Hoops Habit
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NBA: 30 greatest international players in league history

By Daniel Lubofsky

SAN ANTONIO - MAY 09: Guard Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball past Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 9, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO - MAY 09: Guard Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball past Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 9, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Greatest international NBA players of all time: 5. Tony Parker

Tony Parker may be synonymous within the San Antonio Spurs organization as the best point guard in franchise history, but the level of greatness he achieved was never guaranteed. In fact, had you told Gregg Popovich that much before Parker blossomed, he likely would’ve laughed right in your face.

Nobody could deny the speed and quickness Parker had with the ball in his hands, but he couldn’t shoot a lick from outside the paint and was a poor decision maker early in his career. Pop would famously berate him constantly both in games and at practice sessions but did so with the knowledge of the gift he ultimately had in front of him.

After winning All-Rookie First-Team Honor, Parker began to ascend towards being a key piece on what would become one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports.

Legendary shooting coach Chip Engelland helped re-tool the Frenchman’s jump-shot to the point of it being automatic, which, combined with his shifty and nimble movements, made him nearly impossible to slow down.

The Spurs had won their first NBA title in 1998-99 and would go on to win another four over the next 15 years with Parker leading the charge. His personal highlight came during the 2007 Finals, where he shot 56.8 percent on his way to a series-high 24.5 points per game. San Antonio won in a sweep and Parker was named Finals MVP.

As they headed into a new decade, Popovich was keen on the perimeter-centric changes the rest of the league was undergoing. Rather than stick with his Hall-of-Fame power forward Tim Duncan as the focal point, Pop got with the times and entrusted the entirety of the Spurs’ offense to his point guard that couldn’t seem to earn a shred of trust early in his career.

The results seemed well worth it. San Antonio would make back-to-back Finals in 2013 and 2014 after remaining out of the picture since 2007. Having narrowly missed out on victory the first time, the Spurs came back with a vengeance in 2014 and took home another championship.

Parker wasn’t the best player on those Spurs teams. That was Tim Duncan. He wasn’t the flashiest. That was Manu Ginobili. He was simply the little engine who kept chugging along through the years, whose contributions to the team ebbed and flowed with what was asked of him.