Tony Parker is expected to take over as head coach of ASVEL Villeurbanne in a move that could make him the highest-paid coach in French basketball history, according to BasketNews.
Getting the Bag
BasketNews reporter Donatas Urbonas first reported Parker is projected to earn about $1.2 million euros annually if the deal is finalized.
The former San Antonio Spurs star would step into his first major coaching role after building a lengthy relationship with the French club as a player, investor and executive.
Parker, 44, is one of the most accomplished international players in NBA history. He won four NBA championships with the Spurs and earned NBA Finals MVP honors in 2007. Parker was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.
His ties to ASVEL date back to 2009, when he purchased a stake in the organization. Parker also played for the club during the 2011 NBA lockout before returning to San Antonio once the NBA season resumed. He currently serves as ASVEL’s president.
The reported hiring would represent a major investment for a club attempting to rebound after a difficult EuroLeague season. ASVEL finished 8-30 and placed 20th in the standings.
Former ASVEL coach Pierric Poupet reportedly earned a fraction of Parker’s expected salary. BasketNews reported Poupet made roughly 10 percent of what Parker is projected to receive.
Parker retired from the NBA in 2019 after spending his final season with the Charlotte Hornets. He spent 17 seasons with the Spurs and became a central figure in one of the league’s most successful dynasties alongside Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili under coach Gregg Popovich.
Over his NBA career, Parker scored more than 19,000 points and made six All-Star teams.
If finalized, the move would place one of France’s most recognizable basketball figures in charge of a team searching for a turnaround in Europe’s top club competition.
