CHICAGO — With a deep breath and a smile, Jabari Parker held up a blue
T-shirt with a bright, white “D” on it. All around the Simeon Career
Academy gym on the South Side here, cameras flashed and TV cameras
rolled as the country learned that Parker would play college basketball
at Duke.
Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press
Jabari Parke, a 6-foot-8 high school senior at Simeon
in Chicago, hoisting a Duke t-shirt on Thursday.
Ron Johnson/Associated Press
Jabari Parker, who led Simeon to three straight state
titles, abides by Mormon customs and included B.Y.U. on his final list
of colleges.
Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press
Lola and Sonny Parker, Jabari’s parents, on Thursday.
Parker’s decision Thursday was a national sports news event, the latest
testament to a celebrity rooted in both his skill — he has been
considered one of the top players in the nation since his sophomore year
— and his Mormon faith.
Parker, a 6-foot-8 senior, has led Simeon to three consecutive Illinois
state championships, has dazzled on A.A.U. courts across the country and
was coveted by college coaches. His exceptional post moves and jump
shot are perhaps exceeded by his biography: an African-American follower
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in urban Chicago.
Parker was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated this spring,
billed as “the best high school basketball player since LeBron James.”
The article was accompanied by questions of whether he would serve the
church on a mission upon graduation. He said Thursday that he would not
but might later in life.
His increasing fame stands in contrast to his unassuming presence off
the court, where he comes across as a regular young man remarkably adept
at handling the spotlight.
“Everybody knows I hate attention,” Parker said at the news conference.
“I almost had to do it this way. It wasn’t a choice for me. A lot of
people wanted to know, and it would be selfish for me not to.”
He also spoke repeatedly about the importance of going to Duke for an education.
“I like being around kids, teaching people, so secondary education could
be one of those things,” Parker said when asked what he might major in.
“I like animals, so biology could be a factor.”
Parker’s mother, Lola, was born in Tonga and raised as a Mormon in Utah.
His father, Sonny, enjoyed a six-year N.B.A. career with the Golden
State Warriors in the late 1970s and early ’80s.
Jabari Parker abides by Mormon customs. He does not smoke or drink
alcohol. Church services trump his basketball schedule, and he regularly
attends Bible study classes before school.
“Jabari’s faith defines who he is,” Lola Parker said. “Character is
everything to our family because when you have faith in something other
than yourself, then you become humble. He understands there is a
responsibility that comes with all this.”
Jabari Parker included Brigham Young on his final list of colleges, and
his official visit there last month created a frenzy. Students printed
thousands of T-shirts with the slogan “From Chicago to Provo” and
produced an Internet video that went viral. It was not enough.
“It’s just Coach K,” Parker said, referring to Mike Krzyzewski, Duke’s
longtime coach. “He’s one of the best coaches ever, and I want to be
able to experience the things he has.”
At Simeon, which the former No. 1 draft pick Derrick Rose also attended,
Coach Robert Smith has called Parker the best player he has ever
coached.
“Jabari can be great, a five- or six-year All-Star player, and make the
Hall of Fame,” Smith said. “Everyone wants me to determine who’s the
best between him and Derrick. They are both humble, mild-mannered, and
love their families. The things you look for in a kid, they have it.”
Still, Parker’s seemingly smooth life has hit some bumps this year.
Playing for the United States team in the FIBA U-17 World Championships
in Lithuania this summer, Parker fractured a bone in his right foot. He
tried to come back too soon for Simeon’s season, aggravated the injury
and will now most likely be sidelined for the rest of December.
That did not scare off college recruiters, or stop him from being among the most sought-after recruits in the country.
After Thursday’s news conference, Simeon got back to practice. Parker
watched from the sideline, resting his foot, before leaving with his
mother and father.
“This took off a lot of weight on me,” Parker said. “It got me away from
all the sharks — the media, all of that. Any little spec on Twitter or
any site could blow up the world, so I just wanted to get it done.”
Source: http://www.nytimes.com
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