The San Antonio Spurs beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 83-82 in game 4 of the 2007 NBA finals to win the championship on June 15. Spurs point guard Tony Parker was named Finals MVP (Most Valuable Player) after scoring 24 points on 57% shooting. It was the 25-year-old Belgian-born Frenchman’s third MVP title in a six-year NBA career. On July 7, he will marry Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria. Now, he’s got all he wants: the girl, the championship rings and the MVP trophy. Here’s what he said after the game.

　　I＇m the right point guard

　　Q: Coach Popovich recounted a story that you guys shared a laugh on the stage out there about your first workout， and now here you are NBA MVP. What has Coach Popovich meant to you﹖

　　Tony Parker: He meant everything. He's just been unbelievable with me. When I first came, I did a workout and I was terrible, and Coach Pop said, I never want to see him again. And then I came back and I did better, and they finally drafted me. And after five games he puts me in the starting five. Just like that, it was just like growing pains. But it was just great because it made me better. Pop always pushed me, even if I was lazy or nonchalant at practice. I would never be here without him.

　　Q: You said yesterday that when they were looking at Jason Kidd， it kind of upset you. Did you ever think in 2003， well， I＇m going to show them， I＇ll win an MVP trophy﹖

　　A: I never thought about that. I told them I'm the right point guard for that team. I told Pop, I want to be the point guard on that team. I want to do it, and I'm going to work hard to become a great player. It made him mad at the time, but I think now he understands where I'm coming from because I've got a lot of confidence in myself, and I knew I could do it. I put a lot of work to arrive here.

　　The first European MVP

　　Q: Can you talk about the significance of being the first European to win the MVP title﹖

　　A: It's great, it's great. It's just unbelievable. I'm speechless. When I look at that trophy, I'm going to wake up tomorrow and it's still going to be a dream. European basketball is improving every year. There's going to be more.

　　Q: Who＇s more popular now in France， you or Zidane﹖

　　A: That's a great question. You should put me on the same list, too. Zidane is always going to be the man in France because soccer is so popular, but hopefully French people can realize what I just accomplished, three championships in five years, that's not bad.

　　Championship ring VS wedding ring

　　Q: You won Finals， you won the MVP of the Finals， you＇re about to get married to the woman you love. Is there anything else in this world you want that you don＇t have﹖

　　A: I'm not complaining. I will definitely remember 2007. It's a great year, and I'm going to thank God. I've been very blessed, very blessed. I don't know what I did, but it's a great year.

　　Q: Just curious， which is better， this ring or the one Eva is going to give you next month﹖

　　A: Both. Can't choose. Both are very good.

　　Parker＇s fiancee Eva Longoria

　　Parker’s profile

　　Born: May 17， 1982， in Belgium

　　Height: 1.88m

　　Nationality: French

　　William Tony Parker is a French National Basketball Association （NBA） player with the San Antonio Spurs and captain of France＇s national basketball team. Parker was born into a family which had， and continues to have， strong links with professional basketball. At first， Parker was more interested in soccer， but after watching the evolution of Michael Jordan into a global basketball superstar， he changed his mind. After playing for two years in the French basketball league， Parker entered the 2001 NBA Draft and was selected by the San Antonio Spurs. He quickly became their starting point guard， helping the Spurs win three NBA Championships. Parker has been selected as an NBA All－Star twice. He and Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria are getting married on July 7 in a castle in France.