France’s Tony Parker won the 2013 FIBA Europe Player of the Year by an overwhelming margin as he rounded up the annual 2013 awards handed by FIBA Europe.
Parker, who came straight from a seven-game NBA Finals loss to the Miami Heat to the national side, inspired the French to a first Eurobasket win last summer in Slovenia. The 31-year-old led the tournament in scoring as he averaged 19 points a game.
Parker totalled 24,976 fan votes with an astonishing 987 votes from an expert panel. Greece and Olympiacos guard Vassilis Spanoulis finished as runner-up but he was well behind Parker.
“For many years, Tony Parker has been a great ambassador for the sport of basketball, both in Europe and abroad,” said FIBA Europe Acting President Cyriel Coomans. “It is therefore fitting to see a player of his fine calibre rewarded in this manner for what was indeed a magical 2013.”
“Every year I look forward with anticipation to seeing Tony Parker take to the court wearing a French jersey,” claimed FIBA Europe Secretary General Kamil Novak. “He is one of the greatest European players of his generation, as this award confirms, and I consider it an honour to get to see him play.”
Spain’s Sancho Lyttle won the women’s award as she guided Spain to the Eurobasket Women’s crown last year.
She averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds a game as the Spanish defeated the hosts France in a pulsating final. She was also awarded a spot on the All-Tournament team.
“It was a wonderful summer for Spanish women’s basketball,” stated Coomans, continuing, “so it is therefore of little surprise to see Spaniards winning both of the women’s awards this year.
“I want to congratulate Sancho on earning this award and I look forward to watching her continue to flourish for a number of years yet.”
Fellow Spaniard Astou Ndour won the FIBA Europe Young Women’s Player of the Year, while Croatia’s Dario Saric scooped the Young Men’s Player of the Year gong.
