Washington Post
May. 6, 2004 12:00 AM
SAN ANTONIO - Bruce Bowen saw a name flash across the television three years ago and could not fathom what he was hearing: "With the 28th pick in the 2001 NBA draft, the San Antonio Spurs select . . . Tony Parker."
"No way, can't be that kid," Bowen, the Spurs shooting guard, said to himself.
Not the kid whose father, Tony Parker Sr., counseled an immature malcontent in the French League almost a decade ago, when Bowen was doing more complaining than playing for Evreux.
Not the koala-bear cute, little 12-year-old, who introduced himself in a halting Parisian accent, "You are Bruce Bowen, yes? Hi. Nice to meet you."
Not the kid who would grow up, find Bowen on the right wing, find Tim Duncan underneath the rim, find a way to direct the San Antonio Spurs past the Los Angeles Lakers and to a championship at a mere 21 years old - while still managing to look 12.
Not the unquestioned floor leader, who skittered past the Lakers, scoring 30 points on 13-of-23 shooting in Wednesday's 95-85 win, which gave San Antonio a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series. This, after making Gary Payton look 38 in Game 1 on Sunday, the point guard who stopped and popped for 20 points and 9 assists in 42 minutes.
That kid? That kid.
"It wasn't until I saw his face come across the screen that I was sure," Bowen said. "I remember thinking, 'It's him, with less hair.' "
Three years later, the growth spurt has not abated. Parker's sudden development since being drafted and starting at 19 has again made the league do a double-take - and rethink conventional playoff wisdom.
In pro basketball, scouts and general managers contend that the evolution of a point guard does not genuinely begin until the third season. That's when a three-year veteran begins to understand the nuances and subtleties of when to pass, when to shoot, when to tell the franchise player when he is not in the right place on the floor for an offensive set.
Parker has orchestrated the offense like a 10-year veteran and deflated the defensive confidence of his counterpart, Payton, who was left muttering that he feels left out in Phil Jackson's triangle offense.
Before Parker's workout for the club in 2001, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich never wanted a European point guard, much less one from France.
No offense to Parker, but Popovich just could not remember many Parisian playground legends.
But there was Parker in the summer of 2001, passed up by Orlando and Boston late in the first round. He reported to training camp slight and smallish for a prototype point guard, 6 feet 2 and maybe 170 pounds, and it would take him a full season to win over Duncan.
