Tony Parker’s farewell tour of the big league was a strange one, having spent his last career campaign with the Hornets. In 2019, the legend of the French team had broached the subject just after announcing that he was ending his career. The Hall of Famer’s words were strong.
Who among the international players can claim to have had a greater prize list than Tony Parker? Only Giannis Antetokounmpo seems able to get close. Quadruple NBA champion, MVP of the Finals in 2007 and member of one of the greatest dynasties in history, the playmaker has known everything with the Spurs. Except his last career season…
Indeed, it was in Charlotte that the Frenchman played his last pro matches before retiring following the 2018-19 season. This single year in North Carolina was enough to confirm him in his choice to say stop. Then 36 years old, the star of the Blues was only a shadow of himself for a few months, unable to hold. As he explained to Andscape right after his retirement, there was no longer any procrastinating.
Tony Parker lucid about his retirement from the prosecution
Many things led me to make this decision. But at the end of the day, I said to myself that if I couldn’t be Tony Parker anymore and I couldn’t fight for a title anymore, I didn’t want to play basketball anymore… I had a great time in Charlotte. It’s very different for me after 17 years with Spurs. So I knew the weather had changed and I was very nostalgic.
Being away from my family in San Antonio also played a part in my decision to retire, and I came to the conclusion that it was time to move on. I have many wonderful things in my life. A beautiful family. Beautiful children. So I wanted to spend more time with them.
As TP points out, his relatives would have seen him play one last lap in the big league, but he already had something else in mind. As the chances of being able to return to Texas also seemed quite reduced, we might as well hang up the sneakers for good and focus on what’s next. It must be said that the neo-Hall of Famer had perfectly anticipated this moment:
It’s funny because my family, more than my friends, is like, “Oh, come on. Do one more. Do one more”. Me, I had been at peace with this decision for a long time because I prepared for it, with everything I do, the two teams I have in France and the opening of my international school in September. I have so many things to do that I have always been at peace with this decision.
Author of an immense career on the basketball courts, Tony Parker has also experienced a most successful career change. What allow him to experience no regrets about his retirement, even if he could not perform it under the jersey of Spurs for whom he played for 17 years.
2023-04-29 20:20:00
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