All the hard work was done. The countless hours of rehab. The time alone in the weight room. The tedious process of regaining his strength, his form, his confidence.
Finally, it was time to take the final steps on his long road back to meaningful basketball Wednesday night.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your Milwaukee Bucks!"
Jabari Parker sprinted onto the court at the BMO Harris Bradley Center and turned around to greet his Milwaukee Bucks teammates...only to see them standing back in the tunnel, laughing at him.
Up in the stands, Sonny Parker — Jabari's father and a former NBA player — had to laugh, too.