Before he was twelve years old, Jabari was six feet tall and had garnered five Division I scholarship offers. They're not just looking at me, I'm looking at them. "The church was our safe haven," Christian told Sports Illustrated. To the Sports Illustrated interviewer, he said, "Basketball is what I do. By his junior season, 42 schools sent scouts and coaches to see his September 13, 2011 workout. "The last time a high school athlete was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, it was another member of the LDS Church, prep baseball superstar Bryce Harper, in 2009. Your email address will not be published. There was a special spirit there, because we were at a church.". Their surprise isn’t unfounded. This page was last edited on 10 May 2019, at 21:30. byLDS Living | Feb. 05, 2016. A basketball career might last a few years, but his identity as a Christian will last forever. He was a MaxPreps.com first team 2010-11 Boys Basketball Sophomore All-American Team selection. ", "Well, you have to be," he said. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Blout told The New York Times that although Parker chose not to go door-to-door teaching the gospel, playing professional basketball offers unique opportunities to share his beliefs in a way that formal missionary service would not. We’re not perfect, so don’t judge.”. [3] He was invited to the August 5–7, 2011, 5th annual Nike Global Challenge, where he earned tournament MVP honors. It's not who I am.". Parker shares the gospel through his example of high standards, humility, and charity but he also makes time to visit congregations of young people while he’s traveling for games. His father, Sonny, played for the Golden State Warriors in the late 1970s and early 1980s. "And it's [an] evaluation period for me as well. Jabari added: "There were images of Christ everywhere. "I've always dreamed of being on the front magazine cover all my life," he said. Sonny was an NBA teammate of former Washington Huskies men's basketball head coach Lorenzo Romar. As a high school student he led his team to win four straight high school championships and was named The National High School Player of the Year. Male members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormons) are expected to spend two years away from home constantly devoted to finding and teaching people about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Required fields are marked *. . "It's not that the church puts pressure on you to do it, it's just that there's an expectation that young men in the Mormon church should go," Benedict, who is a Mormon, told Couric. Mormon teens who achieve fame and success at a young age face a great many challenges, but the gospel helps teens like Jabari to focus on what really matters in the long run. The views expressed by individual users are the responsibility of those users and do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. Need an idea for a Group Activity? He’s been on the cover of Sport’s Illustrated more than once, was the second pick in the NBA 2014 draft, and now plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. When people find out that Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker is Mormon they are surprised for more than one reason. And, of course, a future with NBA beckons. By his sophomore year in high school, Jabari had reached the height of 6'8" and a weight of 225 lbs. He played in the NBA for six seasons. 1 ranked senior, and he is currently considering scholarship offers from Duke, Michigan State, Florida, Stanford and Brigham Young University. The Sports Illustrated story notes that Jabari is different from most other young stars. In Los Angeles for the Wooden Awards, Parker, a Mormon, told ESPN L.A. that he had ruled out serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And it's not only because of his height. And that's all we can hope for," his mother said. On June 26, 2014, Parker was selected no. His father, Sonny, a Chicago native, played for the Texas A&M Aggies before becoming a 1976 NBA Draft first round selection (17th overall) by the Golden State Warriors. The views expressed by individual users are the responsibility of those users and do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. His parents are Folola "Lola" Finau-Parker and Sonny Parker. He has even skipped celebrations to get home for special church events, such as the day he received a priesthood advancement at church. Parker is of Tongan and African American descent. I attribute all my success to God.”. The magazine calls him the best high school basketball player since LeBron James. Five LDS Olympians at the 2018 Winter Olympics and How They Did, speaking to a group of Latter-day Saint youth, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (All worthy Mormon men can receive the priesthood at age twelve and advance through several levels.). Jabari Parker is a basketball phenomenon, who, while in high school in 2012, was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and on major television new shows. A basketball career might last a few years, but his identity as a Christian will last forever. Read the article on Jabari Parker in Sports Illustrated, Your email address will not be published. Why Does My Mormon Friend Refuse to Use Bad Language? His family lived on the South Side of Chicago even before he was born (Wikipedia). Required fields are marked *. He's featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine's May 21 issue. This may be a result of past discrimination against people of color in both the United States and the Church. He was selected to the first team All-ACC Tournament team. His bishop, Eddie Blout, noted that Parker did not take the decision to forgo a formal LDS mission in lieu of pursuing basketball lightly, saying that Parker considered both options through scripture study and prayer. Why Is It So Important to Wait for Marriage? Injured Milwaukee Bucks star Jabari Parker is different. Said B.J. Read the article on Jabari Parker in … Steve Young and Danny Ainge, both Mormons, elected to forgo a mission and went on to have successful professional sporting careers - Ainge in the NBA and Young in the NFL. Recently, while speaking to a group of Latter-day Saint youth in Vancouver, Washington, Parker said, “You have to keep praying to God, keep reading the scriptures. Parker is just 20 years old, but already he has been named the National High School Player of the Year, the USBWA National Freshman Player of the Year (during his only year of college basketball at Duke), was the second overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, and has been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the influence Mormonism has had in his life. Jabari Parker is a basketball phenomenon, who, while in high school in 2012, was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and on major television new shows. Parker did not Serve a Mormon Mission. For Jabari, that talent is in the genes. ► You'll also like: LDS Olympian Faced with Modesty Dilemma at Photo Shoot. Schecter, executive editor at Sports Illustrated: Jeff Benedict and Deanne Fitzmaurice, a Pulitzer Prize–winning photographer, spent days with Jabari's family, and followed him through all his routines. Good Morning America: Future NBA Prospect on His Game, Mormonism. Author: Jeff Benedict Publish date: Nov 12, 2013. I think he can touch a lot of lives just by being a great person and being in the spotlight.”. By the end of his freshman season, he had received numerous scholarship offers, including those from Illinois, Kansas, DePaul, Pittsburgh, Northwestern, Florida, Washington, Brigham Young University, and Oregon State as well as significant interest from Kentucky, Duke, and North Carolina. His father is not Mormon, but his mother is and the children were raised Mormon. His father took him to the church early in the morning to practice and the boys had their own church keys so they could practice safely early in the morning or late at night. The 6' 11 12 17-year-old graduate of Simeon Career Academy of Chicago oozes humility and grace, but Jabari Parker, whose name is Swahili for 'valiant', is more than a basketball player. He has won award after award and is considered one of the best players in the country. This allowed him to play all through the night at times. And he’s a Mormon. Out of over six million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States, only a mere three percent are black. The LDS Church has influenced Parker's life in more ways than just spiritually--it's where he learned to play basketball. The high school basketball star from Chicago is attracting attention for a lot of reasons. Mormon teens who achieve fame and success at a young age face a great many challenges, but the gospel helps teens like Jabari to focus on what really matters in the long run. For the first time ever at Simon Academy, a freshman player was invited to play on the varsity basketball team. Please also opt me in for Exclusive Offers from Beliefnet’s Partners, From time to time you will also receive Special Offers from our partners. At six feet nine inches tall, Latter-day Saint Jabari Parker stands out from the crowd. They made it clear to the high school coach that Jabari was a student and a Mormon first, which meant he was expected to get good grades and to attend church. Is it Really Possible to Know What is True? He's a proud role model for kids in Chicago, and feels a big responsibility to be a good example. Of the 6.2 million Mormons in America, only 3 percent are African-American. Basketball had a lower priority than either of those things, an attitude which surprised their coach, who was more accustomed to parents who wanted to make sure their child became a sports star. In case you missed it: Top LDS Living articles from this week, The story behind the first baptism for the dead that you may have never heard, What a missionary assignment to the United Nations has taught Sister Carol McConkie about the value of women, How 2 sister missionaries transformed a waterlogged copy of the Book of Mormon, What we know about the 2020 First Presidency Christmas Devotional, 12 powerful quotes by Apostles and their wives from 6 young adult devotionals on the same day, 3 Christlike attributes we don’t always think about, 16 perfect Christmas gift ideas for missionaries, 12 unique nativities to start or build your collection, 11 Latter-day Saint calendars to inspire you in 2021, Faith,Nba,Saints & Sports,Saints And Sports,Standards,Basketball,Famous Mormons Mormon Life, ©2020 LDS Living, A Division of Deseret Book Company, LDS Olympian Faced with Modesty Dilemma at Photo Shoot.