Tony Parker's baby could boost Canadian basketball team's Olympic hopes
The Canadian men's basketball team's chances of making the Rio Olympics could improve if French point guard Tony Parker is forced to miss a July qualifying tournament.
Parker, a four-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, told a French radio station that his wife is due to give birth to his second son at the end of July. That's shortly after a July 4-10 qualifier in Manila, where France and Canada will be two of the six teams competing for a single Olympic spot.
Parker said he has yet to decide whether his wife's pregnancy will force him to cancel his commitments with the national team.
"I will need to talk with the France team. And negotiate with my wife, too. The schedule is very, very difficult," he said.
French federation president Jean-Pierre Siutat and technical director Patrick Beesley both said they were unaware of Parker's situation.
The Olympic basketball tournament runs from Aug. 6-21.
Separate qualifying tournaments will also be held in Italy and Serbia, with one Olympic spot up for grabs in each.
The United States, Brazil, Australia, Nigeria, Venezuela, Argentina, Spain, Lithuania and China have already earned spots in Rio.
Canada failed in its most recent attempt to qualify for the Olympics for the first time since 2000 when it lost to Venezuela in the semifinals of the FIBA Americas tournament.
The Canadian women's team has already qualified for Rio.
