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Jabari Parker signs two-year deal in Serbia with NBA opt-out
Priority Sports: Jabari Parker has signed a two-year deal with @PartizanBC, which includes NBA outs. 🇷🇸
Jabari Parker and FC Barcelona have mutually agreed on an early termination of their contract. Barca announced the departure of the 30-year-old forward on Monday.
Jabari Parker: People say I’m a tragic story. What’s tragic about me? I made millions of dollars
Injuries marked Jabari Parker’s NBA career, leading many to doubt him, especially considering the high expectations he carried as a No. 2 draft pick and standout college player. “People say I’m a tragic story. What’s tragic about me? I made millions of dollars, I fed my family, I brought my family out of the ghetto. Those same people who probably wrote those stories haven’t even achieved 1% of what I’ve done,” Jabari Parker said.
Jabari Parker: “I’ve fulfilled my dream; that’s all that matters to me. Of course, it would have been nice to be one of the best players in the NBA, but for me, playing here is the same. My life here is wonderful, and that’s why I keep my feet on the ground—nothing is guaranteed. I could have quit basketball at 14, and now, at 30, I’m still playing the sport I love, competing in the EuroLeague, in a spectacular city and club.”
As Jabari himself says, simply continuing to play is an achievement in itself. “I like to remind myself—I’m not even supposed to be playing anymore. How many people are playing at a high level after what I’ve been through? I’ve torn my ACL twice, with two meniscus repairs. I shouldn’t even be walking normally, but I’m playing at a high level.”
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Some theorized that Parker was disappointed with himself or sad that he was no longer in the NBA, but Parker says that he was crying tears of joy. “Basically, it was all happy, happiness,” Parker said. “It was gratitude for this organization for giving me an opportunity, for my teammates for making me happy about this experience. I have nothing but great things to say about the Barcelona experience that I've had, especially being on the team of FC Barcelona. It's been nothing but a dream of mine. And because of this place, I've found my love for the game again. And I wasn't sure if I'd play basketball again, but because of FC Barcelona, the fans, my teammates, my coaches, my friends here, I've found that love again and I'm passionate. ”
Jabari Parker: 'I've recovered my love for basketball'
In remarks Jijantes FC, the former NBA player explained, once again in emotional terms, why he reacted with tears to the question. "They were tears of gratitude. I wasn't sure I'd be able to play again. In Barcelona, I've recovered my love for basketball," he stated.
When asked about his experience with Barcelona, Parker struggled to contain his emotions, visibly tearing up as he reflected on the challenges and triumphs of his first season abroad. The transition from the NBA to European basketball is never easy, but Parker’s impact on Barcelona’s success highlighted his adaptability and talent.
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Parker, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2014 Draft, played 321 games in the NBA over eight seasons before moving overseas for the first time in his career last summer to join powerhouse Barcelona in Spain. He made 11 playoff appearances with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018 and the Boston Celtics in 2021. “So far the games have been a lot closer,” Parker said when Eurohoops asked him to compare the playoffs in the NBA and the EuroLeague. “A lot of times in a Game 4 or Game 3 whatever, you’ll get blowouts because of homecourt advantage. But even when they played us at Barca the games were very close. And that’s the level of competition. Everybody can play, everybody is smart and very strategic. European basketball is great basketball.
Parker’s European adventure includes trips to arenas filled with extremely loud, hostile atmospheres that ooze passion, sometimes to the extreme. It’s completely unlike anything he had ever witnessed before. “We got to give these fans the deserving of their money,” Parker said when asked by Eurohoops if the NBA would benefit from a European-type game atmosphere and if it would improve the overall product. “They pay big money to watch these games and it’s up to us and our organization to show that. I don’t like when a team takes off nights or sits out players. It happens but in the EuroLeague, this is high-level competition. We play for every game. I don’t know what the environment is out there. But I know for here [in Europe], people come to watch basketball. It’s just different. Maybe in the NBA, people just watch [attend] games to socialize and to network and to eat a lot of food but you don’t see the fans leaving their seats here.”
Contract extension to 2026 agreed between Barça basketball and US power forward Jabari Parker. The blaugrana number 22 arrived on a one year contract last summer and both parties have now agreed to extend it for two more years. “I really appreciate it. I have felt good, and the games and experiences have been good since I first set foot in Barcelona. I just want to carry on those good times here in Barcelona for more years”.
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