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But unlike Victor Wembanyama? This famous Frenchman had the decades of perspective to recognize how familiar it all looks. “The DNA is still there,” Tony Parker told the Express-News this weekend of a Spurs franchise trying to revive its glory days. “It’s the culture and everything we built for 20 years. But it’s kind of a modern way.”
It's about the reigning Rookie of the Year and the most recent No. 2 pick in the NBA draft making their forebearers proud, too. “They’re so fearless,” Parker said of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. “That’s how I was. That’s how Manu (Ginobili) was.”
Tatum also laid out countries that will likely host the 10-to-12 permanent NBA Europe franchises, identifying France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Greece. He also specifically singled out potential Euroleague clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and LDLC ASVEL (owned by former NBAer Tony Parker). “Almost like the Champions League of basketball in Europe,” Tatum said. “So brands like Real Madrid and Barca and Man City and PSG and AC Milan playing basketball. That’s pretty compelling. Not only premium live sports content that’s relevant in Europe, but it’s relevant globally. It’s relevant in Asia, it’s relevant in the United States and North America because some of the brands that we’re talking to have tremendous global followings.” He also mentioned there would likely be a bridge year before four other teams qualify for the league in Year 2, saying, “If you’re in Lithuania, if you’re in Serbia, if you’re in Croatia, other clubs in those markets, we want every team to have an opportunity to play into that top tier league.”
While you have done everything, since you became president of Asvel (2014), to be in the Euroleague… Between 2016 and 2019, there were no French clubs in the EuroLeague, and of course we wanted to join so there would be one at the highest level. That's what we did. But then, I knew very well that the NBA would come one day, and that's why we did everything we could to be ready for the NBA.
How could there be an agreement between the two entities after the statements of Paulius Motiejunas, head of the Euroleague? (1). Tony Parker: I hope they reach an agreement. Ultimately, if we have to choose between NBA Europe and the EuroLeague, I've always said we'll choose NBA Europe. Because for me, the NBA is the biggest brand in the world, and I want to be a part of it.
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The French basketball federation announced Friday that four-time NBA champion Tony Parker will take over as head coach of France’s under-17 men’s national team. The team has already qualified for next year’s FIBA U17 World Cup in Istanbul. The job will be Parker’s first head-coaching position, and the former San Antonio Spurs guard said his move to the sideline was inspired by the memory of his father, Tony Parker Sr., who died last month. Parker told ESPN’s Andscape that while sorting through his father’s belongings, he found a list of goals that Parker Sr. had written for his three sons. Among Parker Sr.’s wishes was the desire that his son Tony become a coach for the French national team and the NBA.
Tony Parker said he has turned down opportunities to be an assistant coach in the NBA but plans to pursue other coaching opportunities after the Under-17 World Cup. “It has been a year that we’ve been talking about [coaching],” Parker said about his father. “And I told him that I was missing the court. And he’s the one who was like, ‘Let’s go. Let’s coach. Let’s go on the court, help those kids. And with all that knowledge that you have, let’s put it to use.’ It’s been great what I did with winning all those championships and been great what I did with the academy, but it’s not the same as being on the court. “And so, my dad was like, ‘Let’s do it.’ That’s why it’s funny that on his birthday, October 15, I got the call that I got the job.”
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer checked one goal off his father’s wish list by agreeing to become head coach of France’s under-17 men’s basketball team participating in the 2026 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup. “When I went through his notes after he passed away, one of his notes was top 10 goals for his kids,” Tony Parker told Andscape in a phone interview. “And when it came to me, it was coaching in the NBA and coaching the national team. That’s what he put on goals for me. So, it gives me a great inspiration and great motivation to follow this dream… “I want to give back because I miss the court. I miss the adrenaline, the challenge, the drive to win something. The front office is fun, but it’s not the same as being on the court.”
According to Le Progres, per BeBasket, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne are preparing to leave the EuroLeague after the 2025-26 season and move to the Basketball Champions League, with an eye on joining the future NBA Europe project. The French powerhouse, once expected to renew its EuroLeague license, seems ready to step away from the competition. According to reports, the move comes amid mounting frustration with financial losses.
Tony Parker Senior, the beloved father of NBA four-time champion and San Antonio Spurs legend Tony Parker, has died at the age of 70. His passing was described as "sudden and unexpected" in a statement sent by Tony Parker to AFP. Parker Sr. was a familiar figure in French basketball, always present in the stands or on the sidelines, supporting his son and the sport he himself loved and played.
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Marc J. Spears: Crushed to hear about the passing of Tony Parker, Sr., father of Spurs legend @tonyparker. I was blessed to get time with this former hoop star who exuded swag, style and confidence. My condolences and prayers to the Parker family. Senior is in this video: bit.ly/2qFJVGY pic.x.com/dvOHzAhVSA
Although in its infancy, the NBA's proposal, already endorsed by governing body FIBA, sounds beneficial for the game's overall growth in Europe should all parties involved work as a team, Parker said. "I think it's a great idea," Parker told China Daily on Sunday while visiting Chengdu to promote a street basketball tournament in the Sichuan provincial capital. "If the EuroLeague, the NBA and FIBA can find a way to work together to build a strong league. That will be amazing for European basketball."
"There is a lot of room for improvement (regarding the commercial operation of clubs in Europe now). I agree with that," said Parker, who won four NBA titles with legendary teammates Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili from 2003-14 and was awarded the Finals MVP in 2007. "At the end of the day, we are talking and we are trying to go in the right direction. For me, as an owner of a French club, having an agreement between the three (NBA, FIBA and EuroLeague) is the key to the success of European basketball. NBA Europe league for me is just a matter of time. They are coming, and it's going to happen. The NBA is a very strong brand that is recognized around the world, and in Europe, everybody knows the NBA for sure. That's why I think the NBA can be very helpful to help elevate the game's profile in Europe.'
So which NBA players deserve praise for cutting into their vacation time to spend their summers on the court? Using the FIBA website and other sources, we tracked the players who have spent the most years representing their countries in international competitions. Among players with at least one NBA All-Star appearance, No. 1 is Pau Gasol, widely regarded as the GOAT of FIBA tournaments, followed by his brother Marc and Slovenian star Goran Dragic. While the Gasol brothers and Tony Parker, also high on this list, were always competing for medals, some other stars did not and still devoted plenty of time to FIBA tournaments. Dirk Nowitzki, who rarely had teammates anywhere near his level and only won two medals with Germany, would be a prime example.