Tony Parker has taken his basketball journey around the world, but only twice has that journey brought him to the Philippines. A decade after his first trip, one thing still stood out to the four-time NBA champion above everything else.

“The people,” Parker said during a visit to the ArenaPlus booth at the inaugural NBA House Philippines on Sunday, Aug. 30, at SPACE at One Ayala in Makati City. “Everybody is so passionate. I love it.”

That passion was on full display throughout NBA House Philippines presented by Gatorade, where Filipino fans packed the two-day event to take part in basketball activities and get a closer look at Parker alongside fellow basketball greats Jason Kidd and Lauren Jackson, both Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame members themselves. The inaugural staging also carried weight for the local basketball scene: it marked the first time the NBA brought its House fan-event format to the Philippines, a country where the game's roots run deep — the Philippine Basketball Association, founded in 1975, is the second-oldest professional basketball league in the world.

During his stop at the booth of the Philippines’ No. 1 PAGCOR-licensed sportsbook, Parker took a turn at the ArenaPlus Shootout Challenge, knocking down a couple of baskets before posing for photos with ArenaPlus employees, executives, and VIPs.

Parker’s history with the Philippines stretches back to 2016, when he first traveled to Manila to represent the French Men’s National Team at an Olympic Qualifying Tournament that also featured the host Philippine national team. France went on to earn a spot at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ten years later, Parker returned under vastly different circumstances — no longer a player chasing an Olympic berth, but with the perspective of an NBA legend and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member whose place in basketball history had long been secured.

“I like the whole atmosphere,” Parker said. “The whole energy is amazing.”

Parker vs. Kidd

In the 2003 NBA Finals, Parker and Kidd squared off in a thrilling series that the San Antonio Spurs won in six games over the New Jersey Nets. More than two decades later, Parker got the better of Kidd once again, as Team Parker defeated Team Kidd, 97-76, in Saturday’s NBA House Celebrity Showcase, which featured Filipino athletes, entertainers, and personalities.

His turn at the ArenaPlus Shootout Challenge likewise offered a reminder of the touch behind a career that produced four NBA championships, six NBA All-Star selections, and the 2007 NBA Finals MVP award, which he won as the first European-born player to earn the honor. All four of those titles came with the Spurs, who selected him in the 2001 NBA Draft and whom he represented for 17 of his 18 NBA seasons.

Seven years removed from his final NBA game, Parker has since found different ways to keep basketball close, taking up a coaching role.

“Nothing compares to playing,” Parker said. “But now I’m coaching, and I love it. I want to give back. I want to share my experiences, so I take a lot of joy in that.”

That connection to the game brought Parker back to the Philippines and once again in front of the fans who first welcomed him 10 years ago. The circumstances may have changed, but Parker found that one thing about the country remained unmistakably familiar: the passion of its people for the game of basketball.

This article was originally published by BusinessWorld.