In The Spotlight

Vive la France and vive la Tony Parker! This three-time NBA champion began adding a dash of je ne sais quoi to the league in 2001 when he made his heavily hyped debut with the San Antonio Spurs. He has since been named to three All-Star teams and recently received a lucrative four-year, $50 million extension to remain in the River City with his teammates Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. “It’s home here,” he says. “I love being with Timmy and Manu. I’m happy to keep the adventure going with them.” Learn more about Parker and his split from Eva Longoria by clicking here.

Question of the Week

Torii, Rockford, IL
Hey Ryan, I’ve heard that Tim Duncan likes to unwind by playing Dungeons and Dragons and attending renaissance fairs. Have you heard of any players with stranger hobbies than that?

You’ve obviously never heard of Tony Lavelli. The former four-time All American was a high-scoring forward with serious musical aspirations. In fact, Lavelli was so keen on entertaining crowds that he joined the Celtics on the condition that he could play his accordion at halftime during home games. Although this former Yale grad only stuck it out in the pros for two seasons (1949-1951), he went onto enjoy a long career as a songwriter and nightclub performer. If you’re a fan of accordion music, I’d personally recommend his two albums, All-American Accordionist and Accordion Classics, both of which are excellent for driving away unwanted houseguests.