It’s been a busy several weeks for former Northeastern Husky basketball player and current Dallas Maverick Jose Juan Barea – despite it being the offseason.
On July 9, the Mavericks announced they had resigned Barea, who appeared in 44 games (nine starts) while averaging 4.3 points last season. Dallas media reports cited sources from Barea’s native Puerto Rico and said the deal is a three-year, $1.6 million per year deal. The third year is non-guaranteed.
“J.J. has worked extremely hard and has developed into a fine young NBA point guard,” said Donnie Nelson, Dallas’ president of basketball operations, in a statement. “We are pleased to reward his efforts and look forward to his bright future in a Mavs uniform.”
In addition to signing a new contract, Barea has been playing for Puerto Rico in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Olympic Qualifying Tournament and practicing in Greece, making him unavailable for comment. Puerto Rico successfully qualified for the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The qualifying round for 2008 runs until Sunday.
Puerto Rico defeated Cameroon 81-72 Tuesday in the Athens qualifying tournament. Barea netted 13 points in 20 minutes.
In a warmup series for the tournament, Puerto Rico was defeated by Greece 93-86 in the championship game July 5.
But Barea almost proved to be the Greeks’ Achilles’ heel, as he sliced their defense apart for a game-high 32 points.
It’s just another achievement garnered during the past year for Barea, who saw several periods of success during the 2007-08 season for Dallas.
After finishing the 2006-07 regular season with the Mavericks with 10 or more points in three of his last four appearances, including his first double-double with 13 points and 10 boards in a 111-82 loss to Golden State, Barea started out last season hot as well.
He scored 14 points in nine minutes in a 101-94 loss to Atlanta November 2. His next night was even better as he ripped the Sacramento Kings for 25 points and five assists in a 123-102 Mavs win.
Barea was a scorching 9-for-11 from the floor, including 4-for-4 from three-point range in only his second NBA start.
The 24-year-old has become a fan favorite in Dallas and also helps energize his teammates.
“Every time he comes in, he’s like a fresh breeze of energy,” forward Dirk Nowitzki told reporters after Barea’s game against the Kings, which was one of the most accurate shooting performances in franchise history.
The return of star point guard Jason Kidd to the Mavericks in a February 19 trade put a damper on Barea’s playing time, as he appeared sparingly in eight games for the remainder of the season.
Despite this, he scored eight points in five minutes during his only playoff action, a 97-84 loss to New Orleans April 27.
Barea won a multitude of awards during his time at Northeastern, including Colonial Athletic Association and CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major player of the year awards his senior year. His 8.3 assists per game ranked him second in Division I basketball for the 2005-06 season and his 21 points per game placed him 18th.
Currently ranked behind only Kidd on the Mavs’ depth chart at point guard, Barea could use a potential Olympic berth as a springboard for more playing time next season.
If Puerto Rico makes it to the Beijing games, Barea will join fellow Northeastern alumna Zara Northover, who will represent Jamaica in the shot put, and Dan Walsh, who will represent the United States in crew.
