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No. 2 recruit Jabari Parker wasn’t the only elite basketball prospect on display Thursday night on ESPN, but he was the center of attention for several reasons. Story »

Chicago Simeon Career Academy's players are paying tribute to former Simeon star Ben Wilson this season by wearing custom-made Nike shoes with his name and number printed on them.

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Simeon Career Academy senior forward Jabari Parker's college announcement will be shown live on ESPNU at 3 p.m. CST on Thursday.

Parker, the nation's No. 2 senior, has a final list of BYU, Duke, Florida, Michigan State and Stanford. He's made official visits to all the schools except Stanford. He did visit Stanford on an unofficial visit previously.

Simeon coach Robert Smith said Parker is keeping everyone in suspense. Parker's father, Sonny Parker, told USA Today he believes his son is down to Duke and Michigan State, but he isn't sure.

"To be honest, he hasn't told anyone," Smith said. "He just said Thursday. This is what he wants. I think he's 90 percent sure if he's not 100 percent sure on where he wants to go."

As a junior, Parker was named the ESPNChicago.com Player of the Year, Illinois' Mr. Basketball and the national Gatorade Player of the Year. He averaged 19.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 3.3 blocks and 1.4 steals per game.

Chicago Simeon's Jabari Parker, the No. 2 senior in the country, will announce his collegiate plans on Dec. 20, according to his high school coach.

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Hall of Fame point guard and Chicago native Isiah Thomas said Tuesday he recently had an opportunity to pass on some recruiting and off-the-court advice to Chicago Simeon forward Jabari Parker, the nation's No. 2 senior.

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There used to be a time in Jabari Parker's life when everything seemed to just fall in place. State titles, national awards and accolades, international achievements, global respect for his talent and execution of that talent on the court.

He could do no wrong, nothing wrong could be done or said about him, nothing negative came his way. If anyone had something bad or dissentient to say about him, something was wrong with you not him. His too good to be true was too true.

This life of his is no longer what it used to be.

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CHICAGO -- UIC's home basketball court was occupied by some of the nation's best prep players from morning to night for the Chicago Elite Classic last week.

St. Vincent-St. Mary freshman Vincent King drew rave reviews. Illinois' future backcourt of Jaylon Tate and Kendrick Nunn played before their future coach John Groce. Recruits from BYU, Dayton, Minnesota, N.C. State, Ohio State, among other schools all showed off their skills.

Jabari Parker, the nation's No. 2 senior, even surprised everyone and played in his first game since fracturing his foot in July.

But when the day ended and the participants, high school and college coaches, media and fans departed the arena, there was only one player who nearly everyone was talking about -- Whitney Young junior 7-foot, 265-pound center Jahlil Okafor.

Even though Parker was nowhere near 100 percent and Andrew Wiggins (the nation's No. 1 senior) and Tyus Jones (the nation's No. 1 junior) weren't present, Okafor's performance against DeMatha (Md.) led many to believe he should be the No. 1 player not only in the state regardless of class, but also the country.

One high-major college coach who was in attendance left thinking there was no doubt Okafor is the best player in the nation after witnessing his 34-point, nine-rebound performance against N.C. State recruit BeeJay Anya, who had 11 points and five rebounds.

"I think he's the No. 1 player in the country no matter the grade," the coach said. "Just his offensive package, you don't see that from a center, especially a kid his age. Left hand, right hand, putting it on the floor, jab step, you name it, he's got it all, makes free throws. It's ridiculous."

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CHICAGO -- The pride of Simeon Career Academy surprised everyone last week with an early return to action.

No, no. Not that guy.

While Derrick Rose sprints, shoots and avoids speculation for his comeback date from knee surgery, Simeon senior forward Jabari Parker, the No. 2 recruit in the country, played in his team's season opener last week at the inaugural Chicago Elite Classic. Parker had missed nearly five months with a foot injury suffered in July while playing for Team USA's U17 team in in the FIBA championships in Lithuania.

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With the early signing period in the rearview mirror and the spring signing period not starting until April 17, we have a chance to analyze the best uncommitted prospects in the Class of 2013 and analyze their recruitment.

So each week between now and the spring signing period, our RecruitingNation staff will break down a different best available senior, looking at what makes him special, freshman projections in college, decision factors and ultimately a prediction on where he signs.

We start the series not at No. 1 with Andrew Wiggins but at No. 2 with Jabari Parker, since his recruitment is further along and a decision could be coming as soon as this month. Parker has narrowed his list to five finalists: BYU, Duke, Florida, Michigan State and Stanford.

Here's how our basketball recruiting experts see his recruitment playing out.

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CHICAGO -- Simeon Career Academy forward Jabari Parker, the nation's No. 2-ranked senior, will attempt to play in his team's season-opener Saturday despite not having played since July because of a fractured right foot, his father said.

Parker suffered the injury while playing with Team USA at the FIBA under-17 World Championships in Lithuania in July. He was not expected to play as of Friday, and his dad said on Nov. 23 he was still wearing a boot and undergoing rehab. Sonny Parker said his son had not practiced since the injury and worked out in a gym earlier Saturday.

"He wants to play," Parker's father said Saturday night. "He called his mom and said, 'Bring my stuff. I'm ready.' "

Sonny Parker said he was not worried his son was risking further injury.

"He's done it before," Sonny said. "I trust him. He's a different breed of player."

Simeon opens its season against Milton (Ga.) in the Chicago Elite Classic at UIC on Saturday night.

As a junior, Parker was named the ESPNChicago.com Player of the Year, Illinois' Mr. Basketball and the national Gatorade Player of the Year. He averaged 19.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 3.3 blocks and 1.4 steals a game.

Parker was ESPN's No. 1-ranked player until Andrew Wiggins reclassified recently from the Class of 2014 to the Class of 2013.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Simeon Career Academy forward Jabari Parker, the nation's No. 2 senior, said Friday he will attend college rather go on a mission next year and two local schools could have been options for next year if it wasn't for coaching changes.

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Illinois' best high school basketball teams have often had to travel outside of the state to face the nation's best.

On Saturday, the country's elite will come to Chicago as five of the nation's top squads will face five of Illinois' top ones in the Chicago Elite Classic at UIC. The schedule, team information and more can be found at chicagoeliteclassic.com.

Here are five reasons to be in attendance on Saturday:

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Whitney Young (Chicago) center Jahlil Okafor, the nation’s No. 2-ranked junior, said
Wednesday his recruitment was open and would still consider in-state schools DePaul and Illinois.

Okafor, a 7-foot, 270-pound center, had made a number of unofficial visits, including to Duke, Michigan State, North Carolina, Ohio State and UCLA, but he doesn’t plan on cutting his list or committing anytime soon.

“I haven’t done a list,” Okafor said. “Illinois and DePaul have as much of a chance as anybody.”

Okafor’s father, Chukwudi, also confirmed that.

“Illinois has a shot,” Chukwudi said. “DePaul has a shot. (DePaul coach Oliver Purnell) is a good guy. Everybody has a shot. I wouldn’t cut any of them out. Illinois is going to have to work. We’re going to pay attention to them. It’s the home team. They’re doing good things.”

Two factors in Okafor’s recruitment will probably be playing with his friend and point guard Tyus Jones, the nation’s top-ranked junior, and being able to immediately compete for a national title.

Jones and Okafor have been talking about playing with each other in college for the past few years, and they keep in touch several times a week.

“First of all, it’s just our friendship, our brotherhood, we’re just close,” Okafor said of Jones. “It’s fun to go to battle with someone you’re so close with. He’s a floor general.”

Winning is also vital to Okafor.

“The ultimate goal for him is to put himself in the position to win a national championship,” Chukwudi said.

Okafor and his team begin their season against DeMatha (Maryland) and North Carolina State recruit BeeJay Anya, a 6-foot-9, 275-pound center, in the Chicago Elite Classic at UIC on Saturday.

Two diehard BYU basketball fans have printed 6,300 T-shirts to be handed out before the Cougars' game Saturday with a message for highly ranked Chicago Simeon Career Academy senior forward Jabari Parker, who is expected to be in attendance.

Greg Welch and Tony Brown created shirts that read, "Chicago to Provo" with images of Chicago's skyline and Provo's Mount Timpanogos. The T-shirts were purchased with more than 200 donations to the website CougarBoard.com.

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