Four years after ending his career, Tony Parker will join the Hall of Fame next August, alongside his former San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, becoming the first Frenchman to receive this honor.
Tony Parker will leave his mark a little more in the history of French basketball. While he ended his career in 2019 after a final season in the colors of the Charlotte Hornets, the one who will always remain linked to the San Antonio Spurs, who retired his number 9 in November 2019, will receive next August the most great honor that can be done in basketball. After being named last December and then selected as a finalist in February, Tony Parker will enter the very prestigious Hall of Fame in a few months.
Indeed, according to information from the journalist of the American channel ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski, “TP” is one of the few personalities who will join the Orange Ball Hall of Fame, named after the creator of the sport James Naismith and located in Springfield, Massachusetts. An unprecedented honor for a French player who comes to crown a full career in the NBA, which saw him become the first Habs to win the title and the first European to be voted best player in the Finals, but also in the France team.
ESPN Sources: Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Becky Hammon and Gregg Popovich are among the finalists who’ve been elected into Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2023. Formal announcement will come at Final Four in Houston this weekend.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 29, 2023
Parker alongside Popovich
Indeed, the 2013 European champion with the Blues is part of the selection of personalities who will enter the Hall of Fame this year, which will be confirmed next weekend at the Final Four of the NCAA championship, which will take place at NRG Stadium in Houston. A 2023 vintage which will be deeply linked to the San Antonio Spurs since Tony Parker will not be the only personality linked to the Texas franchise to enter it.
“TP” will be joined by lifelong coach Gregg Popovich and six-time WNBA All-Star Becky Hammon, who served on the Spurs coaching staff after playing for the San Antonio Silver Stars between 2007 and 2014. The former Russian international even became the first woman to lead an NBA roster in the 2020-21 season after Gregg Popovich was sent off. Pau Gasol, Spurs player between 2016 and 2019, will also be there, as will Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki. The entrance ceremony is already scheduled for August 12.
