Why we could get Jabari Parker

[Dr. Blackheart]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Parker_(basketball)

Sorry, I thought Dad went to Univ of Washington.  I know I read something about a connection, can't recall.

WIKI has him to Texas A and M.  Actually a nice writeup to read.

Yes Sonny went to A&M...Sonny and Romar played together on the Golden State Warriors...that is the connection.  A strong one.

[brewcity77]

Almost every time, but not this time.  Parker is not your typical HS top recruit.  In fact, he's quite different.  Religion is a big factor with him.  His father has worked with top HS players for quite a while, often with Jabari joining in the workouts.  His favorite statement regarding Jabari is; "Basketball is what Jabari does, not who he is."  His family will be be blown away simply by having Calipari in their living room.   I think the hero worship of basketball players atmosphere at Kentucky and the entitled attitude of some of their recruits will be a negative as well as the distance.  Nor do I think that Calipari will be able to sell them on any unique ability to develop Jabari.  Kentucky does have more experience than anyone else with handling players who are one and dones.  However, the only people who aren't assuming that Jabari won't be a one and done are his family.

Whether he picks UK or not, they will almost certainly be in the race. If I had to guess right now, I'd assume that he ends up at one of five schools: DePaul (proximity), Michigan State (close and history of FFs), Marquette (close and Taylor), Kentucky (not too far and recent history of top talent), or Washington (Sonny/Romar connection). I'm sure others will be interested, but I think it will end up one of those. And despit the religion, I just don't see BYU. That distance coupled with the lack of a personal connection...and level of competition.

I would say MSU, UK, and Washington are the top three, probably in that order. We may be in the mix, but I still think it's a distant possibility.

[Dawson Rental]

If I had to make a prediction today, I think if he chose not to stay close to home, it would be between UK and Duke. If he chose to stay close, it would be MSU or Illinois but Illinois I doubt can get him at this point. If we somehow lose players before this fall, which is when Parker said he wants to decide, and we have open scholarships, then I think we could seriously be in the picture. I don't think he would want to go to BYU just because they are mormon because BYU is nowhere near building a championship team which is what Parker wants.

You can assume that being a NCAA champion contender is more important to Jabari than going to a predominately Mormon school if you want, just remember what they say about assume.

[Benny B]

Lexington is a 4-5hr drive from Chicago, not a flight

Lexington is not a 4-5 hour drive from Chicago.  More like 6-7... not exactly something you want to do 20x a year during the winter.

But I'm sure Calipari would send UK's jet to pick up the Parker family if that's what it took.

[Lennys Tap]

Lexington is not a 4-5 hour drive from Chicago.  More like 6-7... not exactly something you want to do 20x a year during the winter.

But I'm sure Calipari would send UK's jet to pick up the Parker family if that's what it took.

Cal could arrange a relocation to Lexington for the whole family. A house, cars and a job where attendance is optional can all be part of the "package".

[awilhelmscream]

Lexington is not a 4-5 hour drive from Chicago.  More like 6-7... not exactly something you want to do 20x a year during the winter.

But I'm sure Calipari would send UK's jet to pick up the Parker family if that's what it took.

You must obide by the speed limit I personally want to get out of Indiana as fast as humanly possible when I make the drive.  It's 6 if you hit traffic with me behind the wheel.

[Dawson Rental]

Lexington is not a 4-5 hour drive from Chicago.  More like 6-7... not exactly something you want to do 20x a year during the winter.

But I'm sure Calipari would send UK's jet to pick up the Parker family if that's what it took.

An obvious NCAA violation.  Having Sonny get a job as a consultant with a company owned by a Kentucky alum that had a private jet to fly him to work on game days would be the way a the pros from Kentucky might get it done.

[Avenue Commons]

If I recall correctly, MU was a finalist for Shannon Brown, who was a top 5 player. Sort of a wishful thinking finalist, since Michigan State was a foregone conclusion for a while, but MU definitely was in his top 3 or so.

Also a finalist for Brian Butch who was RSCI #7.

It was Tom Crean's failure in getting Iman Shumpert that was the "final straw" in him bailing on Marquette.

I will always resent his leaving for two reasons: 1) Not telling the players and literally leaving in the middle of the night; and 2) letting one recruit dictate his life.

[Benny B]

An obvious NCAA violation.  Having Sonny get a job as a consultant with a company owned by a Kentucky alum that had a private jet to fly him to work on game days would be the way a the pros from Kentucky might get it done.

NCAA violation?  You realize that this is Calipari that we're talking about, right?

[Tugg Speedman]

It was Tom Crean's failure in getting Iman Shumpert that was the "final straw" in him bailing on Marquette.

I will always resent his leaving for two reasons: 1) Not telling the players and literally leaving in the middle of the night; and 2) letting one recruit dictate his life.

Shumpert did not come to MU because Crean was not good enough, not MU.

[4everwarriors]

You bashin' Crean again?

[Windyplayer]

Lexington is a 4-5hr drive from Chicago, not a flight

A pretty comfortable one in a 2012 SL 500, too.

[Avenue Commons]

A pretty comfortable one in a 2012 SL 500, too.

I'd guess a 2013 Range Rover.

SL 500s are for country clubs.

[Dawson Rental]

NCAA violation?  You realize that this is Calipari that we're talking about, right?

point blankin'

[Hoopaloop]

Gatorade Player of the Year.

http://espn.go.com/high-school/boys-basketball/story/_/id/7804376/jabari-parker-named-gatorade-national-boys-basketball-player-year

[jesmu84]

Gatorade Player of the Year.

http://espn.go.com/high-school/boys-basketball/story/_/id/7804376/jabari-parker-named-gatorade-national-boys-basketball-player-year

This may be a dumb question, but why wouldn't the gatorade POY be one of the top recruits in the nation (muhammed, noels, etc)? Is Parker, right now, better than them?

[wadesworld]

This may be a dumb question, but why wouldn't the gatorade POY be one of the top recruits in the nation (muhammed, noels, etc)? Is Parker, right now, better than them?

Yes, he is.  I can't remember which one between Muhammed and Noels was a 2013 recruit but reclassified to 2012 so late that he could not even be considered for McDonald's All American (I think it was Muhammed), but Parker was ranked 1st in the 2013 rankings while Muhammed/Noels was ranked 3rd in the 2013 rankings.

[brewcity77]

Noel reclassified to 2012. And yeah...Parker as a junior is already the best HS player in the country.

[Dawson Rental]

You know while we're all trying to figure out where Jabari is going to college, it just occurred to me that he has a two year Mormon mission commitment coming up that would derail things for a couple of years.  Would the Mormon Church give the national HS player of the year a pass?  It could be argued that he's doing more for the Church as a high profile basketball player.

[wadesworld]

You know while we're all trying to figure out where Jabari is going to college, it just occurred to me that he has a two year Mormon mission commitment coming up that would derail things for a couple of years.  Would the Mormon Church give the national HS player of the year a pass?  It could be argued that he's doing more for the Church as a high profile basketball player.

It is not a required mission for the Mormon faith.  It is strongly recommended/suggested, but not all Mormons go on a 2 year mission.

The volleyball club I coach for runs a coach's clinic each year and the past 2 years 1 of the coaches who has run it is BYU's head men's volleyball coach and we talked to him about the recruiting process for them in regards to that for a while at lunch once.  Pretty interesting.  The person going on the mission pays entirely for it by themselves.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

You know while we're all trying to figure out where Jabari is going to college, it just occurred to me that he has a two year Mormon mission commitment coming up that would derail things for a couple of years.  Would the Mormon Church give the national HS player of the year a pass?  It could be argued that he's doing more for the Church as a high profile basketball player.

so he'll come here for a year, do some gambling and then never be heard from again?

[Benny B]

so he'll come here for a year, do some gambling and then never be heard from again?

Or he could go on his mission and involuntarily end up starring in adult films (with a stunt cock, of course).

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Or he could go on his mission and involuntarily end up starring in adult films (with a stunt cock, of course).

I borrowed that DVD from dr blackheart.

[🏀]

so he'll come here for a year, do some gambling and then never be heard from again?

Too bad he couldn't get the same urine tester as Ryan Braun.

[4everwarriors]

so he'll come here for a year, do some gambling and then never be heard from again?

Is Mortonsen holed up in Utah? Another of Crean's gems.