Former lottery pick Jabari Parker — who the Milwaukee Bucks selected second overall in the 2014 NBA Draft — recently passed a medical examination with Barcelona (also known as Barca) in his hopes of signing with the team, per Jose Ignacio Huguet of Mundo Deportivo.
Perhaps this report should be taken with a grain of salt considering the reaction that five-time All-Star, John Wall, had when an international outlet linked him to Olimpia Milano just days ago. However, if these reports are true, Parker would be heading to Barcelona as a replacement for Nikola Mirotic, who will play for Milano until 2026 after signing with the Italian squad this summer.
Mirotic, a former NBA first-round pick and five-year NBA veteran, was the EuroLeague MVP in 2022 after posting averages of 15.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 steal for Barca.
Though Parker recently had a workout set-up with the Phoenix Suns, he hasn't played in the NBA since Jan. 2022, when he found himself on the court for six minutes against the lowly Orlando Magic. A once promising player whose scoring instincts were undermined by an uncooperative body; Parker has only played in 25 NBA games total since the start of the 2020-21 season.
To that point, the 28-year-old has long shown an interest in moving his game abroad as he seeks out opportunities to further his basketball career, with his agent reaching out to Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) at the beginning of the year.
Like many other athletes whose days in the NBA are or were numbered, competing in leagues where the focus is more on the skill of a player than their physical attributes could be just what Jabari Parker needs to not only flourish on the court but feel a sense of fulfillment off of it.
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