Simeon star joins recent winners Kyle Anderson, Austin Rivers and Harrison Barnes as recipient of the nation's highest honor.
To say
Jabari Parker operated under a microscope during his four years at
Simeon (Chicago) would be an understatement.
His name was widely known in Chicago before he ever played a high school game. Shortly after his debut for the Wolverines, word of Parker's talent and winning touch made him a national name.
Sports Illustrated intensified the frenzy in May of 2012 by famously featuring Parker on its cover and proclaiming he was the best high school basketball player since LeBron James.
Navigating gracefully through the firestorm of attention, expectations and analysis, the 6-foot-8, 225-pound small forward won big in Simeon blue and gold. The Wolverines went 118-15 and won four Class 4A state titles with Parker in the program.
The 2012-13 campaign wasn't without adversity, however. Not yet back to 100 percent following a broken foot suffered in the summer, Parker – scoring just five points – and Simeon were beaten convincingly on national television by DeSoto (Texas) in its second outing of the season.
A jolting 29-point loss to Academy Top 10 champion Montverde Academy (Fla.) in early January combined with the emergence of rival Whitney Young made a storybook ending to Parker's high school career look unlikely.
But the Wolverines responded with big wins over Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.), Morgan Park (Chicago), storied Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and aforementioned then-national No. 1 Whitney Young later that month.
Jabari was looking like Jabari once again.
Parker stepped his game up another notch in the postseason, including a 29-point, 13-rebound gem in a sectional final rematch with Whitney Young.
For the season, the future Duke Blue Devil averaged 18.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Simeon finished 30-3 and ranked No. 3 nationally by MaxPreps.
Other POY finalists included:
Aaron Gordon of
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.);
Andrew Wiggins of
Huntington Prep (W.Va.) and
Nigel Williams-Goss of
Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.).
Past MaxPreps National Players of the Year2012 –
Kyle Anderson,
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)2011 –
Austin Rivers,
Winter Park (Fla.)2010 –
Harrison Barnes,
Ames (Iowa)2009 –
Derrick Favors,
South Atlanta (Ga.)2008 –
Brandon Jennings,
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)2007 –
Kevin Love,
Lake Oswego (Ore.)2006 –
Greg Oden,
Lawrence North (Indianapolis)Click through for a look back at the high school career of 2012-13 POY Jabari Parker.{PAGEBREAK}
MaxPreps photographer Greg Behrens was on hand to shoot Jabari Parker's second game as a freshman at Simeon, a 59-44 win over East St. Louis at the Midwest Shootout. Despite nine regular season losses, the Wolverines would regroup to win their first of four straight state titles.
Photo by Greg Behrens
{PAGEBREAK}
Parker let MaxPreps know who was No. 1 after beating Warren (Gurnee) for another state title as a sophomore. Simeon finished the season 30-2 and ranked No. 9 nationally.
Photo by Greg Behrens
{PAGEBREAK}
Parker has already been part of two USA Basketball gold medal teams, winning the FIBA Americas U16 Championships in the summer of 2011 and the FIBA U17 World Championships in 2012.
Photo courtesy of USA Basketball
{PAGEBREAK}
Parker and Simeon's appearance in the 2012 Spalding Hoophall Classic was a humbling one as the Wolverines fell to Findlay Prep by 25 points. They made a triumphant return to the event in 2013 with a win over Oak Hill Academy.
Photo by Lonnie Webb
{PAGEBREAK}
Parker ran with Chicago-based Mac Irvin Fire on the summer circuit.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
{PAGEBREAK}
MaxPreps tabbed Parker and Simeon as the preseason No. 1 heading into the 2012-13 campaign. The Wolverines generated so much preseason attention that head coach Robert Smith scheduled a media day in November, where MaxPreps photographer John Rowland snapped this shot.
Photo by John Rowland
{PAGEBREAK}
After a slow start to his senior season while recovering from a foot injury, the Parker of old began to re-emerge in late January. Simeon won seven state tournament games by an average of 22 points per outing en route to its fourth Class 4A state title in a row.
Photo by Jann Hendry
