San Antonio Spurs icon Tony Parker has the utmost faith in young point guard Dejounte Murray, making it clear that the franchise is in “good hands” with him as the long-term floor general.
Parker ceded his spot as the team's starting point guard in 2018, once Murray was showing flashes of brilliance and some consistent performances as his backup. The French international no longer had the burst of speed he had been known for during his career and Murray finished the 2017-18 season as the starter.
The 6-foot-2 floor general would later leave the Spurs for the Charlotte Hornets in what would be his last season in the league, but noted that Murray was the right guy for the job.
“I’m very proud of him,” Parker told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. “The Spurs are in good hands.”
Murray took a lot of teachings from Parker. Perhaps the most important being how to work with head coach Gregg Popovich. Parker still comes by and is a popular presence in the building, much like his former teammates in Manu Ginobili and now-assistant coach Tim Duncan.
“I learned a lot from Tony. I learned how to handle Coach Pop,” said Murray. “I still talk to him. He comes by the [practice] gym. Tony is Tony. We’re just happy to have him around. …
“There will never be another Tony Parker. He is the greatest Spurs point guard ever. Now, it’s up to me to be the greatest Dejounte Murray I can be.”
Murray has a very different game, relying on his athleticism and innate instinct for making defensive plays. His shooting has also improved enormously, now averaging 11.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, while still limited by a minutes restriction following an ACL tear that caused him to miss the entire 2018-19 season.
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