San Antonio.

ON the sore and speculative subject of Jason Kidd's hightailing it out of northern New Jersey next season for a charmed championship life here in steamy South Texas: not so fast. The Spurs already have an irresistible point guard who can flat-out fly.

For a truly informed evaluation of how quick Tony Parker is, we thought it best to consult a man named Speedy.

"Of all the guys in the league, I would probably say he's second, next to Iverson," said Speedy Claxton, formerly Allen Iverson's backup in Philadelphia and now Parker's here. "Iverson is a different kind of quick because of the way he can cross over and shoot."

Parker is the kind of player who changes direction on a dime and is behind you in a blink.