[WolfRobParticipant]

S.I. recently called Jabari Parker the best HS player since Lebron James…. 

 

I think Jabari WILL BE an NBA All-Star and have a great NBA career, but quite honestly he isn’t the best high school basketball player playing right now. This situation reminds me a lot of Carmelo vs. Lebron. Carmelo being a year older, but Lebron still being the best high school prospect. 

 

The development of Andrew Wiggins has been crazy. I think he is a potential franchise changing player, and I know it is really early to say that, but the kid has game and is just dripping with potential. 

Jabari is very very very good, but hes gonna struggle to even keep the #1 spot in his own class. (I’m a big Julius Randle fan, that kid is a beast) 

At the end of the day, I’d take Wiggins over Parker. 

[SupParticipant]

Carmelo and Lebron are both born in 1984.

[del90Participant]

I was waiting on someone to throw the haterade on Bari.

http://rand0mlyhiph0p.bandcamp.com/

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

About Melo and Bron. Melo is born May 29, 1984 and LeBron was December 30, 1984. Melo was class of 2002, LeBron 2003, hence making it seem like they may be a year apart, technically it was 7 months. With Andrew and Jabari, there is basically no difference in age at all. Andrew is actually the elder of the two, born February 23, 1995 while Jabari is March 15, 1995. So, the age difference is fairly negligible.

Still, this debate will probably rage back and forth for a while. Jabari may be a tad bit more skilled right now, but Andrew is no slouch in that department either. Wiggin’s athleticism is just incredibly rare and Parker will never be on the same level as far as that is concerned. Still, being the best athlete does not necessarily make you the better player and Parker’s court vision is very impressive. I have seen more of Andrew, which is why I might like him a tad more and think he has just as much right to being considered the best player in the country as Parker does.

I know that Dave Telep from ESPN has been leaning towards Wiggins as best player overall, while Paul Biancardi seems to be more of a Parker guy. Saw an interesting article ESPNHS did with 6 players/evaluators selecting teams of a PG, SG, SF, PF, C and a 6th man in a 2013-14 HS fantasy draft. Nate Britt, a UNC commit who is one of the top PG’s in 2013 and will play for Oak Hill during his senior year, selected Andrew Wiggins first overall. Dave Telep took Parker next, with Andrew Harrison, Jahlil Okafor, Julius Randle and Kasey Hill closing out the first round.

I know Nate Britt doesn’t speak for everyone and that he maybe was dreaming of throwing some lobs Wiggins way (he did draft himself, afterall), but I think Nate is not alone in thinking that Wiggins may be the best HS player in the nation. I think both Parker and Wiggins will be great players, think the Melo/LeBron connection may indeed come into play just in how often ones name will be brought up with the others. Two future All-Stars who will bolster the wing position very soon at the NBA level. Plus, am not so sure that Andrew is not finally convinced that re-classifying might be the best decision. That will bring even more drama if they both have to fight for the #1 spot in 2013 rather than blowing away from the pack in each of their respective classes right now.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/boys-basketball/post/_/id/5357/espnhs-mock-draft-results

[Bill Walton’s KneesParticipant]

 You do realize that Wiggins is actually older then Parker right?

[WolfRobParticipant]

 I’m just saying Lebron/Melo in terms of being one GRADE apart. Didn’t know Wiggins was actually older. 

Regardless, they are both gonna be STUDS! All I’m saying is, Andrew Wiggins is the best player playing high school basketball right now. 

[WizardofOzParticipant]

 I agree. Parker is one of the most overrated prospects I’ve seen in some time, and the hype is starting to get out of control. His ball skills are overrated and he doesn’t have the athletic ability tgo dominate at the next level. Harrison Barnes 2.0. w/ slightly better ball skills. Like Barnes, I predict people will realize that Jabari doesn’t have superstar potential once he gets to college.

On the other hand, Wiggins has superstar potential. He has elite athletic ability with improving ball skills and an improving jumpshot, although I’m still not a fan of his mechanical form.

[uknationParticipant]

 Wiz you are obviously one of those guys who overrate athletic ability. Skill is much more important than being a great athlete. Have you noticed when Jordan and Kobe were at their best?  Duncan and Love, Zbo.  Compare that to Denadre Jordan,Javell McGee etc.  Parker could be even slower or jump less than he does and still be a very good player. Think about the players while they were in H.S since Lebron left.

Parker better than wall,Bradley,rivers,mayo,Harrison Barnes,Howard,oden,McRoberts.  These are the guys after Lebron. Think about what their games looked like after they finished their JR year. Not too far fetched to say Parker is the best since Lebron because none of those guys had the same SKILL overall that Parker has.

 

As far as the best player in H.S. a lot of us had this debate last year and most (who know basketball and were not just going by who was more athletic) clearly had Parker because he was more skilled by a nice margin.  Now that margin has shrunk faster than any of us thought it would in just one year. Back then Wiggins handles needed more work, jumper, and defense consistently. Now Wiggins has gotten much better in all of those to the point that his jumper is damn near deadly.  I wouldn’t debate one way or the other as far as who is better because it’s that close. Wiggins as far as potential because of SKILL AND ATHLETIC ABILITY.

[WizardofOzParticipant]

 ^^I don’t value athleticism over skill. I just think that Parker’s skill set is overrated. In the games I’ve seen him in, he’s barely able to get to the rim, so what makes you think that he’ll be able to at the next level when players are bigger, longer and faster? And while his ball-handling is solid for a player his size, I wouldn’t call it great. 

[ChewyParticipant]

But I feel like Jabari is a much better ball handler than Barnes and Barnes is a MUCH better athlete. If anything Wiggins is most comparable to Barnes because both their handles are good but not great and both dominated the amature level primarily by driving and dunking on people (cuz they could almost every play haha).

I feel like Jabari is a poor man’s Paul Pierce right now. They both use size and strength to create space for their shot and they both live in the 8-12 ft jumper range all game.

[akhan786Participant]

Something you guys should remember is that Jabari isn’t it the best possible shape he could be in…you can still see the baby fat on him and until he gets that off we won’t see his true athletic potential.

And he’s no slouch athletically already if you’ve seen his recent games in the EYBL.

But I’m still in the contingent that is leaning towards Andrew Wiggins…it may be because he brings that "Wow" factor that Jabari doesn’t always show and Andrew has shown the ability to take over games while Jabari is more passive, almost Lebron-like.

[uknationParticipant]

 Key words "in the games I have seen".  Compared to the scouts who have seen him in hundreds of games .   You must have seen him when he hasn’t been at his best (he is mostly at his best) especially yesterday where he was just giving guys the business while dribbling past point guards like it was nothing

[uknationParticipant]

It’s obvious some have not watched Wiggins this summer if they think he is just drive and dunk. His been shooting and hitting a lot of midrange as well as deep balls (just went 6-11 from three today). He’s more than just dunks now. Jabari isn’t in the best of shape right now because he’s just coming back from a injury. Don’t sleep on his bounce either because he has banged on a couple of 6’10 athletes yesterday and today.

[draft2017Participant]

Wiggins need to become more of a threat when the ball is not in his hands, he doesnt move well with out the ball and he should also develop a post up game, Jabari does both well but that can be taught. Wiggins atheletic ability is something Jabari will never have and thats why Wiggins is the better prospect

Wiggins could be the Lebron type… atheletic scorer(not the playmaking type)

Jabari could be the Melo type, Scoring everywhere on the court

[Author]

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