With highly touted big man Tony Parker, the third 2012 McDonald’s All American, into the fold at UCLA, it surely looks like coach Ben Howland’s top rated recruiting class for next season may be the perfect recipe to ensure the resurrection of the Bruins, one of the NCAA’s all-time winningest programs.
Just one week ago, the reigning National Champion Kentucky Wildcats added the top player in the 2012 Class, shot-blocking big man Nerlens Noel, to give Coach Cal the #1 rated recruiting class for the 4th consecutive season.
That was until the Bruins added one of the most sought after, still uncommited players in the class, Top 30 PF prospect Tony Parker, to an already vaunted recruiting haul that included Magic Johnson-esque forward Kyle Anderson, sharpshooter Jordan Adams, and the most potent offensive player in the class, Shabazz Muhammed.
The recruiting coup for Howland will be a welcome addition to the experienced Bruins roster that already includes a pair of experienced 7 footers in former UNC transfers David and Travis Wear, elite level 300lb center Josh Smith, and the sharpshooting Tyler Lamb. Surely coach Howland is hoping that the Bruins can return to their usual perch among the nation’s most vaunted programs by once again making it back to the Final Four, a feat they accomplished for 3 straight seasons between ’06-’08.
As for Parker, he’s still in the early development stages of tapping his immense potential but has a game that model’s Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger. Parker, the #27 rated prospect in the 2012 Class, is a bruising, low post scorer and rebounder with soft hands that plays mostly below the rim, but is capable of being a one man wrecking crew as he almost single-handedly led his Miller Grove HS team to a number of wins over top ranked teams this past season.
Parker averaged 16.6 ppg and 11 rebounds in helping lead Miller Grove to their fourth straight Georgia State Title. Parker, a 6’9 and 280lb PF, selected UCLA over a number of elite level NCAA programs like Duke, Ohio State, Memphis, and the hometown Georgia Bulldogs. Many feel the Bruins always had the inside track to nab Parker because his former AAU coach Korey McCray is now a Bruin assistant coach. I will say that the move is a bit puzzling considering Parker probably won’t get much playing time behind such an experienced frontcourt. Look for him to become a star by his sophomore season.
Check out Tony Parker in his senior season:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen has also provided content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, Cleveland.com, CSN Philly.com, Buckets Magazine, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
