A distinguished guest in the Azur capital. To honor the immense career of the French basketball player, the National Sports Museum will award Tony Parker the honorary title of “Sports Legend” this Friday, June 9. The four-time NBA champion will take the opportunity to present a conference immediately afterward, which will be hosted by the prestigious Nice Opera House.
Few believed in him, yet, Tony Parker defied all expectations. It’s simple — in the early 2000s, succeeding across the Atlantic and making a name in the NBA for a European was considered a fantasy. But Parker is not like the others. He quickly proved that after his 2001 draft by the San Antonio Spurs. One rookie season and then he was among the greats, the very greats.
NBA champion at the end of the 2002-2003 season alongside Tim Duncan, Manu Ginóbili, and coach “Pop,” Parker’s legend was born. Hold on tight, the Frenchman’s record is something to be proud of. He repeated the feat in 2005 and then in 2007, where he also clinched a Finals MVP title. The ultimate individual trophy, perhaps the most difficult to achieve in the NBA. Here’s a statistic to better understand the achievement: Tony Parker is the first European to win this trophy.
“My finest title”
An All-Star six times, the Frenchman didn’t stop there, as he went on to claim one last title at the end of the 2013-2014 season. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, the legendary trio of the Miami Heat, weren’t enough to stop him. Obviously, it’s impossible to mention trios in the NBA without talking about the “Big Three” of the Spurs. Parker, Ginóbili, and Duncan spent 14 seasons together, amassing 575 victories on the scoreboard in the big league. This too is a record in the NBA.
But what about the French National Team? After multiple failures, notably against Spain’s Pau Gasol, Les Bleus won the European Cup in 2013. Full of emotions, the French team’s journey will be remembered. Tony Parker admitted afterward: “This is the finest title of my career.”
Free masterclass at the Nice Opera House
After seeing his jersey retired by the San Antonio Spurs in November 2019, Tony Parker will enter the Hall of Fame, the basketball Pantheon, on August 12. In the meantime, the National Sports Museum will award the Frenchman the honorary title of “Sports Legend” this Friday, June 9, around 3:30 PM. He follows in the footsteps of Michel Platini and Marie-José Pérec.
A bit later, at 5:30 PM, Tony Parker will lead a fully-booked conference at the Nice Opera House. It will be an opportunity for him to highlight his new career as an entrepreneur. Now retired from sports, he remains busy. From the “Tony Parker Academy” to the presidency of ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne, TP, who just celebrated his 41st birthday, certainly has much to share.
Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, and Deputy President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region will also be present.
