Tony Parker

About Tony Parker

William Anthony "Tony" Parker (born May 17, 1982(1982-05-17)) is a French professional basketball player for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs and member of France's national basketball team. Brought up in a family with close ties to basketball, Parker played for two years in the French basketball league before entering the 2001 NBA Draft. He was selected by the San Antonio Spurs and quickly became their starting point guard, helping the Spurs win three NBA Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Employing his pace and high field goal percentage to great effect, Parker has been selected as an NBA All-Star twice and was the 2007 NBA Finals MVP. He married actress Eva Longoria, best known for her role in the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, on 7 July 2007.

Parker was born in Bruges, Belgium, but raised in France. His father, Tony Parker Sr., an African-American, played basketball at Loyola University Chicago, as well as professionally overseas. His mother, Pamela Firestone, was a Dutch model. Parker enjoyed close relationships with his brothers and they would often attend their father's basketball games together. At first, Parker was more interested in soccer, but after watching the evolution of Michael Jordan into a global basketball superstar, he changed his mind. Moreover, Parker's two younger brothers were also heavily involved in basketball; T.J. and Pierre would go on to play basketball at professional and college levels respectively. As Parker built his skill, his lack of size (notwithstanding a growth spurt at 15) decided his position on-court. He played the point guard position, recognizing that his speed and agility made this station ideal for him. He was eventually talent-spotted and asked to attend the National Institute for Sports and Physical Education in Paris. After playing in the French minors for two seasons, Parker turned professional and signed with Paris Basket Racing in 1999.

In the summer of 2000, Parker was invited to the Nike Hoop Summit in Indianapolis. There, in front of professional scouts and college coaches, he competed against the likes of future NBA players Darius Miles, Zach Randolph and Omar Cook. In a contest between the American and European All-Stars, Parker recorded 20 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals. The Frenchman's performance prompted a recruiting war between several colleges, including UCLA and Georgia Tech who were on the verge of persuading Parker to join them. However, Parker decided to forgo the NCAA and remain in France; he spent the next two years with Racing in the French championship before entering the 2001 NBA Draft.