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I dreamed about the NBA when I was little,
but I never thought I'd win a championship or have my number retired.
Champions, baby!
Hard work, dedication, commitment.
The young French player Tony Parker
has his sights set very high.
Since I was little, my goal has been to play in the NBA.
It's the world's greatest league and the top level of play.
If you're not jumping, you're not French!
He was great
from the start.
He wins.
We are the champions!
What I've done in the past 20 years
has been beyond my wildest dreams.
France National Basketball Team captain Tony Parker
was made Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.
What an experience!
He can be proud of his career
because he left his mark
not only on the history of France but on the NBA as well.
Hats off to him.
This is where I live.
I accomplished everything I wanted to in basketball, and I felt good.
I was ready to start a new chapter.
TONY PARKER PLAYED 1,254 GAMES IN THE NBA.
HE WON 4 CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS.
HE WAS A SIX-TIME NBA ALL-STAR AND THE 2007 NBA FINALS MVP.
For me, there's Michael Jordan and then everyone else.
In French basketball, there's Tony Parker and everyone else…
WORLD CUP SOCCER WINNER TONY PARKER'S FRIEND
…no question about it.
THE SON OF A DUTCH MOTHER
AND AN AMERICAN FATHER WHO PLAYED BASKETBALL IN EUROPE,
TONY PARKER WAS BORN ON MAY 17, 1982 IN BRUGES, BELGIUM.
HE HAS TWO BROTHERS, TJ AND PIERRE.
His father was a great basketball player,
so Tony loved basketball from an early age.
TONY PARKER'S MOTHER
…left-handed underneath the basket, but he misses, and here comes Parker.
Here he comes, and bang!
They went to every game as boys.
It was basketball, basketball, all the time.
It was a major part of life.
Time is running out now. Keeps going. To Parker.
He pulls himself up. And the excitement…
Growing up, I had the best of both worlds,
or I tried to make the best of both worlds with a European mother
and an American father.
On the American side, you have the unshakable confidence.
You believe in the impossible and always stay positive.
And my mother was there to keep our feet on the ground.
Don't get carried away when times are good,
but go easy on yourself when they're bad.
Find a balance and a middle ground.
Together, the two sides make a Molotov cocktail.
That's where my mentality comes from.
AT AGE 10, TONY PARKER JOINED HIS FIRST CLUB TEAM,
FECAMP, IN NORMANDY, FRANCE.
From the age of 6 to 14,
he was with me all the time.
We never went on summer vacation. We always did basketball camps.
TONY PARKER'S FATHER
My dad was very strict with us when we were growing up.
But when you have three boys,
and early on, my mom wasn't around because she had to be in Holland,
I think my dad was just doing his best.
He instilled discipline in us, developed our character.
I learned a winning mindset from my dad.
This is Chicago vs. San Antonio.
One Christmas,
we traveled home to the States
during the Jordan era.
I called up, got tickets, and we went to a game.
Tony was ten, Terrence eight, Pierre six.
He was my idol.
When I was little, I had his poster in my room.
I wanted to be like him, play in the NBA.
I think he saw in him a leader.
He saw someone who took care of his team…
JOURNALIST
…who made sure his team won by doing things the right way.
Having this attitude, like,
"nothing bothers me."
I had the opportunity to coach against him back in 1997.
I had never seen someone so young play so dominantly.
HEAD COACH - FRANCE NATIONAL TEAM
I was coaching the opposing team, a group of young guys,
and he outplayed everyone.
He was so fast.
It was non-stop layups the whole game.
He could do as he pleased.
On the court, he was the smallest, but he was the best.
He was the most skilled.
He was fast both on the court and in developing his game.
He was always ahead of his generation.
JULY 6, 2018
TONY PARKER IS PREPARING FOR THE FINAL SEASON OF HIS CAREER.
I know I've made the right decision
because in San Antonio, it was going to be tough, let's just say.
In Charlotte, I have a real role to play.
I knew playing basketball wouldn't be the same.
I wanted to go to Charlotte to have another good season,
play hard, show everyone I'm back
and that I can play at a very high level.
JOURNALIST
He didn't stay in San Antonio
because he felt disrespected by the Spurs' final offer.
He was told he would be the third-string point guard.
That wasn't right for him.
He wanted to prove he could still play, and since he wouldn't play with the Spurs,
he had to go somewhere else.
IN 2010, MICHAEL JORDAN BECAME THE OWNER OF THE CHARLOTTE BOBCATS,
LATER RENAMED THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS.
It happened very fast.
I got a call from Jordan, saying how pleased he was
and how much he wanted me to play there.
Things came full circle.
It's funny to say I played my final NBA season on his team.
That phone call
really changed everything,
having his "idol" convince him to go through with it.
Five minutes into the first practice,
he started losing his temper, and it was because of me.
I think he wanted to show right away
who he was and why he was there.
HEAD COACH
IN 1997, TONY PARKER WAS 15 YEARS OLD
WHEN HE LEFT HIS FAMILY IN NORMANDY TO JOIN FRANCE'S TOP BASKETBALL ACADEMY.
I drove up to INSEP in my mom's old 2CV.
That's how I first discovered the campus.
They weren't sure if they wanted to take me.
They thought I was too small and too skinny.
How you doing?
Hi.
There were better players out there when I was young,
but one area where no one could beat me was my mentality.
Hey.
-How you doing? -Hey.
You good?
Among youth players, he was already well known as an incredible talent
and the best player in his generation.
When I got to INSEP, I had already heard about him.
I remember at the first practice,
the first time we played against each other,
he got open, got the ball back.
He scored easily,
playing one-handed. He scored right over me.
It was tough, swallowing my pride that day.
If he had to break a wall, he would.
Despite his size back then, if he had to drive
and score over these big dudes, he was going to do it.
Every time he made a basket, he'd wind up on the ground.
Every time he'd shoot, he'd wind up on the ground.
We wondered how he didn't get injured.
But he always got up. That was just how he played.
Back in '98, he knew what he wanted.
He knew he wanted to play in the NBA.
He wanted to go as far as he could,
become a world-famous player.
He always knew
that if you worked hard, you got rewarded.
We had to work hard over the summer.
We were given two weeks of training to do at the track.
Day one, it was me and my 14 classmates.
Day two, there were only nine of us.
Day three, six. By day four, it was just me.
I figured I was just different.
I am different, much more disciplined.
I've always worked harder.
The fact that some people found Tony…
arrogant back then doesn't surprise me at all.
I saw early on the unshakable confidence he had
in himself and in his goals, and he wasn't ashamed of that.
And he wasn't ashamed of that.
I didn't realize it back then because, when you're 15 or 16,
and you love something and have a lot of heart,
you speak from the heart.
You state your goals.
All I was trying to do was share my passion.
JULY 23, 2000, DIAW, TURIAF, AND PARKER
TAKE FRANCE TO THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP FOR JUNIORS
TO FACE A SKILLED CROATIAN TEAM ON THEIR HOME COURT.
That's where I first felt that burning desire
and made a promise to myself
that I was going to bring home France's first championship.
We were 17 or 18.
We were beginning our careers as pros.
Our families were there,
maybe five or six family members in the stands in a crowd of 5,000.
As I was coming in, the coach said, "Ronny, listen."
"Run and score that basket."
Six seconds to the European title. Frappeau moves in.
He's alone… Scores!
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP FOR JUNIORS FRANCE 65 - CROATIA 64
The place erupted, complete pandemonium, and it…
It was bigger than us.
Champions, baby!
Yeah, we were a band of brothers.
We were a little naive, a little reckless.
It was the start of something great with friends
who I still have to this day.
We are, we are the champions!
The 2000 Championship validated
all the dreams we had, all the things we stayed up talking about
until two in the morning.
We'd have class four or five hours later,
but we'd stay up talking about life.
Tony would show us his red notebook with Jordan on it,
saying, "We'll be champions one day," do this and that. We'd be all, "Yeah!"
Those things stay with you for the rest of your life.
Get him in the shower!
Pierre!
Get in the shower!
AFTER INSEP, TONY PARKER STARTED HIS PRO CAREER
AT PARIS BASKET RACING IN THE FRENCH BASKETBALL LEAGUE.
HE DEVELOPED FOR TWO YEARS, FROM 1999 TO 2001,
BEFORE TAKING OFF FOR THE UNITED STATES.
Player of the Game, Tony Parker, is only 17,
one of the best prospects in French basketball.
Speed, fast breaks, transitions, that's my game.
That's why I think my style of play is more like American basketball.
IN SUMMER OF 2001, TONY PARKER DECIDED TO ENTER THE NBA DRAFT.
THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS SHOWED INTEREST AND GAVE HIM A TRYOUT.
The draft is every year in June in New York.
That's where all 30 NBA franchises
over the course of two rounds
have their pick of the world's best young players.
European players weren't as respected then as they are now,
certainly not point guards.
The point guard is an American creation for American-style play.
So, of course, no one was fighting over Tony Parker.
CEO
HEAD COACH
GREGG POPOVICH HAS BEEN THE SPURS HEAD COACH SINCE 1996.
HE HAS THE MOST WINS IN NBA HISTORY.
I got off a ten-hour flight in Chicago
and immediately went to try out with the Spurs.
I was terrible.
Then I tried out for other teams
and tore it up at the other tryouts.
So, the Spurs had me try out a second time, and I tore it up,
played well, and Pop said to me,
"If you're available, we'll take you in the first round."
JUNE 27, 2001, NEW YORK NBA DRAFT
An NBA rep
came to tell me Boston would take me, so I had to come down.
She gave me the hat.
Then 45 seconds or so later, she says, "Boston changed its mind."
I gave her the hat back and returned to my seat.
I was like, "Oh, well."
We were relieved because we didn't know if he would get drafted or not.
And then San Antonio took him.
We went crazy.
It's a moment I'll never forget.
IN THE 28TH DRAFT PICK IN 2001,
TONY PARKER BECAME THE 5TH FRENCH PLAYER TO GET DRAFTED INTO THE NBA.
IT'S PARKER TIME
I thought it was good he got there, but now it gets difficult.
He was going to have to adapt to American-style play
in the best league in the world.
I just order 12 glazed,
which is for most of my teammates,
and six coconut because Tim Duncan loves them.
Steve Smith wants a small coffee every morning.
This is my job as a rookie, to get doughnuts for my teammates.
We still hadn't seen a French player stand out in the NBA,
so we were curious.
At least that was the case for me.
I was curious to see what would happen with the San Antonio Spurs,
which was an NBA-title contender at the time.
It wasn't a team that was developing young talent.
He was coming onto a team that wanted to win the championship.
He didn't speak to me
for the first year.
I think he was testing me.
He wanted to see if I was mentally capable
of being the point guard the Spurs needed to get to the Finals.
And I'll always be thankful for that
because I used that for motivation, to show him.
We went to the first game, and he managed to score six points.
Not bad.
The second game, he scored 12 or 14 points.
Great.
And every time I would ask my ex-husband,
"Is this normal?" He would say, "No!"
And that was that. It was amazing to see.
OCTOBER 30, 2001, TONY'S FIRST POINTS IN THE NBA
Because I knew
that the NBA was incredibly difficult. I just thought, "Wow."
AFTER ONLY 5 GAMES,
TONY PARKER BEAT OUT ANTONIO DANIELS AND TERRY PORTER
TO JOIN THE STARTING FIVE.
We had just finished the fourth game of the season,
and we hadn't played very well.
Pop called me on the plane and said,
"You're going to start the next game."
The first thing I asked was if Tim was okay with it.
He was the star of the team.
I wanted to make sure
that he was all right with it,
that from now on, a little French point guard
would be passing him the ball.
NOVEMBER 6, 2001,
TONY PARKER BECOMES THE YOUNGEST STARTING POINT GUARD
IN THE HISTORY OF THE NBA.
I said to him,
"If he's talking to you, it means he appreciates you."
"It means you're fine."
"It's for your own good."
"I know it's not easy to get yelled at live on TV,
but see it as a good thing."
Of course a lot of the time,
he crossed the line. He went way too far.
But for me, it was normal to show the coach respect,
to respect those above you.
I was looking at the big picture, and I knew why he was doing it.
From a very young age, I've known what I wanted.
I knew the sacrifices it would take
to become a pro basketball player and make my dreams come true.
I loved the sport. I wanted to have aspirations,
big aspirations.
I remember a story that was pretty unbelievable.
He was playing for the Spurs. He was a rookie on the starting five…
TONY PARKER'S FRIEND
…and he had calculated
the average salary of NBA point guards based on their status.
He asked for several million dollars,
and they offered him a quarter of what he deserved.
And from there,
he didn't hold back.
He told them that, at the end of his contract,
he would play somewhere else if they didn't sign.
You may become
the highest-paid athlete in the history of French sports.
Do you realize that?
I couldn't care less about that.
I may be at the same level as Zidane,
but I'm less well known because I'm in the U.S.
Happiness for me is being with my family and friends,
playing good basketball, and trying to win the championship.
Of course money is nice, but it's not everything.
From the beginning,
I had to show that I was completely fearless,
that I could play in the NBA.
That was my motivation,
showing them that French players could play
and that you could win with a European point guard.
The San Antonio Spurs with point guard Tony Parker
have made it to the Western Conference Finals,
beating the team with three consecutive titles,
the Los Angeles Lakers, in a 110-82 victory.
The 21-year-old Parker hopes to become the first French player
to win the most prestigious title in basketball
against New Jersey.
San Antonio is one game away from winning it all.
If they beat New Jersey tonight, Tony Parker will be the first Frenchman
to win an NBA championship.
2003 FINALS
This is only the beginning.
I'm going to keep working hard, progressing.
We're a young team. Tim Duncan is 26. I'm 21.
I really feel we can win three or four more.
Of course, it was my second year in the NBA.
I was 21, and we were NBA champions.
So I didn't have a realistic sense
of how hard it is to win a championship.
He was 21,
a little French guy
with Tim Duncan, David Robinson. You saw him there with all of them.
That was very moving,
incredibly moving. It makes you very, very proud.
PARKER AMONG THE GREATEST
"I'M A WINNING MACHINE"
AFTER WINNING HIS FIRST TITLE,
TONY JOINED THE FRANCE NATIONAL TEAM FOR THE 2003 EURO CUP IN SWEDEN.
AT AGE 21, HE BECAME THE CAPTAIN OF "LES BLEUS" FOR THE FIRST TIME.
It was his first NBA title,
and we saw the excitement surrounding him
because no one was ready for it.
We've never seen anything like it,
not even with the biggest names in French basketball.
He had just had an excellent season
winning the NBA title…
FRANCE NATIONAL TEAM 1993-2003
…so he was on a higher level than us. That's just the truth.
That became a concern on the court.
There was jealousy
and other things that disrupted team cohesiveness.
Contrary to what some may think,
saying there was a lot of jealousy
with Tony's already playing in the NBA and all that,
it's all lies.
No one back then thought he was too young.
We didn't have a problem with it.
2003 EURO SEMI-FINAL FRANCE - LITHUANIA 70-74
We were ahead five points in the semifinal against Lithuania,
and Tony lost the ball
at half-court on the deciding possession.
PARKER, THE ABANDONED CAPTAIN
FRENCH TEAM FALLS SHORT OF PODIUM IN 2003 EURO CUP
Back then, the only time I had been critical
was after he said,
a bit tactlessly on his part, that he couldn't do it all by himself.
Dreams of the Olympics are over, tragically,
and Tony Parker will return to the NBA without a medal around his neck.
But for him, nothing to feel guilty about, as against Lithuania,
he attempted the final shot that no one else wanted to take.
3RD PLACE GAME, EURO 2003 FRANCE-ITALY 67-69
It's hard to swallow because we were a better team.
Some players weren't ready at the start. They looked like they didn't want to play.
Not much to do about that. I can't do everything by myself.
I don't think people are aware of everything I did
and how much I invested to make my teammates happy
and make sure we won together.
When you're a very dominant player, you're the one who has to adapt.
IN 2005, TONY PARKER CONTINUED HIS METEORIC RISE,
CHASING A SECOND NBA CHAMPIONSHIP.
In my first two years, Tim Duncan was league MVP,
so he was really amazing,
and Manu was a rookie in my second year.
We quickly realized that if we wanted to win more championships,
we would have to become All-Stars.
That's what we did, Manu in 2005, myself in 2006.
That's when people started calling us "The Big Three."
That was when that started.
JULY 5TH
IN 2005, THE SPURS WERE BACK IN THE FINALS FACING THE DETROIT PISTONS.
2005 FINALS
It was Game 7, so it was amazing
because the championship was riding on one game.
Once you win one championship, you're hooked.
It's like a drug. You want to keep having that feeling,
that feeling of victory.
There's no secret or luck to it.
If you want to stay in this league,
you have to keep wanting it, to stay hungry.
With San Antonio,
we never stopped chasing championships.
-Is it ready? -Yeah!
-Yes! -Okay.
I want that one too, Dad!
I feel good. I'm well prepared for my career change.
I'm truly happy. There's never a dull day in my life.
This way, I can spend more time with my family,
my kids and my wife.
I feel good about it.
-Dad! -Only with Dad.
-Ready? -Yeah!
He'll always have to travel to France for the businesses he has here.
TONY PARKER'S WIFE
But he's going to spend a lot of time with the kids.
Seeing as they're little boys, I could tell this past year
that they've needed him.
In the U.S., San Antonio will always be home to me.
From the moment I arrived, I've felt something in this city,
something in the air.
I don't know. It's just home.
It's my home, and I've been through so much here.
I love everything: the city's mentality, the weather.
I love everything here.
MAYOR OF SAN ANTONIO
There's not much competition.
There's no baseball, hockey, or football here.
The Spurs are everything in San Antonio.
People's love for the franchise is unbelievable.
There's a bit of a Latino mentality.
They're very warm. They love their team.
TONY PARKER NEVER HAD A SERIOUS INJURY IN HIS CAREER
UNTIL MAY 3, 2017.
When it happened,
I had difficulty realizing
that it was a serious injury.
I tried to move my leg, but I realized that I couldn't move.
I couldn't lift it or do anything.
I got on the physical therapist's table,
and the doctor said,
"Feel right here with your finger."
So, I felt with my finger, and I realized there was a gap.
Then he said,
"I think you tore your quadriceps tendon."
I said, "What's that?"
It's a rare injury,
so I figured I would be out three or four weeks.
And he told me, "No, it'll be eight to ten months."
To be honest, I had tears in my eyes, "Eight to ten months?"
I couldn't believe it.
Then he broke the news to me
that it could be a career-ending injury
and that I may never be able to play basketball again
or perhaps even be able to bend my knee all the way.
The thing you love most in the world gets taken from you overnight.
And…
you start to see things differently.
You think, "At least I have my family, I have my wife and my kids."
"Even if I never play basketball again, they're what's most important."
I mean,
there's nothing worse than stopping because of that,
because of an injury.
That's every athlete's worst nightmare.
My best friends came to see me.
Thierry Henry came straightaway.
Hey man, just checking in
to see how everything's going.
That's all.
It was right after my surgery.
He helped me lift my leg and all that
so I could get to the bathroom and so on.
We took stock of our lives,
looked back on our careers,
the highs and the lows,
the important moments.
Friendship isn't
just coming to see the All-Star,
looking at the trophies and the career highlights.
Hard times like those
are much more important to me.
I told him, "No, you'll come back."
"You're a warrior. You're not giving up."
"You'll come back, and it'll be fine."
The biggest thing I was focused on was bending my knee.
It became an obsession.
Because the doctors told me I may never do it again,
every day I worked hard at bending my knee a little further.
Every centimeter was a daily victory.
I think your mentality goes a long way.
I passed all the tests, did all the training I could.
And pretty soon, it was time to come back.
ON NOVEMBER 27, 2017, TONY PARKER MADE HIS COMEBACK
LESS THAN 7 MONTHS AFTER HIS INJURY.
All those years going to bed early, taking care of my body, eating healthy,
all that contributed
to my having a quick recovery from a very serious injury.
I think that for his whole life,
Tony Parker has worked to make sure he's in control.
Coming back from that tough injury,
it was him saying, "I decide how I leave."
JUNE 7TH
Hi, this is Tony!
TONY MET AMERICAN ACTRESS EVA LONGORIA IN 2004.
THEY WERE MARRIED FROM 2007 TO 2011.
I looked at him like this.
I didn't say anything back, but in my head, I found it funny
that he took the time to learn some French just to try to throw me off.
It was good.
But he knew that against us, you could say whatever you wanted.
We wouldn't react.
We've had a huge rivalry with the Lakers since I came to the NBA.
Back then, it was war when we played each other.
We both wanted to win the championship.
It wasn't like today
where guys get along. They chill together. There was none of that back then.
THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS HAVE THE HIGHEST WIN-LOSS RECORD PERCENTAGE
IN THE HISTORY OF THE NBA.
TONY PARKER HAS GONE TO THE PLAYOFFS
IN EVERY ONE OF HIS 17 SEASONS WITH THE SPURS.
Everyone knows that the West
is a little tougher than the East, so it's hard.
To do it as long as Tony did,
for that many seasons at the same level
with the same expectations every year.
It's impressive, very impressive.
Tony has never been afraid.
He goes after big guys, drives the paint,
goes underneath, shoots his floater.
He's always been
very creative,
and even when you know he's about to take that shot,
you can't do anything because his timing and his finesse
are exceptional.
I was the first to do that kind of shot,
two feet, one hand.
Lots of players did it off one foot.
I did it off two feet with a little teardrop shot.
I was the first one to do it that way, and that's why I'm known for that shot.
Because I was small, it was a shot I developed
to shoot over guys who were 7', 7'2, 7'5.
SAN ANTONIO TONY PARKER'S PRIVATE GYM
If you want to become one of the greats,
you have to be able to question yourself,
to continue improving. It's not enough to be fast.
At a certain point, I wanted to become a complete player.
I improved my shot
because I wanted to be one of the best. I wanted to be an All-Star.
In summer 2005, he wanted to improve his shot
because he wanted to stay a step ahead.
He knew he had a lot of years left to play,
and if he wanted to stay at the top,
he would have to keep getting better.
ASSISTANT COACH
2005 SPURS PRACTICE FACILITY
He told me about how Tiger Woods changed his swing
after winning the Tiger Slam, his four consecutive Grand Slams.
But he felt he needed a more consistent swing.
That's what I needed to hear.
I had won two championships and thought changing my shot
might be risky.
It's very hard to change your shot.
You have to completely change the mechanics.
You spend 15 years catching and shooting in a certain way,
then you change everything, starting from zero
as if you were in the Junior leagues.
We started with one hand, only shooting one-handed.
After a lot of hard work, I managed to become much more consistent,
and it's the reason
I made it to my first All-Star Game in 2006.
AFTER CHANGING HIS SHOT IN SUMMER 2005,
TONY'S SHOOTING PERCENTAGE WAS .548 THE FOLLOWING SEASON,
THE BEST SHOOTING PERCENTAGE OF HIS CAREER.
The pride of French basketball, Tony Parker,
won his third NBA championship,
but even more, he was voted Finals MVP.
No other European player has achieved such a high level.
24,5 POINTS PER GAME .568 SHOOTING PERCENTAGE
ASSISTANT COACH
2007 FINALS
PARKER IS THE BEST - L'EQUIPE, JUNE 7TH
I was there.
I thought it was going to be Tim Duncan,
just because.
It's Tim Duncan, after all. Then they gave it to Tony.
Well deserved. It was insane.
Tony, you smell like alcohol.
It's the champagne!
Now they'll never be able to forget about me.
My name will be on the list of MVP's till the end of time.
From the start of my career, leaving France
when I was 19 to go to the U.S.,
I've returned to France every summer. It's important for me.
I always say I have two homes.
In the U.S., San Antonio will always be my home,
and Lyon in France.
If you had to choose one, Josh, which would you choose:
pizza or croque monsieur?
Croque monsieur and pizza!
It's good Liam, right?
He used to be in the headlines a lot,
and I wanted to help him focus more on his performance.
I thought that would be better for him.
Before, he was with a Hollywood celebrity, and that tends to stay with him.
Even though I didn't compare myself to her,
that's what happened in the public eye unbeknownst to me.
When you're young, you don't always feel legitimate.
You're with a celebrity who's a basketball legend.
You'll always ask yourself if you measure up.
TONY PARKER MARRIED AXELLE ON AUGUST 2, 2014.
THEY HAVE TWO CHILDREN, JOSH AND LIAM.
I'm very proud of her, and she's a great mom.
She's the mother of my two kids.
She's always been there for me for the good and the bad times.
We make our decisions together
about anything and everything,
whether it's his new businesses, his schedule and so on,
and how to manage his new life after the NBA.
IN 2019, TONY PARKER FOUNDED AN ACADEMY IN LYON.
There we go.
At his academy, there's a basketball training program
as well as music training and tennis.
He wants to offer opportunities to young people.
He doesn't just want to be a star,
add another championship to his list of accomplishments.
He wants to be involved in education.
That's where we see his fatherly side.
I'm always in favor of bringing people together,
because to do a big project like we're doing with the academy,
with the boys' team and the girls' team,
we have to bring everyone together.
The values that he's spreading here are extremely important
because he's giving young people hope with the academy and the youth clubs.
It's extremely important for the country we were born in and grew up in.
IN 2014, TONY PARKER BECAME THE OWNER OF THE ASVEL FRENCH PRO TEAM.
IN 2017, HE ALSO BOUGHT THE WOMEN'S TEAM.
ASVEL is a legendary club in France,
but it needed a fresh start.
ASVEL was struggling to return to its former glory.
Then Tony came in, and it turned things around.
Now ASVEL is a powerhouse in French basketball.
WINNER FRENCH CUP 2019
President, president, president!
It's like destiny had a hand in it…
VICE PRESIDENT - LYON ASVEL WOMEN'S TEAM
…as if it weren't fully his doing.
But he was born with a gift,
a gift to win
and to take basketball,
certainly French basketball, to another level.
IN 2019, THE ASVEL WOMEN'S TEAM WON THE FRENCH WOMEN'S LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP.
THE MEN'S TEAM WON THE FRENCH CUP AND THE CHAMPIONSHIP.
Tony Parker knows no limits.
Nothing holds him back in the world of business.
He's very involved in the basketball business.
He's aware that French basketball provided him with the structure he needed
to become what he is.
He's always wanted to give back to France.
I've always taken my role as ambassador of French basketball
very seriously.
That's been my mission,
to try to take French basketball to the highest possible level.
How many players can you say will play an NBA season,
win the trophy, and then go play for their country
for free, not a single cent.
Tony wasn't going to stop playing for France until he won a championship.
That's for sure, without a doubt…
FRANCE NATIONAL TEAM
…put it in writing, carve it in stone.
He made progress between the start of his career
when he was very focused on himself,
and the end when he understood much better
that even though he was very good, he needed his teammates.
In 2009, I had a long discussion with Vincent Collet,
because I had been on the French team for six or seven years,
and we still hadn't won anything, just a bronze medal.
I used John Wayne as an example.
In his films,
you don't see him in the beginning.
You first see the supporting cast, and when it gets interesting,
that's when the legend appears.
So, I said to him,
carrying the game alone from the start, even if he can win that way,
it's not the right way
to get everyone into the rhythm and into the momentum.
We needed to get him to a place
where he could sense the moments when they could work without him
and when they absolutely needed him.
I think that talk was crucial,
and my answer was very simple.
I wanted to win medals, and I was willing to do anything.
We had to work hard every day, but it was so important to me
because I wanted to win with the France National Team.
SPAIN
It's his fault it took so long to win with the French team
because that was an incredible generation of Spanish players,
perhaps one of the best in the history of European basketball.
Were it not for Spain,
I think we would have won 10 or 11 medals.
Every game was big against Spain,
even if it was a friendly game,
we treated it like the Euro Championship or the Olympics.
It was intense.
There was always a rivalry
between France and Spain, not only in basketball…
SPAIN
…but in a lot of sports.
There's always a lot of tension,
even before the game in everything surrounding it, in the press.
2011 EURO FINALS FRANCE - SPAIN 85-98
They won more medals than we did, more gold medals.
That pushed me to become a better player,
to play with the French team every summer because I wanted to beat them.
ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2013, FRANCE FACED SPAIN IN THE EURO SEMI-FINAL.
Before the game, we promised ourselves
that no matter what, we would be fearless.
In the first half, you could see
our old demons had come back to haunt us.
We weren't loose.
If Tony hadn't played
such a big first half, we would have given up entirely.
In that moment,
he was the only person capable of motivating us…
FRANCE NATIONAL TEAM
…in the locker room, and that's what he did.
WE NEED TO WAKE UP, GUYS!
SERIOUSLY, WE'RE PLAYING LIKE WE'RE AFRAID.
I was just outside in the hallway,
not yet in the locker room,
and I planned to say those same things to the players.
When I got there, he was already doing it in his own words.
THEY THINK WE'RE SHIT!
YOU CAN SEE IT ON THEIR FACES!
I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SECOND HALF,
BUT WE BETTER PLAY WITH PRIDE!
AND WE BETTER PLAY HARD!
Speaking to them
in such a blunt way,
he was able to really get through to them.
It was really--
I mean, we were so sick of facing Spain.
Things just kind of came out on their own.
That speech sums up my time with the France National Team.
I spoke from the heart,
and I wanted to win so badly.
When they got back on the court,
they were a different team. Then it was just a great moment.
We played a lot better, which unlocked the doors for us
to win the championship.
2013 EURO FINALS FRANCE - LITHUANIA 80-66
It's a dream come true.
It was the championship I hadn't won yet. Everything has come full circle.
That was a really joyful moment.
I nearly broke my couch because we were going crazy at my house.
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST IN JUDO TONY'S FRIEND
My whole family was there, and…
Wow.
Let's all sing, "If you're not jumping, you're not French"!
If you're not jumping You're not French, hey!
I think it was important for Tony,
important for his legacy,
to make his mark on French basketball.
He wanted so much for France to have that.
It was a really beautiful moment.
He started in 2003 in Sweden
and fought for it every year, you see…
And…
And winning
with the French national team
was so great.
THE FRANCE NATIONAL TEAM HAD WON ITS FIRST GOLD MEDAL
IN AN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION.
OCTOBER 3, 2019,
TONY PARKER RECEIVED THE MEDAL OF THE FRENCH NATIONAL ORDER OF MERIT
IN HONOR OF HIS CAREER.
Muhammad Ali once said,
"Champions," of which there are many here,
"aren't made in gyms."
"Champions are made from something they have deep inside them,
a desire,
a dream, a vision."
"They have to have the skill," which you had,
"and above all the will."
"But the will must be stronger than the skill."
Tony Parker,
in the name of the President of the French Republic,
and by the powers vested in me,
I now make you an Officer of the National Order of Merit.
Thank you.
When I was little,
I never thought I'd receive anything like this.
I didn't know it existed, to be honest.
I just wanted to be a basketball player.
My idol was Michael Jordan, and I wanted to do what he did.
I wanted to push the limits. That's what motivated me.
I had unconditional support from my father,
who gave me the right mentality
to be successful in sports.
My mother and my brothers, thank you for your support.
I don't want to look at them or I'll start…
Everyone I love is here, so this isn't easy.
I need a little time.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2019 EXHIBITION GAME WITH MANU GINÓBILI
People here love basketball.
They're wild about it, so I feel like a rock star here.
They're so into it.
I've been going to China for over 10 years.
I have lots of business interests here. It's a love story between China and me.
Peak Sport Products is the reason why I'm so famous
in China.
They have 6,000 stores, and I'm their number one athlete,
so they promote me everywhere.
When I was 17, I signed with Nike,
and I was with Nike for 13 years.
When I was 30,
Peak made me a huge offer,
and I accepted it.
That's when the adventure began.
They keep making his signature shoes even though he's retired.
I think the only other guy who has signature shoes in retirement
is Michael Jordan.
SHANGHAI FRENCH HIGH SCHOOL
I think he sees being a star in China as an advantage for his future businesses.
When I was 17 years old,
I had to decide between my studies and basketball.
It was a good choice because I was successful
in my sport,
but I know 95% of the young people
who try out won't make it.
That's why I wanted to start a school to offer an alternative and an option
for those who won't make it.
The power of sports is incredible, the impact you can have on people.
One of the best compliments I can receive
is that I was a pioneer for French basketball
who inspired the next generation.
When I went to San Antonio, Gregg Popovich, David Robinson,
Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginóbili were all much older than me.
So, out of respect, you have to wait your turn.
In 2011, I remember Pop called me into his office
and said he watched me play all summer with the France National Team.
He saw how I was constantly communicating with my teammates.
He read that I went to their hotel rooms to motivate them, talk to them.
And he said it was time to pass the torch from Tim Duncan to me,
and that it would be my team from now on.
He said what I did with the French team, I now had to do with the Spurs.
And that's what I did.
I used to be the fifth wheel
on the car.
Then it became my team.
I became the franchise player.
That's when people started to say
that I was a future Hall of Famer,
that I was in the top-five players in the NBA by vote.
In my opinion, those were my best seasons in the NBA.
TONY PARKER UNTOUCHABLE
TONY PARKER HAS ACED THIS SEASON,
GIVING THE SPURS HOPE FOR ANOTHER TITLE.
CARRIED BY THEIR NEW LEADER,
THE SPURS MADE IT BACK TO THE FINALS IN 2013 AND 2014
TO FACE LEBRON JAMES AND THE MIAMI HEAT.
In the 2013 Finals, we had practically won it.
They started bringing out the velvet ropes and the trophy,
getting the ceremony ready.
And with seconds remaining,
Ray Allen hit a corner three.
And that three-pointer is the reason we weren't champions that year.
2013 FINALS
That motivated us to have a nearly perfect season the next year.
We were so close to winning and went back to play the same team.
In 2014, we played perhaps the best basketball
we've ever played with the Spurs.
It showed our ability to bounce back.
It was amazing.
Our identity was defense first and foremost,
and then you play half-court with Tim Duncan,
which is perhaps not as sexy as some may like,
but it was effective, and we won with it.
But in 2014, after Pop had decided
to put me at the helm,
everything was based around me.
All our systems started with me.
We tried to use my skills.
And in 2014, we were at the height of our play.
Those finals and all throughout those playoffs
was the best basketball we've ever played.
I really enjoyed it because it took us seven years
to win another championship.
It felt like an eternity.
I remember every second of it.
Plus, I flew over my whole family and all my friends
because it could have been the last time we'd be NBA champions.
Everyone had to come.
We are the champions!
We are, we are, we are the champions!
When you look at NBA history
and the numbers of players with four titles,
the list shrinks very quickly.
I have trouble coming to terms with the fact
that my name is there next to the others.
I realize that I'm experiencing something that's really incredible,
and I'm grateful for every moment.
Hey! What's up?
I was at the arena, getting ready in the locker room,
and then you told me you're here? Jerk!
Plus, I won with Boris,
which makes it even more amazing.
We won the European Junior Championship together.
Then we won the Euro Championship together.
So to be NBA champions together too feels like a dream.
When we were young at the French basketball academy,
we were in class together.
Had you told me back then we'd do all this,
I'd have said…
"I don't think so."
JUNE 10, 2019
I was very surprised, to be honest.
His final game with Charlotte was against us, Orlando.
He didn't play. So, yeah, I was surprised.
I would have liked to see him retire with the Spurs,
do something to celebrate that.
I thought he would sign one more year with the Spurs
to end his career there, and that would be it.
I definitely surprised a lot of people with that decision.
And any athlete will say
you have to play until you can't walk anymore
and your body can't take it.
Given the season I had,
where statistically I had a better year than the previous year,
they thought I'd keep playing as usual.
It's true, as well, that a lot of teams were calling my agent.
I could have gone back to the Spurs. We talked a lot about it,
but it wouldn't be the same situation anymore.
It just wouldn't be the same.
I kept coming back to that final decision, which was,
"All right, I'm going to retire."
When you spend 20 years conditioning yourself
to be in tip-top shape,
I think my body is happy to rest a bit, to relax,
to have some wine and cheese and all that.
I think my body is happy with me.
ON NOVEMBER 11, 2019, TO HONOR HIS CAREER WITH THE SPURS,
THE FRANCHISE RETIRED TONY PARKER'S NUMBER 9.
THANKS, TONY
I could never have dreamed
of having a moment like that in my career.
It was a little unreal.
Hey, everyone, how we doing? Feeling good?
I couldn't say hi to everyone.
Everyone's good?
Have a good time.
Thanks, Tony!
It's a huge honor because no one can wear his number
at San Antonio, and his jersey will hang in the stadium forever.
We'll have a good time for our buddy,
honoring the work he put in
and everything he did all those years
without under-appreciating or undervaluing all the other players.
By the time another French player
accomplishes all that Tony did, a lot of time will have passed.
I'll likely be dead by then.
For me, any French player playing in the NBA,
that's already amazing.
With him, it's completely nuts.
-Now? -No, you still have time.
Once the game is over, head out there. Because it's already starting.
TONY PARKER'S BROTHERS
Earlier I saw the black curtain hanging down and just thought, "Damn."
Before my speech, my legs started shaking,
and I started telling myself
I had to fight back my emotions
because I didn't want another night like at the National Order of Merit
where I wasn't able to speak.
I was practicing my speech, and my legs started shaking,
so I figured I needed a drink.
Go time.
THANKS, TONY
You good, Josh?
Daddy!
Where were you, Dad?
Over there with my friends.
When you walk in, and there are 20,000 people,
cheering for you and showing you respect
and so much love,
it warms your heart.
I'm someone who's very grateful.
It was a little bit unreal.
We made an indelible mark on our sport.
That was the first time I realized it,
everything we did with Tim and Manu.
The 15-year-old kid who dreamed
of making his mark
on basketball
did it.
I looked all around me and thought, "Wow."
The jersey's up there now, you know…
It was emotional.
-The meat stand's there. -Better than this one?
-Teddy, I swear to God, go taste it. -All right, I'll check it out.
PRIVATE PARTY AT TONY PARKER'S HOUSE
I love sharing with my friends,
so I invited everyone to my house.
There were 250 of us,
so a lot of plane tickets.
-Maître Gims, my man! -Thanks a lot, bro.
I was happy, so glad.
It felt like a celebration for everyone because I wasn't alone.
Everyone played a part in my career.
It was surreal.
From the bottom of my heart,
I'd like to thank everyone who pitched in
to buy my little gift.
Long life to you!
You are a legend, Tony!
Three, two, one, go!
IN MEMORY OF KOBE BRYANT 1978-2020
This is the trophy room where I put all my NBA rings.
That's it, guys!
That's so dope.
He just tsked!
Subtitle translation by: Timothy Stone