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Parker not concerned with history of local stars failing with Bulls

Stacy Revere / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Jabari Parker is happy to be back in Chicago, and he doesn't want to hear stories of how other native sons - Derrick Rose and Eddy Curry, specifically - fell short of expectations under the bright lights of their hometown.

"There's no pressure for me," Parker told NBC's Vincent Goodwill on Wednesday. "Anybody and everybody is gonna have an opinion. I value more my dreams than their opinions."

Parker inked a reported two-year, $40-million deal with the Bulls last week after the Milwaukee Bucks let him walk as a restricted free agent.

He returns to Chicago half a decade after becoming one of the city's many prep-hoops prodigies. However, the stories of other local stars who played for the Bulls haven't always ended pleasantly.

Rose's bright career was derailed by injuries, while Curry, a Chicago high school star in the late '90s and early 2000s, never achieved consistency in the NBA.

Parker blames the media for much of the soured narrative on Rose, now a backup guard with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

"We didn't turn on Derrick, the media (did)," Parker said. "We're hometown. I speak for everybody, we love our hometown."

Parker's challenge with the Bucks was staying healthy. He missed 145 of a possible 328 games in his four NBA seasons, mainly due to knee injuries. While he has the ability to play both forward positions, it appears he'll primarily be used at the three with the Bulls, alongside young bigs Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr.

"There's no fear," he said. "I haven't faced any other pressure than bouncing back. I'm back on my feet and moving on."

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