The NBA draft is coming soon now that the playoffs have started and many mock drafts are starting to come out and names like Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Joel Embiid, Dante Exum, Marcus Smart, Julius Randle and Aaron Gordon have come up as potential top 10 selections, with teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, and Utah Jazz all angling to win the lottery.
Many see Wiggins as the top overall pick after playing at Kansas for one year, while Parker should get plenty of attention at the top as well. The Lakers have the chance to get someone in the top five, as they are the sixth worst team and they have a 6.3% chance of getting awarded the number one pick and boy would they love that. Parker has the size to make it in the NBA and many see him with the highest ceiling of the group. Smart may have hurt his draft stock by staying in the college ranks for another year, but he should still easily be a top lottery pick.
The NBA draft has another top prospect jumping into the fray, as Duke freshman Jabari Parker decided to declare and give up three more years of eligibility to go pro and he could be a lottery pick for teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers or Boston Celtics.
Parker made his announcement in an article for Sports Illustrated and he described his time at Duke as very important for his career and that he takes pride in the chance to play in the NBA. Parker leaves as a potential number one overall pick and he could follow Kyrie Irving as former Blue Devils players that have been selected with the top pick.
Parker came into the season as a highly regarded freshman along with Kansas star Andrew Wiggins and Kentucky forward Julius Randle and any of those players along with Joel Embiid could be the top pick in the draft. Parker got high praise from coach Mike Krzyzewski for his one season at Duke and the team went 26-9 on the year before losing in the NCAA tournament and now Parker will take his talents to the NBA.
Parker was named a first team All American this season after averaging 19 points, over eight rebounds and 1.2 assists per game along with one block and he also set a number of freshman records at the school. Parker is looked at as a LeBron James type player who obviously still needs to develop and at 6-foot-8 he has the size to become a dominant player in the league.
"I realize how much of a privilege and an honor it is to join the ranks of the NBA. I will do everything in my power to help deliver championships to the franchise that drafts me. At the same time, I recognize the obligation to represent the league in an admirable way off the court." Parker wrote in the article.
