PHOTOS FROM HS & COLLEGE PHOTOS ON DRAFT NIGHT JOHN HAMMOND'S REACTION AUDIO: JABARI CALLS FROM NEW YORK
Background
Parker and Recommendations — Way back in high school, Parker led Simeon High in Chicago to four straight state titles. After being courted by all the top schools, he committed to Duke and played one mostly breathtaking season, earning first-team consensus All-American status. A tailor-made one-and-done prospect, the confluence of Duke’s shocking first-round tournament loss to Mercer, Parker’s Mormon background (mission trips are custom), and Mike Krzyzewski’s counsel combined to make people like us sweat a bit. Alas, he declared for the draft via Sports Illustrated.
Knowledge his Power – Parker is regarded as a smart kid off the court and a polished talent on the court. Everyone seems to consider him the guy most ready to contribute on Day One in the NBA. He hit double-figures in points in 33 of 35 games at Duke, and showed off a diverse offensive game well beyond his years. There is some question about his position at the next level, but most people are now saying power forward.
Important Numbers
8.7 — Parker is known first and foremost as a pure scorer. Yet he didn’t lead the league in scoring, rather, he led the ACC in rebounding as a freshman with 8.7 per game. Defense is not considered his strong suit (to put it lightly), but if defensive rebounding counts as defense, he might have something here.
28.7 — PER is not nearly as useful in the college game as the pros because there is such a massive variation in strength of schedules in college. The competition varies way too much to make meaningful comparisons. That said, Parker’s 28.7 PER is a quick and easy reference to his impressive efficiency as a freshman. He ranked in the top 10 in the nation among players from major conferences.
Why the Bucks should draft Parker
High score — When people compare you (like Chris Collins above and seemingly everyone else everywhere) to an All-Star scoring champion who has been the best player on a playoff team almost every year in the pros, that is a very good sign. Yes, if you can get someone like Carmelo Anthony, you do it. Even if the comparisons are optimistic (and they are), few players since Anthony have looked like more sure bets to score 20+ per game by Year Two. By all accounts, Parker is a level-headed guy with a rare ability to create his own shot and adapt his game to any defense.