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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v SPURS

June 8, 2007

Tony Parker

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: Practice Day

Q. There have been a lot of players in this league who have come in with tremendous speed, and in their initial years in the league there are times where they're going too fast, their coaches, commentators, whoever, are saying they have to slow down. They have to learn that adjustment of speed is more important than the actual speed itself. When in your mind did you actually figure that out for yourself?
TONY PARKER: Well, since I've been small, I always knew I had a lot of speed. I can go by people and penetrate, try to get some stuff for myself and for my teammates. But I knew that the key is changing speed. You know, do it at the right moment. And when I first came in the league, Coach Pop, we always talked about that, changing speeds, and don't go fast all the time. You have to go slow to be able to use your speed, you have to go slow. You have to go slow and make sure you choose the right moment to use it at the right time and get the defense off-balance.

Q. And when do you think you figured that out?
TONY PARKER: I think it was always in me, I think. I always had it when I was small, and I think it's something that you can always improve. And I think I definitely improved that my first couple years in the league and tried to adapt to the speed of the NBA and choose when I can use it.

Q. At some point during the series or during the season people will adjust to you, back off and make you shoot. How equipped do you feel now or more equipped?
TONY PARKER: I feel a lot more comfortable. I think that's what was one of my limits, you know, early in my career. I always had like great games and then they'd adapt and I don't think I was shooting well enough from the outside to be consistent in a series.
I think the last two years, you know, all the work I put in with Chip, I feel very comfortable and I've got a lot more confidence to knock down that shot in the NBA and to keep going to the basket and at the same time knock down some shots to make them respect me.

Q. When they do try to make you shoot, are there still ways you can impose your will on them and still get to the basket?
TONY PARKER: Definitely, definitely. A lot of teams try to do that. Against Phoenix they tried to do the same strategy. They put Shawn Marion on me and he was going under and I start knocking down shots and then they have to come out. And that's when you penetrate again and that's when you try to get back to the basket and get some stuff going for my teammates or for myself. The whole key is to make sure I shoot with confidence.

Q. What were your thoughts about Daniel Gibson's play last night and do you expect to see more of him in Game 2?
TONY PARKER: He played very well for it being the first game and a rookie in the NBA Finals. I thought he was aggressive. He didn't force anything. He waited for his shots, and maybe he's going to be more aggressive, I don't know, because I think everything goes through LeBron James. But maybe they're going to use him a little bit more. He's a good shooter, he made some shots last night. We have to pay attention to him. We can't let him have a big game like he did against Detroit.

Q. How long did it take you to get over your frustration at the time the Spurs were recruiting Jason Kidd and came fairly close to signing him? Did it take you a while to get over that and did that drive you during that time in your career?
TONY PARKER: It was just one summer. It was just that summer of '03, and then after that I forgot about it. Then I was just focusing on me trying to improve and get better as a basketball player. I always wanted to improve anyway. I didn't need that to want to improve because I think that they -- when you don't improve, something is wrong with you. It was a little wrong for me, but I still wanted, as myself, to try to get better as a basketball player.

Q. Did you ever stop to think after that of how different your career might have been if he had come here?
TONY PARKER: Well, I don't want to think about it, but if he came here, I don't think I would be here in San Antonio. I'm happy that it didn't happen because so far I'm having a great career here in San Antonio. I'm very happy to be here.

Q. I'm wondering, you said you and Pop have an interesting, great relationship. Could you talk about that a little bit? I remember you said that he -- Pop is a little crazy. Can you also maybe expound on that a little?
TONY PARKER: Because Pop, you know, since I've been with San Antonio, I came so young, I was 19, so it was a little bit like father and son. He was always hard on me. He always screams at me and always tried to push me because I'm a little bit like nonchalant sometimes in practice and a little bit lazy, so he's always like behind me.
And even if I play great, he always thinks I can be perfect. I think in a way, he pushed me to get to the All-Star level and try to be the best player as I can because he never, never let me rest. He was always behind me trying to make me the best player I can be.
I think it was great for me to have a guy like that who believes in me like that because at 19 years old after five games he put me in the starting five, and I never thought I would play that fast. That's how Pop saw what I can do, and so at the same time I took that opportunity and tried to be the best player I can.

Q. He's not looked at in the same, I guess, realm as a Phil Jackson or Pat Riley. Do you think that's wrong? Do you think that's more our problem than his? What would you say about that?
TONY PARKER: You know, you can always argue, but I think Pop is definitely one of the best coaches in the history of the NBA. You know, he's just amazing, the way he keeps us focused and still wants to win championships and games, the way he handles the organization, how professional it is here.
It feels like a little family here. I just think he did a great job with young players or veterans. I think he proved himself because I was very young, and he does a great job with veterans, Robert Horry and Michael Finley. I just think he's a great coach, and maybe one day you'll talk about him like that, like Phil Jackson and Pat Riley. Maybe if we win one more time. That's what you need, to win championships to get credit.

End of FastScripts

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