After his renewal with Barça became official until 2026, Jabari Parker He made clear his desire to continue his professional career in Barcelona, far from his native Chicago, but which has welcomed him with open arms.
The well-being that the American power forward has found in the Catalan capital was one of the great reasons for which he decided to extend his relationship with the Barça entity, as he explained after his renewal became effective. “I am very grateful. From the first moment I came to Barcelona I have had good feelings, good games and experiences. I just want to maintain those good moments with more years here in Barcelona. I would make this decision 10 times if I had the opportunity. I think it is the best decision,” he spoke after signing his new contract.
Based in the center of Barcelona, Jabari is a frequent subway user, and it is common to see him get off at the Collblanc stop, to reach the Palau Blaugrana on foot. In the Barça pavilion, Parker has fit in perfectly with a group of people, made up of his teammates, but also the technical staff and club employees, who make him feel as if he were at home, and with a practically family bond. That is why, through some photographs published by the club in the last few hours, Jabari Parker wore some sneakers which included dedications, messages of affection, and the signatures of the people who accompany him on a daily basis at Barça.
Some ‘Kobe’ sneakers
The Barcelona ’22’ usually wears models ‘Kobe’ of the Nike brand, a line that was made in its day to Kobe Bryant, against which Jabari competed in the NBA. He is a big fan of this line and has many pairs of this model in his locker, as well as in his home. Parker was chosen in the second position of the 2014 draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, and was present in the ‘Mamba’s’ last two seasons in the league, before his retirement in 2016. Despite his death in 2020, they are still followed launching new models. Jabari chose a version totally white so that his companions could give him the relevant dedications.
Jabari Parker and Kobe Bryant, in an NBA game / AP
The dedications of his colleagues
And on the sneakers, names like those of ‘Putchi’ o ‘Manu’, who are team doctors, ‘Isra’, who is a material manager, as well as some messages from his colleagues. In the case of Ricky Rubio, the motto that has accompanied him during his career “Never too high, never too low”, the phrase ‘1 sec’ written by Jan Vesely, a heart written by Rokas Jokubaitis, other words that read a “If you are okay I am too”, and an emotional message from Willy Hernangómez: “I don’t have friends, I have family.”
Some dedications also appear on the shoes, such as “My man”, or also some reference to his native Chicago, with the word ‘Chi-Town’ located on the heel of the sneaker.
The sneakers dedicated by teammates to Jabari Parker / Sara Gordón / FCB
He used them in the fifth game against Olympiacos
All of these inscriptions and dedications were prepared in advance of the fifth and final game of the Euroleague quarterfinal playoff against Olympiakos, duel in which he led them, and in which Jabari was not particularly inspired in attack, and in which the pass to the Final Four of the European competition could not be achieved.
Although the sporting result was not what was expected, the detail From these sneakers it is clear that Jabari has landed on his feet in the Barça locker room, that he is comfortable in the Barça team, and that, despite the fact that his real family is an ocean away, in Barcelona, Parker is at home. “My goal for the next two seasons is to give 100%, give all my dedication to the track and give back everything I can to the fans,” he expressed after his renewal.
2024-05-16 14:56:05
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