Scouts reportedly think Parker could be back with Duke next year. (USATSI)
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ESPN reports via a chat with draft expert Chad Ford that Duke forward Jabari Parker is discussing returning for his sophomore season so much some scouts believe that will be his decision instead of declaring for the draft.
Tommy (Philadelphia, PA)
What's the latest info on whether or not Joel Embiid and/or Jabari Parker will enter the draft?
Chad Ford (1:07 PM)
Both are weighing their options. Both are seriously considering returning ... with Parker so much so that several scouts are claiming he's coming back to school. But I think that's premature.
via Chat: Chat with Chad Ford - SportsNation - ESPN.
Parker has several options, among them attending a mission trip as part of his Mormon faith, returning to develop for another year at Duke alongside his longtime friend Jahlil Okafor, or going pro. If he does enter the draft, he should go no later than third overall, despite questions about his defense we answered here.
Parker possesses a rare skillset to go with his athleticism and could be a game-changing forward no matter where he's drafted, but his status as a draftee in June has always been in doubt. Fellow top prospect Andrew Wiggins announced his intentions to declare for the draft last week.
Basketball Hot News
Report: Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson near deal to be University of Houston head coach
Rockets’ assistant coach Kelvin Sampson turned some heads last season when he guided the Rockets to a strong showing while Kevin McHale was away after the death of his daughter. That got his name in the mix when head coaching vacancies came up last summer, but nothing came together for him.
So Sampson apparently is heading back to college.
Sampson likely soon with ink a deal to become the head coach of the University of Houston, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
A deal is expected to be finalized in the near future, sources said. Sampson, 58, would leave his job with the Houston Rockets, where he serves as the top assistant coach, and take over the Cougars program once the agreement is finalized, sources said.
Sampson met with university officials twice in the past several days – including Saturday, sources said.
At least Sampson doesn’t have to move. Because moving sucks.
Sampson has a long but checkered history at the college level and his hiring is going to cause some controversey. He had success at Montana Tech which landed a job as an assistant at Washington State, where he took over a long dormant program and got them to the NCAA Tournament. That landed him a job at Oklahoma where he had a .719 winning percentage over a dozen seasons and took the Sooners to the NCAA Tournament all but one year, reaching the Final Four once.
That landed him the job at Indiana, but he was forced to resign from that job amid a recruiting scandal, which put sanctions on the university (he had recruiting issues at Oklahoma as well).
He has spent the past six seasons as an NBA assistant coach, first with the Bucks and now with the Rockets.
He returns to college taking over a once proud NCAA program — where Hall of Famer Guy Lewis coached Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and others. They have been less impressive lately, having gone 17-16 this past season and they were making a change.
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