Spurs guard Tony Parker cleared to play, could return by November
By Nick Denning
San Antonio guard Tony Parker suffered a torn quadriceps tendon in the playoffs last May. He initially thought he would be out until January, but he received good news recently and could return by mid-November.
Tony Parker suffered a torn quadriceps tendon during the Western Conference Semifinals last May. It ended his season and raised questions as to whether he would play again. But Parker, 35, revealed his doctors have cleared him to participate in training camp.
Speaking with Marc J. Spears of ESPN’s The Undefeated, Parker said a recent MRI showed his quad was progressing well. However, he emphasized he will be taking his time recovering, stating, “It looked very good. So they cleared me. But it’s still going to be like another, I think, two months to get back in shape and getting my leg stronger.”
Two months suggests Parker will return sometime in November, which is earlier than his original estimation.
"“In my mind, hopefully, I can be back by mid-November, end of November,” Parker said. “But overall, it’s great news. Because at first, the doctors thought it would be the end of January. So it’s still like great news.”"
While some felt the injury could be career-ending, Parker never thought about retiring. He credits a “very disciplined” rehab process for aiding in his recovery. Part of the process included working out every day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. He also had trainers from the team with him all summer, whether he was in San Antonio or France.
The news is great for Parker and the Spurs. Patty Mills will likely begin the season as the starting point guard, but the team has inexperienced point guards behind him. Point guard Dejounte Murray has the most, have played in 38 games for the Spurs last season, starting in eight. The Spurs drafted Derrick White out of Colorado with the 29th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. They also brought London Perrantes into camp. These guards should get an opportunity to play while Parker recovers. That said, the team will undoubtedly lean on Parker’s experience once he returns.
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Parker isn’t an All-Star point guard anymore, but he remains an important part of the Spurs. Getting him back early will undoubtedly help as the team competes in what is measuring up to be a highly competitive and deep Western Conference.