This archive report was first published on 12 November 2019.
On Monday, the San Antonio Spurs paid tribute to their former star guard Tony Parker by retiring his number nine jersey in a post-game ceremony.
Parker, a four-time NBA champion, played 17 seasons with the Spurs, joining the team in 2001 at the age of 19. He became a starter after just four games and went on to average 15.5 points, 5.6 assists, and 2.7 rebounds over 1,254 career NBA games.
"Thanks for all those years," Parker said during the ceremony. "It was a crazy ride."
Under the guidance of coach Gregg Popovich, Parker helped the Spurs win NBA titles in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014. He was also named the 2007 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player after averaging 24.5 points per game in the Spurs' sweep of Cleveland.
During the ceremony, Popovich spoke about Parker, saying, "Tony, I want to apologize for all the physical and mental abuse I gave you the whole time you were here." He added, "I've been the luckiest guy in the world to see you from age 19 to this point. I feel fortunate I was there to see it all. I love you."
Popovich also joked that Parker had taught him about wine, saying, "I spent any money on wine you taught me all about."
Former teammates and coaches, including Manu Ginobili, Sean Elliott, and Patty Mills, also paid tribute to Parker during the ceremony.
As a final gesture, all spectators received a black "Merci Tony" T-shirt, featuring a drawing of Parker going up for a shot.
