By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Narrowly not a first across international basketball, the French Federation of Basketball decided to retire jersey #9 in celebration of Tony Parker’s career with Les Bleus.
In the aftermath of the announcement regarding the induction of Parker into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, FFBB informed on an additional tribute to his career during a prep game in Lyon before the start of the 2024 Olympic Games, as reported by BeBasket. Fittingly, Team USA is a rumored opponent for the friendly game featuring the jersey retirement ceremony.
Germany retiring the jersey #14 sported by Dirk Nowitzki marked the first number retired by any federation. This was impossible with the old FIBA rules with players strictly limited to jersey selections stretching from #4 to #15.
Parker, 40, is considered the greatest of all time in French basketball. At the international level, he was the MVP and top scorer in the 2013 EuroBasket championship run. Apart from the gold medals in Slovenia, his contributions stretched to silver in the 2011 edition of EuroBasket, and bronze in 2005 and 2015. He ultimately retired from the international level after the 2016 Olympic Games.
The four-time NBA champion and NBA Finals MVP in 2007 was among the major highlights in the golden era of the San Antonio Spurs. He called it a day in 2019 after spending his 18th and final NBA campaign at the Charlotte Hornets.
Parker is also the majority owner and president of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague participant LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL