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sep 01 2026The 27-year-old American with Dominican passport and 1.96m tall will be a Barcelona player until June 30, 2028
FC Barcelona and American player with Dominican passport Justin Minaya have agreed to a contract that will bind them until June 30, 2028.
The Palau crowd will be able to enjoy, for at least two seasons, a great defender, 27 years old and 1.96m tall, who can contribute in many aspects at a collective level and especially stands out for his energy on defense. It will be his first European experience, after developing as a professional with a total of 136 games between the G League (79) and the NBA (57), where he debuted with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Born in Harrington Park, New Jersey, on March 26, 1999, the American will arrive in Barcelona to provide versatility to the team, with a great ability to defend from positions 1 through 4 naturally and a strong mentality to play with effort, always putting collective play first. He has great quality playing off the ball and attacking the offensive rebound.
The Beginning of His Career
Trained at Northern Valley High School, his first steps in college basketball were at South Carolina, with the Gamecocks (2017-21). His last adventure, before trying his luck in the 2022 NBA Draft, was with Providence (2021/22).
Jump to the NBA with Portland Trail Blazers
Despite not being selected by any franchise, he begins his journey to the NBA with the only G League team that has no associated NBA team, the Mexico City Capitanes. And this is where he starts to get attention. He averages 12.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. This last statistic stands out especially because he becomes the third-best player in the league in this aspect, establishing himself as one of the best defensive specialists.
That's why the Portland Trail Blazers bring him into their organization on April 4, 2023. A significant day because, furthermore, it marks his NBA debut, in the matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies. Minaya plays 17 minutes, with 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. An end of season in which he plays 4 games total, averaging 22.3 minutes and 4.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1 assist and 1.3 blocks per game.
Between the NBA and G League
After his first contacts with the NBA, Portland offers him a two-way contract that extends for two seasons (2023-25). In the 2023/24 season he plays a total of 34 games, with 1.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in 11.2 minutes average in the NBA and with the Rip City Remix of the G League he plays 32.4 minutes with a contribution of 16.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4 assists. While in 24/25 he plays 19 games in the NBA and averages 31 minutes per game with 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 steals in the G League.
The Final Step Before Landing in Barcelona
After the season ends, he signs a contract with the Orlando Magic, but never makes his debut. Then, he joins the Osceola Magic, a team with which he regains prominence with 34 games played, averaging 29.9 minutes and 9.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks. His team qualified for the Playoffs, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, which they lost against the Greensboro Swarm (134-121) of his new Barcelona teammate, Tosan Evbuomwan.
