Tony Parker says Dwyane Wade’s respect for him and LeBron James prevented Spurs from trash-talking duo in gruesome finals battles
Tony Parker was one of the key factors in making the San Antonio Spurs a dominant force in the early 2000s. The 2007 NBA Finals MVP, alongside Tim Duncan, was the gentleman assassin of the NBA. In an episode of the SKWEEK Show, Parker opened up about the reason he and the Spurs never talked trash to the Heat.
Dwayne Wade, speaking about their back-to-back finals matchup, said that in his previous finals appearances, he had experienced trash talks from his opponents and it helped him greatly. However, in 2013 and 2014 when he met Parker and the Spurs, he kept waiting for the opponents to give him something to fuel himself up, but got nothing.
Tony Parker opened up about the reason he never talked trash against the Heat, saying it was out of appropriate fear and respect.
"I had a lot of respect for you, a lot of respect for LeBron... I was trying to have that appropriate fear to play against you guys."
Parker also said that the other reason he never talked trash was that Wade was the GOAT for him as he was Parker and his brother’s favorite player in the NBA.
When LeBron James joined the Miami Heat in 2010, the rivalry between the Heat and Spurs took center stage in the league. While the LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh trio became a dominant force, the Spurs were raising their own army to fight the mighty Heatles.
Tony Parker says his brother taunts him with Dwyane Wade’s name
Parker and Dwyane Wade both were inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2023. During his enshrinement ceremony, Parker spoke about Wade in reverence and said that despite sharing a blood relation with him, Dwyane was his brother’s favorite player and taunted him with his name:
"We play twice in the NBA Finals and people don't know that, he is my little brother's favorite player. So every time, he will come to the house and be like Dwayne Wade."
"Man, can you stop it, you my own brother. But we won once, so we good."
Wade and Parker met twice in the NBA Finals back-to-back in 2013 and 2014. Miami won in 2013, while the Spurs took the 2014 championship home.
In 2007, when the Spurs met LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, they swept the Cavs in the seven-game series. Parker was declared the MVP of the Finals.