By Vangelis Papadimitriou / info@eurohoops.net
Barcelona forward and former No. 2 pick Jabari Parker played his first EuroLeague game on the road against Olympiacos Piraeus on Friday (13/10), experiencing a different kind of atmosphere that he quite enjoyed.
“I love the atmosphere here,” Parker said to Eurohoops. “Fans are devoted, they love the game. And really, they help both sides, even if we were the opponents. We like seeing and feeling that energy in the arena.”
Parker’s Barcelona defeated Olympiacos 77 – 68 thanks to a 0-14 run in the final minutes and shooting 15-26 threes overall. The former NBAer played 13:24, scoring three points on 1-2 from the field.
“It was a very good win,” Parker commented. “Both teams played hard and fought throughout the whole game. It was a good comeback win for us.”
After suffering two torn ACL injuries early in his NBA career over less than three years when he was with the Milwaukee Bucks and then gradually struggling to solidify himself on a team, Parker moved overseas for the first time in his career by joining Barcelona. He feels ready to accomplish his goals and make the most out of this new opportunity for him.
“I’m healthy and that’s what matters most right now,” Parker said. “The rest will come in due time. I want to be here and grab the opportunity I’ve been given, play with these teammates on this excellent team that I’m part of. I don’t want to miss this opportunity.”
Parker also talked about Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. He played with the Greek Freak in Milwaukee from 2014 to 2018, before moving to the Chicago Bulls.
“Each made the other a better player with our talent,” Parker said on Giannis. “I know we have a relationship that we both appreciate now. He’s a very good man. We still talk and that’s somethign nice.”