Who is Jabari Bird? Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Quick Facts

Jabari Bird is one of those players whose route to the National Basketball Association has had them spend some time honing their craft in the NBA G League. The former California Golden Bear, who is known for his aggressive offensive play as well as his ability to do damage in spot up and transition situations, will be looking to build on last season’s stats and impress his employers in his first full season in the NBA.

Who is Jabari Bird?

On the 3rd of July, 1994, Jabari Bird was welcomed into the world by his parents; Carl and Tonya Bird. As a young boy, Bird’s parents exposed him to baseball, football, and basketball, a sport close to his father’s heart. Despite his father’s strong love for basketball, he said he let his son pick one that he felt more drawn to, which happened to be it.

Bird first attended Benicia High School where he spent a year before transferring to Salesian High School. By this time, the high schooler was already 6 feet 3 inches tall, a stat that gave him an advantage over his peers and opponents. In his three years at Salesian, Bird helped the school achieve a 100-8 record as well as the 2012 Division IV state championship. His performances further earned him a McDonald’s All-American team selection and caught the attention of coaches in the Power-5 conference as dozens of recruitment letters flooded the Bird family mailbox.

Jabari Bird eventually settled to attend the University of California, Berkely, having previously thought about going off to Oregon, Washington or Colorado. He opted to stay close to home in order to have his parents attend his games and cheer him on. As a freshman, he played in 31 games and averaged 8.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. Due to injuries, Bird only managed to play in 23 games in his sophomore year. He, however, averaged 10.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. His junior year saw him play 33 games as he averaged 10.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.

In his final collegiate season, Bird averaged 14.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game after which he was selected by the Boston Celtics in the 56th pick during the 2017 NBA Draft. After about two months from the time he was drafted, Bird put pen to paper on a two-way contract with the side which means he would spend a significant time also playing for the side’s G-League affiliate.

Jabari Bird made his professional debut for the Celtics on the 20th of October 2017 in a regular season game against the Philadelphia 76ers. He went on to play a total of 13 games, averaging 3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. With the G-League side, however, he featured in 20 games, averaging 19.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per games which earned him a spot on the Midseason All-NBA G League East Team.

Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Jabari Bird

Contract and Salary

In July 2018, Jabari Bird signed on the dotted lines of a standard two-year $3 million NBA contract to remain with the Boston Celtics. According to various insider reports, Bird, who split his playing time last season, suiting up for the Celtics and the Maine Red Claws – their G-League affiliate, is guaranteed the first year of his contract. When the contract expires in 2020, the player will become a restricted free agent, since he still would not have played for more than four years in the league.

Family – Parents

Jabari Bird is not the only member of his family to have played professional sports. He followed in his father’s footsteps who first attended the University of California, Berkley where he was a star in the mid-1970s before making it to the NBA.

Carl Bird played under the late legendary Bears head coach Dick Edwards. After averaging 15.2 points per game and being named the co-MVP for the 1975-76 season at the university, he was selected by the Warriors in the fifth round of the 1976 NBA Draft. He subsequently had stints in the Philippines, Italy, and Finland before finally calling it a day on his career. The senior Bird then returned to California to take a job at the San Quentin State Prison as he started his family. After the birth of his son, he set up a basketball court in his backyard where he and his son would begin to work on their skills in hope of making it to the big leagues.

Body Measurements

Jabari Bird’s height is listed at 6 feet 6 inches or 1.98 meters, which is two more inches than the average height of a shooting guard in the NBA. His wingspan is further listed at 6 feet 8 inches while he is said to weigh 198 pounds or 90 kg.

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