RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Tony Parker has said au revoir to France’s national team.
The star point guard for the San Antonio Spurs said following a 92-67 loss to Spain on Wednesday that he is retiring from international competition.
The 34-year-old has played in France’s program for nearly half his life and said it’s difficult to say goodbye.
Despite all his accomplishments in the NBA, Parker — the leading scorer in the EuroBasket tournament — had limited success as an international player. France didn’t qualify for the 2004 Athens Games or the 2008 Beijing Games and finished sixth in London four years ago.
France won its only Olympic medal — a silver — in 2000 when Parker wasn’t on the team.
He says he has “a lot of great memories. A lot of tough memories, but that’s sports.”