By Guillaume K. | Sports journalist
On a basketball court, not all positions have the same responsibility. But which one is the most difficult to compete at the highest level of competition? Tony Parker, who played alongside many legends, gave his side of the story.
Tony Parker had a chance in his career, it was that he was able to play with incredibly dominant players in absolutely all positions. The first talent to highlight is obviously Tim Duncan, double-MVP unanimously considered the best power forward of all time in the NBA. At the end, he was even a very high level pivot.
This last observation also works with David Robinson, MVP, Defender of the Year, 10 times All-Star and Hall of Famer. If they crossed paths at opposite times of their careers, there is no doubt that the French leader was able to learn from the Admiral. Finally, for positions 2 and 3, it is obviously Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard who stand out.
Playmaker, the most difficult position in the NBA?
Because he knows perfectly well what excellence looks like at each position, Tony Parker is more than justified in defining the most difficult position on a basketball court. He was interviewed on this subject for the “NBA Europe” YouTube channel. Unsurprisingly, he preaches for his parish when talking about playmakers and the expectations around them:
Honestly, I think the point guard position is the hardest in the NBA, with no disrespect to the other positions. Already, when I played, it was really the golden age. It was an abuse of all the good leaders you had in the league. Every night you knew you were going to face a star. You are the coach’s relay on the field.
For Tony Parker, two elements make the position of leader the most difficult in the big American league. The first is the fact that it is full of stars and that each match is a real duel of a very high level. In the Western Conference, for example, it is possible to successively face Stephen Curry, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and De’Aaron Fox…
The other aspect is the need to be a good relay for coaches who are necessarily very demanding. You therefore need great game intelligence, but also a certain calm so as not to lose your temper at every remark or criticism. Seen from this angle, being a starting playmaker in NBA should not be easy.
Tony Parker played with several Hall of Famers, so he knows what it takes to make history on each position. But for him, no one had a more complicated role than his in the great Spurs dynasty.
