The World Series of Poker 2021 is on the horizon, and the first player to qualify for the prestigious tournament is none other than four-time NBA All-Star Tony Parker. Having qualified in a charity tournament, Parker has landed himself a seat at the $10,000 Texas Hold’em Main Event.
Tony Parker in the NBA
If you’re a sports fan that hasn’t heard of Tony Parker, where have you been the last 20 years? He’s only considered one of the greatest point guards of all time. Having spent 17 years playing for the San Antonio Spurs, Parker was an integral part of the team’s success – seeing them become NBA Champions ins 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.
He has a huge list of achievements under his belt in the basketball world including:
- FIBA Europe Player of the Year in 2013 and 2014
- LNB All-Star in 2001
- NBA Finals MVP in 2007
Parker was selected to be on the NBA All Star Team six times from 2006 to 2014, and played for France during the 2012 Summer Olympus. On November 11, 2019, his number, 9, was retired by the San Antonio Spurs.
World Series of Poker
Last year, the World Series of Poker was moved online due to the coronavirus pandemic – but, things are back to normal this year (albeit a little bit later than usual). The WSOP 2021 will be held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino from September 30th to November 23rd.
The Main Event, in which Parker will be participating is expected to start on Thursday, November 4th. Players will be able to choose from four different starting days, and the final day of the event is like to be take place on November 17th.
Tony Parker’s Poker Career
While many athletes who enter the world of poker make a big song and dance of it, Parker’s entry was a little more subtle. After signing a deal to become an ambassador for French online poker site Betclic in 2010, he hasn’t been seen much on the felt.
It’s only recently that we’ve seen more of the NBA star playing poker, when he won the Big Game Poker Tournament in January 2021. He beat out 218 other players in the charity event, which raised $87,500 for San Antonio Sports and SA Yes.
1er qualifié des WSOP 2021 ! pic.twitter.com/DrhOhpIdvY
— Chochon Gregory (@GregChochon) May 3, 2021
Tony Parker may be an infrequent poker player, but he’s a very successful one. So, we’re very excited to see how he fares in the World Series of Poker Main Event in November.
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Bethany has been working in online gambling for over 13 years. She got her start in the industry as her first job after graduating from the Professional Writing Program at York University. Having written for many online gaming publications and worked with top casino operators, she has unique insight into the gambling market. Bethany maintains a personal interest in iGaming as she continues to play poker online as a hobby.