Tony Parker has the size, strength and talent to become an impact player at the next level. The four-star big man, who comes in at 6'9'' and 280 pounds, received a ton of interest from programs all over the nation and is set to make a final decision in the coming week. With schools like UCLA, Kansas, Ohio State and hometown Georgia all vying for his services, you can bet it'll be a tough decision for the young man.
Reports had surfaced a few days ago that Parker was committing to the UCLA Bruins, but those were refuted by his head coach this weekend, according to The Atlanta Journal Constitution:
Tony Parker's coach denied a report that the AJC's Mr. Georgia basketball has decided to sign with UCLA.
"That's something that got started at [an all-star game] ... it doesn't have any legs to it," Miller Grove High School coach Sharman White told the AJC on Sunday.
"Tony has not committed yet. That's the best and only way I can put it."
[...]
"Tony is ready for it to get over with," White said. "He's planning on doing it on Friday. We haven't set a time yet but when we do, we'll let everybody know."
The Bruins remain very involved in his recruitment, though, and many feel he could choose to play for them next season. There are two potential issues that come with UCLA, though: playing time and the distance from home.
The program already has Travis and David Wear in their front court, twins who project to claim a ton of minutes in 2012. They also have enormous center Josh Smith, who could become a potential All-America candidate if he finally gets in shape. In a day and age where recruits seldom welcome sitting the bench in their freshman season, playing time may be tough to come by in Westwood.
The other issue is the distance from his family in Georgia. Los Angeles is upwards of 2,000 miles away from his home, which could be a problem for the 18-year-old.
At the end of the day, there is a reason Ben Howland is among the final coaches hoping to secure a commitment from Parker. He likes the school and the facilities, and no one would be surprised if he put on a Bruins hat on Friday.
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