Once upon a time, Tony Parker was the San Antonio Spurs' go-to-player.
The 33-year-old point guard concedes those days are long over. And he’s fine with that.
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"I think for us, my job as a point guard this year, it’s been establishing LaMarcus (Aldridge) and Kawhi (Leonard)," Parker told MySanAntonio.com. "Then, if they opportunity comes or if my number is called more often than usual, yeah I’ll try to be aggressive. But I don’t think that’s my job anymore."
The numbers certainly show Parker is not looking for his shot nearly as much as he did during his prime. He's averaged better than 18 points per game six times in his career, and the highest scoring season came in 2008-09 when he averaged 22 points per game on 17.5 attempts per contest.
Parker averaged 11.9 points and on just 9.9 attempts per game this year, his lowest numbers since his rookie season.
So was it hard to go from primary scorer to the third or four option? Parker has a holistic view of the shift that goes outside of basketball.
"I have a great life. I can’t complain. I love my team. I love my teammates. I have no problem," Parker said. "I don’t know why everybody keeps asking me that. I feel great. I want Pop to be happy. As a point guard I’m very happy with my role,” he said. “I just want us to win. That’s the main goal, to win championships."
Parker already has four rings, but he and the Spurs are seeking a fifth this year.