Tony Parker pronouncement that he thought the Spurs could no longer challenge for a championship with their current roster was big news across the NBA.
Parker’s comments last week to a group of French reporters in Paris even got discussion on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” with Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser.
Here’s a link to the segment at , as well as a transcript of what Wilbon and Kornheiser had to say.
Wilbon: Tony Parker is spending time back home in France and that’s why perhaps he felt comfortable enough to say what he said about the Spurs in a recent interview unearthed by Sports By Brooks. ”I don’t think this current team will play for the title in the future. We are aging.”
Kornheiser: So are we.
Wilbon: ”We must be realistic. It was kind of our last chance this season.” Tony, should Tony Parker be saying this, even if he believes it.
Kornheiser: Sure, if he believes it. What he’s saying is the exact same thing that you and I have said. Everybody looked at the Spurs this year and said, “Wow!” Look at them.
Wilbon: Great run.
Kornheiser: We didn’t think they would be that good, so I’m O.K. with that. But what interests me is that I suspect that not only did he say this in France, but that the said it in French. I suspect that he did not think, because he’s in a foreign country that it would be unearthed back in the United States. I don’t think he would have told a San Antonio reporter this exact thing.
Wilbon: Maybe not, but Tony Parker’s been living ontwo continents since he was 15 years old. So I’m thinking … His dad is American so I don’t know. Maybe you have a point, Tony.
Kornheiser: If you were living in Australia and you were interviewed, would you think it would be seen in Kansas City?
Wilbon: Yeah, yeah.
Kornheiser: So you think you are actually that big?
Wilbon: Yeah. I actually know. I travel and you don’t and the world is actually a lot bigger to you than me. It’s small and you know stuff gets around. More importantly, Tony Parker is going to be the guy who gets traded.
Kornheiser: I forgot that I was with Conrad Hilton.
Wilbon: No, you’re with a guy who leaves the house every now then.
Kornheiser: My grid gets smaller.
Wilbon: Tony Parker is going to get traded. He’s the guy. But if Pop says no, but if they are going to get better.
Kornheiser (interrupting): They can’t trade Duncan, he will be 36 …
Wilbon: And Ginobili has some value. But Tony Parker is the guy. I’m surprised you aren’t lobbying for him to be a member of the Knicks. Or can he get there on a barge from San Antonio?
As you can see, Parker and his comments have proven to be so lively that they’ve moved past San Antonio and become a national topic of conversation.
Parker and his future with the Spurs will be talked about all summer — lockout or not — because of the comments he made in France last week.