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Mormon LeBron (Jabari Parker of Simeon HS)

Just a complete guess, but here's my prediction for how it plays out:

-He chooses to attend a big time program.

-He decides to play his freshman year before going on a mission.

-He has an amazingly successful freshman year.

-Due to his talent and high charachter , he is the sure fire #1 pick should he enter the draft.

-The lure of the NBA proves to be too great. He enters the draft and pledges to do missionary work later on in life.
 
Very possible.

On the other hand, there was an article about Harvey Unga's graduation from BYU last month, in the Des News today.
https://www.deseretnews.com/article...s-to-Chicago-to-make-NFL-dream-work.html?pg=2

Here's the relevant part:

This past month, Harvey hosted his second cousin, Chicago prep sensation Jabari Parker, who appeared on the cover of last week's Sports Illustrated as the No. 1 high school basketball player in the nation. Parker came to Provo during LDS conference and stayed at the home of Jackson Unga. Back in the late '80s, Parker's mother, Lola, regularly visited the Ungas in Provo in the last months of the life of Jackson's mother, Lulama.

"He's a fantastic person and aside from his great basketball talent, he is an amazing young man," said Harvey of Parker.

Did Harvey put in a word about his alma mater with Parker?

"I threw a little something in there to pique his interest," he said.

Interesting to think that BYU is still in the mix, and that Parker has some family connections to the Y. But who knows how this will play out.
 
Very possible.

On the other hand, there was an article about Harvey Unga's graduation from BYU last month, in the Des News today.
https://www.deseretnews.com/article...s-to-Chicago-to-make-NFL-dream-work.html?pg=2

Here's the relevant part:



Interesting to think that BYU is still in the mix, and that Parker has some family connections to the Y. But who knows how this will play out.

I think the kid is a great story, but I just don't see him choosing BYU and the West Coast Conference over 4 or 5 of the best basketball programs in the country, but I guess ya never know.
 
Honestly I do not want him to come to a Utah school. Go to UK, UNC, Duke...somewhere. I want him to get exposure on a national level. (speaking from a fellow mormon standpoint).

Playing at BYU didn't hurt Jimmer.

If you're an amazing talent you'll get exposure regardless of where you play.
 
Several points, Bryce Harper has always been a douche. He has a tremendous work ethic, but he's never not been a douche.

Also, I don't care if Parker's cousin went to BYU, Parker won't be going there. He's smarter than that.
 
Playing at BYU didn't hurt Jimmer.

If you're an amazing talent you'll get exposure regardless of where you play.

I would argue that in the long run it hurt Jimmer. He got a ton of national exposure, but how long will he last in the NBA? At a top program he wouldn't have scored as much, but he would have developed into a better player with better coaches IMO.
 
I would argue that in the long run it hurt Jimmer. He got a ton of national exposure, but how long will he last in the NBA? At a top program he wouldn't have scored as much, but he would have developed into a better player with better coaches IMO.

The argument wasn't being a better player with better coaching. It was that he'd get national exposure at someplace other than BYU.
 
Jabari Parker will get plenty of national exposure at Kentucky or BYU IMO. Hell, he's not even in college yet and he's already on the cover of SI. The reasons (in my opinion) that Parker will not choose BYU:

-By all accounts, the kids a winner. If he's going to spend only 1 year in college (as most assume), he's going to want a legit shot at winning a national championship. Sorry, that's not happening at the Y.

-While it may be true that he'll get as much national exposure at BYU, that doesn't mean that playing at BYU will prepare him for the NBA better than John Calipari, Roy Williams, Coach K, etc.

-The kid is very secure in his faith, who he is, and what he wants to accomplish. He doesn't need BYU to facilitate or enhance any of those things. He's going to be able to stand for what he believes in and spread his message with or without BYU.
 
-While it may be true that he'll get as much national exposure at BYU, that doesn't mean that playing at BYU will prepare him for the NBA better than John Calipari, Roy Williams, Coach K, etc.

This is your worst argument against BYU yet. Has Coach K ever had a stellar NBA star come out of his program?
 
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