Comments about ‘Brad Rock: Jabari Parker's a great player, but likely wouldn't have great impact at BYU’

No way Jabari goes on a mission. One year of college - maybe two, at most - and he's off to the NBA. Can't say that I blame him. It would be fun to see him at BYU, but yeah, he wouldn't stick around long. Who knows? Maybe the Jazz will draft him....

What a downer, Rock. While your premise is obviously true, that no one player for one season is going to transform a program into a national powerhouse far surpassing their greatest dreams, to say that a players as good as Parker wouldn't have an impact is ridiculous. This isn't a great freshman addition, this is potentially the best player in the country the second he steps on any campus. Think guys like that haven't had an impact? Um... what about Carmelo Anthony at Syracuse (national champions), Derrick Rose at Memphis (national runner-up, lost championship game on a last second shot), Anthony Davis (although in his case you do have to acknowledge that he had an NBA roster of talent around him). And arguably none of those was as hyped coming in as Parker was. So the difference is that with him on a team, as long as there is at least a decent talent level around him, a team becomes an instant national title contender. And don't tell me a national title or even a Final Four appearance wouldn't provide a big long-term boost to a program like BYU.

Why would Jabari Walker pick BYU? So he can gain maximum national exposure by playing in the WAC? I don't think that'll get him a lottery contract. I hope he'll go to a top school like Duke, UNC or Kentucky where they know how to develop special talent like Jabari.

That wasnt a bad article but I think one angle you might have added is that Jabari has good size and a good body, with LeBron type talent. Bradley had height...he frustrated the NBA because he had no width.

I realize the article was about impact at the college level and I think you are spot on! But in hind sight Bradley's freakish height made him a little like a pet rock...sort of cool for a really short while...

Jabari doesn't have that standout physical feature. His dad s also an-ex NBA player so he will get experienced counsel from parents. I say he is going to Washington and will still do what you suggested, only at another school...

one of your dumbest articles to date. That team Bradley played on likely would've had a losing record if not for him. Winning one game in the NCAA was quite an accomplishment. They started Mark Heslop and Scott Moon at guard.

If Jabari came to BYU he'd be on a much more talented and well balanced team with a deeper bench. It would be a different situation altogether. For starters he would be coming in with possibly the top recruiting class in the nation going to BYU (or at least in the top 3). It's already been called the 6th best class without him, he's the #1 player overall so adding him would certainly move that class to the top. He'd have plenty of good guards on his team, experienced big men and good wing shooters, defenders, etc.

If Shawn Bradley could get Mark Heslop and Scott Moon to the 2nd round of the NCAA then Jabari could certainly lead the top recruiting class in the nation to much deeper in the NCAA tourney.

Mr Rock missed on this one. The big difference with Shawn Bradley was that Shawn actually hurt BYU because of the timing of the turning pro announcement. As I recall a scholarship had been saved for Shawn and he made his announcement in the spring after the recruiting period was over. A couple of big men went elsewhere because everyone thought Bradley would be at BYU in the fall. I believe Coach Rose would be prepared for a one season player or a mission plus one.
Different world today with faster communication links.

FYI to Guam, BYU plays in the WCC with Gonzaga, St Mary's. Based on their current recruiting success with top 50/100 players, you missed on this one also.

Brad, your profiling here is an embarrassment.

BigCougars comments are spot on. BYU in 2013 is a very different animal from the situation Bradley entered in the early 90s. With several years as a 25+ win tournament team BYU is now regarded as a national power... perhaps not to the level of Kentucky, KU, or Duke, but teams are scared to play BYU, especially in Provo. That wasn't the case when Bradley played. Jabari Parker--even if he only played for one year--would elevate BYU to the status of those upper tier teams and make the Cougars real contenders. Does one year make a difference? Ask the top recruits that are now attending Butler, Wichita State, and Murray State.

Isn't it a little early in the process for a sour grapes story?

Brad, I think your red shades are turning green. Your effort to downplay the effect of the acquisition of Parker at BYU hints of jealousy. So you write a silly article which would be quite frankly offensive to Jabari Parker and an insult to our intelligence. Even if it were 1 year, there is no question he would have a huge impact on BYU Basketball.

"It's hard to be embraced when you're barely around long enough to take a bow."

A brilliant line. Most insightful line in a long time. Not surprised it came from Brad Rock.

It's laughable to even suggest that Jabari Parker would not make a HUGE impact at BYU. The thesis of this article is ridiculous in the extreme.

I wish Jabari Parker well and hope that he accomplishes great dreams.

To think that he will not make a major impact wherever he goes is a total misread of his talent, his character, and his impact on basketball.

Javari Parker will be an asset wherever he goes in life. Best to him!

Brad, comparing a Bradley to Parker is a poor foundation for your argument.

This article misses one HUGE difference between the 1990 BYU team that Bradley played on, and the 2013 team that Parker would play on if he were to choose BYU, and that is that Dave Rose has already put together a top 10 recruiting class for 2013 even without Parker. Parker would not be a one man show at BYU. He would be the star player on a team that would be deep and loaded with talent, and could make a run deep into the NCAA tournament.

The other HUGE difference between the Shawn Bradley situation and the (potential) Jabari Parker situation is Jimmer Fredette. Jimmer put BYU basketball on the national map by winning almost every national award. No, BYU is nowhere near the brand name that Duke, Kentucky or Michigan State are, but it is far from a nobody program.

When all is said and done, though, I just hope that Parker makes his choice prayerfully and goes where the Lord wants him to go. This BYU fan has no trouble accepting the fact that may not be BYU.

I wonder how much of a "huge impact" he would have at other schools if he came for a year, left to serve a mission, and then declared for the draft.

Calipari deals with similar cases every year, doesn't he?

RockMonster, you're way off on this one. Shawn Bradley was tall, but lazy. He could have made so much more of his NBA career if he would have worked harder. Jabari would be an amazing talent and even if BYU kept him for only a year, the recruiting benefits would last for years. Weak article.

If what Rock says is true, it would be true for any school he goes too, especially if it were Duke, Kentucky etc. even more so.

The real question is which school would he have the most impact at of the 10 he's looking at... no doubt BYU! And for sure he would have a Jimmer effect on BYU because the hype has already started. Jimmer snuck into school as someone hardly looked at. No so with Parker, if chooses BYU he will have a huge, huge impact for sure, more than what "rivals" want to admit.

Rock do you really believe what you just wrote? Nobody else does!

Bradley was one of the most under rated players in the NBA. Teams still want him to play for them, he was that good.
Parker will dominate the WCC when he comes.

I am watching you Brad your friendly neighbor. Shawm Bradley made a mistake and he didn't have the talent yet. As for Jabari Parker, it has mentioned one year of college and he moved on to NBA. If he goes on a mission then he should play one more year but I am not him which it is up to him.