NEW YORK — Jabari Parker is 0-1 this year in meetings against his fellow super-freshmen.
Now comes Round 2.
After losing to Andrew Wiggins and Kansas at the Champions Classic Nov. 12 in Chicago, Parker and No. 6 Duke will now face Aaron Gordon and No. 4 Arizona Friday in the Preseason NIT Championship at Madison Square Garden.
Coach K wonders whether the freshmen are being overhyped by ESPN, but everyone agrees this group is special.
Parker and Gordon are projected as top-5 picks in the 2014 NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com and some 34 NBA personnel were on hand for Wednesday’s semifinals.
They are also friends and former roommates with the U.S. U16 National Team.
“We got a steady friendship,” the 6-foot-8 Parker said after scoring a career-high-tying 27 points to go with eight rebounds to lead Duke over Alabama, 74-64.
“We played with each other with the Under-16, Under-17 USA teams We’ve been good friends ever since then. He’s always a cool guy. We can kind of relate because he’s from the West Coast and my dad was from out there for a long time [playing with Golden State]. So we can kind of relate.”
Parker has now scored 20+ points in each of Duke’s seven games this season. The last freshman to do so was Kevin Durant.
“I’ve played with some great players but he’s probably the best that I’ve ever played with,” Duke point guard Quinn Cook, who scored 17 points, told SNY.tv. “His work ethic, he brings it every day.”
Cook added: “He’s always asking me stuff that I see that he can do to get better. Our chemistry is like we played with each other for a long time.”
While Parker has already played one of the other so-called “Big 4,” this will be Gordon’s first test against another member of that group, a group he’s not quite sure he’s a member of.
“I get asked about them pretty often because people are still on the borderline of whether I’m with them or not with them,” the 6-9 Gordon said Tuesday. “But every time there’s an interview I’m asked about them, what I think about them, how I think I fit in with them and I say the same thing every time. All I can be is Aaron Gordon and I’m going to do the best I can at that.”
Gordon put up 10 points and 13 rebounds as Arizona held off upset-minded Drexel, 66-62, in the first semifinal.
“His first six games for me have been great,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said.
“He’s a pleasure to coach, as talented as he is on the floor. You know, Aaron is not going to wow you with 25 shot attempts. But if you really pay attention, in 35 minutes, he had 13 rebounds and 10 points.”
Now after resting on Thanksgiving, the two Diaper Dandies will go head-to-head.
Get the popcorn ready.
Photo: Ballislife.com
