Basketball: Tony Parker to be Asvel's new coach next year

Tony Parker, the legendary former NBA point guard, is set to take on a new role as head coach of French basketball club Asvel for the upcoming season. Parker, who has served as the club's president since 2014, will now add coaching responsibilities to his portfolio, marking a significant step in his post-playing career.

“

When I started my steps to become a coach, I had the NBA more in mind. But between the attachment to my country, the fact that Asvel is like my baby, the arrival of NBA Europe, starting with my favorite club became a very attractive project.

Currently coaching the French U17 national team at the World Cup, Parker, 44, expressed his ambition to eventually coach in the NBA. However, he sees coaching Asvel as a compelling project, driven by his deep attachment to his home country and the club he considers his 'baby.' "When I started my steps to become a coach, I had the NBA more in mind," Parker told L'Equipe. "But between the attachment to my country, the fact that Asvel is like my baby, the arrival of NBA Europe, starting with my favorite club became a very attractive project."

“

My passion for the game is intact, and with my entire staff, we will work tirelessly to instill a pervasive winning culture to build an ambitious future. This is the beginning of a new story, the first step in a large-scale development project that we want to build for the long term.

As president and majority shareholder for over a decade, Parker plans to elevate Asvel into a major European contender. To achieve this, he has secured substantial investment, boosting the club's budget to nearly 60 million euros, with 20 million allocated for player salaries. "My passion for the game is intact, and with my entire staff, we will work tirelessly to instill a pervasive winning culture to build an ambitious future. This is the beginning of a new story, the first step in a large-scale development project that we want to build for the long term," Parker promised.

“

I will have several hats: I will always be a minority shareholder, president of basketball operations, and coach. I really have the means to build something long-term. It takes time to build a big project, but I'm lucky to have a group of investors who understand that. It's rare in professional sports.

He will also face his younger brother, TJ Parker, who coaches Chorale de Roanne, in the Betclic Elite league. Parker will wear multiple hats, serving as a minority shareholder, head of basketball operations, and now head coach. He is building a comprehensive staff, inspired by NBA models like the San Antonio Spurs under Gregg Popovich and the New York Knicks under Mike Brown. Notably, former French national team coach Vincent Collet is expected to join his staff, a move initiated by Collet himself. "He made the first move. We worked together for a long time; I know we are complementary," Parker said.

“

He made the first move. We worked together for a long time; I know we are complementary.