Frenchman plays basketball 3,560 metres above sea level in exhibition game
Monday 24 October 2016 13:18, UK
He is an NBA legend, but now Tony Parker and his beloved San Antonio Spurs are preparing for the big tip off later this month without their superstar and talisman Tim Duncan.
The point guard is somewhat of a rarity in his own right in that he can be likened to Ryan Giggs as being a one-club man.
At 34 years of age, Parker has been with the franchise since 2001, and he lives and breathes their philosophy of total, brutal, between-the-eyes honesty which keeps them such a tight-knit unit.
Having already penned a multi-year $43m contract extension, Parker hopes to be with the Spurs until 2021, when he will be nearing 40 - an age Duncan reached in April before retiring. The Spurs are now preparing for the 2016/17 season without their main man, and a future Hall of Famer, for the first time in 20 years.
Parker is only all too aware how difficult things will be without the retired Duncan, who ended his trophy-laden playing association with the franchise at the end of the last campaign. He was a five-time champion, two-time MVP, three-time finals MVP, and Rookie of the Year.
"Oh, we're definitely going to miss him," Parker said, speaking in Switzerland at a sponsored event atop the Aletsch Glacier, 3,560 metres above sea level. "There's going to be a big hole and nobody can replace him. We're going to do our best to keep winning."
Legends are hard to replace in any sporting arena, but Parker feels Spurs have enough quality coming through in the shape of LaMarcus Aldridge to be able to cope against the major franchises.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be defending their crown, but last year's runners-up, the Golden State Warriors, have strengthened significantly.
They've already added the world's best shooting guard and two-time reigning MVP Kevin Durant from Oklahoma City to a star-studded line-up that includes Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
Can anyone stop them? Parker believes the Western Conference will be as tough as ever, from the Warriors to Dirk Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks to Luol Deng's Los Angeles Lakers to Curry's Warriors.
But he is also relishing a new challenge as the Spurs will look to all his experience to help guide the young stars coming through in San Antonio.
"I'm looking forward to the new season," Parker said, "and we have some very exciting players coming in, so hopefully we can try to win the title, but there are a lot of good teams in the NBA."
The Frenchman, who recently represented his country for the last time at the Rio Olympics in August, won NBA titles in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014. He was named NBA Finals MVP award back in 2007, when the Spurs swept past the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the best-of-seven series.
But now Duncan is gone, Parker isn't contemplating the retirement of another of their greats - long-standing coach Gregg Popovich, who handed Parker his chance after he was selected 28th overall by the Spurs on draft day 15 years ago.
Popovich is the longest-tenured active coach in both the NBA and all US major sports leagues, taking over in 1996 - the same year Arsene Wenger became manager of Arsenal.
While rumours circulate around the future of Wenger at the end of the current Premier League season when his contract comes to an end, there is no such thought of 67-year-old 'Pop' ever leaving the Spurs, according to Parker.
"I want Coach Pop to coach forever," he said.
Parker was appearing with players from his ASVEL Villeurbanne-Lyon academy, along with his brother TJ Parker as his team eased to victory against a select team brought together from the LNA league in Switzerland.
Parker was joined by Moto2 GP motorcyclist Tom Lüthi on Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe on behalf of Jungfrau Railways and his main sponsor Tissot. He added: "I am all for new challenges."
The Spurs and Parker will have a challenge on their hands when they begin their quest for a sixth NBA championship against Curry, Durant and the Warriors in a blockbusting opening match-up in Oakland on October 26.
For more information on visiting Switzerland, head to My Switzerland and Jungfrau - Top of Europe Tourism
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