Comments about ‘Mormon mega-recruit Jabari Parker chronicled in Time Magazine video’

I'm excited for this kid. He is such a class act, and will be a great ambassador for the NBA. The NBA desperately needs more men like him.

What an awesome young man. Here's hoping for no serious injuries or setbacks, wherever he ends up after high school.

Parker is a great player. I sure hope he picks Duke. Coach K and DU are the classiest program in all of sport!

He will be the biggest LDS star never to play for BYU.

I already love this kid.

Jabari is looking for a school where he can develop both as a basketball player and spiritually.

If he leads Duke or Kentucky to a national championship that would be good.
If he were to lead BYU to a national championship, well that is a whole different matter. If Jabari wants to make a statement about how good he is then leading a mid major team to the national championship about says it all.

He isn't going to BYU. Nor Utah. Or Utah State. My bet is Duke. Nothing like ACC hoops.

runner, thanks Nostradamus. Your knowledge is astounding.

He'll be an asset no matter where he goes.

@ runnerguy50,

I vehemently agree with you. Parker is top-notch. I lived in NC for ten years and Duke is his only choice, all-encompassing, I believe. He is a nice young man, a terrific talent and what Duke has to offer him is the BEST in the world. BYU is a joke! Who really "makes it" from BYU in the NBA? NOBODY!!!!! Danny Ainge played with Larry Bird, Robert Parrish, Kevin McHale and Dennis Johnson, all first ballot hall of fame inductees. Ainge will never be in the HOF. He was not that great.......just made one all-star team is all. He(Parker) would never attend Utah on his worst day, although a U of U education is far better than Duke as it stands today.

@ The Rock,

Programs like Duke or Kentucky every year have all 5 starters going to the NBA, if they "choose" to do so. Kentucky has all 5 underclassmen looking at the NBA draft after they won the NCAA tourney this year. Duke is very similar year in and out. BYU can't get by the sweet 16 every 30 years. Parker is ONE player is all. BYU will NEVER compete on the national stage, never have. They have never been on the NCAA radar in their history. There are no other legitimate players attending BYU that would EVER get them into the final 4, let alone WINNING a national championship. It is that simple.

As nice as it would be to have him playing in Provo, it would only be for one year. He more or less states that himself. Also, it sounds like his decision is at least partially based on where he can best win a national championship. Unless he is being amazingly coy (he did leave the door open for some mid-major), that points to the big name schools.

On the other had, there is no doubt that the NBA could use some cleansing of its image. Jabari would become an immediate role model as soon as the draft takes place, and as a person of integrity and humility with super-human skills, could do a lot toward elevating the opinions and actions of professional athletes. And if you want to take that tack, he would still be a Mormon NBA Superstar.

The Time video emphasizes that Jabari will only stay in college until he's projected to go in the top 5 of the NBA draft. BYU has a lot to offer to Mormon college athletes--especially those who sincerely want to hew to LDS standards while earning a baccalaureate degree--but it clearly can't position someone for the NBA draft in the same way that Kentucky, Duke, UNC, et al. can do. No one can blame Jabari for wanting to maximize his ability and money-earning potential, so I don't expect him to sign with the Y; however, I hope the program he goes with does all it can to help him maintain his standards. No one faces more temptations than elite/pro caliber athletes.

It would be nice to see him play at BYU if only for 1 year. He didn't even mention BYU in the Time video so I don't think that will happen.
Question: No matter where he plays if he plays for 1 year then if he serves a mission wouldn't he need to come back to college for another year to become a top 5 NBA draft pick?

If he serves a mission what are the chances of him being sent to Provo for two years ?
I hope he doesn't go to the SEC. He would look great in a Maryland uniform but most likely ends up at Dook.

RE: Utah-Hawaii Alum

Go to duke??? bwaaah ha ha!

HOw many duke player are in the nba? most never seem to be able to stick around,

It is not school it is player and his talent and work ethic.

their are players from those teams ans conferences that the nba is still waiting for them to actually do something in the league.

Of course some schools can recruit a lot talent and of course they will get players drafted,

but is not beause of the school or the coach, some schools just have a deeper pool to draw from and some schools just get popular for awhile,

Jabari will have success where ever he chooses to go, and not because of the school or conference.

The mission thing is an interesting question. I believe that most top programs discourage LDS athletes from going on missions. In the case of Jabari, it wouldn't surprise me if Duke, KU (or wherever he ends up) actually encourages him to go. If he doesn't go, he's one and done. If he goes, they would probably get him for a second year after the mission.

I'd love to see him in Provo, but won't be holding my breath.

DN - (Rudy Fernandez has struggled this year, especially in the playoffs against the Lakers.) Maybe that is because he is out with a back issue and didn't play at the end of the regular season or in any of the playoff games.

I never heard "mission" in the interview..... did I miss something?

Utah-Hawaii Alum

Narcissistic comments. Again.

Even when you have a point, you can't stop yourself from putting down BYU. Your entire goal is to get jabs in at BYU, their fans, and their religion. You get so caught up in hate that you start to invent arguments just to get your words in the comment section. The hate you have inside says more about you than it does about any topic.

Narcissism does that to people.

HAHA UtahHawaii ALum. You said BYU has never been on the national stage. Were you living in a box in a hole during Jimmer Fredettes year. Didn't they make it to #3 in the nation. Weren't they a possible #1 seed and Final Four contender until the big mishap??