Ranking the former Hornets players inducted into the Hall of Fame
By Orel Dizon
3. Tony Parker (inducted in 2023)
In the 2018 offseason, an unthinkable scenario happened when Tony Parker decided to leave the San Antonio Spurs and signed with the Charlotte Hornets in free agency. Not many saw the move coming, as the French legend was expected to finish his NBA career as a Spurs lifer, much like his former Big 3 buddies Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.
San Antonio wanted to bring him back in more of a mentorship role. However, Parker desired an opportunity to be more than just a cheerleader from the bench. After flirting with the Denver Nuggets, he opted to head to Charlotte and serve as Kemba Walker's backup.
The decision reunited the six-time All-Star with then-incoming Hornets head coach James Borrego, who had previously been part of the Spurs' coaching staff. So, there was plenty of excitement about Parker's addition, especially among those who were hoping he would be a key to the squad's playoff aspirations.
In the regular season, he registered 9.5 points and 3.7 assists in 17.9 minutes per game. That wasn't enough to help lift Charlotte to a postseason appearance, though, as it finished ninth in the Eastern Conference.
Parker chose not to run it back with the Hornets, retiring in the 2019 offseason after one year with the franchise and 18 seasons in the league.