

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.[29] The Spurs recovered soon enough, and approached the All-Star break ranked second in the Conference. With Parker averaging a career-high in points per game, he was named as a reserve for the 2009 All-Star game.[30] The Spurs were without influential shooting guard Ginóbili for much for the season, and greater responsibility fell on Parker's shoulders. He helped lead the team to a 54–28 record and the third seed for the playoffs,[31] In Game 4 of the first round against Dallas, Parker matched George Gervin's franchise playoff record for points in a half with 31.[32] However, the Spurs eventually lost 4–1, bowing out of the playoffs in the first round for the first time since 2000.[33] 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.[15] On 13 May 2009, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team.[34]

Parker attempts a free throw in a game against the Denver Nuggets in December 2010

During the 2011–12 NBA season, Parker helped the Spurs reach the best record in the West for the second straight season; the team tied the Chicago Bulls for the best overall record in the league. On 4 February 2012, Parker became the all-time assist leader of the franchise with 4,477, surpassing Avery Johnson, adding 42 points in a victory against Oklahoma City Thunder.[35] The Spurs secured their 13th straight 50 win season despite the lockout (a new NBA record), and Parker received his fourth All-Star nod. He finished fifth in MVP award voting, receiving four first-place votes. Late in the season, the Spurs signed Parker's longtime friend Boris Diaw, who was claimed off waivers from the Charlotte Bobcats. In the 2012 NBA Playoffs, Parker averaged 20.1 points and 6.8 assists as the Spurs swept through the first two rounds, defeating the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers. In the Western Conference Finals the Spurs faced the young Oklahoma City Thunder. After winning Game 1 and Game 2, 101–98 and 120–111 respectively, and taking a 2–0 series lead, the Spurs lost four consecutive games, thus losing the series 4–2.

In their second game of the 2012–13 season, the Spurs faced the Thunder in a rematch of the previous Western Conference Finals, and Parker hit a game-winner to secure a win for the Spurs. On 10 December 2012, Parker got his first career triple-double after 825 regular season games against the Houston Rockets in overtime with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. He was the 4th player in NBA history to have gone 800 games or more into their career before their first triple-double, joining Karl Malone (860), Patrick Ewing (834), and Cedric Maxwell (824).[36] Parker was named Western Conference Player of the Month for the month of January 2013 for leading the Spurs to a 12–3 record, and the best record in the NBA. He averaged 21.9 points per game and 7.9 assists per game that month while shooting 56.3% from the field. He became the first Spurs player to receive the honor since Tim Duncan in April 2002.[37] On May 21, 2013, Parker recorded a career high 18 assists to go with 15 points in the Spurs' Western Conference finals game 2 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.[38]

In game 1 of the 2013 NBA Finals against the defending champion Miami Heat, Parker hit a clutch jump shot off the glass with 5.2 seconds remaining in the game, securing a 92–88 victory for San Antonio. The Spurs eventually lost the series in seven games.

Fourth championship

In May 2014, Tony Parker alongside Manu Ginóbili and Tim Duncan tied the record for most wins in Playoffs History by a trio of players playing together; record held by LA Lakers trio of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Cooper at 110 wins. The Spurs went on to beat the Thunder in six games and advance to the NBA Finals for the second straight year. San Antonio would once again face the Miami Heat and would win the 2014 NBA Finals in five games. This victory gave Parker his fourth championship and the fifth championship to the Spurs.

Failure to get the fifth championship

On 1 August 2014, Parker signed a three-year, $43.3 million contract extension with the Spurs.[39][40] The Spurs finished the 2014–15 season with a 55–27 record, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games. Parker struggled in the playoffs due to injury and averaged 10.9 points a game on 36% shooting.

In the 2015–16 season, Parker helped the Spurs win a franchise-best 67 games while averaging 11.9 points per game. In the 2016 playoffs, the Spurs swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round, but were eliminated in the second round by the Oklahoma City Thunder in six games.

Heading into the 2016–17 season, Parker lost longtime teammate Tim Duncan to retirement. The Spurs finished the season with a 61–21 record, as they registered back-to-back 60-win seasons for the first time in franchise history. Parker played 63 games and averaged 10.1 points per game, his lowest average since his rookie season. In the 2017 playoffs, the Spurs were once again matched with the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. San Antonio again defeated Memphis 4–2, with Parker averaging 16.3 points per game in the series. After scoring 18 points in Game 2 of the second round, a win against the Houston Rockets, Parker left the game with a rupture of his left quadriceps tendon that ended his season.[41][42][43] Game 3 of the series marked San Antonio's first postseason game without Parker since 2001, which ended an NBA record of 221 straight playoff appearances for Parker.[44] The injury required surgery and led some to speculate Parker could miss significant time, if he came back at all.[45]

On 27 November 2017, in a 115–108 win over the Dallas Mavericks, Parker had six points and four assists in 14 minutes in his first appearance since tearing his quadriceps tendon.[45] On November 29, Parker had 10 points and five assists while playing 18 minutes in his second game back.[46]

ASVEL (2011)

During the 2011 NBA lockout, Parker signed with ASVEL, the French basketball team in which he owns a stake.[47] Parker's salary was about $2,000 a month. He was quoted as saying, "I'll be playing nearly for free."[48] He also paid his own insurance, which reportedly cost $250,000 for three months.[47]

Charlotte Hornets (2018–present)

On July 23, 2018, Parker signed with the Charlotte Hornets.[49]

International career

Parker playing for France in 2011

Parker played for France's Junior National Teams at the 1997 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, both the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship and the 2000 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, 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, as he averaged 14.4 points and 2.5 assists per game.[11][50][51] Parker averaged 25.8 points, 6.8 assists, and 6.8 steals per game at the 2002 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship.[4][50] With the French senior national team, Parker has played in the 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013 FIBA EuroBaskets.

France won the bronze medal in the 2005 FIBA EuroBasket, by defeating the Spanish national team 98–68 in the bronze medal game.[52] 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.[53] During the EuroBasket 2007, Parker averaged 20.1 points per game and 2.8 assists per game in nine tournament games,[54] but France was defeated in the quarter-finals by the Russian national team.[55] He passed the 2010 FIBA World Championship to recover fully from some injuries he had during the 2009–10 NBA season.[56] Parker returned to the team in 2011, and France reached the finals of the 2011 EuroBasket, losing to Spain.[57] Parker also joined the team for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. In 2013, Parker and the French national team won the 2013 FIBA EuroBasket tournament.

While playing for France in EuroBasket 2015, in a group game against Poland, Parker scored his 1,032nd career point in the tournament, and in doing so, he overtook Nikos Galis as the all-time leading scorer in the history of the EuroBasket competition.[58] That record was later broken by Pau Gasol.

During the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila, Philippines, in July 2016, Parker announced his intention to retire from international competition, but not the NBA, after the 2016 Summer Olympics. He reiterated that intent after France lost in the quarter-finals in Rio de Janeiro.[59][60]

International stats

TournamentGames playedPoints per gameRebounds per gameAssists per game
2001 EuroBasket68.71.81.8
2003 EuroBasket618.02.83.2
2005 EuroBasket711.92.32.9
2007 EuroBasket920.13.32.8
2009 EuroBasket817.83.94.4
2011 EuroBasket1022.13.54.4
2012 Olympics615.72.83.2
2013 EuroBasket1119.02.13.3
2015 EuroBasket912.02.24.2

Player profile

Standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall (1.88 m) and weighing 185 pounds (84 kg), Parker plays the point guard position and has established himself as a potent offensive player. Voted by his peers in a 2007 poll as one of the quickest players in the NBA,[61] he often slashes to the basket for a layup or teardrop shot. Despite his relatively small size for a basketball player, 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. Spurs shooting coach Chip Engelland[13] 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.[13] 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).[62]

Honors

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
Denotes seasons in which Parker won an NBA Championship

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2001–02 San Antonio 777229.4.419.323.6752.64.31.2.19.2
2002–03 San Antonio 828233.8.464.337.7552.65.3.9.115.5
2003–04 San Antonio 757534.4.447.312.7023.25.5.8.014.7
2004–05 San Antonio 808034.2.482.276.6503.76.11.2.116.6
2005–06 San Antonio 808033.9.548.306.7073.35.81.0.118.9
2006–07 San Antonio 777732.5.520.395.7833.25.51.1.118.6
2007–08 San Antonio 696833.5.494.258.7153.26.0.8.118.8
2008–09 San Antonio 727134.1.506.292.7823.16.9.9.122.0
2009–10 San Antonio 565030.9.487.294.7562.45.7.5.116.0
2010–11 San Antonio 787832.4.519.357.7693.16.61.2.017.5
2011–12 San Antonio 606032.0.480.230.7992.97.71.0.118.3
2012–13 San Antonio 666632.9.522.353.8453.07.6.8.120.3
2013–14 San Antonio 686829.4.499.373.8112.35.7.5.116.7
2014–15 San Antonio 686828.7.486.427.7831.94.9.6.014.4
2015–16 San Antonio 727227.5.493.415.7602.45.3.8.211.9
2016–17 San Antonio 636325.2.466.333.7261.84.5.5.010.1
2017–18 San Antonio 552119.5.459.270.7051.73.5.5.07.7
Career 1,1981,15131.1.492.326.7522.85.7.9.115.8
All-Star 6018.3.522.1671.0001.84.7.8.18.8

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2002 San Antonio 101034.1.456.370.7502.94.0.9.115.5
2003 San Antonio 242433.9.403.268.7132.83.5.9.114.7
2004 San Antonio 101038.6.429.395.6572.17.01.3.118.4
2005 San Antonio 232337.3.454.188.6322.94.3.7.117.2
2006 San Antonio 131336.5.460.222.8103.63.81.0.121.1
2007 San Antonio 202037.6.480.333.6793.45.81.1.020.8
2008 San Antonio 171738.5.497.350.7533.76.1.9.122.4
2009 San Antonio 5536.2.546.214.7104.26.81.2.228.6
2010 San Antonio 10233.5.474.667.5953.85.4.6.017.3
2011 San Antonio 6636.8.462.125.7562.75.21.3.319.7
2012 San Antonio 141436.1.453.333.8073.66.8.9.020.1
2013 San Antonio 212136.4.458.355.7773.27.01.1.120.6
2014 San Antonio 232331.3.486.371.7292.04.8.7.017.4
2015 San Antonio 7730.0.363.000.5883.33.6.3.010.9
2016 San Antonio 101026.4.449.250.8572.25.3.6.210.4
2017 San Antonio 8826.4.526.5791.0002.53.1.5.015.9
2018 San Antonio 5013.4.378.000.714.81.2.4.06.6
Career 22621334.3.461.309.7312.95.1.9.117.9

Off the court

ASVEL

In 2009, Parker bought a 20 percent stake in the French basketball club ASVEL, located in Lyon, and held the ceremonial title of Vice President of Basketball Operations. During the 2011 NBA lockout, Parker signed to play for ASVEL, for the French League's minimum wage, until the lockout ended. In 2014, Parker became the majority shareholder of the club, and is now the president of the team.[65]

In September 2015, Parker announced the launch of his own basketball academy in the city of Lyon.[66] On July 12, 2016, he and his business partners published the plans for the construction of a new arena in Villeurbanne, which will become ASVEL's new home court.[67]

Lyon Basket

In March 2017, it was announced that Parker has become the majority shareholder of Lyon Basket Féminine, a member of the French women's basketball league, and that he would also take over as chairman of the club at the conclusion of the fiscal year 2016–17.[68]

Family life

Parker with Eva Longoria at the 2008 Emmy Awards

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.[8]

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.[69] 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.[70] Fellow Frenchman NBA player (and future teammate) Boris Diaw was Parker's best man for the wedding.

Parker and Longoria at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival

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."[71] 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."[72]

On 17 November 2010, Longoria filed for divorce in Los Angeles, citing "irreconcilable differences",[73] and seeking spousal support from Parker.[74] 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.[75] Longoria believed that Parker had been cheating on her with another woman;[76] Extra identified the other woman as Erin Barry, the wife of Brent Barry, Parker's former teammate, and revealed that the Barrys were also in the midst of a divorce.[77] On 19 November 2010, Parker filed for divorce from Longoria in Bexar County, Texas[78] 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".[79] The divorce was finalized in Texas on 28 January 2011, the same day Longoria's lawyer filed papers to dismiss her Los Angeles petition.[80]

Parker began dating French journalist Axelle Francine in 2011. In June 2013, it was reported that the couple got engaged.[81] Parker and Axelle Francine married on August 2, 2014.[82] They have two sons, Josh Parker, born in April 2014, and Liam Parker, born in July 2016.[83][84]

Philanthropy

In the field of philanthropy, Parker donates a block of 20 tickets for each home game to underprivileged youth.[4] Parker is also the first ambassador for Make-A-Wish France.[85] 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."[85]

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 album features collaborations with various artists including Booba, Don Choa, Eloquence, Eddie B, Jamie Foxx, K-Reen, Rickwel and Soprano. The singles taken from the album include:

  • "Bienvenue dans le Texas",[86] featuring French rapper Booba and released on March 17, 2007 and made available via iTunes. This initial release did not chart in France.
  • "Balance-toi",[87] which features Eva Longoria. It reached the number one position in the SNEP official French chart, staying there for one week. It also charted in the Belgian French (Wallonia) bubbling under Ultratip charts, reaching number 4.
  • "Premier Love"[88] (with Parker doing the French part and singer Rickwel the English part). The single made it to #11 in SNEP, the official French Singles Chart.

Other singles releases include:

Albums
Year Album Peak positions
France
(SNEP)

[91]
2007 TP 19
Singles
Year Single Peak positions Album
France
(SNEP)

[91]
Belgium
(Wallonia)
(Ultratop)

[92]
2007 "Balance-toi" 1 54* TP
"Premier Love" (featuring Rickwel) 11  

*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts where it peaked at number 4. Fifty chart positions were added to the Ultratip peak to arrive at an equivalent Ultratop position

Other interests

Parker was also involved in the Paris bid 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."[93]

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.

In 2012, Parker and his brothers opened a nightclub, Nueve Lounge, in San Antonio.[94] However, the business closed down within a year.[95]

Nightclub injury

Parker was injured while present at the W.I.P nightclub in the SoHo district of New York City when a brawl broke out between entertainers Chris Brown and Drake.[96] Parker filed a $20 million suit against the night club.[97] Parker risked missing the 2012 Summer Olympics after a piece of glass thrown in the fight deeply penetrated his eye, requiring surgery to remove.[98][99] However, on 6 July 2012, he was cleared to participate.[100]

Movies and television

In 2008, Tony Parker co-directed with Jean-Marie Antonini a 1-hour film, 9 – Un chiffre, un homme (meaning 9, a number, a man). The biographical documentary film narrated by Benoît Allemane was produced by Parker. Celebrities featured included basketball players Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Sean Elliott, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Steve Nash, and David Robinson, as well as footballers Thierry Henry and Zinédine Zidane, judo player David Douillet, and musician and DJ Cut Killer, as well as Parker and Eva Longoria.[101]

Parker also appeared in the 2008 French film Asterix at the Olympic Games as Tonus Parker,[102] and he has been given token roles in various TV series like En aparté (2005), in addition to the French series On n'est pas couché (2011). He also played himself in the short film The Angels (2011), directed by Stéphane Marelli.[103] He has participated in a number of episodes of Fort Boyard.

See also

References

  1. , basket-infos.com, Retrieved 23 September 2013
  2. , basket-infos.com, Retrieved 23 September 2013
  3. Tony Parker Archived 26 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine., msn.foxsports.com, Retrieved 23 February 2008
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Tony Parker Info Page – Bio Archived 21 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine., nba.com, Retrieved 17 June 2007
  5. The Import of Winning Archived 16 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine., The Village Voice.
  6. 1 2 3 Parker's Dreams Come True Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine., The New Paper, 24 June 2007
  7. Smeets, Mart (September 26, 2015). "Als Tony mist, gaan 'les Bleus' de mist in". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  8. 1 2 My Family, tp9.net, Retrieved 14 June 2007.
  9. 1 2 A Family Thing Archived 22 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine., tp9.net, Retrieved 20 February 2008
  10. From INSEP to PSG Archived 22 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine., tp9.net, accessed 4 May 2007
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Tony Parker Bio, jockbio.com, Retrieved 28 January 2008
  12. Wire Services. "Spurs Coach: I didn't like him", The New Paper, 24 June 2007
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hieronimi, Jan (September–October 2007), "FIVE", FIVE magazine, pp. 36–39.
  14. Friedman, Brad, "Depth of Talent and Promise Impressive Out of France", nba.com, accessed 5 February 2008
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Tony Parker Info Page – Career Stats and Totals Archived 17 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine., nba.com, Retrieved 14 June 2007
  16. 1 2 NBA Finals: All-Time Champions, nba.com, accessed 4 May 2007
  17. Wetzel, Dan, "French connection", sports.yahoo.com, 14 June 2007, Retrieved 30 September 2007
  18. Boxscore, nba.com, 19 February 2006, accessed 4 May 2007
  19. Tim Duncan – Career Stats and Totals Archived 13 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine., nba.com, accessed 2 October 2007
  20. Mavericks March On To Conference Finals, nba.com, accessed 2 October 2007
  21. "2007 NBA All-Star Rosters", nba.com/allstar2007, 14 February 2007, accessed 4 May 2007
  22. 2006–07 DIVISION STANDINGS, nba.com, Retrieved 14 June 2007
  23. At a Glance 2007, nba.com, Retrieved 14 June 2007
  24. 1 2 Parker, Spurs Close Out Cavs for Fourth Title, nba.com, 15 June 2007, Retrieved 15 June 2007
  25. "San Antonio's Parker ringing in a big summer". USAToday.com. June 12, 2007. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  26. Spurs KO Rattled Suns to Close Out Series, nba.com, 30 April 2008, accessed 9 May 2008
  27. Spurs Riding High After Game 3 Victory, nba.com, 9 May 2008, accessed 9 May 2008
  28. Associated Press. Bryant Leads Lakers past Spurs, into NBA Finals, nba.com, 29 May 2008, Retrieved 14 June 2008
  29. Associated Press. Parker's jumper sends game to second OT as Spurs win, sports.espn.go.com, 5 November 2008, accessed 6 November 2008
  30. Shaq, pair of Magic players highlight All-Star reserves Archived 15 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine., nba.com, 29 January 2009, Retrieved 30 January 2009
  31. 2008–09 NBA Season Summary, basketball-reference.com, Retrieved 16 April 2009
  32. Hawkins, Stephen, "Mavs overcome Parker, Spurs for 3–1 series lead", nba.com, 25 April 2009, Retrieved 27 April 2009
  33. Weber, Paul, "Mavericks oust Spurs from playoffs with 106–93 win", nba.com, 29 April 2009, Retrieved 29 April 2009
  34. James a unanimous pick for All-NBA First Team Archived 16 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine., nba.com, 13 May 2009, Retrieved 14 May 2009
  35. "Parker becomes Spurs all-time assists leader Archived 23 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine., cbssports.com, 5 February 2012, Retrieved 23 May 2012
  36. "Daily Dime: Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade answer a critic ESPN, 10 December 2012, Retrieved 10 December 2012
  37. 1 2 "Tony Parker Named Western Conference Player of the Month". NBA.com. February 1, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  38. "Grizzlies at Spurs".
  39. "Tony Parker Signs Contract Extension". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. August 1, 2014. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  40. "Tony Parker signs extension". ESPN.com. August 1, 2014. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  41. Breaking News: Parker Ruptures Left Quadriceps Tendon, National Basketball Association, May 4, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  42. Tony Parker's stats renaissance abruptly halted by playoff-ending injury, National Basketball Association, John Schuhmann, May 4, 2017. Retrieved 7 May, 2017.
  43. "SPURS INJURY UPDATE – 5/4/17". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. May 4, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  44. "Aldridge steps up to help Spurs down Rockets 103-92". ESPN.com. May 5, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  45. 1 2 "Aldridge fuels Spurs past Mavericks in Parker's return". ESPN.com. November 27, 2017. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  46. "Aldridge scores 41, Spurs extend Grizzlies' skid to 9". The Intelligencer. November 30, 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01.
  47. 1 2 "Tony Parker uses NBA lockout to prepare for his post-NBA future in France". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg Free Press. 6 October 2011. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  48. "Spurs' star to play in France "nearly for free"". CBS News. CBS Interactive Inc. 5 October 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  49. "Hornets Sign Free-Agent Guard Tony Parker". NBA.com. July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  50. 1 2 "Archive.FIBA.com Tony PARKER (FRA)".
  51. Palmares de Tony Parker Archived 22 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine., tp9.net, accessed 4 May 2007
  52. Eurobasket2005.com, fibaeurope.com, 25 September 2005, accessed 4 May 2007 Archived 12 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine.
  53. Wilkinson, Simon, "Parker ruled out of FIBA World Championship with injury", fiba.com, 18 August 2006, accessed 4 May 2007
  54. Tony Parker, eurobasket2007.org, Retrieved 12 September 2007 Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  55. Game card, eurobasket2007.org, 13 September 2007, Retrieved 14 September 2007 Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  56. Parker won’t play for France at worlds, sports.yahoo.com, 13 May 2010, Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  57. Starcevic, Nesha, "Spain beats France to win European Championship", chron.com, Retrieved 22 September 2011
  58. "Tony Parker becomes all-time leading scorer in EuroBasket history". Associated Press. July 9, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  59. "Tony Parker Announced retirement on International Competition". Tiebreaker Times. July 9, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  60. An era of world basketball ends, Parker, Ginobili retire, USA Today, Jeff Zillgitt, August 19, 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  61. SI Players Poll, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, 20 February 2007, accessed 20 April 2007
  62. Another face Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine., tp9.net, accessed 4 May 2007
  63. 1 2 "NBA Shooting Stars Competition", insidehoops.com, 17 February 2007, Retrieved 20 March 2007
  64. AFP. Parker named European Player of the Year Archived 10 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine., afp.google.com, 4 January 2008, Retrieved 12 January 2008
  65. "Tony Parker To Become Majority Owner, President Of ASVEL - RealGM Wiretap". basketball.realgm.com.
  66. Brikh, Steven Belfils et Razik. "Tony Parker crée son académie à Gerland et relance le projet d'Arena". www.lyoncapitale.fr (in French). Retrieved 2017-01-21.
  67. "La future ARENA dévoilée ! - Asvel Basket". Asvel Basket (in French). 2016-07-12. Retrieved 2017-01-21.
  68. "✰ COMMUNIQUE ✰ A l'issue de la dernière... - LYON Basket Féminin | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2017-03-10.
  69. Alexander, Bryan, "Eva Longoria & Tony Parker Engaged" Archived 27 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine., people.com, 30 November 2006, Retrieved 17 November 2010
  70. Eva Longoria, Tony Parker Make It Official, Again, usatoday.com, 7 July 2007
  71. Georg, Chris, "Eva Longoria and Tony Parker: Affair Rumors Are Bogus" Archived 8 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine., efluxmedia.com, 14 December 2007, Retrieved 14 November 2008
  72. Georg, Chris, "X17 Apologizes For Tony Parker Affair Story" Archived 11 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine., efluxmedia.com, 7 April 2008, Retrieved 14 November 2008
  73. Marikar, Sheila,"Eva Longoria Files for Divorce From Tony Parker", abcews.go.com, 17 November 2010, Retrieved 17 November 2010
  74. Eva Longoria Files for Divorce from Tony Parker, people.com, 17 November 2010, Retrieved 17 November 2010
  75. Eva Longoria Parker Files for Divorce—for Real This Time, ca.eonline.com, 17 November 2010, Retrieved 20 November 2010
  76. Eva Longoria's First Words on Her Divorce, extratv.warnerbros.com, 17 November 2010, Retrieved 17 November 2010
  77. Woman Allegedly Involved in Longoria-Parker Split is Also Divorcing, extratv.warnerbros.com, 17 November 2010, Retrieved 17 November 2010
  78. Tony Parker Files for Divorce In Texas, tmz.com, 19 November 1010, Retrieved 20 November 2010
  79. Tony Parker Texas Two-Steps to Divorce Court, ca.eonline.com, 19 November 2010, Retrieved 20 November 2010
  80. Silverman, Steve, "Eva Longoria, Tony Parker Finalize Divorce", people.com, 31 January 2011, accessed 1 July 2011.
  81. Tony Parker Engaged? Eva Longoria's Ex Mentions Fiancee on Twitter, Us Weekly, 26 June 2013, Retrieved 10 November 2013
  82. "Tony Parker Marries Axelle Francine". 3 August 2014.
  83. Tony Parker Welcomes Son Josh, People, 30 April 2014, Retrieved 2 May 2014
  84. Marquez, RJ (29 July 2016). "Tony Parker, wife Axelle Francine welcome second child".
  85. 1 2 Charity Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine., tp9.net, accessed 4 May 2007
  86. "Bienvenue dans le Texas (featuring Booba) - Single by Tony Parker on Apple Music". 17 March 2007.
  87. Music video for "Balance-toi" of Tony Parker on YouTube, Retrieved 19 August 2009
  88. Music video of Tony Parker's "Premiere Love" featuring Rickwell on YouTube, Retrieved 19 August 2009
  89. Music video of "Top of the Game" by Tony Parker featuring Fabolous and Booba on YouTube, Retrieved 19 August 2009
  90. Strong, Nolan, "Spurs Tony Parker Records With Fabolous, French Album On The Way", allhiphop.com, 1 November 2005, Retrieved 23 July 2007 Archived 20 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine.
  91. 1 2 "Tony Parker discography (French SNEP Charts)". lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  92. "Tony Parker discography (Belgium (Wallonia) Ultratip Singles Charts)". ultratop.be/fr/. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  93. "Chirac 'disappointed' in defeat", bbc.co.uk, 6 July 2005, Retrieved 23 July 2007
  94. Lucio, Valentino, "No. 9, brothers prepare to open nightclub", mysanantonio.com, 17 February 2012, Retrieved 12 March 2012
  95. How Can the Spurs Rebound From Being a Rebound Away From the Title? – 2013 NBA Preview – Rank no. 3 on YouTube
  96. "Police investigate Drake, Chris Brown NYC bar brawl". cbsnews.com. 14 June 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  97. Gil Kaufman (22 June 2012). "Tony Parker Files $20 Million Suit Over Drake/Chris Brown Club Brawl". mtv.com. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  98. Mike Bresnahan (26 June 2012). "Spurs' Tony Parker could miss Olympics because of eye injury". Boston Herald. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  99. "Tony Parker could miss Olympics due to eye injury". 25 June 2012. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012.
  100. "Tony Parker cleared to play for France at Olympics". 6 July 2012. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012.
  101. IMDb.com 9 - Un chiffre, un homme page
  102. "Tony Parker played a minor role in the French Movie Asterix at the Olympic Games". 5 January 2013.
  103. "Tony Parker". IMDb.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.