J-Speaks: Triumphant Return for Former Spur

There were a lot of changes that occurred for the five-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. They traded away their superstar in waiting. Their part-time Sixth Man who always came up big in the biggest of moments retired and their starting lead guard for nearly two decades decided to sign with another team in free agency. While that former Spur did return and helped his new team to victory on Monday night, the fans in attendance only wanted to shower the Frenchman that gave all the faithful of the Alamo City a lot to cheer for the proper loved and appreciation he deserved. 

Behind another amazing scoring performance by two-time All-Star lead guard Kemba Walker, the Charlotte Hornets (20-23) won at the San Antonio Spurs 108-93, ending an 11-game losing in the Spurs gym and the Spurs’ 7-game home winning streak. 

Walker’s night though and the result took a back seat somewhat to the return of former All-Star lead guard Tony Parker, who played 17 seasons for the “Silver and Black” Spurs helping them win four of their five Larry O’Brien Trophies. 

Parker had eight points, four assists, three rebounds and no turnovers in his first game back against the Spurs after he signed with the Hornets during the off-season joining former Spurs’ assistant James Borrego. 

Back in the summer of 2018, the 36-year-old Parker made it clear that if it was up to him, he would not want to leave the only team he had ever played for in his NBA career. 

A catastrophic Achilles injury during season No. 17, the prospects of basically being the Spurs third string lead guard and the emergence of Dejounte Murray, who is out for the season with a torn ACL in his knee Parker decided to move on and sign with the Hornets. 

“They really didn’t take me seriously that I was going to leave,” Parker, who was just 4 for 12 from the field on Monday night said to ESPN. 

Monday night though was not a time to bring up a past grudge. It was a time to celebrate a player who joined the Spurs at age 19 from France and left not only with four rings, six All-Star appearances, A Finals MVP in 2007 and the status of being one of the very best players to ever play for the Spurs. 

Parker was honored before the game with a two-minute video of his career highlights with the “Silver and Black,” which included him being drafted at No. 28 in 2001 and his four titles with the team. The video tribute concluded with an appearance of the Spurs’ retired jerseys on the video monitors of the AT&T Center with an empty spot in the rafters shown signifying Parker’s future place amongst them when he decides to retire. That was followed by a roar from the crowd in appreciation as they chanted, “Tony! Tony! Tony!” 

Among those cheering where Parker’s immediate family at courtside that the Spurs flew in from France. 

“A lot of love. I’ve been with those fans for a long time, and I really appreciate it,” Parker said to FOX Sports Southeast’s Ashely Shahahmadi after the win. “It’s hard to describe the feeling I have right now.” 

Those cheers continued when Parker entered the game for the first time at the 4:50 mark of the first period, and just like he did as a 19-year-old rookie with the Spurs, he slipped, juked, and probed past defenders in the paint to score or find open teammates. 

One of the drives to the hole that he scored on gave the Spurs an 82-79 lead and they never looked back. 

“That’s vintage Tony,” Coach Borrego, who was an assistant for the Spurs and head coach Gregg Popovich from 2003-10 and from 2015-18 before joining the Hornets this off-season.

He added about being back in San Antonio and seeing Coach Popovich, “It was special in many ways.” 

“Just to see (Popovich) first of all. Just to hear his voice, give him a hug, that was most important. This is a basketball game. We do our best, we compete, but there’s a lot of love here. Just great to see him. He’s been a great encouragement for me. I know he’s happy for us.”  

Coach Popovich, who shared an embrace with Parker following the end of the game as fans continued to cheer echoed that same feeling saying, “I expected nothing less. Tony was a great player for us and he deserved all the love that he received.”

Parker exited the game shortly after that score and did not return until fans demanded by chanting his name again with 17.6 seconds left. With the game in hand, Borrego granted their wish and put Parker back in and loud cheers went throughout the arena until the final buzzer. 

“I thought they supported Tony, like I expected,” Spurs guard Derrick White said. “He did great things for the organization. It’s well deserved. Definitely good to see him. Wish him the best.” 

Those ideologies that Parker learned in his 17 years with the Spurs have stayed with him and are being utilized now with the Hornets, where he kiddingly got upset with his team after the victory. 

“They told me before the game they wanted to win for and so many they did unbelievable,” Parker said to Shahahmadi. “All of them. They played great tonight.” 

He added, “Let’s keep it like that. If we’re going to win like that on the road, let’s keep playing that way.” 

On Monday night, the San Antonio Spurs from the organization, to the players and coaches, and fans got a chance to say thank you to a player that was part of one of the most successful trios in NBA history. 

Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan together along with head coach Gregg Popovich won an NBA record for a trio and head coach 126 playoff games and four Larry O’Brien trophies according to Elias. 

While it was difficult to see Parker and the Spurs part ways, the love and respect on both sides remained and it was on full display on Monday night before tip-off; when Parker checked in for the first time and after the final horn sounded. 

When Parker decides to retire from the hardwood, he will have his jersey hanging in the rafters right alongside Duncan, Ginobili, Hall of Famers David Robinson, George “Ice Man” Gervin and the rest of the Spurs greats. 

Tony Parker came into the National Basketball Association as a 19-year-old unknown from France and returned to San Antonio on Monday night a champion and leader that got a celebratory embrace from the fans and the coach that he did not make a good first impression but eventually won over in Coach “Pop.” 

“Tony is a wonderful human being. He was a great player for us and he deserves all the love he received, that’s for sure,” Coach Popovich said. 

Parker hopes now to finish his career with another appearance in the postseason with the Charlotte Hornets, which is in a battle for playoff spot in the lower half of the Eastern Conference. Parker has not missed out on the postseason in his first 17 seasons.

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of www.nba.com/games/20190114/CHASAS#/recap; 1/14/19 www.espn.com story, “Inside Tony Parker’s Return To—and Departure from—The Spurs,” by Michael C. Wright; 1/15/19 7:30 a.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime,” presented by Kia with Casey Stern and Isiah Thomas; and 1/15/19 www.nba.com story, “About Last Night: Parker’s Triumphant Return,” by Dan McCarney.