What a moment for Jabari Parker. In the second quarter of his new team's game against the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, the Washington Wizards forward channeled frustration and disappointment stemming from his time in the Windy City into this nasty, left-handed poster dunk over former teammate Lauri Markkanen.
Revenge!
The Bulls, of course, traded Parker and Bobby Portis to the Wizards on Thursday in exchange for Otto Porter. Though modern-day players certainly understand the realities of player movement, and Parker, who signed a one-year deal with Chicago last summer, was never in the team's long-term plans, it still must have felt very, very good for him to quiet United Center with this thunderous slam.
Not only was Parker usurped by Markkanen in the starting lineup when the Finnish star returned from injury in mid-December, but he also grew crossways with coach Jim Boylen during his final days in Chicago, and spent over half of his last 25 games there in a suit or on the bench. Then there's the fact that Parker, heralded as basketball's next Big Thing as a sophomore in high school, grew up in Chicago, rising to national prominence at local powerhouse Simeon Career Academy.
Parker, needless to say, probably won't ever live up to the hype associated with his younger years. But if he can consistently harness the power, athleticism, and decisiveness on display on this dunk over Markkanen, there will still be a meaningful place for him in the NBA – and the Bulls would regret not hanging onto him.
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