Tony Parker Preps Legal Game Plan

Tue., Dec. 18, 2007 7:47 PM PST by Natalie Finn

This case is a slam-dunk as far as Tony Parker is concerned.

The NBA star is mighty mad about recent rumors that he had an affair with a French model shortly after tying the knot with Eva Longoria, and a court filing is soon to follow, according to his legal camp.

"Tony adamantly and unconditionally denies ever having laid eyes on this woman, let alone having had an affair with her," Los Angeles-based attorney Larry Stein said in a statement Tuesday. "The allegations of the supposed affair are entirely false and fabricated.

"We have been instructed to promptly file suit against X17.com and to pursue all legal remedies against those making such false accusations."

High-profile clients are accused of one thing or another every day, but "this one has gone beyond where we can allow it to go," Stein told E! Online, adding that a lawsuit will "probably" name Alexandra Paressant, the woman who claims to have dallied with Parker, as well.

An item addressing Parker's alleged infidelity surfaced last Wednesday on celebrity photo agency X17online's Website, immediately provoking indignation from Parker, his missus and those close to them.

"I love my wife," Parker said just hours after the story hit the Internet. "She's the best thing in my life, and I have never been happier."

"Tony has been nothing short of the perfect husband," Longoria added. The apparently devoted duo were subsequently spotted Thursday stealing a moment during her photo shoot for L'Oréal, on the sidelines at the Spurs-Lakers game and then dining out in Hollywood afterward.

Meanwhile, X17 is standing by its decision to publish Paressant's claims.

"The journalists at X17online conducted extensive research for the reporting of this story and we felt the evidence was too strong to ignore," the agency said in a statement to E! Online. "Alexandra Paressant's claims were significant and newsworthy and we are continuing to uncover more details each day in our continued investigation."

Paressant said that she met Parker at the couple's July 7 wedding, where she was a guest of French soccer star Thierry Henry. She alleges that they continued to converse via text message and by phone, and then consummated their relationship in September when he was in Paris to receive his Legion of Honor award.

The 26-year-old said that she was prompted to come forward when she found out that Parker was carrying on with yet another woman.

"All high-profile couples fall victim to these sorts of things in the course of their relationships," Longoria's rep, Liza Anderson, said last week. "It appears this is not the first time this woman has used an athlete to gain public notoriety."

Last year, Paressant was romantically linked to Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho, who denied having more than a passing acquaintance with the Frenchwoman after she told the media that his excessive partying may have contributed to Brazil's early exit from the 2006 World Cup.

He too threatened legal action against Paressant before the rumors died down.