Former San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker has begun the process of obtaining formal coaching credentials as he targets a future job on an NBA bench.
Speaking with France’s L’Équipe, the 18-year NBA veteran said he has enrolled in courses to secure the DESJEPS (Higher State Diploma of Youth, Popular Education and Sport) and the DEPB (Professional Basketball Coach Diploma). Parker expects to complete the program in May 2026.
“My dream is to coach in the NBA,” Parker told the newspaper. The four-time league champion and 2007 Finals MVP has served as president of French club ASVEL since 2014, a period that has included stints by future NBA players Guerschon Yabusele, Victor Wembanyama and Zaccharie Risacher.
Parker, 43, said the decision to step away from executive duties became clearer after he ran a training session for ASVEL’s under-15 squad on Thursday. “I missed the court—the adrenaline, the daily grind,” he explained. “I think it’s the right timing for me. I’ve been retired for six years and I feel it inside me.”
The longtime point guard consulted several high-profile figures before committing to the move, including former Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and French sports icons Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry. San Antonio granted Parker access to observe practices and team operations over a one-week stretch earlier this year.
Although Parker acknowledged receiving inquiries from multiple clubs, he prefers to complete his diploma first and then follow a coaching path that could ultimately lead to an NBA head-coaching position. He also left the door open to one day guiding the French national team.
“Everyone knows I’m friends with [national team coach] Freddy Fauthoux,” Parker said. “But in the very long term—why not? If you embark on this career, one day you’ll want to coach the French team, that’s for sure. But before that, I have so many things to do.”
Source: HoopsRumors
