TJ Parker and Asvel, it’s over. Member of the staff of the Lyon-Villeurbanne club since 2013, successively in the staffs of Pierre Vincent, JD Jackson and Zvezdran Mitrovic, and head coach since 2020, the brother of Tony Parker is dismissed “with immediate effect”, as we know learn this Friday. While waiting to find its successor, the club with 21 French championship titles is entrusting the reins of the pro team “to the duo Jean-Christophe Prat – Pierric Poupet”.
Double champion of France (2021, 2022) and winner of the Coupe de France (2021) at the head of Asvel, TJ Parker pays for “this start to the season below expectations”: Lyon-Villeurbanne has already been beaten three times in the championship (7 matches), after being eliminated in the semi-finals by the “Wemby” Mets last season, and who remains on 17 consecutive defeats in the Euroleague, including four in four matches since the start of the season after that suffered against Fenerbahçe Thursday (101-86), and who finished last (18th) in 2022-23. “Always standing up to criticism, even the most unjustified, TJ Parker has demonstrated unfailing determination and commitment during these ten years” at the club, we said in a press release.
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Who to succeed him? As reported by L’Équipe in recent days, “TP” wishes to attract the man named Gordon Herbert. Aged 64, the Canadian has just led Germany to the title of world champion. Issue ? The leaders of the German federation are not as open as their French counterparts when it comes to the dual role of coach/selector. Still according to the sports daily Herbert said yes to Asvel, but the “fed” said… no. To see if all parties manage to find an agreement, knowing that the former coach of Paris (2004-06) and Pau (2006-07) is under contract until 2025, not to mention the prospect of the Paris Olympic Games next year. “No one has to worry. I would not leave the national team,” he told Bild, ruling out the hypothesis of a clash to join the holders of the 2023 Leaders Cup.
If the blockage were to continue, it is said, again according to L’Équipe, that Tony Parker could turn to a coach he knows well, the Italian Sergio Scariolo, world champion (2019) and quadruple champion of Europe (2009, 2011, 2015, 2022) with Spain, free since leaving Bologna. For his part left free by Bayern Munich at the start of the season, the Italian Andrea Trinchieri could also be targeted by Asvel, 18th in the Euroleague and eighth in Betclic Elite.
