Tony Parker eyes NBA coaching career after legendary playing days
Six years after hanging up his sneakers, Tony Parker is ready for a new challenge. The 43-year-old NBA legend wants to return to the league – this time as a head coach.
Parker, who spent 17 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and one with Charlotte before retiring in 2019, recently shared his coaching ambitions with David Loriot at EuroBasket.
“My dream is to coach in the NBA,” Parker said.
The four-time NBA champion plans to step away from his role as president of French team ASVEL, a position he’s held since 2014.
Parker hasn’t been sitting idle during his post-playing career. As ASVEL’s president, he’s worked with NBA-caliber talent including Victor Wembanyama and recent top draft pick Zaccharie Risacher.
But the basketball court is calling him back.
To prepare for this next chapter, Parker is taking his education seriously. According to Kevin Montanaro of Sportnado, he’s enrolling in coaching courses to obtain his DESJEPS degree and DEPB diploma, potentially completing both by May 2026.
Before making this decision, Parker sought advice from his longtime mentor Gregg Popovich. Last October, Pop invited him to observe Spurs practices and get a behind-the-scenes look at coaching operations.
He also consulted with French sports icons Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry, who encouraged him to pursue formal coaching credentials.
“Several teams have approached me in the past,” Parker revealed.
But he’s taking a methodical approach, believing a coaching degree will strengthen his candidacy for a head coaching position.
With his basketball IQ, championship pedigree, and commitment to learning the craft, Parker seems poised to make a successful transition to coaching. His playing experience under Popovich, widely considered one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, gives him a solid foundation.
If JJ Redick can land the Lakers head coaching job with zero coaching experience, teams will likely be lining up for Parker once he completes his coaching education.
The only question remaining is when – not if – we’ll see Tony Parker patrolling an NBA sideline.
