http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Parker_plans_to_play_for_France_this_summer.html
Parker plans to play for France
By Jeff McDonald - Express-News
Spurs guard Tony Parker says he won't let Manu Ginobili's ill-fated run
in last year's Olympics deter him from playing with the French national
team this summer.
Ginobili aggravated an ankle injury while playing for Argentina last August
in Beijing, and eventually required surgery. He missed 43 games this
season, including all of the playoffs, while recovering from that injury
and others.
After the Spurs' Game 5 ouster against Dallas, Parker said he plans to
go through with his decision to join the French team.
“For me, it will be a little bit different,” said Parker, who turns 27 in
May. “Manu is over 30. I'm younger.”
Unlike Ginobili last year, Parker also enters the offseason relatively
healthy after the most productive season of his NBA career. He plans
to take May and June off, then join the French team July 12 for an
Olympic qualifier in Poland.
As part of the league's agreement with FIBA, the international basketball
organization, NBA teams cannot forbid players from playing in summertime
events. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich strongly discouraged Ginobili from
participating in last season's Olympics, but would not go on record with a
similar plea for Parker.
“I've learned that I'm limited as to the comments that can be made, due to
a variety of agreements and such,” Popovich said Wednesday. “One could
probably just look at my face, or at the comments I've made in the past —
that I'm not making now — and you can glean from that how happy I am
about some of the guys playing in the summertime.”
Parker realizes his international career is in its twilight. He says he would like
to play for the French team for two or three more years.
“When I pass that bar, the 30 years, then I'll think about it and learn from
what happened with Manu,” Parker said.
Bouncing baby Bonner: One way or another, Matt Bonner is
guaranteed to have a busy offseason. His wife, Nadia, is due to give birth
to the couple's first child in July.
The Bonners are expecting a girl.
“We're going to all the classes and reading all the books,” Bonner said.
“We're both pretty excited.”