Whether or not Jabari Parker will leave college basketball after his freshman season for the opportunity to play in the NBA was a hot topic of discussion throughout the NCAA tournament, and continue to be since the season has ended.
Jabari Parker was one of the top players in the country at the beginning of the season, and while he lost all of he player of the year awards to Creighton’s Doug McDermott, he could still go as the No.1 draft pick, if he decides to enter.
The decision on whether to go to the NBA or not will be based on where he feels that he can grow the most. He will meet with Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski when he returns to Durham, N.C., on Tuesday.
As of right now, Jabari Parker says that “I don’t know where that is right now. I’ll talk to coach about it and lay out my options, but I’m just really glad I get the best of both worlds.”
He was one of the standout players on an outstanding Duke tea, and just received the Wayman Tisdale Award as college basketball’s top freshman. He was with his parents in Oklahoma City to accept the award, and the Parker family is originally from the Chicago area.
As any fan of college basketball knows, it is an honor to play for someone like Coach K., and perhaps Parker will want more time as a member of the Duke Blue Devils.
Jabari Parker in OKC for for the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards. Receives Tisdale Award tonight. pic.twitter.com/Rj5UiuynAT
— Duke M. Basketball (@Duke_MBB) April 14, 2014
Jabari Parker still debating on leaving? What's taking so long? He's gonna be the 1st or 2nd pick! No brainer to me…
— DeVonte Holloman (@HolloMan21) April 15, 2014
While he may be a good fit for the NBA right now, another year or two at Duke could also help him develop more as a player. Willie Cauley-Stein, the center for the Kentucky Wildcats, declared that h would return for his junior year on Monday.
Jabari Parker was the highest-scoring freshman in Duke history, averaging 19.1 points per game, and he was also the first freshman to lead the Blue Devils in both scoring and rebounding.
Imagine the power lineup if JabariParker stays w/ #Duke one more year? With their incoming class it should be an incredible 2014-15 season.
— Captain (@PicardDeltaOne) April 15, 2014
During this year’s NCAA tournament, the Duke Blue Devils were delivered perhaps the biggest upset of the tournament from No.14 seed Mercer, but that does not take away from the excellent year that Parker had over the course of his freshman season.
Image via Youtube