Duke basketball forward Jabari Parker (Daniel Shirley-USA TODAY Sports)
Duke Basketball Product Jabari Parker Sizzles in Long-Awaited Return
Until this week, former Duke basketball star Jabari Parker had not played a game in the NBA or any other league since suiting up for the Boston Celtics in January 2022. That's over a year and a half ago.
Although the oft-injured forward would probably prefer to be back in the NBA, he's now in Spain and on a quest to show his talent is still intact.
And in his debut for FC Barcelona, a season-opening 95-79 win over Joventut Badalona on Sunday, the 28-year-old Chicago native and 2013-14 USBWA National Rookie of the Year as a Blue Devil did precisely that. He led the team in scoring with 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field despite seeing only 11 minutes of action.
Check out Parker's array of silky scoring moves in the highlights below:
It certainly signals an encouraging start to his first stint overseas. Chances are his playing time increases.
Currently, 24 Duke basketball products are on contract in the NBA for the 2023-24 season. Perhaps if Jabari Parker strings together more impressive outings for FC Barcelona, he will end up on that list of active NBA Blue Devils next month as teams look to fill holes that may pop up on their rosters during the preseason slate.
Parker's professional journey began in 2014 after going No. 2 overall to the Milwaukee Bucks at the NBA Draft following his one-and-done Duke basketball campaign. He's played for six franchises, with career averages of 14.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
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