After 17 years with the San Antonio Spurs organization, veteran point guard Tony Parker signed on with the Charlotte Hornets this summer on a two-year deal. Today, the 36-year old Frenchman penned a thank you letter to all of San Antonio, including his former coaches, teammates and fans.
Parker's letter, which was posted to The Players' Tribune, reads in part, "Thank you to the Spurs organization, from top to bottom, for the most amazing opportunity of my life — and for 17 years of the greatest job on earth. Thank you to Spurs fans, everywhere, for always showing up, always being loud, and always, always having my back. And thank you to the city of San Antonio, for being the only thing that I could ever possibly call it now: home."
In addition to his kind words about Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and his successor, Dejounte Murray, Parker also looked towards the future and his role as a veteran on the Hornets' roster.
Of this upcoming season, his first with a team other than the Spurs, the 36-year old point guard writes, "I signed a two-year contract with Charlotte, and I'm very excited to play that out. It will be this brand new experience for me, with a brand new organization. And if you are looking for a second team to root for, in the East, you know … maybe even give us a look :) I promise we are going to give them hell."
During his time with the Spurs, Parker was selected to six All-Star teams, won four NBA titles, and ranks first in Spurs history in assists with 6,829.