When most fans think of the French Hall of Famer Tony Parker, many might reminisce about his historic career-high 55 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves! The EuroBasket MVP is now actively involved in helping the NBA expansion project in Europe. Off the court, he has been just as strategic, slowly building his thriving business empire. And intriguingly, he has no plans of slowing down. 

From becoming the first French player to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to becoming one of the richest retired NBA players, Parker has been an inspiration as well as intrigue for many. How was he able to build his business so early in his career?

Drafted as the 28th pick by the San Antonio Spurs, he played for 18 years in the NBA and ended his career with the Charlotte Hornets. Parker made millions from his NBA salary alone. The peak salary of his career came during the 2016–2017 season when he made $15.4 million playing for the Spurs. He led the franchise to win 4 NBA titles. Parker amassed nearly $168 million from his NBA salary.

His endorsement deals, worth at least $10 million, further boosted his income. During his playing days, he also reportedly bought a 20 % stake in the French basketball club ASVEL in Lyon, France. He was named the Vice President of Basketball Operations. He became the majority shareholder of the club in 2014. 

As mentioned, he is seemingly interested in having ASVEL be part of the NBA expansion if things go well. The following year, he launched his basketball academy in Lyon to guide the next generation of players. He has a passion for wine, too, so, not so surprisingly, he decided to venture into that field, too. Parker invested in Champagne Jeeper and Chteau La Mascaronne and bought a 40-hectare vineyard, Chateau Saint Laurent, in the Rhône Valley, as per the Robb Report.

All these initiatives have significantly boosted his net worth, which is currently $85 million, as per Celebrity Net Worth. Much like earning, he also believes in giving back to the community. He is the first Ambassador for Make-A-Wish France.

Since then, Parker has always kept his foot on the gas, pushing forward with his dedication and efforts. But the Frenchman, too, has leaned on the insight of a few wise men, one of whom is none other than NBA legend Magic Johnson.

What did Magic Johnson advise Tony Parker? 

The billionaire himself had advice from the late legend Jerry Buss. The Lakers legend began to grow his business quite early and made meaningful investments that went on to boost his net worth to $1.2 billion. He owned the Lakers and still has ownership stakes in various sports franchises, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Commanders, and more.

So, when Parker thought of stepping into business, he sought Johnson’s help, who gave him the most crucial advice, which is to network. He added that it would help him throughout his work. Johnson suggested Parker should start networking during his playing days and begin building his business empire before retirement.

“When I was 23 I decided to meet Magic Johnson, talk about business. He gave me great advice. He was like ‘Don’t wait until you retire to start creating your network’. You know, he’s like, ‘Call now because now they wanna hang out with you but when you retire, they forget about you. But when you’re active and you play, everybody wants to hang out with you and know what’s going on,’” Parker said on Winning Minds by Oscar Bruel’s podcast.

He added, “That’s what I did. You know when I was playing, I will work on my network and for meetings you know with CEOs and stuff like that.” 

That was a life-changer for the 4x NBA Champ. Before his retirement in 2019, the former NBA player had started his own basketball academy and his businesses! With smart advice and early moves, Parker was able to level up to play in the league of moguls.