ZOOM Tony Parker, Wednesday, August 17 in Rio. / MARK RALSTON / AFP
Sad end course. Tony Parker ended his international career in the jersey of the France team basketball by a heavy defeat against Spain (92-67) in the quarterfinals of the Olympics. The playmaker, 34, who announced that he would retire from the selection at the end of the tournament, never win the Olympic medal missing from his list.
Proud of what it has accomplished
for a player who defended for nearly sixteen years the tricolor, shortening almost every summer vacation to find his teammates after his long season in the NBA, the north American championship, history ends abruptly. Too hard? . “Not at all,” he replied to the press
Smiling the beat does not give the impression of being shot, “This is sport, this is how . We came across a large Spain. This does not change the fact that I’m proud of everything we have accomplished with this generation. We brought a lot of medals. It was the most beautiful prize of French basketball. “
Four medals in ten years
The Blues Parker arrived for France in November 2000, have indeed done four times on the podium in the European Championships ten: 3rd in 2005 and 2015, 2nd in 2011, they won the Euro 2013. But they never had the same success at the Olympics. Unskilled in 2004 and 2008, they had already been eliminated by the Spaniards at the same stage of the competition in 2012.
No regret
The best French basketball player in history assured to have no regrets. “If you have followed my career, you know that the most important for me was to win a gold medal, he said. And that was the one made in 2013. Everything else was a bonus. I keep in mind that gold medal was the first title of French basketball. It will remain the most beautiful memory of my career in the France team. “
The France team” in good hands “
Tony Parker reiterated that its decision was final and that he would now devote his club the San Antonio Spurs to try to improve his record in the NBA within five years. Leaving the Blues will be combined with those of Florent Pietrus and Mickael Gelabale. But he thinks the France team remains “in good hands”. “We have a good generation coming, has he advanced citing the names of Joffrey Lauvergne, Thomas Heurtel and Evan Fournier. They will continue to get results. “
Pascal Charrier (Rio de Janeiro)
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