'I'm former No. 2 NBA pick - injuries forced me to play in Europe but I'm not a tragic story'
Jabari Parker suffered two ACL tears in the same left knee during his NBA career, but the former No. 2 Draft pick moved to Spain to play for Barcelona and rediscovered his form
Former No. 2 NBA Draft pick Jabari Parker has insisted he's not a tragic story after getting his career back on track in Europe with Spanish giants Barcelona.
The 30-year-old spent eight seasons in the NBA after the Bucks drafted him out of Duke in 2014. Parker also played for the Bulls, Wizards, Hawks, Kings, and Celtics. However, his progression in the NBA was plagued with injury setbacks, and he left the league before the Celtics got their hands on another NBA Championship last season.
Unlike former NFL star Dion Jordan, who self-sabotaged his own career, Parker suffered two ACL tears in the same left knee during his NBA career, the first in Dec. 2014 and the second in Feb. 2017, which stunted his growth in the league. Since leaving the NBA in 2023, Parker has rediscovered himself in Spain at Barca, where he has become a significant player.
Parker recently scored a European career-high 34 points against MoraBanc Andorra and has insisted that his time in the NBA isn't a tragic story. The 6ft8in forward is grateful for his journey regardless of the setbacks. "People say I'm a tragic story. What's tragic about me?" Parker declared to Barca One.
"I made millions of dollars, I fed my family, I brought my family out of the ghetto. Those same people who probably wrote those stories haven't even achieved 1% of what I've done."
He added: "The most important thing for me is being in the moment. My success is that I get up and I can be with my loved ones, that I can talk to my friends and share this space. That's all that matters to me. Everything else—money and the places I've been—I haven't even given any importance to my draft position.
"I've fulfilled my dream; that's all that matters to me. Of course, it would have been nice to be one of the best players in the NBA, but for me, playing here is the same. My life here is wonderful, and that's why I keep my feet on the ground—nothing is guaranteed. I could have quit basketball at 14, and now, at 30, I'm still playing the sport I love, competing in the EuroLeague, in a spectacular city and club."
Parker says he shouldn't be walking correctly anymore, let alone playing basketball following his knee injuries. He takes pride in his comeback story and has vowed to continue.
"I like to remind myself—I'm not even supposed to be playing anymore," he said. "How many people are playing at a high level after what I've been through? I've torn my ACL twice, with two meniscus repairs. I shouldn't even be walking normally, but I'm playing at a high level."