It’s good to see San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker healthy and back on the floor when he played his first game of the season Monday against the Dallas Mavericks. Prior to that, Parker had been recovering from a devastating calf injury he suffered in last season’s playoffs and one that forced him to miss the Spurs’ first 19 games of the season.

Before taking on the Mavs, the 35-year-old guard spoke with NBA TV and expressed just how thrilled he is to return to action, even comparing himself to a rookie about to play his first NBA game.

“I was very excited. I felt like a rookie like it was my first game in a long time. It was just a lot of excitement. I’m just happy to play basketball after a tough injury like that.”

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Tony Parker, of course, is the unlikeliest person to compare to a rookie. For one, he’s been around the league since 2001. He’s won four NBA titles, won an NBA Finals MVP in 2007, and has been voted to six NBA All-Star teams.

In his return, Parker played in just 14 minutes against the Mavs, scoring six points on 3-of-7 shooting from the field while also dropping four dimes. Parker is reportedly on a minutes restriction, as he tries to get his legs back after a long layoff.

Tony Parker and the Spurs look to win three in a row this Wednesday when they host the spiraling-out-of-control Memphis Grizzlies.

Parker has career averages of 16.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game.