The EuroLeague newcomer will be in the competition at least two more seasons
Barcelona extends Parker through 2026
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FC Barcelona has reached a new agreement with power forward Jabari Parker to extend his contract for two more years, until the end of the 2025-26 season, the club announced Wednesday.
Parker (2.03 meters, 29 years old) is playing his first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season with Barca. He is averaging 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and a PIR of 9.3 in 33 EuroLeague games so far. Despite coming off the bench for more than half of those games, Parker is third on Barca in minutes played, just over 24 per game. He also ranks among the team's best five shooters in three-point (36.9%) and free-throw (80.6%) accuracy.
"From the first moment I came to Barcelona, I had good vibes, played good games and had good experiences," Parker said. "It was easy to take this decision. I would take the same decision 10 times if given the chance.
"My goal for the next two seasons is to give 100%, focus on what happens on the court, and give back to our fans as much as I can. My life in Barcelona is fantastic. I love it because of the quality of life and the food."
Youth standout who was second overall draft choice
A former second overall pick in the draft, Parker played 310 NBA games during eight seasons. He spent four seasons with Milwaukee to begin his career, but suffered a torn ACL after just 25 games his rookie season. His career-best season also came with Milwaukee, in the 2016-17, when he averaged 20.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He split the 2018-19 campaign between Washington and Chicago, then played with Atlanta and Sacramento in the 2019-20, before joining Boston, his last NBA team before Barca.
Before Parker's professional career started being plagued by injuries, he was a high school and a college basketball standout in the USA. He received numerous accolades, including the USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year in 2011, an award that honors the best US performer in international basketball, as he led the United States to gold medals at the U16 FIBA Americas in 2011 and the U17 FIBA World Championships in 2012. He spent one year playing college basketball at Duke, scoring 19.1 points and earning All-American honors, before turning pro.