Justin Minaya is officially headed to Europe for the first time after agreeing to a contract with Barcelona through June 30, 2028.
The 27-year-old American forward, who also holds a Dominican passport, joins Barcelona following several seasons spent between the NBA and G League. The 1.96-meter wing arrives with a reputation built largely around his defensive versatility, energy and ability to contribute in multiple areas.
Minaya has already accumulated 136 professional appearances in the United States, including 57 NBA games and 79 in the G League. His NBA journey began with the Portland Trail Blazers, who signed him on April 4, 2023, the same day he made his league debut against the Memphis Grizzlies.
He immediately received meaningful minutes in his first NBA appearance, finishing with eight points, four rebounds, two assists and one block in 17 minutes. Minaya ultimately appeared in four games that season, averaging 4.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while playing 22.3 minutes per contest.
Portland subsequently kept Minaya on a two-way deal covering the next two seasons. He later signed with the Orlando Magic but did not make an NBA appearance for the franchise.
Instead, Minaya spent last season with the Osceola Magic in the G League, where he took on a significant role. Across 34 games, he averaged 9.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks in 29.9 minutes.
Osceola advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing 134-121 to the Greensboro Swarm, a team that featured Minaya’s future Barcelona teammate Tosan Evbuomwan.
Minaya will now make the jump to European basketball as part of a significantly reshaped Barcelona roster under head coach Aleksander Sekulic. His contract keeps him with the Spanish club through 2028.
