Kori Ellis
12-01-2004, 03:11 PM
http://sports.ign.com/articles/569/569642p2.html?fromint=1
November 30, 2004 - When Tony Parker was selected with the last pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA draft, most American NBA fans did not have a clue as to who this kid was.
But true b-ball fans would have told you he had a game that was different in a quiet way.
The young no-name kid from France made a big splash at the 2000 Nike Summit in Indianapolis where he posted 20 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals in 30 minutes of work against the likes of U.S stars Darius Miles, Zach Randolph and Omar Cook.
That was the event that opened the eyes of hoop fans.
NBA scouts already knew who he was from his days on France's Junior National Team in the European Championships in both 1998 and 2000, but that was the game that solidified his spot in the draft. That was the day where he proved he belonged.
Parker is one of the up-and-coming young point guards in the NBA, and from his first San Antonio dribble, he's made an impact on the success of his team. In his second year in the league he led the Spurs to the NBA Championship, and now he's looking to take them back to the Finals once again.
IGN Sports caught up with the young man running things in the lone star state to talk about playing the point, basketball across the pound, and his love for video games.
IGN Sports: How did you spend your summer this past off-season?
Tony Parker: I just basically worked on my game. That's all I do all summer long.
IGN Sports: What was the one thing that you wanted to work on to improve your game?
Tony Parker: I tried to improve everything, especially working on my outside shot because I am trying to be consistent with it. That was the main thing I focused on, and trying to get stronger working on my body.
IGN Sports: You play for the French National team, is it hard trying to make the adjustment going back overseas to play, then coming back to play for the Spurs.
Tony Parker: Not really. Balling is balling, it is all just basketball for me and I'm used to playing both games, so it really does not matter if it is international style, American style, it does not matter at all for me.
IGN Sports: You were in the inaugural 989 Sports Skills Challenge at the 2003 NBA All-Star Weekend. Did it kind of remind you of when you first got involved with the game, learning the basic fundamentals of the game, but at a higher level of competition?
Tony Parker: Just a little bit, but we do that a lot during training camp with coach Pop (Greg Popovich). And coming from France, in the European game, that is all we do is the fundamentals and the basics of the game. That's all we do.
IGN Sports: When you look at the kids that play overseas and you compare them to the kids that come out of high school and college early in the U.S., what is the biggest difference that you see in the two?
Tony Parker: I think it's experience. When I was 17, I was playing professionally against guys that were 30 and 35 years old, but when you take a guy from high school, they basically play against the guys at the same age that are smaller than them and so they just dominate them because their opponents are so little. Where we come in from Europe, we play against guys that are vets, so we have a little more experience.
IGN Sports: I hear you're big into playing video games. What is your favorite game to play right now?
Tony Parker: I would have to say Halo 2 is one of my favorites. It's great because I have a lot of friends and family that like to play. It's good to pick games where we could play like six or eight players at once and just battle. I just like everything about it, man. That game is just great.
IGN Sports: What is it like to be on the cover of NBA Live 2005 over in France?
Tony Parker: It's great, it's like a dream come true because I always played video games when I was small, so it was just a great feeling and it makes me feel proud to see myself on the cover.
IGN Sports: Who would you say is the best on your team at playing Live between Tim Duncan, Malik Rose and you?
Tony Parker: Everybody is pretty good, everybody plays well…we all play video games on the planes. We don't keep track of who is winning the most. I have no idea.
IGN Sports: Back to real-life hoops, how big of an influence was your dad on you in developing your game?
Tony Parker: It is huge. He came out to a couple of American games and it helps a lot, especially on the mental part.
IGN Sports: Do you think that is the biggest obstacle that most players struggle with coming into the leagues?
Tony Parker: I think so because the NBA is a big challenge. Every night you have different match-ups and you have 82 games, so physically you are going to get tired. You have to be ready mentally to bring your energy and bring the juice every night.
IGN Sports: Let me turn back the clock for a minute, what was it like in 2003 winning the NBA Championship and what do you remember most about that season?
Tony Parker: It was just an awesome year. Being that it was just my sophomore year and going all the way to the championship, all the memories, all the big wins we had and the ultimate was to get the trophy. It was just unbelievable.
IGN Sports: The Spurs added "Bones" aka Brent Barry to this team in the off season, what is it like playing with him?
Tony Parker: Oh, he is great. He makes my job a lot easier. He is a great shooter and he is going to spread out the defense because you have to respect his shot and that opens stuff for me and Manu and Timmy, so it is great.
IGN Sports: Every night it seems like you are going up against a tough point guard in the league, take me through your mind set on what it is like mentally facing these guys night-after-night?
Tony Parker: Like I said the NBA is all about match-ups and you play great guards every night. That's all what it is about, competing and battling. It gives me a lot of motivation to play against them.
IGN Sports: Are surprised that you have not been selected to a NBA All-Star roster yet, even though you have had great success early in your career?
Tony Parker: I get closer every year and it is just a matter of time. I am not surprised because we have a lot of great guards in the league right now and I am still young. My time is going to come.
IGN Sports: You just mentioned the word young, do you think today's young athletes are worth the salaries they are being paid?
Tony Parker: The only thing I want to say about that is that we put in a lot of work. We have a lot of games and we take a lot physically. Do they think we are overpaid or are good enough? I don't know, but I do know we are working hard to get that money.
IGN Sports: What do you like to do away from the game knowing that you have to be off your legs a lot in order to rest properly during a long season?
Tony Parker: Chillin', just watching movies, you know, and getting lots of sleep.
Parker's laid back personality is one of his biggest weapons as he continues to learn the point position. With the absence of Shaquille O'Neal in the Western Conference, Parker and the rest of his teammates are poised to make a run at the NBA Championship once again.
November 30, 2004 - When Tony Parker was selected with the last pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA draft, most American NBA fans did not have a clue as to who this kid was.
But true b-ball fans would have told you he had a game that was different in a quiet way.
The young no-name kid from France made a big splash at the 2000 Nike Summit in Indianapolis where he posted 20 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals in 30 minutes of work against the likes of U.S stars Darius Miles, Zach Randolph and Omar Cook.
That was the event that opened the eyes of hoop fans.
NBA scouts already knew who he was from his days on France's Junior National Team in the European Championships in both 1998 and 2000, but that was the game that solidified his spot in the draft. That was the day where he proved he belonged.
Parker is one of the up-and-coming young point guards in the NBA, and from his first San Antonio dribble, he's made an impact on the success of his team. In his second year in the league he led the Spurs to the NBA Championship, and now he's looking to take them back to the Finals once again.
IGN Sports caught up with the young man running things in the lone star state to talk about playing the point, basketball across the pound, and his love for video games.
IGN Sports: How did you spend your summer this past off-season?
Tony Parker: I just basically worked on my game. That's all I do all summer long.
IGN Sports: What was the one thing that you wanted to work on to improve your game?
Tony Parker: I tried to improve everything, especially working on my outside shot because I am trying to be consistent with it. That was the main thing I focused on, and trying to get stronger working on my body.
IGN Sports: You play for the French National team, is it hard trying to make the adjustment going back overseas to play, then coming back to play for the Spurs.
Tony Parker: Not really. Balling is balling, it is all just basketball for me and I'm used to playing both games, so it really does not matter if it is international style, American style, it does not matter at all for me.
IGN Sports: You were in the inaugural 989 Sports Skills Challenge at the 2003 NBA All-Star Weekend. Did it kind of remind you of when you first got involved with the game, learning the basic fundamentals of the game, but at a higher level of competition?
Tony Parker: Just a little bit, but we do that a lot during training camp with coach Pop (Greg Popovich). And coming from France, in the European game, that is all we do is the fundamentals and the basics of the game. That's all we do.
IGN Sports: When you look at the kids that play overseas and you compare them to the kids that come out of high school and college early in the U.S., what is the biggest difference that you see in the two?
Tony Parker: I think it's experience. When I was 17, I was playing professionally against guys that were 30 and 35 years old, but when you take a guy from high school, they basically play against the guys at the same age that are smaller than them and so they just dominate them because their opponents are so little. Where we come in from Europe, we play against guys that are vets, so we have a little more experience.
IGN Sports: I hear you're big into playing video games. What is your favorite game to play right now?
Tony Parker: I would have to say Halo 2 is one of my favorites. It's great because I have a lot of friends and family that like to play. It's good to pick games where we could play like six or eight players at once and just battle. I just like everything about it, man. That game is just great.
IGN Sports: What is it like to be on the cover of NBA Live 2005 over in France?
Tony Parker: It's great, it's like a dream come true because I always played video games when I was small, so it was just a great feeling and it makes me feel proud to see myself on the cover.
IGN Sports: Who would you say is the best on your team at playing Live between Tim Duncan, Malik Rose and you?
Tony Parker: Everybody is pretty good, everybody plays well…we all play video games on the planes. We don't keep track of who is winning the most. I have no idea.
IGN Sports: Back to real-life hoops, how big of an influence was your dad on you in developing your game?
Tony Parker: It is huge. He came out to a couple of American games and it helps a lot, especially on the mental part.
IGN Sports: Do you think that is the biggest obstacle that most players struggle with coming into the leagues?
Tony Parker: I think so because the NBA is a big challenge. Every night you have different match-ups and you have 82 games, so physically you are going to get tired. You have to be ready mentally to bring your energy and bring the juice every night.
IGN Sports: Let me turn back the clock for a minute, what was it like in 2003 winning the NBA Championship and what do you remember most about that season?
Tony Parker: It was just an awesome year. Being that it was just my sophomore year and going all the way to the championship, all the memories, all the big wins we had and the ultimate was to get the trophy. It was just unbelievable.
IGN Sports: The Spurs added "Bones" aka Brent Barry to this team in the off season, what is it like playing with him?
Tony Parker: Oh, he is great. He makes my job a lot easier. He is a great shooter and he is going to spread out the defense because you have to respect his shot and that opens stuff for me and Manu and Timmy, so it is great.
IGN Sports: Every night it seems like you are going up against a tough point guard in the league, take me through your mind set on what it is like mentally facing these guys night-after-night?
Tony Parker: Like I said the NBA is all about match-ups and you play great guards every night. That's all what it is about, competing and battling. It gives me a lot of motivation to play against them.
IGN Sports: Are surprised that you have not been selected to a NBA All-Star roster yet, even though you have had great success early in your career?
Tony Parker: I get closer every year and it is just a matter of time. I am not surprised because we have a lot of great guards in the league right now and I am still young. My time is going to come.
IGN Sports: You just mentioned the word young, do you think today's young athletes are worth the salaries they are being paid?
Tony Parker: The only thing I want to say about that is that we put in a lot of work. We have a lot of games and we take a lot physically. Do they think we are overpaid or are good enough? I don't know, but I do know we are working hard to get that money.
IGN Sports: What do you like to do away from the game knowing that you have to be off your legs a lot in order to rest properly during a long season?
Tony Parker: Chillin', just watching movies, you know, and getting lots of sleep.
Parker's laid back personality is one of his biggest weapons as he continues to learn the point position. With the absence of Shaquille O'Neal in the Western Conference, Parker and the rest of his teammates are poised to make a run at the NBA Championship once again.