“I just took a lot of pride playing for the national team”, said the 34-year-old Parker, who scored 14 in his final game.
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During this stretch, Parker has led France by scoring 17.7 minutes in 29 minutes per game. This comprehensive performance improved the Pau Gasol-led Spaniards’ record to 4-2 in those matchups and sent them into Friday’s semifinals against the United States as the hottest team in Olympic men’s basketball. “I just love playing in this competition”. But as I grew up, I fell in love with the national team. “But I don’t want to throw away everything we have done the last 16 years, I’m very proud of what we did on the national team”. “He was the leader we needed for a long time and I told him that I regret a lot that he has a last game like that”. While he has won four titles with the Spurs and is considered one of the game’s premier point guards and basketball ambassadors, Parker never attained the worldwide success he’s had in the NBA.
The only consolation for Parker, on this night, is knowing that he’ll soon be able to call his good friend Gasol a teammate when they join forces for the first time next season after Gasol’s decision to sign in free agency with San Antonio.
Tony Parker has been the face of French basketball for quite some time, but eventually that has to come to an end.
“The Spaniards, I’m sure we’ll play them next year, fate – it’s like that”, he said. Growing up, my dream was to win an National Basketball Association championship.
The awards taken from 16 years of manning the French basketball ramparts are almost as numerous but no less meaningful.
“I told the whole team don’t forget about what we accomplished in 2005 when we won the bronze medal it was 50 years since French basketball won a medal”.
“I’m very blessed, that’s all I can say”, Parker said.
“Especially in 2013 [when France won EuroBasket], that’ll be my favourite moment because that was the first time in French basketball history we won a gold medal”.
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France shot just 18-out-of-48 in the field when Spain were 25-out-of-39. He’s made 45.9 percent of his shots in these competitions and been one of the more overwhelming weapons in global play.
