Tony Parker spoke about the reasons for the dismissal of his brother, T.J. Parker, as the coach of Asvel. The decision was not easy.
After seven losses in the last eight games and a streak of 17 consecutive losses in the EuroLeague over two seasons (the last win was on January 26 against Fenerbahce), Asvel is going through a transitional period at the start of the 2023-24 season.
In an effort to turn the team’s fortunes around, club president Tony Parker made the difficult decision to part ways with his brother, T.J., on Friday, hoping that this move would provide an ‘electric shock’ to the team.
![EuroLeague](https://basketballsphere.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/EuroLeague-1.jpg)
In an interview with Le Progres, Tony Parker expressed the urgency for a shift in a new direction.
“I think it’s time for a change. The results have been catastrophic. I’ve always said I will do what I think is best for the club. I’ve been quite patient with coaches, whether it was Pierre Vincent or J.D. Jackson. Zvezdan Mitrovic was the only one it lasted only a year and a half with, but that was because all the players wanted to leave. When you feel that the coach is losing the locker room, it’s really not good,” said Parker.
However, he clarified that this was not the case with his brother, as the players and the team’s executives fully supported T.J. Parker.
“It was even the opposite [with my brother]. Players, team leaders, be it Nando De Colo, Charles Kahudi, or Joffrey Lauvergne, fully supported him. The locker room needed to keep T.J.,” emphasized Parker.
“You saw how they reacted against Anadolu Efes. We could easily have lost by 30 points if the team no longer wanted to play for my brother.”
Tony Parker undoubtedly found it difficult to part ways with his brother, who had spent a decade with the club. However, as the president and majority shareholder, the NBA legend believed it was time to prioritize the club’s interests.
“I think it’s time. It’s my decision, and the shareholders trust me. I thank my brother for everything he has done. With him, we still won four trophies: two French championships (2021, 2022), the French Cup (2021), and the Leaders Cup (2023).
We’ve had unforgettable moments, with the peak being the fifth game against Monaco in the 2022 French league final. It was perhaps one of the most beautiful finals in French basketball. I am the president, majority shareholder, and it’s my choice. The team has great potential and a good roster, but we are not playing up to our full potential right now.”