Tony Parker Would ‘Definitely’ Play in France During Lockout


While acknowleding China as a possibility (though not a terribly serious one), Tony Parker indicates that playing in France would be his preference, in the case of an extended NBA lockout. From ESPN: “[After] leading the French national team to an exhibition victory over host Great Britain in a six-nation tournament serving as a test event for the 2012 London Olympics, Parker shot down the idea of playing in China in the event that the ongoing NBA lockout cuts into the 2011-12 schedule. ‘My agent talked about China a little bit,’ Parker said after totaling 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists in France’s 82-60 victory. ‘But for me I just want to focus on the national team, that’s most important for me. I’m not going to take any decision until the end of September, after the European Championships. I want to see if I’m healthy, if I’m hurt and by then we will also know a lot more what is happening with the situation of the lockout. If I play (abroad), I will definitely play in France, for my fans, for my team, ASVEL.'”