Barcelona forward Jabari Parker is confident that his side has what it takes to compete in the NBA.
Parker, the second overall pick in the 2014 Draft joined the Catalan giants after more than eight years in the NBA where he played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards and Boston Celtics amongst others.
However, two torn ACL injuries on the same knee over a span of three years from December 2014 to February 2017 hampered his development after being touted as one of the brightest prospects.
But with the career that Parker has had, if anyone knows if a EuroLeague club can match the skillset of the teams that he used to play for, it’s the 28-year-old, who will play alongside former NBA stars both domestically in Spain and in the EuroLeague.
“Definitely,” Parker said when asked if Barcelona can compete in the NBA in an interview with Mundo Deportivo.
“Because we have, essentially, three guys who aren’t just NBA players but main guys. Myself, Sato [Tomas Satoransky] and Willy [Hernangomez], and the experience is there because we’ve been playing professionally for a long time.”
Swapping the NBA with EuroLeague is common and Parker is relishing the challenge of a new style of basketball.
But the bright lights of the league isn’t totally out of reach for the one-time Duke standout as he has an NBA opt-out clause in his one-year deal worth a reported $2million.
“I just want to be here,” Parker said of his new European venture.
“My most important thing is not skipping steps. And I signed here with the intention of giving my all. I think being in the moment is very important for me.
“Above all, I want to be part of something winning. I hope we can be one of the best teams and put everything we have into achieving it.”
