T.J. Parker, a versatile point guard from Lisle High School, has orally committed to attend Northwestern next year and play for Bill Carmody’s basketball team.
“I hope I can come in and play with (the Wildcats) right away,” Parker said. “But I have to prove myself.”
The 6-foot-2 true point guard attended the Cats’ game against Indiana on Jan. 2, when Carmody offered him a full scholarship.
The French-born Parker, who will turn 18 in May, immediately decided to accept the scholarship. He also received offers from Louisiana-Lafayette, Marquette, New Mexico State, San Diego State, Texas-San Antonio, Georgia Tech and several other schools. His final decision came down to NU and Louisiana-Lafayette.
NU’s academics, its proximity to Parker’s family, and the chance to play in the Big Ten were major factors in his decision to come to Evanston.
But more importantly, Parker will have a chance to play – Collier Drayton, NU’s current point guard, is a senior.
“I want to step in as a freshman and play very well,” Parker said.
Mark D’Amico, Parker’s coach at Lisle, praised the guard for his ball-handling, shooting, passing and defense.
“He’ll make an immediate impact,” D’Amico said. “I think Northwestern got a great kid with tremendous upside.
“He has a controlled quickness, which is something others don’t have. He’ll defend the other team’s best perimeter player and shut him down night in and night out.”
Parker sees himself as a passer above all else.
“I like to take it coast to coast,” he said. “I like to penetrate and then dish it off for people.”
Because of his passing ability and patience on the court, D’Amico believes Parker will be able to make an immediate contribution for the Cats.
“If T.J. has good players around him, he’ll get them the ball,” D’Amico said. “He’ll make those around him better. I’ve seen NU play and I like what they do. Carmody and his staff are a really good fit for T.J.”
Jimmy Maley, a forward and one of NU’s two other high school players committed for next year, plays at Lyons High School – about 14 miles from the western suburb of Lisle. Parker said he is excited to play with Maley, as the two have gone head-to-head several times in high school.
Guard Evan Seacat, from Paoli, Ind., is NU’s third recruit.
Parker’s family, which is full of basketball talents, moved to Lisle from France in the summer of 2000.
His father Tony played for Leo High School and then at Loyola-Chicago, before playing professional ball in France, where T.J. was born and raised. His brother – also named Tony – is a 19-year-old rookie with the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA. And his little brother Pierre, 15, plays for the varsity team at Lisle High School.
T.J. said his long-term goal is to make the NBA. His brother Tony, who was born in Bruges, Belgium, played just one year of professional basketball in France and didn’t attend college. Also a 6-foot-2 guard, Tony is having a standout rookie season for the Spurs, averaging 9.5 points, 3.8 assists and 28.5 minutes per game.
“They both have the same mannerisms, same kind of ball-handling, same way of penetrating,” D’Amico said of Tony and T.J. “The game comes easy to both of them.”
And D’Amico doesn’t see any reason why T.J. can’t follow in his brother’s footsteps.
“T.J. has great focus and I can see that improving,” D’Amico said. “He’s always wanting to get to the next level. As far as I’m concerned, the sky’s the limit.”
The Daily’s Amalie Benjamin and Sam Hong contributed to this report.
