Tim Duncan’s hatred for French people stopped him from talking to Tony Parker, the Spurs star reveals
The San Antonio Spurs may be a small market team, but their ability to build through the draft, and the culture they have instilled within their franchise, has led to significant success. No period has been more successful for them than the years of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.
During his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech, Parker jokingly revealed that Duncan wasn't a fan of his French accent, noting how 'Timmy don't like French people.'
"Timmy didn't talk to me my rookie year," Parker said. "People laugh at me when I say that, but it's true, Timmy don't like French people. He doesn't like my French accent. It's not until I played against my favorite point guard, Gary Payton, that he said three words, 'we'll be alright.'...We won four championships together."
Parker spent 17 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and was seen as one of the best point guards of his generation. During his tenure with San Antonio, Parker was part of a big three that also included Duncan and Manu Ginobili, with the trio leading their team to four NBA championships.
Before retiring, Parker spent one season with the Charlotte Hornets, where he played 56 games off the bench and averaged 9.5 points and 3.7 assists per game.
Tony Parker Revealed why he joined the Charlotte Hornets
Despite having an incredible career with the San Antonio Spurs, alongside Tim Duncan, Tony Parker opted to leave the franchise for his final season. During his Hall of Fame speech, the former All-Star guard noted how his decision to join the Charlotte Hornets was in part due to Michael Jordan's presence as the team's owner.
“I did it because I wanted to spend time with my idol [Michael Jordan],” Parker said. “I was excited to go. It was like full circle to me … It was awesome to spend some time with Michael Jordan and [also] playing with my little brother [French countryman] Nicolas Batum."
Parker continued:
“I just wanted to experience something different. Not because I didn’t appreciate everything that I had with the Spurs. It’s just I wanted to do it for my last year.”
The San Antonio Spurs now have a new French phenom on their books. The Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft and he is widely expected to help usher in a new period of contention for the Texas-based franchise.
Parker, Duncan, and Manu Ginobili will all likely play a part in Wembanyama's development - operating in mentor roles as the multi-talented big man gets acclimated to the physicality and explosiveness of the NBA.
Duncan and Parker epitomized an era of San Antonio Spurs basketball that will live in the history books forever. Now, they will have the chance to help shape the next era of dominance, except this time, they won't be doing it on the court.