Only this supreme honor lacks him to definitely be in the elite: Tony Parker, four-time NBA champion, designated MVP of the 2007 final, six-time All-Star, will become the first French basketball player to enter the Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Since the first class of 1959, they are 197 former players – the Hall of Fame is also composed of players, coaches, teams, referees, managers and other contributors – from the North American league and elsewhere, to have been inducted. by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the body that manages this “basketball pantheon”.
A solemn moment, reserved in honor of the legends of the orange ball, from Michael Jordan to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, via Bill Russell or Kobe Bryant honored posthumously in 2021.
Four years following hanging up his sneakers, the hour of “TP” will therefore ring, while the German Dirk Nowitzki (champion in 2011 with Dallas, 6th best scorer in history, MVP 2007), the Spaniard Pau Gasol (champion in 2009 and 2010 with the Lakers) and Dwyane Wade (champion in 2006, 2012 and 2013 with Miami, MVP of the 2006 final) are also among the twelve finalists.
When he left in 2019, Parker had the great honor, another first for a “Frenchie”, to see his number 9 jersey retired by the San Antonio Spurs, with whom he has forged an exceptional record in 17 seasons. (2001-2018), before playing one last with the Charlotte Hornets.
– With Popovich –
His appointment within the institution will also allow him to join Tim Duncan and the Argentinian Manu Ginobili, already members since 2020 and 2022. Together, they formed one of the most successful “Big3” in history and hung four rings on their fingers in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.
Parker thus became at 21 the first French crowned champion. Only Ian Mahinmi and Rodrigue Beaubois with Dallas (2011), Ronny Turiaf with Miami (2012), Boris Diaw, with “TP” and the Spurs (2014) and Axel Toupane with Milwaukee (2021) have known such consecration.
And it is the third title gleaned in 2007, at the expense of the Cavaliers of the young LeBron James, who bears his mark: with his 24.5 points on average, he was named best player in the final.
These accomplishments, plus many more – six All-Star-Game selections (2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014), three-time second best team of the season (2012, 2013, 2014), voted player of the month in the Western Conference in January 2013, eight times voted player of the week… – were successful under the leadership of Gregg Popovich.
Things being well done, the 74-year-old coach, still active at the head of Spurs, who saw in Parker the makings of a great champion on his arrival in Texas from Insep, will also be of the 2023 vintage.
– Induction on August 12 –
It is also surprising that “Pop” had to wait so long to be honored, being one of the greatest coaches in history, who guided San Antonio to their five titles, the first in 1999 already with Tim Duncan, NBA winning record holder and Olympic champion with Team USA in 2021.
But he wanted things to be done in a certain order. “To tell you what a man he is, he wanted to make sure his guys were the first in… With Parker, the gang will be full and then it will be his turn,” Hall of Fame president Jerry Colangelo said. .
The induction ceremony scheduled for August 12 in Springfield (Massachusetts) will have all the more of a Texan flavor, as Becky Hammon, former WNBA player, should be. From 2014 to 2021, she was Popovich’s assistant, becoming the first female head coach of a professional men’s team for a short interim.
For “TP”, whose CV is also provided with the France team, including a European champion title in 2013, the loop is regarding to be closed in the most beautiful way with the NBA. Or not yet. Because the owner of Asvel in France has never hidden his ambition to own a franchise in the United States.
