(Photo Credit: Jason Schott/New York Sports Examiner)
Jabari Parker was picked second by the Milwaukee Bucks last night in the 2014 NBA Draft.
As a freshman at Duke, the All-ACC first teamer dropped 19 points and 9 rebounds for Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils. Parker is just happy to be in the NBA. “It’s just great just to get anybody who just wants you,” Parker said Thursday night.
“I’ve been having the luxury of Duke and Simeon [Career Academy High School] really embracing me and the Bucks have really shown that by picking me up.”
All along, Parker was confident that he’d land second in the draft with the Milwaukee Bucks—the Cavaliers of course drafted Andrew Wiggins with the first pick. But why was he so confident? “I was just going with what I was given,” said Parker. “They told me that they were all in; I can’t go with any accusations of what teams not telling me anything. I just went from what was more accurate.”
A native of Chicago, Parker will be a rock’s throw from his hometown playing in Milwaukee with the Bucks. Although Milwaukee ended the 2013-2014 with the worst record in the NBA at 15-66, the team shows promise. Parker believes that he’d be an asset to the team. “Well, they’re a young team and I can contribute right off the bat,” said Parker.
With their young nucleus of rising star Giannis Antetokounmpo, point guard Brandon Knight, Ersan Ilyasova, O.J. Mayo and John Henson, the Bucks are building for the future. Their team surely looks good on paper and Parker is looking toward the future with Head Coach Larry Drew and the Bucks organization: “I feel like I’m going to be able to grow with that organization and I’m trying to be a throwback to the organization and only stick with one team.”
