French basketball player Tony Parker was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this Saturday, August 12, making him one of the biggest names in orange ball history. He becomes the first Frenchman to be part of it.
He never thought about it, even in his wildest dreams as a young teenager, as he often explained. But now, Tony Parker is forever in the basketball pantheon. This Saturday August 12, the Frenchman, who played for the San Antonio Spurs and the Charlotte Hornets between 2001 and 2019, had the honor of being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
An honor reserved for the greatest basketball players and on the vote of their friends. But above all, a first for a French basketball player.
An induction alongside legends of the orange ball
During the first ceremony, which took place on the night of Saturday August 12, “TP” was able to put on the ring and the famous orange jacket of the elected inductees into the Hall of Fame, like other legends of this class of 2023 Among them were Dirk Nowitzki, Becky Hammon, Dwayne Wade, Pau Gasol but especially his former Spurs coach and the one he considered a second father: Gregg Popovich.
During his very long career in the NBA, which began in 2001 with the San Antonio Spurs as the 28th choice of the 2001 Draft, Tony Parker shone around Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. Three members of a historic trio and winner of four NBA championship titles (2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014).
Crowned with an NBA Finals MVP title in 2007, Tony Parker left an important mark on the North American championship with the “tear drop”, his signature shot, and his speed, very impactful as a point guard of the 2000s. .
A historic summer for French basketball
Tony Parker’s historic weekend is not over, however. On the night of Saturday August 12 to Sunday August 13, the former player of the France team will be entitled to a speech delivered by Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, already members of the Hall of Fame for three and one year respectively, and broadcast on BeIN Sports 2 at 2am.
A moment of emotion and major importance for French basketball, a few months after the selection of Victor Wembanyama as the first choice of the 2023 NBA Draft. And a few weeks before an important Basketball World Cup for the Blues of Vincent Collet, who dream of world gold.
