[valentine]

?

aside from sports illustrated

[Leonard WashingtonParticipant]

 Im sure some would.  You really can’t go wrong with either one.  Its all about preference, Parker has the smooth finesse game, while Wiggins is the ultra athletic specimen that will wow you ever game with the things he can do.  My preference…Wiggins because he is the total package of athleticism and skill.

[F_S]

 i actually think you’re going wrong if you go with parker

[BlueRivers25Participant]

I would take Parker, because at Duke he would play the 4 spot like how K used Lebron and Melo in the Olympics, and there could be a slight chance he stays multiple years.
But for the NBA I would take Wiggins over Parker.

[JaeEvolutionParticipant]

Hype plays an almost undeniable part of it to me. Rewind almost a year ago Drummond reclassifies and goes to UCONN and everybody has him pegged as #1 pick almost surely. A few months later and a less than stellar season he falls down boards hard while Davis leads his team to a championship and the ranks shifted seeing Davis becoming the #1 pick.

Was there a large difference in those two players? Not so much if you ask me both physically gifted and have a chance to change a franchise forever, but should Drummond have fallen to 9th either? No, lol.

Right now, even though it’s early, the premise is the same for Wiggins and Parker, there is no doubt they are both skilled ballers, but Parker got hurt and Wiggins killed the competition so the scale is tipped in his favor as of now. In the future everything could change however. I’m not saying one is better than the other, what I AM saying is don’t believe the hype.

[MkadozaParticipant]

 I personally wouldn’t consider it close at the moment. Wiggins athleticism is truly something special. In a gym full of some the most elite athletes on the planet, he always seems to stand out. Whether its skying a foot above the rim, outrunning everyone with the ball and effortlessly slamming on the other end, or him eating up ground to contest multiple shots, he’s just a special athlete in the Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, prime Grant Hill mold. He’s improved his handles, though not to the caliber of any of the players I mentioned, and that will be paramount to maximizing his potential and making use of that unbelievable first step. But as a small forward in college, I expect, at worst, a Wes Johnson at Syracuse type season, where as Wiggins inconsistancies will be due to inexperience.

Now, Parker may statistically have a better season because he’s a better ball handler, shooter, and passer at this point, with excellent offensive IQ and wonderful physical tools himself. So I guess in that sense I can see where BlueDevils is coming from. But from a long term perspect, I dont know how given Wiggins dominance you can’t take him. That total package of ability and athleticism doesn’t come around often.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

That is about it. My favorite is Jabari’s dads reaction to the news the now reclassified Wiggins is #1 in 2013:

Parker’s father, Sonny Parker, told ESPNChicago.com that he did not understand why Wiggins passed his son in the recruiting rankings.

"Based on what? That’s what I’m asking," Sonny Parker told ESPNChicago.com. "Based on a few weeks of AAU? The AAU stuff is overrated. Jabari was the national freshman of the year, the national sophomore of the year, the Gatorade national player of the year as a junior.

"High school is more important to Jabari. He’s won three straight titles and wants to win a fourth this year. You talk about athleticism. Jabari can play the 1 through 5 at 6-foot-9. It’s just peoples’ opinions."

Yeah, AAU stuff may be overrated. You know what isn’t overrated? Killing everyone you go up against! Andrew has done that pretty consistently, not to mention his athleticism is just freaking off the charts. Jabari has fantastic court sense and I think his being injured has definitely caused people to sleep on him in a very "what have you done for me lately?" world of recruit rankings. It just seems Andrew has caught up to him from a skill set perspective, not to mention his potential is off the charts. Every summer, both are getting better, Andrew just seems to be on a higher curve due to his insane quickness and hops.

Over a year ago, the two played each other and when Parker was not in foul trouble, he may have indeed been getting the better of Wiggins. Still, Andrew was the one who got him in foul trouble. I guess it is just a flat out bad idea to ask a fathers’ opinion who is #1, but Sonny Parker seemed to have major sour grapes here. Guess they just want to make a news story/rivalry between the two, but I am guessing they will have a Bron/Melo type relationship. That is to say, they will be a fun match-up, but they will not have animosity towards each other. Who knows, maybe playing for different countries may develop more of that edge as well, just guessing these guys have a mutual respect for each other. Also guessing that Andrew will be getting the better of those head-to-head match-ups more often than not.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Funny you bring that up. It is tough to judge boths statistics as they play in different situations, but they are not all that different.

Parker’s 2011-12 Stats: 21.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.3 apg, 3.3 bpg

Wiggins’ 2011-12 Stats: 24.2, 8.5, 4.1, 2.7

This is according to ESPN, who named each sophomore (Wiggins) and junior (Parker) of the year last season. This was Andrew’s first year on the team with numerous NCAA prospects, though I know Simeon has their share as well (have heard Steve Taylor is looking good for Marquette and Kendrick Nunn signed with Illinois). Just know that while Parker may have a bit more court vision, think either could fit a Krzyzewski system.

Also doubt either goes to Duke, that is just a gut feeling. Feel that Michigan State is in the drivers seat for Parker and Wiggins will (still) either go to Kentucky or Florida State, though I believe North Carolina has an edge over Duke their as well. As far Parker playing multiple years, do not see that happening either. I think he at most plays one year of college ball, particularly due to his contemplating going on a Mormon Mission. If he decides to book it on his mission, may never even land on campus. Still believe he plays one year and that the school will be Michigan State.

 

[HitsterParticipant]

It is almost a bit like Oden vs Durant in 2007 where you had two supposed cannot miss prospects. From a skillset IMO at the moment I would have Wiggins slightly ahead but if they both do declare in 2014 and have good freshman years then teams at the top of the draft would have both guys in for workouts.

Would they workout alongside or against each other would be the acid test.

Also a lot could depend on whether Parker decides to take the two years out to do missionary work for his faith, if so then Wiggins is easily top pick.

[Taylor Gang MikeParticipant]

 I would consider Parker, Hes more humble and i just think i would rather coach him. Wiggins is a beast, but he has MKG written all over him, i just dont like tweeners. Parker has Melo ability

[HaleParticipant]

Please explain this. The one who’s closer to being a tweener is Parker, not Wiggins.

[HitsterParticipant]

The interesting thing is they are both mainly SF’s although with differing skillsets so the team at the top of the draft would effectively have a straight choice compared to say chosing between an SF and C for example.

Do people think they are potentially the most hyped players and cannot miss prospects since Oden and KD at a similar stage of their career? John Wall had a lot of hype but not as much as these two, Blake Griffin only became a beast during his soph year, D-Rose wasn’t seen as a clear top pick until well into his freshman year likewise with Anthony Davis and Shabbaz is still listed behind Cody Zeller on next year’s mock.

[kobyzParticipant]

i don’t sure who will end up the better player but Wiggins will have one big thing going for his way – being the most athletic player of all time!

[GoJOSH HUESTISParticipant]

Most athletic player of all time?…  Ummm NOOOOOO. There we others more athletic 

[kobyzParticipant]

Wiggins is the best kind of athlete with his all around athletic attributes, that will only get better, jumping ability, explosiveness, fluidness, body control,  he is on Michael Jordan level as an athlete!

[fcb206Participant]

The idea that these two kids even care who’s "ranked higher" as a prospect is the kind of egocentric crap that makes basketball so stupid sometimes. The parents of high profile college prospects are always in the way, hyping their kid, whining about not getting enough attention and blah blah blah. suck it up Sonny Parker. if Parker’s the real deal, nobody will even remember that wiggins was arbitrarily placed higher on what essentially amounts to a list of names. who cares? eventually they both have to put their money where their scout.com stars are and play, or where they were ranked coming in to college doesnt mean a thing.

[GoJOSH HUESTISParticipant]

Didn’t Jordan want to be the best. Wi h would mean ranked number 1?    Kobe,Shaq?  Most of the best want to be ranked the best and go down as the best ever.  Competitive nature of the great ones

[Tiger1313Participant]

 I think it’s still early to say who will be better in the long term..However, Wiggins is obviously extremely athletic and his skills seem to be catching up to his athleticism now. Parker supposedly can play the 1-4 but I’m guessing at the college level it will be more like maybe the 2 and the 3 and 4. People always say Parker lacks athleticism and that’s where he gets criticized but he’s actually a good athlete, just does not "wow" anybody like it like Wiggins. I think both are great, great prospects and can’t wait to see these next 5 years and how they develop..

[theballerwayParticipant]

Id take Parker if I had to pick based on what i can see today. All that Athletisim talk is great and mostly true but so many athletes never develop much more and athletism doesnt gurantee success -gerald green, James white etc etc. I just think Jabari is going to be a more able to relyt on his bball skills for longer than Wiggins can rely on his ath;etism. Say (god forbid)he got injured then what do you have? 6’8 average/inconsistent shooter average handle. I think therre botjh great prospects and the skys the limit for each but athletism is often overated. I know alot of guys are just amazed at how high he jumps and where he can dunk from but there so much more to the game. I think Parker has a greater understanding of those other aspects. Just my opinion of course

 

[Bmore_DCParticipant]

 Nobody can really answer this question till we see them play college ball…

If Parker dominates all year and has an "Anthony Davis-like season", then he will go #1 and vice-versa. Right now it looks like Wiggins has the higher ceiling, and the NBA scouts will def put that into consideration, but usually teams picking #1 need immediate help (im not saying Wiggins cant do that, this is purely hypothetical) so whoever has the better college season will probably go #1 IMO

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