All-Star Tony Parker Named to All-Time NBA European First Team
Spurs legend Tony Park has been named to the All-Time NBA European First Team. (Photo via SACurrent)
Former San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker has just been named to the All-Time NBA European First Team. This honor places him alongside other European greats Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dirk Nowitzki, and Pau Gasol.
Tony Parker Has Been Named to the All-Time NBA European First Team
The All-Time NBA European First Team was selected through the NBA 75 Euro Vote in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the NBA. Votes were also cast for an All-Time NBA European Second Team. Half the results were determined by a panel, while the other half were decided by fans. Parker was among those picked by fans for the honor.
George Aivazoglou, NBA head of fan engagement and direct-to-consumer for Europe and the Middle East, said, “As we celebrate our landmark 75th anniversary season, it is fitting to recognize and honor the best European players of all time, all of whom have inspired generations of players and fans across the continent and around the world.”
Tony Parker hails from France, where he played for the professional club Paris Basket Racing (PBR) for several years. In 2001, he joined the San Antonio Spurs, where he remained until 2018.
When Parker first was drafted, he reports that Tim Duncan responded, “But why are we drafting a European point guard? We’ll never win a title with a European point guard.” Thankfully, Duncan’s initial impressions were completely wrong. Parker became a four-time NBA champion, a six-time NBA All-Star, and achieved quite a few other impressive career highlights as well. Over the course of his career, he racked up 7,036 assists and 19,473 points.
Quite a few fans initially shared Duncan’s skepticism concerning Tony Parker. It took a while for them to properly take notice of him. Indeed, he spent the early part of his career very much in Duncan’s shadow, despite his own obvious skills on the court. Even later in his career, he continued to be underrated. It is fair to say that this had more to do with Tim Duncan being the legend that he is than it did to do with Parker himself.
But after proving himself over 17 years with the Spurs, fans too have done a 180 degree turn in their opinions regarding Parker. With his selection to the All-Time NBA European First Team as part of the NBA 75th anniversary celebration, it is great to see Parker’s outstanding contributions to Spurs basketball getting the recognition they deserve.