Okay, a lot of people have spent a lot of time talking about how Jabari Parker was maybe a little too chunky, how he needed to slim up a little bit. And they were right. He looked like he enjoyed a few too many late nights with a couple cheesburgers and some cheesy bacon fries (DTB is all better now after his fast food-induced tummy pain, by the way, thanks for your prayers) But look at that thumbnail. That’s a skeletal thumbnail right there. Straight up.
It might just be the lighting (or the hobo beard), because the rest of him looks about the same as usual, but he needs to be careful. Remember Kevin Love? he was at his best when he was a chubby little boy, then he turned into a skeleton and has never been the same. There’s a middle ground, between “large enough that your knees implode multiple times in protest” and “haven’t eaten anything besides rice and grilled chicken in six months”. He needs to find that middle ground and stay there.
In the meantime, it’s amusing to hear one of the ‘Zards commentators say that Parker “has been a breath of fresh air”. I never thought I’d ever hear anyone say that after how his Bulls stint went. What changed where he went from unplayable albatross to valued bench contributor?