Tony Parker revealed in an interview with L'Equipe on Thursday that his goal is to become an NBA head coach.

"My dream is to coach in the NBA," Parker stated. He also explained that his decision stemmed from a conversation with Gregg Popovich: "When I stepped onto the court, it reminded me of my time running basketball camps in Fecamp. Last October, after my first conversation with Popovich, I felt a strong desire. I sought his advice, and the Spurs opened their doors to me in January, February, and March, allowing me to observe the team for seven to 10 days."

Parker has begun preparing to achieve his goal of coaching an NBA team. L'Equipe has learned that he recently coached the U15 youth team at the Tony Parker Academy to gain practical experience.

Encouraged by Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry, Parker decided to take the DES (Diploma in Coaching), France's highest-level coaching qualification. He told L'Equipe: "Strictly speaking, the qualification isn't a requirement for coaching in the NBA. However, I thought to myself, 'Why not go back to the classroom?' This year, I'm taking the DES. I hope to pass it in May and start coaching."

Parker, 43, is widely considered one of the greatest players in French basketball history and a legendary San Antonio Spurs player. He formed the "Spurs Big Three" alongside Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili under Gregg Popovich, winning four NBA championships as the starting point guard (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014).

Parker also had outstanding performances at the national team level: in 2013, he led the French team to defeat the Spanish men's basketball team and won the only European Championship title in his career.

In June 2019, Parker announced his retirement from the NBA. He subsequently became a shareholder of ASVEL and has served as the team's chairman since 2014.