Not so long ago, the San Antonio Spurs welcomed an intriguing prospect out of France.
Fast forward to today, and that’s the same case, but Tony Parker’s situation is nothing similar to Victor Wembanyama’s.
In his sit-down with ESPN’s Malika Andrews, the now-Hall of Famer looked back to when he first entered the league.
Parker talked about how he had to open doors for foreign players — as many other players from overseas did back in the day — and make a name for himself to try and change the perception, which is nothing like what is happening with Wembanyama nowadays.
Wembanyama is projected to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game, but those hefty expectations could be costly.
Moreover, to think that a non-American player would get that kind of praise two decades ago would be crazy, but that’s just how much the game has changed nowadays.
Guys like Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki also helped change the perception of European players, who were once deemed as soft, non-athletic, and poor defenders.
Of course, Wembanyama will have a tough time living up to those irrealistic expectations put on his shoulders, but he couldn’t have landed in a better place.
There, in San Antonio, he’ll have some elite guidance, with Gregg Popovich, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and even Parker being there to mentor him and walk him through the ups and downs of his career, so it’ll be up to him to stay healthy and prove himself to the world.
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Tony Parker Details The Impact 2 Spurs Legends Had On His Career
