Anthony Parker facts for kids
Parker with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009
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| Orlando Magic | |
|---|---|
| General Manager | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | June 19, 1975 Naperville, Illinois, U.S. |
| High school | Naperville Central (Naperville, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Bradley (1993–1997) |
| NBA Draft | 1997 / Round: 1 / Pick: 21st overall |
| Selected by the New Jersey Nets | |
| Pro career | 1997–2012 |
| League | NBA |
| Career history | |
| 1997–1999 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1999–2000 | Orlando Magic |
| 2000 | Quad City Thunder |
| 2000–2002 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
| 2002–2003 | Lottomatica Roma |
| 2003–2006 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
| 2006–2009 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2009–2012 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Anthony Michael Parker (born June 19, 1975) is an American basketball expert. He used to be a professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and also in Italy and Israel. Today, he is the general manager for the Orlando Magic.
Anthony Parker is known as one of the most successful players in the history of Maccabi Tel Aviv, a team in Israel. Before playing professionally, he went to Bradley University. In 1997, he was chosen in the 1997 NBA draft.
He played a short time in the NBA before moving to Europe. There, he spent five seasons with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel. He also played one season with Lottomatica Roma in Italy. With Maccabi, he won many championships. These included five Israeli national championships and five Israeli National Cups. He also won three European titles, like the EuroLeague in 2004 and 2005. He was even named the EuroLeague Season MVP twice in a row!
In 2006, Parker came back to the NBA. He joined the Toronto Raptors as a free agent. In his first season, he helped the Raptors win their first division title. They also made it to the NBA playoffs for the first time in five years. He helped them reach the playoffs again in 2008.
Anthony Parker retired from playing basketball on June 27, 2012. He had played nine seasons in the NBA, five in Israel, and one in Italy. After retiring, he became a scout for the Orlando Magic from 2012 to 2017. Then, he became the general manager of the Lakeland Magic, a team in the NBA G League. In 2021, he became an assistant general manager for the Orlando Magic. In 2023, he was promoted to General Manager of the Magic.
Contents
Anthony Parker's Basketball Journey
Early Basketball Days
Anthony Parker started playing high school basketball at Naperville Central High School. Then, he played college basketball at Bradley University. He became a top player there. In his third year, he scored 18.9 points per game. He also shot 42% from the three-point line. He was named the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Most Valuable Player that season.
In 1997, after four years at Bradley, Parker entered the 1997 NBA draft. The New Jersey Nets picked him 21st overall. But he was quickly traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He had some injuries with the 76ers. He played in only 39 games over two seasons.
Later, he was traded to the Orlando Magic. He still struggled to play much. In January 2000, the Magic released him. He finished that season with the Quad City Thunder. This team was in the Continental Basketball Association.
Becoming a Star in Europe
Parker was disappointed about his NBA start. So, he decided to play in Europe. He hoped to play well there and return to the NBA. In the 2000–01 season, he moved to Israel. He signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv, a very strong team.
He quickly became a key player for Maccabi. He could score, rebound, and even block shots. He also entertained fans with his slam dunks. In his first season, Maccabi won the Israeli championship. They also won the Israeli National Cup and the FIBA SuproLeague Cup.
He continued to play great in the 2001–02 season. He averaged 16.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Maccabi won both domestic titles again. They also reached the EuroLeague Final Four.
In 2002, Parker left Israel. In January 2003, he moved to Italy. He played for Virtus Roma. He averaged 14.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game there.
But after half a year, Parker wanted to return to Israel. He had grown to love the country. Back with Maccabi, he helped his team win more titles. They won the Israeli championship, the Israeli National Cup, and the EuroLeague in both 2004 and 2005. He was named the Israeli Basketball Super League MVP in 2004. He also won the EuroLeague Final Four MVP in 2004. He was EuroLeague MVP and All-EuroLeague first team in 2005.
The 2004–05 season was a huge one for Parker. He had his best averages for points, rebounds, and assists. In his last season with Maccabi, they won two more domestic titles. But they lost the EuroLeague championship game in 2006. Still, Parker was named EuroLeague MVP again. He was also on the All-EuroLeague first team for the second time.
After six successful years in Europe, Parker wanted to return to the NBA. He wore jersey number 18 for Toronto and Cleveland. He explained that 18 means 'chai' in Judaism. It is a symbol for life and good fortune. He wanted to remember his great time in Israel.
Back to the NBA
Playing for the Toronto Raptors
In October 2005, Parker played a friendly game for Maccabi against the Toronto Raptors. He hit the winning shot with less than a second left. This showed the Raptors what he could do. In July 2006, the Raptors signed Parker as a free agent. He joined other European players like Jorge Garbajosa and José Calderón.
Parker quickly became the starting shooting guard for Toronto. He was known as a great three-point shooter. In his first season, he averaged 12.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He helped the Raptors win their first division title ever. They also made the NBA playoffs for the first time in five years.
In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, Parker guarded Vince Carter. He did a good job limiting Carter's scoring. However, the Raptors lost to the Nets in six games. Parker also won the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 2007. This award is for players who show good sportsmanship.
In the 2007–08 season, Parker played in all 82 regular season games. He helped Toronto reach the 2008 NBA Playoffs. But they lost in the first round to the Orlando Magic. By the end of that season, he was ranked 7th in NBA history for three-point shooting percentage.
Playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers
On July 13, 2009, Parker signed a two-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers. This team had LeBron James and was very strong. The Cavaliers also added other star players like Shaquille O'Neal. Cleveland finished the season with the most wins in the league. Parker started all 81 games he played.
In the 2010 NBA Playoffs, Cleveland beat Chicago. But they lost to the Boston Celtics in the next round. Parker started all 11 playoff games for Cleveland.
After the 2010 season, LeBron James left the Cavaliers. Many other experienced players also left. Parker, Antawn Jamison, and Anderson Varejão became the team's veteran leaders. The Cavaliers had a tough season, winning only 19 games. But they did upset LeBron James' Miami Heat in March 2011. Parker scored 20 points in that game.
On June 27, 2012, Anthony Parker announced he was retiring from playing basketball.
National Team Experience
Anthony Parker also played for the junior United States men's national basketball team. He was on the Under-22 team with future NBA All-Stars Tim Duncan and Paul Pierce. In 1996, his team won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Under-21 Championship. In the final game, Parker scored 19 points to help beat Canada.
Becoming a Basketball Executive
After retiring in 2012, Parker became a scout for the Orlando Magic. He did this job until 2017. Then, he was promoted to general manager for the Lakeland Magic. This is the Orlando Magic's developmental team in the NBA G League.
In 2021, he moved back to Orlando as an assistant general manager. On July 5, 2023, the Orlando Magic announced that Anthony Parker was promoted. He is now the General Manager of the Orlando Magic!
Anthony Parker's Family Life
Anthony Parker was born in Naperville, Illinois. His father played college basketball. His mother was a cheerleader. Anthony's younger brother, Marcus, also played basketball. His sister, Candace Parker, is a famous WNBA player. She was the number one pick in the 2008 WNBA draft. Anthony married his wife, Tamy, early in his career. They had their first child in 2002. Anthony Parker is a Christian.
See also
In Spanish: Anthony Parker para niños
- List of National Basketball Association career 3-point field goal percentage leaders
