Tony Parker began his EuroLeague coaching career with a commanding 84-74 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday night at the LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, delivering the French club a statement result in Round 1 of the 2026-27 season.
The four-time NBA champion, who took over as ASVEL head coach this summer after a playing career spanning 18 seasons, watched his side dominate behind outstanding debut performances from two high-profile recruits. Jae Crowder led the way with 19 points on 4-of-5 three-point shooting, adding four rebounds and four assists for a game-high PIR of 25 in just under 25 minutes. Patty Mills, Parker's former San Antonio Spurs teammate on the 2014 championship roster, contributed 15 points and three assists, going 3-of-6 from deep and perfect from the free-throw line for an 18 PIR.
"We showed character even though we are not ready yet," Parker told EuroLeague TV. "There are many things we can improve offensively, but there are other ways to win games – effort, energy, rebounding and defense. You do not need to have played together for a long time to do those things."
The win was an immediate bounce-back after a painful SuperCup semifinal loss to Roanne earlier in the week. Parker praised his players' response to that setback: "I am very happy for the players. We suffered a painful loss against Roanne on Saturday, but they have worked hard since then and I loved their reaction."
Jaylen Hoard paced Maccabi with 15 points, while Yam Madar added 13, but the Israeli side never found the defensive intensity needed to slow ASVEL's veterans. Marc-Owen Fodzo Dada chipped in 14 points for the hosts, providing a spark off the bench alongside the veteran duo.
Crowder, who arrived in Europe after 13 NBA seasons and 812 regular-season appearances, wasted no time adapting to the European game. His shooting stretched the Maccabi defense and opened driving lanes for his teammates throughout the contest.
For Parker, the victory represented validation of a summer spent rebuilding a roster that had been forced to scale back its ambitions. The 44-year-old, who won four titles with the Spurs before finishing his playing career with Charlotte, now faces the challenge of sustaining this momentum in a gruelling EuroLeague campaign.
Sources
https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/2011978/tony-parker-celebrates-first-win-as-asvel-coach/ https://basketnews.com/news-256070-tony-parker-wins-euroleague-coaching-debut-as-mills-crowder-shine-for-asvel.html https://basketballsphere.com/en/euroleague-round-1-recap-dwayne-bacon-dubai-real-madrid/
