NBA players getting caught up in fights at clubs and bars is nothing new. From Larry Bird to Charles Barkley, numerous superstars have made headlines for their off-court altercations at nightclubs and bars.
However, Tony Parker found himself in a particularly unfortunate situation when he became an innocent bystander in a fight involving two of the biggest names in music.
The four-time NBA champion simply wanted to enjoy a night out in New York City when he visited the upscale nightclub W.i.P in June 2012, especially because the club was also hosting Chris Brown and Drake that evening. But what should have been an ordinary night out quickly turned chaotic when tensions erupted between the two entourages.
As the confrontations escalated, several people were injured. Among them was TP, who had nothing to do with the dispute but ended up suffering a serious eye injury (a scratched retina in one eye) that threatened to disrupt his preparations for the upcoming Olympics.
The police indicated that the incident was far from a minor scuffle, as Chris Brown, his girlfriend,and his bodyguard were among those who were injured.
According to OK Magazine, the confrontation began when a note from Drake's table to Brown read, "I am f–ng the love of your life."
Brown reportedly threw the note to the ground and tensions escalated as members of the entourages exchanged middle fingers. And as the argument soon spiraled into a full-blown brawl, innocent people were caught in the middle and suffered the consequences.
Parker, being one of those incidents, later explained how it affected him, as he was strictly told to spend eight days in bed.
"I was with my friend Chris Brown, and me and my friends took some punches," Parker said . "So I'll be missing the start of the French team because I can't do anything for a week except keep the lens in and then take drops."
The injury he sustained was so severe that he needed medical attention as soon as he landed back in Paris and was forced to wear a therapeutic contact lens to help his eye recover.
And what was the cause of him hurting his eye so severely? Well, the former Finals MVP also shed light on that.
"They started throwing bottles everywhere," the former Spurs guard said. "I don't know what happened. At first it was OK, but then it started getting worse and when the plane landed it was really hurting so I went straight to the ER."
France had every reason to be concerned about the superstar.
After all, TP was coming off an outstanding 2011-12 NBA season, in which he earned an All-NBA Second Team nod after averaging 18.3 points and 7.7 assists per game and leading the San Antonio Spurs to the Western Conference Finals.
With his experience, playmaking and scoring ability, France was surely in the contention race.
Nevertheless, even after recovering, Parker left no stone unturned in helping his national team win a medal, averaging a team-high 15.7 points in 30.2 minutes per contest. Yet, a defeat at the hands of Spain (after winning four straight games) saw France bow out of medal contention.
Just shows how resilient TP was. Despite suffering a severe injury, he was hell-bent on representing his nation and how.
Related: Tony Parker rips into his players in fiery halftime rant
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Oct 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
