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Tony Parker

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For other people named Tony Parker, see Anthony Parker (disambiguation).
Tony Parker
File:Parker khomar.JPG
Parker with the Spurs, 2010.
No. 9 – San Antonio Spurs
Position Point guard
League NBA
Personal information
Born (1982-05-17) 17 May 1982 (age 42)
Bruges, Belgium
Nationality French
Listed height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight 185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
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
2001–present San Antonio Spurs
2011 ASVEL Basket
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing France France
EuroBasket
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Serbia National Team
Silver medal – second place 2011 Lithuania National Team
Gold medal – first place 2013 Slovenia National Team
Bronze medal – third place 2015 France National Team

William Anthony "Tony" Parker Jr. (born 17 May 1982) is a French professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs 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 San Antonio Spurs with the 28th overall pick in the draft and quickly became their starting point guard. Parker has helped the Spurs win four NBA championships in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.

Employing his pace and high field goal percentage to great effect, 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.

Playing for the France national basketball team, Parker was named as the EuroBasket 2013 MVP following his team's victory over Lithuania (80–66)[1] in the gold medal game. The point guard finished as the tournament's top scorer with 19 points per game.[2] In 2015 he became the all-time leading scorer in the EuroBasket competition.

Parker is also a music artist with his own music album, TP. He married actress Eva Longoria on 7 July 2007.[3] In November 2010, both parties filed for divorce.

Early life

Parker was born in Bruges, Belgium, but raised in France.[4][5] His father, Tony Parker Sr., an African American, played basketball at Loyola University Chicago as well as professionally overseas.[6][7] His mother, Pamela Firestone, is a Dutch model.[5] 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 soccer, 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] 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.[5] As Parker built his skill, his lack of size (notwithstanding a growth spurt at 15) decided his position on-court.[9] He played the point guard position, recognizing that his speed and agility made this position ideal for him.[9] He was eventually talent-spotted and asked to attend the INSEP in Paris.[10] After playing in the French amateur leagues for two seasons, Parker turned professional and signed with Paris Basket Racing in 1999.[5]

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-Stars, Parker recorded 20 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals.[11] The Frenchman's performance prompted a recruiting war among several colleges, including UCLA and Georgia Tech, who were on the verge of persuading Parker to join them.[11] However, 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.

Professional career

San Antonio Spurs

First championship

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"...when we gave him 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. Parker's first experiences were daunting; 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.[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. As it happened, 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.[5] 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 Jerome Moiso.[14] Parker increased the Spurs' game tempo, 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.[11] 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.[5] Although the Spurs were eliminated during the playoffs,[15] Parker's performances did not go unnoticed.[11]

In 2002–03, Parker played in all 82 regular-season games as San Antonio's starting point guard[16] on a team that was largely revamped from previous years.[11] 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).[16] Parker's role as the team's playmaker was reflected in his leading the team in assists on 49 occasions.[5] 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.[5] 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.[17] 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.[13] 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.[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 and he was ready to work hard to become a great player.[18] Parker played well during the regular season, recording 14.7 ppg, 5.5 apg and 3.2 rpg.[16] 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.[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.[16] He was also ranked 13th in the league in total assists, and was third among point guards in field goal percentage.[5] 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] 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.[13] Nevertheless, with the combination of Tim Duncan's consistent performances, the emergence of Argentine star Ginóbili, clutch shooting by Robert Horry 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.[17]

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"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[7]

Third championship

File:Tony parker spurs vs wizards.jpg
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[19] as he managed 18.9 ppg and an impressive .548 in field goal percentage.[16] Parker's scoring average was even higher than Duncan's,[20] 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.[21]

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.[22] 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.[23] 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.[13] 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.[13] After eliminating the Suns, the Spurs defeated the Utah Jazz 4–1 to win the Western Conference Finals.[24] Parker and the Spurs went on to face the Cleveland Cavaliers and swept them 4–0 to win the 2007 NBA Finals.[25] 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,[25] becoming the first European-born player to receive the award.[7]

Falling short

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"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[26]

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.[16] 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.[27] 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.[28] 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.[29]

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.[30] 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.[31] 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,[32] In Game 4 of the first round against Dallas, Parker matched George Gervin's franchise playoff record for points in a half with 31.[33] 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.[34] 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.[16] On 13 May 2009, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team.[35]

File:Parker tongue2.JPG
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, while adding 42 points in a victory against Oklahoma City Thunder.[36] 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, to add energy to the Spurs. 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).[37] 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.[38] 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.[39]

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. In Game 6, Parker hit a clutch game-tying 3 pointer with 1:27 remaining in regulation, but the Spurs lost the game in overtime. The Spurs eventually lost the series in seven games.

Fourth championship

On May 2014, thanks to a win in the first game of the Western Conference Finals against Oklahoma City Thunder, Tony Parker alongside Manu Ginobili 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.

Chasing the fifth championship

On August 1, 2014, Parker signed a three-year, $43.3 million contract extension with the Spurs.[40][41] The Spurs finished the 2014-15 NBA season 55–27, 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.

Before the 2015–16 NBA season, San Antonio acquired All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge. With the emergence of Kawhi Leonard and stellar play from Aldridge, the Spurs won a franchise record 67 games. Parker averaged 11.9 points for the season. That was the lowest point average since his rookie season.

ASVEL

During the 2011 NBA lockout, Parker signed with ASVEL, the team in which he owns a stake.[42] However, unlike other players who signed lucrative contract overseas during the lockout, Parker opted to play in his home country for minimum wage.[43] Parker, who in the summer had received a four-year contract extension from the Spurs worth over $50 million,[44] received only $2,000 per month from ASVEL.[42] He also paid his own insurance, which reportedly cost $250,000 for three months.[42]

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 and 2000 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championships, 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][45][46] Parker averaged 25.8 points, 6.8 assists, and 6.8 steals per game at the 2002 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship.[5][45] 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.[47] 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.[48] During the EuroBasket 2007, Parker averaged 20.1 points per game and 2.8 assists per game in nine tournament games,[49] but France was defeated in the quarter-finals by the Russian national team.[50] He passed the 2010 FIBA World Championship to recover fully from some injuries he had during the 2009–10 NBA season.[51] Parker returned to the team in 2011, and France reached the finals of the 2011 EuroBasket, losing to Spain.[52] 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.

Playing for France in EuroBasket 2015, in a group game against Poland, Parker scored his 1032nd point, in doing so overtaking Nikos Galis as the all-time highest scorer in the history of the Eurobasket competition.[53]

International stats

Tournament Games played Points per game Rebounds per game Assists per game
2001 EuroBasket 6 8.7 1.8 1.8
2003 EuroBasket 6 18.0 2.8 3.2
2005 EuroBasket 7 11.9 2.3 2.9
2007 EuroBasket 9 20.1 3.3 2.8
2009 EuroBasket 8 17.8 3.9 4.4
2011 EuroBasket 10 22.1 3.5 4.4
2012 Olympics 6 15.7 2.8 3.2
2013 EuroBasket 11 19.0 2.1 3.3

Player profile

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,[54] he often slashes to the basket for a layup 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 throws, and only 27.6% of his three-point shots), he let him train extra sessions with Spurs shooting coach Chip Engelland.[13] 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.[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).[55]

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 77 72 29.4 .419 .323 .675 2.6 4.3 1.2 .1 9.2
2002–03† San Antonio 82 82 33.8 .464 .337 .755 2.6 5.3 .9 .1 15.5
2003–04 San Antonio 75 75 34.4 .447 .312 .702 3.2 5.5 .8 .0 14.7
2004–05† San Antonio 80 80 34.2 .482 .276 .650 3.7 6.1 1.2 .1 16.6
2005–06 San Antonio 80 80 33.9 .548 .306 .707 3.3 5.8 1.0 .1 18.9
2006–07† San Antonio 77 77 32.5 .520 .395 .783 3.2 5.5 1.1 .1 18.6
2007–08 San Antonio 69 68 33.5 .494 .258 .715 3.2 6.0 .8 .1 18.8
2008–09 San Antonio 72 71 34.1 .506 .292 .782 3.1 6.9 .9 .1 22.0
2009–10 San Antonio 56 50 30.9 .487 .294 .756 2.4 5.7 .5 .1 16.0
2010–11 San Antonio 78 78 32.4 .519 .357 .769 3.1 6.6 1.2 .0 17.5
2011–12 San Antonio 60 60 32.0 .480 .230 .799 2.9 7.7 1.0 .1 18.3
2012–13 San Antonio 66 66 32.9 .522 .353 .845 3.0 7.6 .8 .1 20.3
2013–14† San Antonio 68 68 29.4 .499 .373 .811 2.3 5.7 .5 .1 16.7
2014–15 San Antonio 68 68 28.7 .486 .427 .783 1.9 4.9 .6 .0 14.4
2015–16 San Antonio 72 72 27.5 .493 .415 .760 2.4 5.3 .8 .2 11.9
Career 1,080 1,067 32.1 .494 .327 .753 2.9 5.9 .9 .1 16.6
All-Star 6 0 18.3 .522 .167 1.000 1.8 4.7 .8 .1 8.8

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2002 San Antonio 10 10 34.1 .456 .370 .750 2.9 4.0 .9 .1 15.5
2003† San Antonio 24 24 33.9 .403 .268 .713 2.8 3.5 .9 .1 14.7
2004 San Antonio 10 10 38.6 .429 .395 .657 2.1 7.0 1.3 .1 18.4
2005† San Antonio 23 23 37.3 .454 .188 .632 2.9 4.3 .7 .1 17.2
2006 San Antonio 13 13 36.5 .460 .222 .810 3.6 3.8 1.0 .1 21.1
2007† San Antonio 20 20 37.6 .480 .333 .679 3.4 5.8 1.1 .0 20.8
2008 San Antonio 17 17 38.5 .497 .350 .753 3.7 6.1 .9 .1 22.4
2009 San Antonio 5 5 36.2 .546 .214 .710 4.2 6.8 1.2 .2 28.6
2010 San Antonio 10 2 33.5 .474 .667 .595 3.8 5.4 .6 .0 17.3
2011 San Antonio 6 6 36.8 .462 .125 .756 2.7 5.2 1.3 .3 19.7
2012 San Antonio 14 14 36.1 .453 .333 .807 3.6 6.8 .9 .0 20.1
2013 San Antonio 21 21 36.4 .458 .355 .777 3.2 7.0 1.1 .1 20.6
2014† San Antonio 23 23 31.3 .486 .371 .729 2.0 4.8 0.7 .0 17.4
2015 San Antonio 7 7 30.0 .363 .000 .588 3.3 3.6 0.3 .0 10.9
Career 203 195 35.5 .460 .301 .725 3.1 5.2 0.9 .1 18.6

Off the court

ASVEL

In 2009, Parker bought a 20 percent stake in the French ASVEL 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 lockout, Parker signed to play for ASVEL for minimum wage until the lockout ended.

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.[58] 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.[59] 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."[60] 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."[61]

On 17 November 2010, Longoria filed for divorce in Los Angeles, citing "irreconcilable differences",[62] and seeking spousal support from Parker.[63] 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.[64] Longoria believed that Parker had been cheating on her with another woman;.[65] 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.[66] On 19 November 2010, Parker filed for divorce from Longoria in Bexar County, Texas[67] 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".[68] The divorce was finalized in Texas on 28 January 2011, the same day Longoria's lawyer filed papers to dismiss her Los Angeles petition.[69]

Parker began dating French journalist Axelle Francine in 2011. In June 2013, it was reported that they are engaged.[70] Parker and Axelle Francine married on August 2, 2014.[71] They have one son, Josh Parker, born in April 2014.[72]

Philanthropy

In the field of philanthropy, Parker donates a block of 20 tickets for each home game to underprivileged youth.[5] Parker is also the first ambassador for Make-A-Wish France.[73] 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."[73]

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",[74] 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",[75] which features 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) Ultratip charts, reaching number 4.
  • "Premier Love"[76] (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)
[79]
2007 TP 19
Singles
Year Single Peak positions Album
FRANCE
(SNEP)
[79]		 BELGIUM
(Wallonia)
[80]
2007 "Balance-toi" 1 54
(Ultratip 4)		 TP
"Premier Love" (featuring Rickwel) 11  –

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."[81]

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.[82] However, the business closed down within a year.[83]

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 Chris Brown and Drake.[84] Parker filed a $20 million suit against the night club.[85] Parker risked missing the 2012 Summer Olympics after a piece of glass thrown in the fight deeply penetrated his eye, requiring surgery to remove.[86][87] However, on 6 July 2012, he was cleared to participate.[88]

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.[89]

Parker also appeared in the 2008 French film Asterix at the Olympic Games as Tonus Parker,[90] 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.[91]

See also

References

  1. ↑ [1], basket-infos.com, Retrieved 23 September 2013
  2. ↑ [2], basket-infos.com, Retrieved 23 September 2013
  3. ↑ Parker, Longoria Attend Civil Ceremony[dead link], apnews.myway.com, accessed 7 July 2007
  4. ↑ Tony Parker, msn.foxsports.com, Retrieved 23 February 2008
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 Tony Parker Info Page – Bio, nba.com, Retrieved 17 June 2007
  6. ↑ The Import of Winning, The Village Voice.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Parker's Dreams Come True, The New Paper, 24 June 2007
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 My Family, tp9.net, Retrieved 14 June 2007.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 A Family Thing, tp9.net, Retrieved 20 February 2008
  10. ↑ From INSEP to PSG, tp9.net, accessed 4 May 2007
  11. ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 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. ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Friedman, Brad, "Depth of Talent and Promise Impressive Out of France", nba.com, accessed 5 February 2008
  15. ↑ Back to the Big Show, nba.com, 27 May 2001, Retrieved 30 September 2007
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 Tony Parker Info Page – Career Stats and Totals, nba.com, Retrieved 14 June 2007
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 NBA Finals: All-Time Champions, nba.com, accessed 4 May 2007
  18. ↑ Wetzel, Dan, "French connection", sports.yahoo.com, 14 June 2007, Retrieved 30 September 2007
  19. ↑ Boxscore, nba.com, 19 February 2006, accessed 4 May 2007
  20. ↑ Tim Duncan – Career Stats and Totals, nba.com, accessed 2 October 2007
  21. ↑ Mavericks March On To Conference Finals, nba.com, accessed 2 October 2007
  22. ↑ "2007 NBA All-Star Rosters", nba.com/allstar2007, 14 February 2007, accessed 4 May 2007
  23. ↑ 2006–07 DIVISION STANDINGS, nba.com, Retrieved 14 June 2007
  24. ↑ At a Glance 2007, nba.com, Retrieved 14 June 2007
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Parker, Spurs Close Out Cavs for Fourth Title, nba.com, 15 June 2007, Retrieved 15 June 2007
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Spurs KO Rattled Suns to Close Out Series, nba.com, 30 April 2008, accessed 9 May 2008
  28. ↑ Spurs Riding High After Game 3 Victory, nba.com, 9 May 2008, accessed 9 May 2008
  29. ↑ Associated Press. Bryant Leads Lakers past Spurs, into NBA Finals, nba.com, 29 May 2008, Retrieved 14 June 2008
  30. ↑ Associated Press. Parker's jumper sends game to second OT as Spurs win, sports.espn.go.com, 5 November 2008, accessed 6 November 2008
  31. ↑ Shaq, pair of Magic players highlight All-Star reserves, nba.com, 29 January 2009, Retrieved 30 January 2009
  32. ↑ 2008–09 NBA Season Summary, basketball-reference.com, Retrieved 16 April 2009
  33. ↑ Hawkins, Stephen, "Mavs overcome Parker, Spurs for 3–1 series lead", nba.com, 25 April 2009, Retrieved 27 April 2009
  34. ↑ Weber, Paul, "Mavericks oust Spurs from playoffs with 106–93 win", nba.com, 29 April 2009, Retrieved 29 April 2009
  35. ↑ James a unanimous pick for All-NBA First Team, nba.com, 13 May 2009, Retrieved 14 May 2009
  36. ↑ "Parker becomes Spurs all-time assists leader, cbssports.com, 5 February 2012, Retrieved 23 May 2012
  37. ↑ "Daily Dime: Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade answer a critic – ESPN, espn.com, 10 December 2012, Retrieved 10 December 2012]
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Notebook: Spurs 93, Grizzlies 89
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 Archive.FIBA.com Tony PARKER (FRA).
  46. ↑ Palmares de Tony Parker, tp9.net, accessed 4 May 2007
  47. ↑ Eurobasket2005.com, fibaeurope.com, 25 September 2005, accessed 4 May 2007 Archived 12 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  48. ↑ Wilkinson, Simon, "Parker ruled out of FIBA World Championship with injury", fiba.com, 18 August 2006, accessed 4 May 2007
  49. ↑ Tony Parker, eurobasket2007.org, Retrieved 12 September 2007 Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  50. ↑ Game card, eurobasket2007.org, 13 September 2007, Retrieved 14 September 2007 Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  51. ↑ Parker won’t play for France at worlds, sports.yahoo.com, 13 May 2010, Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  52. ↑ Starcevic, Nesha, "Spain beats France to win European Championship", chron.com, Retrieved 22 September 2011
  53. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  54. ↑ SI Players Poll, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, 20 February 2007, accessed 20 April 2007
  55. ↑ Another face, tp9.net, accessed 4 May 2007
  56. ↑ 56.0 56.1 "NBA Shooting Stars Competition", insidehoops.com, 17 February 2007, Retrieved 20 March 2007
  57. ↑ AFP. Parker named European Player of the Year, afp.google.com, 4 January 2008, Retrieved 12 January 2008
  58. ↑ Alexander, Bryan, "Eva Longoria & Tony Parker Engaged", people.com, 30 November 2006, Retrieved 17 November 2010
  59. ↑ Eva Longoria, Tony Parker Make It Official, Again, usatoday.com, 7 July 2007
  60. ↑ Georg, Chris, "Eva Longoria and Tony Parker: Affair Rumors Are Bogus", efluxmedia.com, 14 December 2007, Retrieved 14 November 2008
  61. ↑ Georg, Chris, "X17 Apologizes For Tony Parker Affair Story", efluxmedia.com, 7 April 2008, Retrieved 14 November 2008
  62. ↑ Marikar, Sheila,"Eva Longoria Files for Divorce From Tony Parker", abcews.go.com, 17 November 2010, Retrieved 17 November 2010
  63. ↑ Eva Longoria Files for Divorce from Tony Parker, people.com, 17 November 2010, Retrieved 17 November 2010
  64. ↑ Eva Longoria Parker Files for Divorce—for Real This Time, ca.eonline.com, 17 November 2010, Retrieved 20 November 2010
  65. ↑ Eva Longoria's First Words on Her Divorce, extratv.warnerbros.com, 17 November 2010, Retrieved 17 November 2010
  66. ↑ Woman Allegedly Involved in Longoria-Parker Split is Also Divorcing, extratv.warnerbros.com, 17 November 2010, Retrieved 17 November 2010
  67. ↑ Tony Parker Files for Divorce In Texas, tmz.com, 19 November 1010, Retrieved 20 November 2010
  68. ↑ Tony Parker Texas Two-Steps to Divorce Court, ca.eonline.com, 19 November 2010, Retrieved 20 November 2010
  69. ↑ Silverman, Steve, "Eva Longoria, Tony Parker Finalize Divorce", people.com, 31 January 2011, accessed 1 July 2011.
  70. ↑ Tony Parker Engaged? Eva Longoria's Ex Mentions Fiancee on Twitter, Us Weekly, 26 June 2013, Retrieved 10 November 2013
  71. ↑ [3]
  72. ↑ Tony Parker Welcomes Son Josh, People, 30 April 2014, Retrieved 2 May 2014
  73. ↑ 73.0 73.1 Charity, tp9.net, accessed 4 May 2007
  74. ↑ Tony Parker – "Bienvenue dans le Texas" featuring Booba
  75. ↑ Music video for "Balance-toi" of Tony Parker on YouTube, Retrieved 19 August 2009
  76. ↑ Music video of Tony Parker's "Premiere Love" featuring Rickwell on YouTube, Retrieved 19 August 2009
  77. ↑ Music video of "Top of the Game" by Tony Parker featuring Fabolous and Booba on YouTube, Retrieved 19 August 2009
  78. ↑ 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
  79. ↑ 79.0 79.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  80. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  81. ↑ "Chirac 'disappointed' in defeat", bbc.co.uk, 6 July 2005, Retrieved 23 July 2007
  82. ↑ Lucio, Valentino, "No. 9, brothers prepare to open nightclub", mysanantonio.com, 17 February 2012, Retrieved 12 March 2012
  83. ↑ How Can the Spurs Rebound From Being a Rebound Away From the Title? - 2013 NBA Preview - Rank no. 3 on YouTube
  84. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  85. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  86. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  87. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  88. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  89. ↑ IMDb.com 9 - Un chiffre, un homme page
  90. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  91. ↑ IMDb.com - Tony Parker page

External links

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Awards and achievements
Preceded by French Sportperson of the Year
2003		 Succeeded by
Laure Manaudou
Preceded by French Sportsman of the Year
2013		 Succeeded by
Renaud Lavillenie

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