Recently, several former NBA players have called out the league in not so good ways. In 2014, the second overall pick Jabari Parker called the league out in terms of what its current state shows. Speaking with Alex Molina of Eurohoops, Parker said, “I just want to be a part of something legitimate. I want to be a part of ‘every game matters’. Sadly, the NBA is a business, and there are 10-12 teams that try to win every game, and the other half try to get a draft pick. Where does that leave good players? You either have to be super good or bad, to lose games. It’s no excuse to see DeMarcus Cousins, Dwight Howard, or John Wall, guys who are potentially going into the Hall of Fame… seeing those guys not have a job? We are seeing the league getting watered down, unfortunately.“
Think about how many former NBA players go to other countries and put up absolutely astonishing numbers. How many NBA players have played for their country – USA or otherwise – in international play and have wowed fans with their talents? It’s happened more often than not, actually. Thon Maker, for example, was a highly touted player coming out of high school but had a less than average NBA career. He has more than doubled his NBA scoring and rebounding averages since playing in Asia, and his shooting percentage has also improved. There’s a greater sense of freedom that you can observe in NBA players who decide to go international. And contrary to popular belief, they don’t always go overseas because they don’t have any NBA offers on the table. That’s just nonsense.
One of the most consistent stories you’ll hear from players is how loved and appreciated they feel, and the encouragement they receive from the fans in other countries; Dwight Howard is practically a deity in Taiwan. That’s something that American fans struggle with understanding, but that’s a story for another time. – Side note: During my time in several European countries, playing and running sports camps, I’ve never felt more appreciated as an athlete than I did in those places.
All that aside, considering how many teams intentionally tank and lose games for better lottery chances, Parker stating that he left the NBA to be part of something legitimate does have some validity to it. Whether or not that validity is mixed with some bitterness is up for debate. Of course, expert fans on X (formerly Twitter) had a lot to say about his talent level; but I must say, you don’t last more than a few games in the NBA if you have zero talent.
While Jabari Parker might not make another NBA roster during his career as a professional player, he’s seen first hand with multiple teams what can back up his statement. He was after all, drafted 2nd to partner with Giannis Antetokounmpo and former Rookie of the Year Michael Carter Williams. So yes, there might be some bitterness in his statement however, there’s more truth than people realize. I mean…even Smush Parker was able to double his NBA average in the Euroleagues.
