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Jabari Parker never found his rhythm in the team's system, and the issues persisted even after a coaching overhaul. He failed to establish himself under Željko Obradović, his successor Joan Peñarroya, or interim coach Mirko Ocokoljić. As he gradually fell down the pecking order, the Spanish tactician sidelined him shortly after taking charge in Belgrade.
The American forward was subsequently loaned to Joventut, with hopes that the Badalona-based club would buy out his contract. That move failed to materialize, while interest from other European sides and Chinese clubs also failed to lead to a deal. His hefty wages proved an insurmountable obstacle for suitors, leaving Parker to train individually in the Serbian capital this season.
According to available reports, Parker had a guaranteed two-year deal worth €5 million. Although he was frozen out of Partizan's plans and trained on his own in Belgrade while seeking a new landing spot, the club remained on the hook for his wages, which amounted to €250,000 per month.
When comparing his total contract value to his actual on-court output for Partizan, the numbers highlight just how costly this signing was for the black-and-whites.
Parker featured in just 24 games in a Partizan jersey—15 in the EuroLeague and nine in the ABA League—scoring a total of 198 points. Taking the €5 million contract as a baseline, that breaks down to an eye-watering cost of roughly €25,253 per point scored!
With the mutual termination finalized, the true cost per point is likely somewhat lower, though Partizan has not disclosed the buyout terms. Regardless of the exact settlement—even if halved—it underscores the massive disparity between financial investment and on-court return. Partizan invested heavily in Parker and received virtually nothing back.
"We were wrong..." EuroLeague Eternal Derby Fallout: "I would show this tape to kids in practice!"
Basketball outlet BasketNews analyzed Partizan's thrilling EuroLeague Round 7 victory over Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet in front of a packed Belgrade Arena.
The victory propelled the black-and-whites to a 4-3 record in Europe's premier competition, snapping a three-game skid. The red-and-whites sit on the same record after seeing their four-game winning streak halted, prompting Lithuanian analysts to admit they had underestimated Partizan.
Partizan clinched the win in overtime courtesy of Alessandro Pajola, who nailed a clutch go-ahead three-pointer with 17 seconds remaining, before Kevarrius Hayes sealed the triumph on the final defensive possession.
"That defense... Partizan's defense in the first five minutes. If I were a basketball coach in Serbia, Lithuania, Latvia, Greece, Turkey, Spain, anywhere—I'd show that tape to kids in practice. The way they pushed Zvezda players out of their spots. A masterclass, a brilliant performance," said BasketNews editor Donatas Urbonas.
His co-host and colleague Gytis Blaževičius added:
"Zvezda's players were just standing around and moving the ball until the shot clock ran down before someone decided to force a shot. The stark difference was ball movement—Partizan had all the energy and active movement, dropping 52 points in the first half on 67% shooting with nine assists. Zvezda struggled immensely against Partizan's defense. Partizan took away almost every set play, forcing them into difficult individual solutions. Zvezda improved slightly in the second half, which is how they managed to force overtime," the Lithuanian analyst explained.
Ahead of the season, the BasketNews panel had ranked Partizan among the EuroLeague's lower-tier teams, projecting them toward the bottom of the standings.
"It's true, we were wrong. This team is much better than we anticipated. We did Partizan a disservice; we looked at the roster on paper and felt they weren't among the most talented sides in the EuroLeague. But this isn't fantasy basketball—it's real life. I'd go as far as calling them my dark horse. They have individual weaknesses, but Peñarroya has carved out clear roles and established a great foundation. There will be ups and downs, but two new additions should bolster their offense. This team will surprise a lot of people, and the fans can be proud of them," Urbonas and Blaževičius concluded.
Jabari Parker Leaves Partizan!
American forward Jabari Parker is no longer a Partizan player, the Belgrade club has confirmed across its official social media channels.
"Jabari Parker is no longer a Partizan player! Following the end of his loan spell at Joventut, Parker returned to Belgrade but was not part of the first-team squad. Today, the player and the Club reached a mutual agreement to terminate their cooperation. KK Partizan wishes Jabari Parker the best of luck in his future career."
As a reminder, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft arrived in Belgrade in the summer of 2025 as one of the most high-profile and expensive signings in recent club history, but failed to meet expectations. Deemed a misfit early on, he was sent on loan to Joventut to finish the previous campaign.
Parker returned to Belgrade over the summer but did not train with the squad, making his permanent exit only a matter of time.
EuroLeague Standings
VIDEO Look, I love Željko Obradović, but he's such a sore loser… CABARET #2
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