The season-long rift between the San Antonio Spurs and Kawhi Leonard’s camp spilling over from behind the scenes to the front pages may seem like new territory for Gregg Popovich and company, but it’s hardly the first bit of drama to hit the Alamo city.
San Antonio—one of the most consistent, respected organizations across all sports—is known for hard-working, team character guys.
But even the Spurs aren’t strangers to tabloid-worthy missteps. In the years between their two last championships, there was an incident that nearly destroyed the team from within their own locker room. Tony Parker, the point guard charged with organizing the team on the court, nearly tore it apart.
3. Tony Parker's betrayal
Tony Parker’s importance to the Spurs is clear. As a six-time All-Star, four-time All NBA player with four championships and a Finals MVP, he’s the greatest point guard in franchise history.
He was also almost gone. In 2010, Parker was embroiled in a scandal that ended two different marriages.
Tony Parker and Eva Longoria got married in 2007 until Nov. 17 of 2010, when Longoria filed for divorce after he cheated on her with close friend Erin Barry, the wife of former teammate Brent Barry.
The quartet were very close, with Barry and his now ex-wife attending Parker’s own wedding and celebrating birthdays together. The two couples hung out together frequently, making this ordeal all the more disturbing.
“We’re like a family,” Parker once said, describing the relationship.
Parker admitted to sexting with Erin, but claimed the affair never went beyond that. From the New York Daily News:
Parker, 28, was reportedly going behind his wife's back with Erin Barry, wife of his former teammate Brent Barry, according to Sports Illustrated reporter Bryan Armen Graham.
“Have it on good authority from entertainment sources that ‘former teammate' in Tony Parker-Eva Longoria affair is Brent Barry,” Graham tweeted Wednesday. “Don't have much else on Parker/Longoria affair. Source did mention Barry and wife are going through a divorce.”
Though Parker allegedly sent text messages to Erin, a source close to the NBA star told People.com that the relationship never turned physical.
Regardless, it was a huge deal within the organization.
2. Inner Turmoil
Though Brent Barry was no longer on the team, having retired from the NBA, he was still close with almost everyone on the Spurs—from Tim Duncan and Popovich to the training staff.
When the affair was made public, the team was pissed. From an E! News story at the time:
Making the situation slightly more awkward is the fact that Parker signed a four-year, $50 million extension with the team last week.
“The Spurs staff is very upset and Pop [Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich] would trade him if he didn't just sign that big deal,” the source insists.
1. The Butterfly Effect
If Tony Parker were traded, that might've been it for the Spurs. In 2010, he was their second best player. Reconfiguring the team around him in 2012 helped propel the Finals run in 2013 and the Spurs' 2014 NBA championship.
No Parker, no Spurs' title run after 2007. And the potential ramifications go beyond that.
Perhaps the Spurs never pull the trigger on the trade that sent George Hill to the Indiana Pacers for Kawhi Leonard in 2011. In an alternate universe, perhaps Paul George and Leonard are enough to unseat LeBron James in Miami shorter than anticipated.
If this scandal comes to light just a week earlier, prior to Parker's contract extension, then maybe the NBA as we know it is completely different.
Follow Us
Subscribe