Parker and Beal following in big footsteps, more to come

REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - As good as 2011 was for Jabari Parker, 2012 appears just as promising for the player many consider perhaps the best player in all of high school basketball – despite being only a junior.

Parker, who turns 17 on March 15, must be considered the early candidate for Most Valuable Player at the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship this summer in Kaunas, Lithuania. The 6-foot-8 small forward has the grace of a small forward; sweet stroke of a shooting guard; length and athleticism of a power forward; and ball-handling skills of a point guard.

In 2011 he led the United States to the gold medal and was MVP at the U16 FIBA Americas Championship. And he led his Chicago high school Simeon to its second consecutive Illinois 4A state title – two short of the mark he would like to set and best the three crowns Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose won with Simeon from 2005 to 2007.

Then on Tuesday came the news that Jabari – the son of former Golden State Warriors player Sonny Parker and devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – was named by USA Basketball as its 2011 Male Athlete of the Year, following in the footsteps of Kevin Durant, Jason Kidd, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Tim Duncan, Gary Payton, Scottie Pippen, Ray Allen, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas.

Tuesday also saw the draw for the FIBA U17 World Championship take place in Kaunas in what could be described as the United States’ roadmap to defending their title from two years ago in Germany. The U.S. drew Australia, China, Czech Republic, Egypt and France in Group A of the tournament, which will take place in Kaunas, Lithuania from June 29 to July 8. The other group has hosts Lithuania taking on Argentina, Canada, Croatia, Korea and Spain.

Coaches not from the United States now have an idea of when they will likely be beaten by the U.S. in Kaunas and the headaches will begin soon in how to slow down Parker.

While the USA are expected to raise the trophy again, there will definitely be a new Most Valuable Player as 2010 U17 MVP Bradley Beal has moved up in age groups.

Parker could also follow in the footsteps of 2010 MVP Beal, who has since gone on to very productive freshman season with the University of Florida. Beal came out of the gates strong for the Gators, averaging 17 points and 6.5 rebounds in his first six games of the season.

He then went through a two-game stretch in early December in which he hit just 6 of 18 shots including 1 of 8 from long range and tallied just 16 points total. Beal bounced back strong after that first slump, with six more games of at least 11 points.

Again came a bad stretch in the first two games of 2012 as the 18-year-old made just 6 of 27 shots – again 1 of 8 from three-point range – in scoring 14 points.

The same day Parker was hearing about the honor from USA Basketball, Beal bounced back again. His sweet stroke is compared to Ray Allen and the St. Louis native nailed four triples in scoring 17 points while grabbing 10 rebounds against Georgia. Afterwards he said: "I figured it was going to come sooner or later.”

Florida coach Billy Donovan knows his freshman is a star but Beal must focus on other things when his shot should not be falling – things like rebounding, defending and passing. Beal has proven an excellent rebounder despite being just 6-foot-3, collecting nine or more rebounds five times and six or more in five more games. He is also continuing to play strong defense with 1.75 steals in his last eight games.

Florida definitely struggles when Beal struggles. In the Gators’ four losses he is averaging 12 points on 16 of 49 shooting overall (33 percent) and 5 of 23 from long range (22 percent) while committing at least five turnovers in each game.

It has been exciting to see Beal work through his tough stretches as a first-year collegiate player – very likely the first time he has ever struggled like this in his life. The Gators fans are experiencing first-hand the maturation process of a budding superstar.

And Jabari Parker would be well served to follow that example as well.

David Hein

FIBA

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