The career of a Blue Devil star was derailed by injuries and taken him off a path to greatness
Jabari Parker was going to be the next NBA superstar after his one season with the Duke basketball program. He won nearly every individual award in high school, was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a senior, and won the National Freshman of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year in college.
It led him to becoming the No. 2 overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft and on the fast track to being the league’s Rookie of the Year before an ACL tear in early December sidelined him.
It was the first of many injuries for Parker that are still affecting him today.
After a game with FC Barcelona, Jabari Parker was asked about his year playing overseas both as a player and person. He tried to take a moment to gather his thoughts, but the emotion was too great to overcome and could not deliver an answer.
It felt like he was reliving his injury riddled career and how he landed in Spain after so much promise and hype in his earlier years.
Jabari Parker gets emotional when asked about his first year overseas 💔
(via @JijantesFC)pic.twitter.com/iwCOCH7Nz3— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 3, 2024
Parker spent eight seasons in the NBA before signing with the Milwaukee Bucks Summer League squad in 2023. The deal was voided and he inked a 1-year, $2 million contract in Spain with Barcelona a few weeks later.
Jabari Parker posted 14.1 points per contest in the league but hasn’t seen action since the 2021-22 season.
The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 10.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game this season while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from 3-point range. More importantly, he was able to play 66 games throughout the year.
His season culminated with a dunk over 7-foot-3 Edy Tavares that sent shockwaves around social media. It proved that Parker still has enough in his legs to compete in the NBA.
Jabari Parker finished the season with 27 points 11/18 FG. Impactful first season overseas 🔥 been efficient all year pic.twitter.com/50KVc8WVBG
— Swish Cultures (@swishcultures_) June 3, 2024
He finished the game with 27 points on 11-of-18 shooting.
The future, and potential return to the NBA, remains uncertain for Jabari Parker but it’s clear that he wants to return to the United States to play basketball.
