Sitting in the sparkling atrium of the United Center, with natural light streaming in and the Michael Jordan statue casting its imposing shadow, Jabari Parker called playing for his hometown Bulls “a dream come true.”
Some may call tearing a left ACL not once but twice a nightmare, particularly when the second time interrupted a breakout third NBA season in which he averaged 20 points.
But Parker’s response to that ordeal, both in the way he attacked his rehabilitation and in how he talked about it at Wednesday’s news conference, offered a window into the 23-year-old’s perspective.
“The first time I hurt myself, I did ask why,” Parker said, referencing the tear that cut short his rookie season with the Bucks. “After that, it’s just more like a bounce-back, just have the mentality you have to move forward.
“I just want to be a trailblazer for a lot of people who are going through struggles. Obviously, to not have difficulty in your life is unrealistic. Hopefully, I have a magnifying glass to help other people who are going through the same thing.
“I don’t want to forget all the hard times that I had because to forget that I hurt myself and came back is to discredit a lot of my success. That is, in and of it itself, something that’s out of the norm. Nobody does that. I want to always remember the setbacks and failures that I’ve had in my career and just use that as sense of motivation. Whenever I do something that sets me back, I always look at it as an opportunity to get better.”
The Bulls believe they got better Saturday. That’s when they signed Parker to a two-year, $40 million deal that contains a team option.
On Wednesday, it became clear Parker’s perseverance to overcome such adversity contributed to the Bulls’ belief. And while such well-worn wisdom doesn’t win basketball games, the character needed to do so fits in an organisation that long has valued such traits. And the Bulls think Parker can play a little too.
“He’s the type of guy who can get you 20 points without having to run a play for him,” executive vice president John Paxson said. “Those are important pieces to building a team. There’s great opportunity in this.”
Coach Fred Hoiberg was so excited by Parker’s signing that, at one point, 30 plays featuring Parker were on the greaseboard in his office.
It’s Hoiberg’s job to incorporate Parker’s offensive versatility into a young team that still needs to prove Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen can form chemistry. And that says nothing about keeping offensive-minded reserve players such as Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine happy.
“The thing I really like about Jabari is he can play multiple positions,” Hoiberg said. 
“He’s a true combo forward. If you look at his skill set and the way it’s developed over his career and his 3-point percentage has gone up, it’s exciting. He can get out and run. He’s an explosive finisher. He does a lot of things that translate to the way we want to play.”
After averaging 15.3 points over four seasons for the Bucks, Parker’s arrival will only heighten expectations for a fun season offensively for Hoiberg’s Bulls. As for defense, both Parker and LaVine have had issues with off-the-ball awareness during their careers. And with Parker slated to play small forward, both often will be matched against the league’s dynamic wing players. But Hoiberg said both players possess the type of athletic footwork needed to thrive in a new system predicated more on switching screens.
“Being a part of this team and this new unit is something I admire,” Parker said. “We’re the same age. We’re going to build friendships on and off the court. That’s what it’s about. Once we grow closer, we get better as a team. We can build memories. And that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
Growing up on the city’s South Side, Parker has plenty of memories of Derrick Rose’s Bulls before creating his own by following in Rose’s footsteps at Simeon, where he won four state championships. Parker said he received interest from other teams in free agency. But once the Bulls showed interest, his choice was made. “The stars aligned,” he said. “It just fit perfectly.”
When the contract became official, Robert Smith, who coached both Rose and Parker at Simeon, had a message for the new Bull.
“I told him, ‘Welcome home,’ “ Smith said, standing inside the atrium. “And he was like, ‘Well, I never really left.’ He has just always wanted to represent for his city.”