Coming off of two long seasons of NBA basketball that included consecutive trips to the NBA Finals, it’s no surprise that some of the San Antonio Spurs would like to rest up this summer. The defending champs have a roster filled with international talent, and with the FIBA Basketball World Cup coming up this summer in Spain, the team has its fair share of players who would like to participate for their home countries.
Fortunately for the Spurs, they will not have to worry about star point guard Tony Parker fatiguing himself playing for France this summer. According to Dan McCarney of My San Antonio, the Spurs guard has decided to forego the tournament as a thank you to the Spurs for allowing him to participate in international play often throughout his career. While Parker would like to suit up for his country, he understands the benefits of taking a summer off to rest up for next season.
“Obviously it’s always tough to see my teammates start without me,” he said. “It feels like my second family is playing right now. But I have to be smart. I think it’s the right decision for me, for the Spurs if I want to play a long career. I want to play two more summers (with France) and then I’ll be done.
“I think for all those years, being with San Antonio, (Spurs coach Gregg Popovich) has always been great with me and the national team. I felt like this was a summer I can give back to the Spurs.”
The move will likely pay off greatly for the Spurs, who will have a rejuvenated and healthy Parker from Opening Night this upcoming season.
