A French superstar

Tony Parker doesn't sound French and in truth his mother is Belgian and his father American, but he has become one of his adopted country's top sports stars.

Tony Parker in 2001 versus Russia

Taking part in a basketball tournament in Rouen at a young age Parker was spotted and admitted to France's sporting centre of excellence. Playing for France under 18 team who won the European title in the face of a hostile and racist crowd in Croatia,  he turned pro instead of completing his "bac". He wonders if he would have persisted if they had lost, but at 19 he was called into the French national team for the first time. He had just signed a contract to play in the American NBA with San Antonio Spurs and came back two years later with a prestigious NBA title under his belt. At 21 he was captain of France but it took until 2013 for the French team to win the Euro title. All that time Parker continued a glittering career in America with the Spurs and at 33 is now a true superstar, with "Parkermania" a common reaction among French crowds. His final aim is to get to Rio for the 2016 Olympics; one last throw to make France the world's best for one who has been among the world's best players.
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