Tony Parker says he can play at a high level for ‘another five or six years’

Tony Parker is one of the ten best players in the NBA today. Nobody talks a lot about him, but his combination of scoring, passing, and savvy is unparallelled by point guards. He is perfect for Gregg Popovich’s system, as he can hit the mid-range shot off of pick and rolls, his play making ability is great, and he has no wasted motions.

Parker is 31, but he was drafted when he was just 19, and there are some miles on him. The Spurs have been playing great this season, but the general consensus is that the Spurs run  with Ginobli, Parker, and Duncan is coming to an end. Parker thinks he is just hitting his prime, and can keep this up, via the San Antonio Express News:

"“That’s why I think I can play at a high level for another five or six years,” Parker said. “The way Pop is managing me, and the fact that I know I’m not going to play forever with the national team … I feel I can play a long time at a high level.“I don’t want to play a long time unless I can play well, so when I see what (37-year-old) Timmy (Duncan) has done and how Manu (Ginobili) is playing this year, it makes me confident I can do the same thing.”"

It will certainly be interesting to see if he can keep this up, and because he doesn’t rely on athleticism, there’s a real chance he can. I have learned not to bet against the Spurs or Parker over the years.