Scouting Report: Jabari Parker, SF/PF, Duke
Nobody in this draft can score like Duke freshman Jabari Parker, now or perhaps even in terms of upside. Parker is an offensive juggernaut who is NBA ready, and there are some who see him as the rightful No. 1 pick. However, concerns about his defense and the fact that he's closer to his ceiling than Joel Embiid or Andrew Wiggins could see him taken anywhere from No. 1 to as low as No. 5.
Background
| Position | DX Rank | ESPN Rank | Height w Shoes | Weight (lbs.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF/PF | 3 | 3 | 6' 9" | n/a |
| Wing | Vert (in.) | Standing Reach | Hand Length (in.) | Agility (sec.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6' 11.75" | n/a | 8' 11.5" | n/a | n/a |
| NCAA Stats | PPG | RPG | APG | FG% | 3FG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | 19.1 | 8.7 | 1.2 | 47.3% | 35.8% |
Scouting Report
Strengths: As mentioned, nobody scores like Parker. Inside, outside, stationary, on the move, on-ball, off-ball, and so on, Parker can fill the basket. He's also a solid rebounder, a terrific passer and, by all accounts, an excellent teammate and leader. There is an awful lot to like here.
Weaknesses: Parker relies more on skill than athleticism - and as a result, he gets knocked to a degree for being somewhere below the draft's top athletes. That's fine on offense, but it creates serious concerns about whether he'll be a defensive liability in the NBA, and Duke subbing him out for key defensive possessions in the NCAA Tournament still resonates.
Highlight Reel
What to Expect on Draft Day
It feels strange that Parker isn't the top prospect in the draft given what he produced at Duke and the sense that he should be an NBA scorer immediately. Blame the quality of the class, we suppose, and just laugh at ESPN's Chad Ford wondering, "can he ever be more than 'just' a really good All-Star?" Parker still has a chance of going No. 1 but it's more likely he's taken second or third. His worst-case scenario isn't bad, either, as there's no chance he slips past the Jazz at No. 5, which would put the Mormon prospect in Utah, the "center of cultural Influence for Mormonism."