San Antonio (USA) (AFP)
A jersey appears on the ceiling, flocked to a number 9 that no one else will wear, set by its owner with a child's smile, containing tears despite emotion and pride: Tony Parker entered Monday in the pantheon of San Antonio Spurs.
"Thanks, San Antonio, it's good to be at home, it's always going to be home for me, it's very moving," said the Frenchman, who had wanted the withdrawal of his jersey, a supreme honor. in the NBA franchises, takes place on this 11th of November marking the end of the First World War.
"My dad is American, my maternal grandfather had the + Purple Heart + (a US military medal), we must salute all the veterans," he said, before thanking the assembly: his wife, his two children Josh and Liam, former coach Gregg Popovich and former teammates David Robinson, Bruce Bowen, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili in jerseys already retired.
With Duncan and Ginobili, he has formed one of the most talented "Big 3" in history, crowned with four championship titles (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014) and so he is a member at their side of the very closed club of immortals Spurs, along with Johnny Moore, Avery Johnson, James Silas, Sean Elliott and George Gervin.
The ceremony, in the presence of many friends of "TP" among which Frenchies who have followed suit in the NBA, Boris Diaw, Nicolas Batum, Ian Mahinmi, Ronnie Turiaf, took place just after the defeat of the Spurs against Memphis (113-109).
- "The luckiest of men" -
As imagined, given their very strong relationship, Gregg Popovich gave a most moving, but not devoid of humor.
"I want to apologize for the physical and moral abuse that I did to you ... But the truth is that I was the luckiest man to make you play and see you now enter to the pantheon of glory (Spurs) You made my life richer, "said" Pop coach "in front of a foggy Parker.
In 17 years in the San Antonio jersey, TP9 played 1198 games totaling 15.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists of average. And has built a stunning record: besides his four rings champion, he was MVP finals 2007, selected six times in the All-Star Game.
Not bad for the 19-year-old and 173-day kid who became November 6, 2001, against Orlando, the youngest playmaker in NBA history.
"His level of maturity was out of the ordinary, he understood everything he had to do, what we expected of him, he improved again and again, hardened again and again, he was really remarkable," said Popovich. in a video broadcast before the ceremony.
- "Thank you Tony" -
In an AT & T Center where everyone had donned a black T-shirt with his effigy, written in silver letters "Merci Tony" in French, other recordings were heard from Teddy Riner, the F1 driver Charles Leclerc or again from the Spanish pivot Pau Gasol.
"I can not believe that your jersey will be removed, crazy things like that do not normally happen, you deserve it, congratulations, I'm so happy to be here for you," said his friend Thierry Henry.
The current star of the Blues Kylian Mbappé hailed him "a legend of the French sport", when his elder Zinédine Zidane evoked "one of the first who succeeded in the United States, an example and a reference for all the kids who wanted to succeed in basketball ".
Even rapper Snoop Dogg, a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, has complied: "TP9 Congratulations, man, you know I love you guy Spurs for life leader! Big Snoop Dogg gets you Tony!" .
The last word was for the evening hero. "At 19, I played one of my first games against the Lakers of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, and you shouted + Go! Spurs Go! +. So before you go, I'd like you to do it again." Parker asked Spurs fans.
Wishes granted, deserved homage.
© 2019 AFP