Report: Jabari Parker 'Seriously Considering' Return To Duke
(CBS) Duke freshman and Chicago native Jabari Parker is "seriously considering" returning to college for his sophomore season, ESPN insider Chad Ford wrote on Wednesday afternoon.
Asked in an online chat about the chances of Parker and/or Kansas' Joel Embiid returning to school, Ford responded that, "Both are weighing their options. Both are seriously considering returning ... with Parker so much so that several scouts are claiming he's coming back to school."
Ford went on to write that it's "premature" to know what will happen, but it's noteworthy that Parker's weighing the decision so heavily. As a potential top pick and surefire top-five pick, Parker has long been assumed by most to be off to the pros after one year. He'll have until April 27 to decide.
Parker is really NBA ready. He could obviously improve if he stayed, but he's a NBA starter from Day One. He'll get minutes and playing against the best competition is the best way to improve. The only good reason for him to stay is because he loves college, wants to lead Duke to a NCAA Championship and is OK just waiting. But as far as development goes, the NBA is his best option.
Still, the word from the Parker camp appears to be that he'll declare for the draft, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Michael O'Brien.
[tweet https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/451060347269816321]
Both reports could well be true at this point. The decision could be weighing on Parker while those closest suspect he'll go pro. We'll just have to wait and see.
