Top Recruit Parker Will Wait To Sign With School
ANDREW SELIGMAN,AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) — Top high school recruit Jabari Parker won't be signing his letter of intent when the early period begins on Wednesday.
Lola Parker said Tuesday her son is "not signing." She said he'll probably commit to a school in December and make it official in the spring.
Jabari Parker, who plays for Chicago's Simeon Career Academy, has made official visits to Michigan State, Duke and Florida.
A trip to Stanford scheduled for last weekend likely will happen in early December, instead, because he's been going for therapy on his broken right foot four days a week. He's also scheduled to visit Brigham Young over Thanksgiving weekend.
Lola Parker said her son hasn't ruled out any of those five schools. The early signing period runs through Nov. 21. If he doesn't sign before then, he can do it between April 17 and May 15.
"We've kind of left it to Jabari to figure it out, what he wants to do," Lola Parker said. "It's a great place to be in, that you can pick and choose and have choices."
A 6-foot-8 forward, Jabari Parker is one of the most prized recruits to come along in recent years. He received the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year award after leading Simeon to its third straight state championship while averaging 19.5 points and 8.9 rebounds as a junior.
He comes from the same high school that Chicago Bulls superstar Derrick Rose attended, and his father Sonny played six seasons with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA after starring at Chicago's Farragut Career Academy.
Religion also plays a big role in Jabari's life. He is a devout Mormon, just like his mom, and the Parkers have said a mission is a possibility.
While he's deciding his next step, he's also trying to recover from his foot injury. The timetable for his return remains up in the air.
"He's fine. He's just waiting to get a clearance from his doctor," Lola Parker said. "He does a lot of cardio. He's on the bike a lot, so he's doing stuff with his feet that he couldn't do. He has several weeks to go. He's just waiting to get a clearance but he's looking pretty good."
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