An Illinois sports website is [URL=”http://illinihq.com/blogs/recruiting_wrap/2011/01/12/hoops_analyst_parker_is_most_important”]posting[/URL] today that 5-star 2013 SF Jabari Parker is the ‘most important recruit in Illinois head coach Bruce Weber’s tenure’. The 6’7” sophomore has the attention of a lot of schools, with a list including DePaul, Duke, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Northwestern, Oregon State, Purdue and Texas . But it’s Illinois’ interest that concerns me.
You see, Bruce Weber doesn’t like to lose local recruits (Parker is from Chicago). You may remember another recent recruit from Chicago that Weber lost and wasn’t too thrilled about it: 5-star 2011 PF Anthony Davis. Weber was also after Davis, and when Davis committed to UK, information was suddenly ‘leaked’ that Davis’ family was shopping him for $200,000. Of course it was investigated and found to be all a fabrication, but not before Davis’ reputation was questioned and his family put through some bad press. Who ‘leaked’ this information? Nobody ever fessed up, but Gregg Doyel [URL=”http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/the_inside_scoop/2010/09/gregg-doyel-bruce-weber.html”]said in an interview[/URL] that it was Weber. Nothing was ever proven, but to my knowledge Weber never denied it either, and I heard no libel lawsuits or defamation articles from him afterward.
In the first article above, one of the things Weber likes about Parker is that he ‘doesn’t bring any baggage with him’ and he’s ‘squeaky clean’. At least he is until Weber loses him, then some information might get ‘leaked’. Say hello to my little friend.
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