Lonzo Ball may be the most scrutinized NBA rookie in recent memory, what with his hometown ties to the Los Angeles Lakers, his anointment by Magic Johnson as the face of the league’s most glamorous franchise and all the public pronouncements to which his father LaVar Ball has been prone. But in Tony Parker’s mind, none of that compares to what he went through as a 19-year-old newbie with the San Antonio Spurs during the 2001-02 season.

“When I came in, we were trying to win a championship,” Parker said, per My San Antonio’s Tom Orsborn. “And that’s a lot of pressure on an everyday basis to be consistent and to perform.”

Where Zo was expected to lead a young Lakers squad from the get-go, Parker first had to earn the respect and trust of Tim Duncan, David Robinson and head coach Gregg Popovich, all Hall of Famers (or future Hall of Famers, in Duncan’s case) who had won a title together in 1999. The Spurs fell short during Parker’s rookie season, losing to L.A. in the Western Conference semifinals in 2002, but bounced back with a championship in 2003 to send Robinson soaring into retirement.

Parker—a six-time All-Star, four-time champion and Finals MVP—didn’t deny the added heat that comes with playing in a major market like Ball does.

“Rookies in L.A. and New York, yeah, there is pressure to be a good player,” he said. “But championship pressure, I think, is more.”

However Lonzo’s pressure compares to Tony’s, the former has handled it with aplomb, particularly of late. Ball drained a career-high six three-pointers—including three over the final 2:46—to propel the Lakers to a 116-112 win over Parker and company in San Antonio on Saturday.