Jabari Parker will emerge as the best ... according to Mike Wilbon

Randle is a beast, Wiggins is very athletic.

But Parker is the truth.

Been saying it since I went to the McDonald's All America game and saw it first hand, there is just something that Parker has that is beyond special.
Not even judging by numbers in that game, this last game, or even what might happen in the next games, but he transcends these other guys with his game and presence and persona.

Glad to see Steve Kerr, Stephen A., Jay Bilas, Chris Broussard, and many others now all coming on board.

Been saying it all along from day one, Parker without a doubt to me is the truth.

I really think the parallells between Wiggins and Young Tracy McGrady are huge.

The early part of McGrady's career he was a dominant, destructive, defensive presence based on his height and length, combined with A+ athleticism. He lacked full focus on it, so it was spotty, but at it's best, he was dominant.
They had similar dispositions. A bit soft spoken. Perhaps shy. And not as assertive as one would want from their star player. There was actually a pretty interesting article on Grantland a few months ago upon TMac's retirement that touched on his personality.
McGrady eventually supplemented his elite physical set with a premier jumpshot, which due to his length, was all but unguardable. I can totally see Wiggins going the same way. And once you see that jumper develop, and have to get close to him, his handle, which will improve, will look dynamic, even if it's not, based solely on his physical get off.
He won't overpower people near the rim very often, just like TMac, but his body control and length are all worldly unique, that should create a ton of hanging and one type hoops.
As the offense improves, it's likely the defense will devolve, if only for energy conservation reasons. But that's assuming Wiggins becomes a league leading scorer. Otherwise you may see more continued balance. And it's possible that Wiggins never fully develops the jumper, and falls somewhere in between, but what he brings physically will keep him relevant offensively regardless.

Parker to me still has some physical questions. He's bigger than Pierce was. It's possible he's a small ball four. What he brings to the table seems to be a unique instinct for the game. I just hope he finds a way to fit into a rotation because he is a classic tweener. I can totally see the Pierce comps. I can also totally see the Melo comps, who has a similar plays bigger sense to him. But a guy who struck me when watching the other night, maybe in part because of the uniform, was Shane Battier. That may seem like a knock, but remember that Battier was in the conversation as the top pick in his draft among some elite HS athletes (the fact none of them panned out as hoped is a different story). And Battier was an elite, national HS POY level prospect by all accounts. Parker already has a more refined offensive game than Battier probably ever had, but there's a similar sense to him on the floor in terms of feel. And that makes me think he could be a much better defender than people are giving him credit for. And as the league continues to get smaller, it's possible he turns out to be true stretch four mismatch type of a guy, bringing the best of a bunch of really good players to the table.

Right now I'd still take Wiggins' upside over anything else. Parker's definitive skills that he brings to the table may jump Randle, who I was all over preseason, if Randle continues to look as lefty dominant, and not the A++ athlete I was hoping for, but my sense is that Randle will play out by years end.

Over three games I think the big move to me is that I have been entirely unimpressed with the Harrisons, and I totally believe at this point the fourth pick will come down to Marcus Smart vs. Dante Exum, or someone falling for Joel Embiid as the best true big prospect available.

I don't see the Battier comp at all.

NBA Scouts are now sceptical of Wiggins... they like Parker and Randle better.

[url]http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/11/12/5094942/andrew-wiggins-julius-randle-jabari-parker-champions-classic-scouts[/url]



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Parker is my guy. If the Wiz suck again this year, then Randle is the one I want though

[QUOTE=TheTruth11]NBA Scouts are now sceptical of Wiggins... they like Parker and Randle better.

[url]http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/11/12/5094942/andrew-wiggins-julius-randle-jabari-parker-champions-classic-scouts[/url]



....[/QUOTE]

Criticism is fine, but even some GM's and scouts are crossing the line into stupidity. "Third or fourth best player right now on Kansas". "Third best freshmen until he tries hard".....we gotta remember GM's and scouts get fired all the time for a reason lol. It's one thing to say Randle and Parker outdid Wggins, it's another thing to say he's a complimentary player for Kansas. lol

What's your opinion on those quotes, Truth11?

[QUOTE=TheTruth11]NBA Scouts are now sceptical of Wiggins... they like Parker and Randle better.

[url]http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/11/12/5094942/andrew-wiggins-julius-randle-jabari-parker-champions-classic-scouts[/url]



....[/QUOTE]

FWIW, the quotes from that story came from a story published on the 9th of november, so just after their first games', but before the games in chicago

[QUOTE=Dolphin]Criticism is fine, but even some GM's and scouts are crossing the line into stupidity. "Third or fourth best player right now on Kansas". "Third best freshmen until he tries hard".....we gotta remember GM's and scouts get fired all the time for a reason lol. It's one thing to say Randle and Parker outdid Wggins, it's another thing to say he's a complimentary player for Kansas. lol

What's your opinion on those quotes, Truth11?[/QUOTE]


That was written before the games were played.

The 'controversy' over who is best is great media fodder and great for interest, expect to hear it all year, but after watching those games, you'd have to have one huge ******* not to take Wiggins first.

I really dislike the characterizations that he isn't a leader or is not driven to win because he is mild mannered. He isn't American, is not going to have the personality of a black American player.
On the court he took the game over and drove his team to win. He's gone head to head with both Randle and Parker and owned them, even in this game when he was guarding Parker he had him in a pretzel.

[url]http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/11/...classic-scouts[/url]

The analysis in the article above was BEFORE Parker got off to his amazing start. Something like 58% from the field and an amazing 68% from 3 point land. All while showing outstanding athleticism.

I don't think Parker liked being looked at as the #2 or #3 player in the land. He is playing like a man possessed right now. He is playing like the # 1 player in the country. These guys may flip flop and change positions all year but there can be no doubt that if the draft were held today Jabari Parker would go #1.

...

[QUOTE=TheTruth11][url]http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/11/...classic-scouts[/url]

The analysis in the article above was BEFORE Parker got off to his amazing start. Something like 58% from the field and an amazing 68% from 3 point land. All while showing outstanding athleticism.

I don't think Parker liked being looked at as the #2 or #3 player in the land. He is playing like a man possessed right now. He is playing like the # 1 player in the country. These guys may flip flop and change positions all year but there can be no doubt that if the draft were held today Jabari Parker would go #1.

...[/QUOTE]



Yea, there would be huge doubt actually. it's a small minority who thinks Parker should go first, not the other way around. NBA drafts on potential, and not only does Wiggins have far more potential than Parker, he has played just as well (or better, depending on who you ask) in the few meaningless games that have been played thus far.

Parker just has so many offensive elements to his game. Can run the break in transistion, cam shoot, point guard like playmaking. I too believe he will emerge as the best of the class. He just has an aura to him

Wilbon is a homer

[QUOTE=Goliath Uterus]Yea, there would be huge doubt actually. it's a small minority who thinks Parker should go first, not the other way around. NBA drafts on potential, and not only does Wiggins have far more potential than Parker,[B] he has played just as well (or better, depending on who you ask) in the few meaningless games that have been played thus far[/B].[/QUOTE]

What have you been watching?

I mean, just as a fan of the game of basketball Jabari Parker is like a man possessed right now.

You could say Wiggins may one day be better (which I've been saying since day one is flat out wrong), but to say Wiggins has played just as well is COMPLETELY off. Parker has outclassed him very badly so far.

Parker is playing like an NBA veteran with his polish, skills, and leadership.

[QUOTE=BIZARRO]What have you been watching?

I mean, just as a fan of the game of basketball Jabari Parker is like a man possessed right now.

You could say Wiggins may one day be better (which I've been saying since day one is flat out wrong), but to say Wiggins has played just as well is COMPLETELY off. Parker has outclassed him very badly so far.

Parker is playing like an NBA veteran with his polish, skills, and leadership.[/QUOTE]

Wiggins fans always tell us that Parker is not athletic enough.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/YpsNVnd.jpg[/IMG]

Tonight, he botched an alley-oop by maybe an inch and was absolutely sky high. Can't find video of that failed play.

[QUOTE=BIZARRO]What have you been watching?

I mean, just as a fan of the game of basketball Jabari Parker is like a man possessed right now.

You could say Wiggins may one day be better (which I've been saying since day one is flat out wrong), but to say Wiggins has played just as well is COMPLETELY off. Parker has outclassed him very badly so far.

Parker is playing like an NBA veteran with his polish, skills, and leadership.[/QUOTE]

Trouble with this quote is there was no stopping Wiggins when the game was on the line, and no sight of Parker when the game was on the line.

If you want guys who are gonna be stars they have to be there when the game is on the line and win it for their team, that is what Wiggins did and that is where Parker shrunk.

Parker looked the best player of all college hoops in the 1st half when he was stroking, no doubt about that, but only one guy was there in the clutch and only one team won.

Your statement is ludicrous when the last five minutes (of a tie game no less) are in discussion.