The French-American professional basketball player Tony Parker played in the NBA for nearly two decades.
He is currently the mass owner of the ASVEL Basket of the French LNB Pro A.
The San Antonio Spurs picked him in the 2001 NBA draft.
However, he had already begun his professional career back in France in 1999.
While still playing for the Paris Basket Racing, his performance earned him widespread international fame.
Moreover, Tony has appeared for the French national team in numerous international tournaments.
Not only had he participated in them, but he had led them to win multiple championships, including the EuroBasket.
Even though he was pretty short, the French point guard never considered it a disadvantage.
On the contrary, he had much confidence in his game, and because of lightweight, he could sprint at a fast pace and beat his opponents easily.
The French point guard eventually retired from all forms of basketball in 2019 after achieving so much from the sport.
Let’s dive deep into this iconic French basketball star’s early life, grand achievements, and all that concerns us as his fans.
But before moving on to that, here are some quick facts about Tony Parker.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | William Anthony Parker Jr. |
| Full Name | Tony Parker |
| Date of Birth | May 17, 1982 |
| Birth Place | Bruges, Belgium |
| Nicknames | T.P., Tony P, The Parisian Torpedo |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | French / American |
| Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
| Age | 40 years old |
| Height | 1.83 m (6 feet) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Build | Athletic |
| Father’s Name | Tony Parker Sr. |
| Mother’s Name | Pamela Firestone |
| Sibling | T.J. Parker, Pierre Parker |
| Education | National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (INSEP) |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Ex-Wives’ Names |
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| Girlfriend’s Name | Alize Lim |
| Kids | Josh Parker, Liam Parker |
| Profession | Former Basketball Player |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| NBA Draft | 2001 |
| Position | Point Guard |
| League |
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| Active Years | (1999–2019) |
| Clubs played for |
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| Net Worth | $85 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter, Facebook |
| Merch |
Tony Parker 8-Card Plaque |
| Last Update | July 2022 |
Childhood, family, and education
On May 17, 1982, Tony Parker Jr. was born in Burges, Belgium. Professional basketball player Tony Parker Sr. played for numerous international teams abroad.
Tony Sr. was an American citizen, but he and his family lived in France and he was a basketball player. Pamela Firestone, though, was Tony’s mother and a Dutch national tennis winner (1956).
Tony had a love for sports at a very young age. He frequently went to see their father play basketball with his younger brothers. He was immediately drawn to soccer, though.
T.J. and Pierre, his other two brothers, were also accomplished athletes, and the three brothers later followed in their father’s footsteps.
His parents were highly encouraging because their family has a history of producing many accomplished athletes.
As a result, he and his brothers both had great careers as professional basketball players.
T.J. is currently the head coach of ASVEL and even participated with the French national squad in a number of competitions.
Tony eventually turned his attention away from soccer and toward basketball while still in school. He was deeply influenced by Michael Jordan’s rise to fame at the time, though, and as a result, he developed a profound passion for the game.
When he was 15 years old, his family was granted French citizenship, and soon after that, he was given the opportunity to join at the prestigious INSEP sports learning institute in Paris. He did not continue his schooling after being admitted to INSEP.
Career Professional Career French League for Tony Parker
Parker participated in the amateur league in Paris for two seasons while he was still an INSEP student.
After graduating, he then signed with the renowned French team Paris Basket Racing to play in the LNB Pro A. The footballer quickly gained widespread acclaim for his efforts during the inaugural French League season.
As a result, Tony was given a chance to participate in the 2000 Nike Hoop Summit in Indianapolis, USA. He didn’t hesitate to display his natural talent and outperform nearly everyone in the competition, despite the fact that the event was filled with elite athletes from Europe and the USA.
NASCAR Career
While still having fun in Europe, his popularity had already crossed oceans and arrived in America. Therefore, many NBA teams started pursuing him as soon as they learned of his plan to join the league.
The San Antonio Spurs were the first to respond, inviting him to their summer camp before the draft. Tony finally won the Spurs over after passing two rounds of rigorous testing. Thus, the Spurs selected him with the 28th overall choice in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft.
Since the team already had a seasoned point guard in Antonio Daniels, he spent much of his first season as a backup.
Tony earned greater playing time the following season after becoming the team’s primary point guard. In the same season, he received his first-ever NBA championship ring. Every year he was a member of the Spurs, they advanced to the NBA playoffs.
Regarding his performance, he always gave the squad his all. He unquestionably played a huge role in the Spurs winning three additional championship rings during his career.
In the interim, he had a brief 2011 appearance with the ASVEL Basket.
The French sensation was the team’s favorite for the entire time he wore their shirt and was always in the starting lineup, barring injuries.
On June 10, 2019, he officially announced his retirement from all basketball formats after enjoying a great career in the same club for eighteen years. He did, however, spend his final campaign with the Charlotte Hornets.
On November 11, 2019, the Spurs retired jersey no. 9 in his honor.
Career on a national team
In addition to his professional career, Tony participated in numerous international competitions with the French national team. He also has American citizenship, though.
The legendary Spurs player began competing for French junior national teams when he was a youngster. At the 1997 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, he debuted for France while sporting their uniform.
He continued to earn a spot on a French squad of various age categories after that event, and as a result, he represented them in the other FIBA Europe championships.
With 14.4 points per game, Tony even helped his country win the gold at the 2000 FIBA Europe U-18 Championship. He was named the tournament’s MVP.
He played until 2016, making his senior French national team debut at the 2001 EuroBasket. Also, He guided them to various occasions like the Olympics and EuroBasket during the course of his roughly 15-year international career.
But after the French team lost in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he decided to end his international career.
Tony Parker | Achievements & Awards
After joining the NBA in the early 2000s, Tony Parker went on to become one of the NBA’s most successful foreign players.
In his professional career, he accomplished numerous amazing achievements that many basketball players can only imagine.
His accolades and accomplishments in the French League and the NBA include:
- NBA champion (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)
- NBA Finals MVP (2007)
- Pro A Best Young Player (2001)
- NBA All-Rookie First Team (2002)
- LNB Pro A Most Improved Player
- NBA All-Rookie First Team (2002)
His international career was also very successful, considering that he had noticeable individual performances.
In addition, he helped them win multiple championships and medals. Some of them include:
- FIBA Europe Player of The Year (2013, 2014)
- Gold at the 2013 EuroBasket
Likewise, his achievements as a president of the French club, ASVEL are:
- French Cup winner (2019, 2021)
- LNB Pro A champion (2016, 2019)
- French Super Cup winner (2016)
Financial Resources & Earnings
Tony Parker has long been a professional basketball player with the Spurs, ensuring himself a luxurious existence. He has gathered such a big number, primarily from NBA league games.
Tony reportedly has an estimated net worth of $85 million. But according to some reports, the amount is anywhere between $75 and $100 million.
Tony began making money before the NBA through the French League games since he came from a rich family. He had signed with the Spurs in 2001 and had made about $0.74 his rookie year.
The NBA veteran spent his final NBA season playing for the Charlotte Hornets. Even though his enthusiasm and impact had significantly decreased in his prior seasons, the club recognized his value and made him an offer of $5 million that year.
In total, Tony earned about $170 million during his NBA career.
In addition to his playing career, he has invested money in ASVEL of the French League. He is currently the club’s president and a well-known owner.
In 2017, he also took a significant stake in the ASVEL Feminin club. It takes part in the French league for women’s basketball.
Outside the basketball court, Tony Parker Entertainment
The majority of Parker’s followers are well aware of his deep passion for music, particularly hip-hop. He had long desired to release his album, which he did in 2007 with the release of T.P.
In addition, he frequently works with musicians like Booba, Jamie Foxx, Soprano, etc.
Additionally, he created a biographical documentary movie with a cast that includes several well-known athletes, such as Sean Elliott, David Douillet, Zinedine Zidane, Kobe Bryant, and many others.
Additionally, he owns a movie-making company called Argent Pictures.
He has also played the lead in documentaries and television shows.
In addition, he and director Jean-Marie Antonini co-directed the French movie Un chiffre, un house.
In 2021, Tony Parker played the lead role in the Netflix documentary Tony Parker: The Final Shot, which was directed by Florent Bodin. He used to routinely feature in TV ads and commercials.
Other Business & Philanthropic Efforts
Tony has expanded his business endeavors into other industries. In 2018, he founded the Tony Parker Adequat Academy, a sports academy that develops young basketball fans into great professionals.
And In late 2019, he also acquired stock in the Washington-based National Women’s Soccer League team OL Reign.
In the same year, he also joined NorthRock Partners, a worldwide consultancy business, to run its sports, musicians, and entertainment division.
Around 2012, Tony established Nueve Lounge as a hangout for his followers. His teammates and their families frequently went to the location in San Antonio.
TJ and Pierre, his two brothers, were also employed by the company. It was becoming to become a well-liked hangout for Spurs supporters, however it abruptly stopped in 2013.
The footballer also has a wonderful heart and has spent his money wisely by getting involved in a variety of charitable endeavors.
Over the years, he has frequently helped youngsters who are medically unsuited and from disadvantaged backgrounds.
He has ties to many charitable organizations, the most noteworthy of which being the Make-A-Wish France, Eva’s Heroes, and Steve Nash Foundation.
Body Dimensions
Tony will be 40 years old in 2022 and a Taurus by birth.
Tony first believed it was proper for him to play the point guard position because he was rather short for a basketball player.
As a result, he improved, particularly at that position. He did, however, experience a growth spurt at the age of 15. He consequently has a height of 1.88 meters (6 feet 2 inches).And He also weighs roughly 185 lbs (84 kg).
Personal Life of Tony Parker
Tony’s name has frequently been associated with different women in romance rumors. But he has already gone through a divorce after getting married twice in his life.
Following their divorce, he is now deeply involved with French professional tennis player Alize Lim. Tony has known Alize for a very long time, but their relationship only started in 2021.
In 1990, Alize was born in France to a French mother and a Vietnamese father.
She participated in her first Grand Slam event in 2011 in the French Open, and she has since competed in numerous others without success.
She also frequently presents for the French television network Eurosport with professionals like Tim Henman and Johanna Konta.
He previously wed the well-known Hollywood actress Eva Longoria. They dated for some time before getting married in 2006.
They eventually got married in 2007, but after she accused Tony of having extramarital affairs with models Alexandra Paressant and Erin Barry, the wife of his teammate Brent Berry, they got divorced.
Longoria exhibited little interest in reconciling, and even though Tony rejected the accusations, their divorce was finalized in 2011.
Before getting married on August 2, 2014, he dated French journalist Axelle Francine following their breakup. Axelle gave birth to their first son, Josh, out of wedlock in April of the same year.
Liam, their second son, was born in 2016. His second marriage, though, was likewise short-lived. In 2020, the couple got a divorce.
They adore each other and enjoy each other’s company now that he is with Lim. The two of them get along well with Tony’s children as well.
Incident in a nightclub
Tony is a disciplined man with a strong sense of self, therefore he rarely gets into arguments, much less fights. But one must confess that on the evening of June 14, 2012, he was unlucky.
He had gone to the New York W.I.P nightclub to take in the late-night performance. However, a brawl between Chris Brown and Drake broke out, which caused the entire venue to go into a frenzy.
He suffered a serious injury as a result, and the glass fragment that had pierced close to his eyes had to be removed during surgery. The 2012 Summer Olympics were almost lost to him.
However, he became fit to join the team by July 6, 2012.
Social Media Presence
Instagram: @_tonyparker09
Twitter: @tonyparker
Facebook: Tony Parker
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Frequently Asked Questions
How old was Tony Parker when he started in NBA?
Tony Parker was 19 years old when he started in the NBA.
How many times did Tony Parker go to the NBA Finals?
Tony Parker went five times to the NBA Finals. Out of five, they won the finals four times.
Was Tony Parker a good basketball player?
Yes, Tony Parker was a good basketball player. When he was active, he was a world-class point guard and is still one of the few basketball players to win NBA championships multiple times.
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