After a lengthy career in the NBA and multiple championships, basketball star Tony Parker is calling it quits for his career. The 37-year-old retires after one season as a member of the Charlotte Hornets’ roster.
A report from ESPN states that Parker told The Undefeated, “I’m going to retire. … I decided that I’m not going to play basketball anymore.” The decision comes after Parker played 18 seasons in the NBA with the majority of those spent on the San Antonio Spurs. He won four championships as part of the franchise which became one of the NBA’s dynasties.
Parker was the No. 28 pick back in the 2001 Draft. Back then, he had NBA superstar Tim Duncan on the team along with another international phenom. They’d go on to capture four NBA titles. He was the 2007 NBA Finals MVP, a six-time NBA All-Star and made the All-NBA Second Team for three straight years.
During his career, the French basketball star averaged 15.5 points along with 5.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game for his career. Last season, he played a pivotal role as a backup guard off the Hornets’ bench. His numbers include 9.5 points and 3.7 assists with Charlotte.
Regarding his decision to retire, Parker said, “I was like, if I can’t be a Tony Parker anymore and I can’t play for a championship, I don’t want to play basketball anymore.” The Hornets finished outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture this past season.
Parker also sent out a tweet on Monday to announce his decision. He praised all of the moments he was able to enjoy with the French National team and NBA for his career.
The longtime Spurs star also admitted he mentioned he was going to retire to his retired teammates Duncan and Ginobili. They both told him, “If you’re sure, man, I’m so happy for you.” Both players have seen their numbers retired by the San Antonio Spurs and it’s expected that Tony Parker’s No. 9 will join them.
In terms of his post-basketball plans, Parker will open the Tony Parker Adequat Academy. It’s an international school located in Lyon, France, which is Parker’s hometown. He also owns a men’s and women’s pro basketball team called ASVEL also based in Lyon. However, one of his ultimate dreams is to become an NBA owner in the future.
For now, he’ll focus on enjoying retirement and those other endeavors ahead of his major bucket list goal.
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