MU not in Jabari Parker's Top 10

[Dr. Blackheart]

Just to point out that DePaul still has a long way to go. Billy Garrett is the assistant coach's son and verballed a year and a half ago...but that hasn't opened any flood gates yet. Neither Rivals nor Scout list BeeJay Anya with DePaul, but ESPN list them with his other 15 schools he whittled down to. Nunn is waiting for Parker to see if he can raise his lot. I think Parker and DPU is a possibility but a long shot.  Surprised Illinois did not make his final 10.

[🏀]

Just to point out that DePaul still has a long way to go. Billy Garrett is the assistant coach's son and verballed a year and a half ago...but that hasn't opened any flood gates yet. Neither Rivals nor Scout list BeeJay Anya with DePaul, but ESPN list them with his other 15 schools he whittled down to. Nunn is waiting for Parker to see if he can raise his lot. I think Parker and DPU is a possibility but a long shot.  Surprised Illinois did not make his final 10.

Parker did the Illini a favor by not including Illinois. If he strung them along, the fanbase and media would have thought there was a legitimate shot, which would have been killer when he threw a UNC hat on during the selection broadcast.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Parker did the Illini a favor by not including Illinois. If he strung them along, the fanbase and media would have thought there was a legitimate shot, which would have been killer when he threw a UNC hat on during the selection broadcast.

And, here I was thinking Anya (DeMatha coach played for Purnell at ODU) and Parker left DPU on their list to give Purnell some buzz.

[🏀]

And, here I was thinking Anya (DeMatha coach played for Purnell at ODU) and Parker left DPU on their list to give Purnell some buzz.

DePaul would benefit from such, Illini think they are a top ten program. Different delusions.

[The Equalizer]

But Parker is in all likelihood a one-and-done, so I doubt that signing with DePaul autromatically dooms us to also-ran status.

It doesn't doom us, but it certainly doesn't help us, either, as so many here seem to think.

DePaul has sucked for most of the last decade, which coincided with arguably the strongest sustained performance for Marquette since the 1970's.

[MDMU04]

He ain't goin' to no DePaul.

Could not have said it better myself.

[Goose]

LittleMurs
I think there may be many more folks in the mix running behind Sonny. Agreed that many of the "handlers" are self appointed but this a complicated recruitment from what I have heard.

[Dawson Rental]

Ya know, I can't say that I've ever seen Jabari in any of MU's top ten lists either.

[brewcity77]

I would be very surprised if it isn't Michigan State, Duke, or Kentucky, and even a little bit surprised if it is Kentucky. I know DePaul is close to home, but I think that's the only reason they're on the list, throwing the token bone (just like he did with BYU as a Mormon).

When they changed the rules on text messages a month or so back, his family came out and said that only one college coach has Jabari's new number. I would bet my paycheck it's either K or Izzo, and whichever it is will be getting Parker, even if he's going through the "list" formality.

[texaswarrior74]

Michigan State...

Stone cold, lead pipe, lock!

[bilsu]

I believe that in the past when DePaul went up as MU went down and vice versa and I argued that an improving DePaul hurts MU. I now think the Big East needs a strong DePaul and that is more important than a possible negative effect on MU. Buzz has shown the ability to recruit nationally, so DePaul starting to sign some better Chicago recruits does not hurt MU as much as it would have in the past. Given that MU has no chance at Parker, I do not mind DePaul getting him. However, the negative effect would be if they got Nunn. That is assuming that Nunn would go to MU, if he did not go to DePaul.

[chr31ter]

When they changed the rules on text messages a month or so back, his family came out and said that only one college coach has Jabari's new number. I would bet my paycheck it's either K or Izzo, and whichever it is will be getting Parker, even if he's going through the "list" formality.

I would bet pretty much everything I own that it's Oliver Purnell.  Either that, or Billy Garrett, Sr. is the nation's worst assistant coach.

[🏀]

I would bet pretty much everything I own that it's Oliver Purnell.  Either that, or Billy Garrett, Sr. is the nation's worst assistant coach.

Yeah, no.

If it makes you feel better about DePaul though feel free to keep that delusion going.

[chr31ter]

Yeah, no.

If it makes you feel better about DePaul though feel free to keep that delusion going.

I hold no delusions about DePaul's chances with Jabari Parker.  I'd say they're better than most people think, but really slim.

That said, if there's one coach in America that has Jabari's cell phone number, it's DePaul assistant Billy Garrett.  And if Garrett's got it, then Purnell's got it, although I doubt he uses it out of respect for the process.

[mr.MUskie]

From today's Chicago Tribune...

One day as Mark Aguirre was taking the L from his West Side home to DePaul for another recruiting visit that included a Cubs game, the feeling hit him. Aguirre still struggles to describe the sensation now, almost 35 years later.

"I just suddenly realized Chicago was for me,'' recalled Aguirre, one of the nation's top high school players at Westinghouse in 1978. "Can't explain it. I could have gone to any school I wanted but enjoyed the fact that rarely are you going to play in a big city where everybody knows you like that. The more I thought about it, Chicago was who I am, in my blood, comfortable. I loved it so I stayed.''

Nobody knows whether similar sentiments will strike Simeon's Jabari Parker in the coming months as America's best high school basketball player decides on a college. But Parker captured a city's imagination last week by including DePaul on a list of schools he narrowed to 10: Kentucky, Stanford, Michigan State, Kansas, Florida, Duke, BYU, Georgetown and North Carolina.

It was like seeing Two-Buck Chuck included on a list of fine wines.

Suddenly, DePaul creative-writing professors had their perfect summer-school assignment: Imagine how the most welcome Lincoln Parker since Aguirre could revive college basketball in Chicago. Immediately, DePaul coach Oliver Purnell had hope, not to mention a boost to recruiting credibility. Naturally, Aguirre had a smile on his face drawing parallels between his experience as a hometown star influenced by geography and Parker's.

"I don't know how Jabari's thinking but I can say he's never going to have the audience he has now in Chicago, no matter where he goes,'' said Aguirre, 52. "This is a rare opportunity. I know what he's thinking: 'Who do I want to play with to turn it around?' If Jabari committed to DePaul, they would start getting All-American recruits. All it takes is one. He would be the beginning of a new time.''

Times have changed in college basketball since DePaul landed Aguirre, its biggest local recruit ever, and followed the chubby freshman to the Final Four. Aguirre left for the NBA after his junior year — two more seasons than most people expect Parker to stay. The one-and-done trend favors NBA-apprentice programs led by coaches with more proven track records of quickly developing lottery picks. How does DePaul compete, for example, with Kentucky coach John Calipari promising Parker he can do for him what he did for Olympian Anthony Davis?

"Coach Cal knows what the NBA is about and that's big,'' Aguirre acknowledged. "On the other hand, if you're going to be a pro, you're going to be a pro.''

Other factors besides location provide DePaul inherent advantages. Close family friend Billy Garrett Jr. of Morgan Park, a former AAU teammate, already committed to DePaul — where his father, Billy Sr. is an assistant. Another grade-school buddy, Cory Dolins of Niles West, will walk-on for the Blue Demons next season.

Parker attended several DePaul games last season. His parents showed up for DePaul's Midnight Madness last year when their son was out of town with USA Basketball. The relationships the family has built within the basketball program suggest Parker still considering DePaul goes beyond lip service.

Buoying spirits even more along Belden Avenue, Parker told the Associated Press at an awards dinner last week in Los Angeles he would factor distance from home into his decision.

"I don't want my family waking up at 12 o'clock in the morning just to watch my games," Parker said. "But then again I have to go with which program fits me the best and what system and style of play is going to allow me to expand my game out in the pros."

It all sounds tantalizing: Parker expands his game, DePaul extends its reach. Would Parker's presence bring more blue-chippers to DePaul? More fans too? Would his commitment expedite the campus arena project?

Bobby Simmons believes in the positive ripple effect created by Chicago players choosing DePaul. Back in 1997, Simmons (Simeon), Lance Williams (Julian) and Quentin Richardson (Young) – the Parker of the 1990s – conspired to reinvest in Lincoln Park. Rejuvenation followed.

"We wanted to do something different and finally said to each other, 'Let's put our eggs in one basket and make it happen,'' Simmons said. "As young men growing into adults, having the backing you get in your hometown made our transition period that much easier.''

As legitimate as mutual interest seems I still wonder if DePaul has a better chance of winning the Big East next year than signing Parker. Similar skepticism comes from ESPN recruiting analyst Dave Telep, who called DePaul a "very dark horse candidate.''

"We need to keep things in perspective: 10 schools is an abnormal amount for a final list,'' Telep said. "They have the local angle going for them but you have to be reasonable because so much heavy national traffic is in front of them.''

Taking the city streets to DePaul sure would be the road less traveled for Parker — and for the Blue Demons it could make all the difference.