Partizan has landed perhaps one of the biggest names ever in Serbian basketball – Jabari Parker.
Once the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, selected by Milwaukee Bucks, Jabari Parker arrives in Belgrade after seven NBA seasons and two years with Barcelona. His stint in Spain served as his first exposure to European basketball, which makes the transition to Partizan smoother since he is already familiar with the continental style of play.
Parker’s arrival can be paralleled with that of Dante Exum two years ago, when the former No. 5 pick in the very same 2014 NBA Draft came to Partizan in search of a larger offensive role, the kind he once carried as a top prospect. That similarity is one of the key factors behind Parker’s decision to part ways with Barcelona and embrace the challenge in Belgrade, where he will face the high expectations of both the club and the public.
Jabari Parker’s two-year stretch in Barcelona shows a steady rise in offensive impact, but also highlights some defensive concerns. In his first EuroLeague season (23/24), Parker averaged 10.6 points in 24 minutes with 45.7% shooting and 38.1% from deep, while Barcelona posted a 115.3 offensive rating and a solid 108.4 defensive rating with him on the floor. His rebounding presence gave the team a slight edge, as they grabbed +1.2 more boards than their opponents per game when he played.
By 24/25, his role expanded into a full-time starter and offensive weapon, jumping to 13.8 points in 27 minutes with improved efficiency (47.8% FG) and a higher three-point volume at nearly two makes per game. Barcelona’s offensive rating climbed to 119.1 with him on the court, but the defensive rating spiked to 117.5. T
he rebounding margin also narrowed, dropping to just +0.8. These trends point to Parker’s offensive value as a floor spacer and scorer, but also underline defensive issues, particularly rim protection, that became more pronounced compared to the previous year.
Context matters here: while Parker boosted Barcelona’s scoring punch, the team was far more vulnerable defensively with him than with other perimeter pieces. For instance, lineups anchored by Tomas Satoransky and Alex Abrines carried much stronger defensive ratings (111.7 and 110.4, respectively). That contrast suggests Parker’s limitations on the defensive end were a factor, even as his shooting and offensive versatility made him a key part of the rotation.
In the following breakdown, several segments of Jabari Parker’s game will be presented from the recent Carlo Lovari Tournament in Italy, featuring matchups against Napoli and Virtus.
Let’s open with his transition game, where Parker’s size and touch make him a valuable weapon running the floor:
In this sequence, Parker Jabari provides help for Duane Washington Jr. by setting a flat screen, relieving the full-court ball pressure applied by Napoli. The defense chooses to sit back in drop coverage, which leaves Parker wide open to step into a pull-up jumper in transition.
Jabari Parker – Transition Off Flat Screen pic.twitter.com/saQz2tswU0
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 8, 2025
One of Parker’s clear strengths is initiating transition as a ballhandler. Here, he pushes the ball up the floor and rewards Tyrique Jones, running as the first trailer, with a perfectly timed lob pass. The delivery forces Morgan into committing a foul, showcasing Parker’s vision and unselfishness in the open court.
Jabari Parker – Transition (Feeding Trailer) pic.twitter.com/p1SkIAtosA
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
Once again, Parker takes the reins as a transition ballhandler with an open lane ahead of him. He drives aggressively, while Tyrique Jones once again fills the trailer lane at full speed. This time, Alston Jr. has no choice but to foul, preventing an easy finish for Partizan in transition.
Jabari Parker – Transition (Driving as a Ballhandler) pic.twitter.com/WBCfmoMjfM
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
In this action, Parker flows straight from transition into a post-up, using the so-called “Barkley action.” He seals deep, then faces up from the low post, turning into his preferred short-corner attack. With no hesitation, he rises for a clean midrange jumper – showing how he can weaponize transition flow into half-court scoring.
Jabari Parker – Transition (Barkey Action) pic.twitter.com/6RsKHEERW9
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
Partizan sets up their offense with Shake Milton coming off a stagger screen, but Napoli anticipates the action well and denies him over the top. This triggers the second screener, Osetkowski, to open and receive the ball. From there, he executes a quick Pitch Back (Handoff Back) with Frank Ntilikina, flowing directly into a Top Pick & Roll.
Osetkowski rolls in the middle of the paint, stopping short to read the defense, while Milton and Parker are both spaced out on the perimeter. The spacing forces Flagg into a tough situation, having to guard two shooters at once. Osetkowski makes the right read and kicks it out to Parker, who knocks down the open three.
Jabari Parker – Stagger Entry + Pitch Back to Top PNR pic.twitter.com/XOMuyktQUd
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
Out of the Horns set, Washington Jr. initiates by passing to Osetkowski at the elbow before looping back to receive the handoff. At the same time, Brown sets a shuffle screen for Parker, designed to free him into a deep low-post catch. The action isolates Parker on the block, where he immediately flows into his trademark short-corner face-up attack. With space created by the shuffle screen, he rises smoothly for his characteristic jumper out of the low post.
Jabari Parker – Horns Entry + Shuffle Screen to Post Up ISO pic.twitter.com/r9FvpDqJnY
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
Partizan opens the possession from a Horns Out set, with Parker stepping into a pick-and-pop action alongside Washington Jr. Virtus switches the screen, leaving Parker momentarily matched up with Taylor.
Looking to exploit the mismatch, Parker tries to isolate, but Virtus keeps Taylor contained on the perimeter and Alston Jr. rotates back onto him. Even so, Parker establishes deep position on the low post, turns to his face-up game, and goes straight into his trademark midrange jumper.
Jabari Parker – Horns Entry + Shuffle Screen to Post Up ISO pic.twitter.com/r9FvpDqJnY
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
Defensive Breakdown – Strengths and Weaknesses
On the defensive end, Parker shows a mix of positive reactions and lingering habits that limit his overall impact. At times, he struggles with fundamentals – such as missing to box out consistently on defensive rebounds and offering soft, ineffective closeouts on shooters. These lapses can hurt team structure, especially against disciplined opponents.
A costly mistake by Parker — he gambles for a steal against Taylor, but Taylor counters with a spin move. That breakdown creates a numbers disadvantage for Partizan, leading to a wide-open three that Alston Jr. converts.
Jabari Parker – Defensive Transition (Mistake) pic.twitter.com/CXeRqJQjhO
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
Morgan pushes the ball in transition with an open lane, but Jabari Parker picks him up from half court and stays with him step for step. Using his length and positioning, Parker is able to contest vertically at the rim. This forces Morgan into a difficult finish, which he misses. This play underlines Parker’s ability to protect the rim in Transition, showing discipline and timing rather than overcommitting.
Jabari Parker – Defensive Transition (Rim Protecting) pic.twitter.com/Tc5irX1KZ8
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
For Pick and Roll defense, Parker will be tasked at Partizan with executing coverages such as Drop, High Flat, Switch, and Late Switch. His size and mobility give him some versatility in these schemes, but the key question remains whether he can maintain discipline in rotations and effort on every possession.
Jabari Parker – Help pic.twitter.com/MQhJq9AHew
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
Napoli opens the possession with a Double Drag Screen, which Partizan’s bigs, Osetkowski and Jabari Parker, initially defend in drop coverage. Flagg pops out and swings the ball to the weak side, where Napoli flows into a Side Pick & Pop. Milton and Parker respond with a late switch after Milton gets caught on El-Amin’s Reject and Flagg adjusts his screening angle, forcing the coverage change.
The switch creates a mismatch, allowing Flagg to attack Milton from the Low Post, while El-Amin clears in the opposite corner. Parker, positioned as the Low Man, rotates off help and manages to recover into El-Amin’s shot.
Although the ball movement produced an open look, Parker’s closeout pressure altered the attempt and forced a miss. This sequence highlights his ability to recover, but also his tendency to sink too deep as the low man, which can leave perimeter shooters wide open.
Jabari Parker – Drop + Late Switch + Low Man + Closeout pic.twitter.com/soYYBoSUoe
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
In this action, Virtus runs a top Top Pick & Roll, where Tyrique Jones switches onto Duane Washington Jr. Smailagic looks to exploit the mismatch by attacking Washington Jr. through the Low Post, but Jabari Parker rotates from the weak side as the low man.
This triggers a Triple Switch: Washington Jr. leaves Smailagic and rotates out to cover the nearest perimeter threat, while Parker takes over the post assignment. By doing so, Partizan effectively mitigates the mismatch and stabilizes the defense. This sequence highlights Parker’s awareness and ability to adjust within complex switch schemes.
Jabari Parker – PNR Coverage (Triple Switch) pic.twitter.com/wPj58P1GOz
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
On this possession, Partizan switches all screens, leaving Washington Jr. in another mismatch against McCormack. Despite the size disadvantage, the team, including Parker, remains highly active defensively, working collectively to contain the threat.
This sequence also points to Partizan’s broader defensive identity. With the expected return of Isaac Bonga after the Eurobasket, the Switch All concept will become even more prominent, providing the flexibility to neutralize mismatches. In this concept, Parker’s defensive shortcomings can be masked, allowing him to contribute without being consistently exposed.
Jabari Parker – PNR Coverage (Switch All) pic.twitter.com/aCU7U0sYzn
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
One of Parker’s most concerning defensive habits is his tendency to neglect boxing out. On this possession, after the shot goes up, he leaves Alston Jr. alone in the corner instead of boxing him out.
Alston takes advantage of the lapse, grabbing the offensive rebound uncontested and securing an extra possession for Virtus. Plays like this highlight a potential problem for Partizan this season, as Parker’s rebounding discipline will need to improve to prevent second-chance opportunities.
Jabari Parker – Defensive Rebound (Mistake) pic.twitter.com/B21qdgFhuS
— Aeiou (@Aeoiu449) September 9, 2025
This was a brief overview of Jabari Parker’s performance from Partizan’s first preseason tournament.
While it is still too early to assess his adaptation to Zeljko Obradovic’s system fully, Parker’s strengths and weaknesses are already evident, and he will need to find ways to hide specific defensive flaws.
There is little doubt, however, that the former No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft represents a significant addition for the black-and-whites. The key question moving forward is how a versatile player like Parker will fit into Partizan’s style of play over the course of the season.
Photo: FC Barcelona