{{Short description|Spanish basketball player (born 2000)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Joel Parra | image = 2025-03-07 ALBA Berlin gegen FC Barcelona Bàsquet (EuroLeague 2024-25) by Sandro Halank–006.jpg | caption = Parra playing for FC Barcelona in 2025 | position = Small forward / power forward | height_m = 2.02 | weight_kg = 88 | league = Liga ACB<br>EuroLeague | team = FC Barcelona | number = 44 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|4|4|df=y}} | birth_place = Barcelona, Spain | career_start = 2017 | career_end = | years1 = 2017–2023 | team1 = Joventut Badalona | years2 = 2017–2018 | team2 = →Joventut Badalona Junior | years3 = 2018–2019 | team3 = →CB Prat | years4 = 2023–present | team4 = FC Barcelona | highlights = * ACB Best Young Player (2022) * All-ACB Best Young Players Team (2022) | medal_templates = {{MedalSport |Men's basketball}} {{MedalCountry|{{bk|ESP}}}} {{MedalCompetition|EuroBasket}} {{MedalGold|EuroBasket 2022|}} {{MedalCompetition|U20 European Championship}} {{MedalSilver| 2019 Israel | U20 Team}} {{MedalCompetition|U18 European Championship}} {{MedalSilver| 2017 Slovakia | U18 Team}} {{MedalCompetition|U16 European Championship}} {{MedalGold| 2016 Poland | U16 Team}} }}
'''Joel Parra López''' (born 4 April 2000) is a Spanish professional basketball player for FC Barcelona of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. He has also represented the Spain national team. Standing at 6 ft 8 in (2.02 m), Parra can play both as a small forward and a power forward.
==Early life and youth career== Joel Parra started playing basketball in the youth ranks of Joventut de Badalona, which he joined at only four years old.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.verdinegres.cat/fitxa/joel-parra |title=Fitxa Joel Parra |website=verdinegres.cat |language=ca |access-date=21 January 2025}}</ref> Parra would also play for Arenys Bàsquet in the Liga EBA during his youth career.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://arenysbasquet.cat/figures-del-basquet-envien-missatges-per-la-gent-de-larenys-basquet-joel-parra-jugador-del-joventut-de-badalona-de-lliga-acb/ |title=Figures del Bàsquet envien missatges per la gent de l'Arenys Bàsquet: Joel Parra, jugador del Joventut de Badalona de lliga ACB |first=Carles |last=Toribio |date=3 May 2020 |website=arenysbasquet.cat |language=ca |access-date=21 January 2025}}</ref>
==Professional career== ===Joventut Badalona (2017–2023)=== [[File:Joel Parra 2017.jpg|thumb|upright=0.60|left|Parra during a 2017 BCL game against Kataja]] Parra made his debut in Liga ACB for Joventut in 2017, in a 86–74 defeat against Unicaja Málaga.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.verdinegres.cat/fitxa/joel-parra |title=Fitxa Joel Parra |website=verdinegres.cat |language=ca |access-date=21 January 2025}}</ref> Parra would also play in the LEB Oro during a loan spell at CB Prat in the 2018-19 season. He would become a first-team Joventut player in the 2019-20 season, achieving an important role for the team during the following seasons.
Parra would be named ACB Best Young Player of the 2021-22 season, also making the All-ACB Best Young Players Team that same season.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.acb.com/articulo/ver/337640-joel-parra-es-el-mejor-joven-de-la-liga-endesa-202122.html |title=Joel Parra es el Mejor Joven de la Liga Endesa 2021-22 |website=acb.com |language=es |date=28 April 2022 |access-date=21 January 2025}}</ref> Playing for the Catalans, he would reach the semi-finals of the EuroCup in the 2022-23 season. Parra would terminate his contract with Joventut at the end of the 2022-23 season, after six seasons with the Badalona-based club.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.penya.com/ca/club/noticies/172-2023-2024/3942-comunicat-oficial-joel-parra |title=Comunicat oficial: Joel Parra |website=penya.com |language=ca |date=7 July 2023 |access-date=21 January 2025}}</ref>
===FC Barcelona (2023–present)=== [[File:Joel Parra FC Barcelona 2025.png|thumb|upright=0.60|left|Parra with Barcelona during the 2025 Catalan Basketball League]] On 11 July 2023, Parra would sign a four-year contract with Joventut's traditional rivals, FC Barcelona of the Liga ACB and EuroLeague.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fcbarcelona.cat/ca/noticies/3586454/joel-parra-signa-el-seu-contracte-amb-el-barca |title=Joel Parra signa el seu contracte amb el Barça |website=fcbarcelona.cat |language=ca |date=11 July 2023 |access-date=21 January 2025}}</ref> After an underwhelming first season, with little participation in Barcelona's rotation, Parra was left out of the Spanish Team for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This prompted Parra to undergo a major physical change to improve his condition.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.marca.com/baloncesto/acb/2025/02/10/joel-parra-metamorfosis-15-kilos-quedarme-fuera-seleccion-hostia-final.html |title=Joel Parra y su metamorfosis de 15 kilos: "Quedarme fuera de la selección fue la hostia final" |website=marca.com |language=es |date=10 February 2025 |access-date=3 April 2025}}</ref>
Parra's role grew in his second season at Barcelona, especially after the injury of several frontcourt players in the roster.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Marc|last=del Río |url=https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/baloncesto/joel-parra-imprescindible-barca-penarroya-kilos-114883979 |title=Joel Parra ya es imprescindible en el Barça |website=sport.es |language=es |date=3 March 2025 |access-date=3 April 2025}}</ref> He recorded his best performance with a double-double in a crucial EuroLeague away win against Fenerbahçe, substantially improving Barcelona's playoff aspirations.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Andy|last=West|url=https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/joel-parra-powered-barcelona-crucial-comeback-in-istanbul/ |title=Joel Parra powered Barcelona’s crucial comeback in Istanbul |website=euroleaguebasketball.net |language=en |date=3 April 2025 |access-date=3 April 2025}}</ref> On June 19, 2025, Barcelona announced the extension of Parra's contract until 2028, emphasizing his improving performances and his commitment to the team in a statement.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fcbarcelona.cat/ca/basquet/primer-equip/noticies/4290465/ampliacio-del-contracte-de-joel-parra-fins-al-2028 |title=Ampliació del contracte de Joel Parra fins al 2028 |website=fcbarcelona.cat |language=ca |date=19 June 2025 |access-date=19 June 2025}}</ref>
On December 7, 2025, he set his best scoring numbers with Barcelona with 24 points and 9 rebounds in a home win against BC Andorra. His performance earned him the MVP award for round 9 of the 2025–26 ACB season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Joel Parra se estrena como Jugador de la Jornada |url=https://www.acb.com/articulo/ver/536587-joel-parra-se-estrena-como-jugador-de-la-jornada.html|publisher=ACB|date=7 December 2025|access-date=8 December 2025|language=es}}</ref> On December 12, 2025, Parra suffered a nasal fracture in a EuroLeague game against Olympiacos.<ref>{{cite web |title=Barca forward suffers nasal fracture |url=https://basketnews.com/news-236822-joel-parra-suffers-nasal-fracture.html |website=basketnews.com |access-date=15 December 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
==National team career== [[File:Catalunya - Argentina (53071744590).jpg|thumb|left|Parra playing an exhibition game for Catalonia in 2023]] Parra has played in several international tournaments with the youth ranks of the Spanish national team, winning the U16 European Championship in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.marca.com/baloncesto/basketfeb/album/2016/08/21/57b9930f468aebdf088b4639.html |title=El uno a uno de los campeones de Europa |website=Marca |language=es |date=21 August 2016 |access-date=21 January 2025}}</ref>
He was selected to the senior Spanish team for the 2022 EuroBasket in Germany, in which Spain were crowned champions in a final against France.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/eurobasket-2022-news-spain-claim-fiba-eurobasket-2022-crown |title=Spain claim FIBA EuroBasket 2022 crown |website=FIBA Basketball |language=en |date=18 September 2022 |access-date=21 January 2025}}</ref>
Parra has also played for the Catalan national team in an exhibition game in July 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.mundodeportivo.com/baloncesto/otros/20230725/1002043532/88-94-seleccion-catalana-cede-argentina-nou-congost.html |title=88-94: Regreso histórico de la selección catalana, que cae ante Argentina |website=Mundo Deportivo |language=es |date=5 July 2023 |access-date=21 January 2025}}</ref> {{clear}} ==Career statistics== {{Euroleague player statistics legend}}
===EuroLeague=== {{Euroleague player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24 | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| Barcelona | 26 || 1 || 13.0 || .484 || '''.272''' || .692 || 2.1 || .2 || .3 || .1 || 2.9 || 2.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2024–25 | '''31''' || '''6''' || '''14.5''' || '''.586''' || .239 || '''.773''' || '''2.8''' || '''.6''' || '''.6''' || .1 || '''4.9''' || '''5.5''' |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 57 || 7 || 14.0 || .558 || .256 || .743 || 2.5 || .5 || .4 || .1 || 4.0 || 4.2 {{S-end}}
===EuroCup=== {{Euroleague player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20 | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="4"| Joventut | 16 || 3 || 10.9 || .478 || .285 || '''1.000''' || 2.3 || .3 || .1 || {{sort|-|—}} || 2.8 || 2.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21 | 18 || 4 || 14.4 || .593 || .181 || .800 || 2.6 || .5 || .5 || '''.2''' || 3.1 || 4.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22 | 18 || 15 || 23.7 || .591 || .317 || .760 || '''4.9''' || '''1.4''' || '''.6''' || .1 || 10.5 || 12.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23 | '''21''' || '''16''' || '''26.2''' || '''.595''' || '''.493''' || .854 || 3.9 || 1.2 || .5 || .0 || '''12.8''' || '''14.4''' |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 73 || 38 || 19.2 || .583 || .392 || .822 || 3.5 || .9 || .5 || .1 || 7.7 || 8.9 {{S-end}}
===Domestic leagues=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:right;" ! Year ! Team ! League ! {{Tooltip|GP|Games played}} ! {{Tooltip|MPG|Minutes per game}} ! {{Tooltip|FG%|Field goal percentage}} ! {{Tooltip|3P%|3-point field-goal percentage}} ! {{Tooltip|FT%|Free-throw percentage}} ! {{Tooltip|RPG|Rebounds per game}} ! {{Tooltip|APG|Assists per game}} ! {{Tooltip|SPG|Steals per game}} ! {{Tooltip|BPG|Blocks per game}} ! {{Tooltip|PPG|Points per game}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Spain|size=20px}} Joventut || style="text-align:center;"|ACB || 1 || 3 || — || .000 || — || — || — || — || — || 0.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Spain|size=20px}} Joventut || style="text-align:center;"|ACB || 11 || 1.8 || .417 || .000 || — || 0.5 || — || — || — || 0.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Spain|size=20px}} Joventut || style="text-align:center;"|ACB || 22 || 8.7 || .319 || .227 || .625 || 1.1 || .1 || .0 || .0 || 1.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Spain|size=20px}} Joventut || style="text-align:center;"|ACB || 39 || 13.8 || .487 || .378 || .767 || 2.8 || .2 || .4 || .1 || 3.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Spain|size=20px}} Joventut || style="text-align:center;"|ACB || 41 || 24.2 || .483 || .369 || .831 || 4.4 || .9 || .9 || .2 || 8.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Spain|size=20px}} Joventut || style="text-align:center;"|ACB || 40 || 26.3 || .463 || .308 || .823 || 5.4 || 1.1 || .4 || .2 || 9.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Spain|size=20px}} Barcelona || style="text-align:center;"|ACB || 36 || 17.5 || .453 || .340 || .735 || 3.2 || .6 || .5 || .1 || 6.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2024–25 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Spain|size=20px}} Barcelona || style="text-align:center;"|ACB || 33 || 21.2 || .520 || .366 || .897 || 4.2 || 1.1 || 1.0 || .2 || 8.5 {{S-end}}
==Awards and accomplishments== ===Individual=== * ACB Best Young Player (2022) * All-ACB Best Young Players Team (2022) ===Spanish junior national team=== * 2016 FIBA U16 European Championship: {{gold medal}} * 2017 FIBA U18 European Championship: {{silver medal}} * 2019 FIBA U20 European Championship: {{silver medal}} ===Spanish national team=== * 2022 EuroBasket: {{gold medal}}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.acb.com/jugador/temporada-a-temporada/id/20212265 Joel Parra] Profile at ACB.com (in Spanish) * [https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-parra/007464/ Joel Parra] Profile at euroleaguebasketball.net * {{FIBA|new_id=218829-joel-parra}} * [https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/basketball/first-team/players/3587254/parra Joel Parra] Profile at fcbarcelona.com * [https://www.verdinegres.cat/fitxa/joel-parra Joel Parra] Profile at verdinegres.cat (in Catalan)
{{FC Barcelona Bàsquet current roster}} {{Spain Squad EuroBasket 2022}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parra, Joel}} Category:2000 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Spanish sportsmen Category:Basketball players from Barcelona Category:Basketball players from Catalonia Category:FC Barcelona Bàsquet players Category:Joventut Badalona players Category:Liga ACB players Category:Spanish men's basketball players