Chicago high school Basketball star Jabari Parker is undoubtedly among the top young players in the country.

Set to attend Duke University next year as one of their most buzzed-about recruits in years, Parker says his greatest joy is being able to set a great example for other young people, and help change the narrative surrounding Chicago’s youth.

From the Grio:

“Everything in my city is negative,” Parker said of how he feels his hometown is portrayed in national media. “[The media] try to bring it down so much with the violence and I’m an African-American male in my community…going to college and that’s big time. I want to represent them in the best form, the best manner just to keep them close to my heart so they can see that there’s a young [guy] out on the South Side doing big things.”

Attending Duke on scholarship, Parker says he’s considering staying on for all four years, rather sail on to the NBA after one season.

Parker said college will give him the chance to mature and build relationships, adding that Kentucky’s ‘one and done’ didn’t appeal to him.

“I’m going to look into that,” Parker said of staying in school. “I love the whole attitude of ‘staying in college,’ because I want to take advantage of it. Getting a free education is big time in my family.”

Read more at theGrio.com

 

Congratulations to Jabari on all of his incredible accomplishments.

Good luck at Duke!

 

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