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Parker takes pride in getting his teammates chances to shine for college scouts. It's one reason why he's waited to narrow his own list of finalists. You see, he figures that'll keep the scouts coming and give his teammates exposure.
"He's good, a polished player to be so young," says Rose, who gets to keep an eye on Parker while he leads the hometown Chicago Bulls. "Has the will to win, and that's all you need."
Yet, it's about more than honors and accolades, fame and fortune, to the Parkers. It's about the impact, on and off the court.
Lola Parker mentions what happened at the De La Salle game in February, when Jabari led his Wolverines to an easy victory over a talented squad just one night after winning the city championship.
The crowd included Louisville coach Rick Pitino and then-Illinois coach Bruce Weber. Southern California's Kevin O'Neill was there, too, but it was a father sitting in front of Lola with his three young sons that stood out to her. They kept asking Parker for autographs and pictures as he was warming up. When Lola told the dad she was Jabari's mother, and would set up the boys after the game, the man was overcome with gratitude.
He said one of his boys was doing terrible in school. So he collected all the articles he could find on Jabari and made his sons read them, hoping they'd be an inspiration. The child with bad grades had turned things around, Lola recalls.
"He said, `You don't know what impact Jabari has done for my three boys, but it has changed their whole character, their grades, the way they're thinking and their attitudes,'" she recalls.
After last year's state championship win, Jabari gave his medal to the son of a former bishop from his church because the boy's family had traveled all the way from California to see him play.
"That little piece (of metal) doesn't really mean that much to me, but the memory means a lot," he says.
The family's faith is a respite for Jabari, who rises at 5 a.m. three days a week to attend a Bible study at his church before school. On one particular morning, he is the first to arrive, taking the rare moment of quiet to gather his thoughts and pray.
When the others join him, they sing a hymn and hear lessons based on the Old Testament, about avoiding the temptations teens face, valuing parents and giving back. Parker says he would come to this Bible study five days a week if he didn't have to trouble someone that early in the morning for a ride.
"It gives me a better view of life," he says.
On his bedroom door is a reminder to "put the Lord first" along with several sheets of 8-by-10 white paper. One lists the Ten Commandments. The other shows his "Always Remember" list, with his own personal rules: "Don't be quick to judge" and "Think positive things," among them.
Amid all the trophies is a Kobe Bryant Team USA jersey, hanging where Sonny had put Jabari's U.S. team jersey after he returned from the FIBA Americas U16 Championship last summer. Within about 10 minutes the teen had replaced it.
Why?
"I don't look up to myself," he told Lola.
He does look up to his older brother Christian, which explains why their old bunk bed -- or the remaining bottom half -- is still in the room. Jabari had the top part and, well, he grew out of it.
Yet for sentimental reasons, he won't get rid of the bed. He also keeps a drawing and poem Christian, who now lives in Seattle, gave him. In it, big brother praises Jabari's athletic talent -- "heart, love for the game, commitment and a future to be the one."
"He's my biggest fan," Parker says.
His father is there, too, to offer sports advice. His mom, who works as a nanny, has found herself playing the role of agent, taking calls from media and helping her son set up visits to prospective schools.
At the start of each week, they sit down and go through their calendars and requests.
Often, it is Jabari who is asking for less -- fewer interviews, fewer obligations, more time to rest and focus on his game. His ability to set limits has quickly become a survival skill.
"He tells us, `Mom and dad, don't you guys get caught up into this,'" his dad says. "He tries to keep US grounded from all this."
It's not easy when he's penciled in as an All-American and All-Star, and he wonders: "What if I don't make it one day? What am I going to do with my life?"
For now, he plans to narrow his list of colleges down to five later this spring. A Mormon mission is a possibility for him at some point, too.
Before he does that, he talks about needing to "polish up the little things before I step into the real world."
An ability to express himself more smoothly, even when he's tired, is among the items on his to-do list. Playing to his ability is another.
"I just want to prove to myself every time I'm on the court that I'm able to live up to those expectations," he says.
Whatever happens, though, he and his parents insist that being famous, and even making a lot of money, isn't the focus. They all vow that Jabari will earn a college degree, one way or another, in a world where the starting five for national champion Kentucky all left school just weeks after claiming the title.
It may seem old school. But that's just fine with the Parkers.
"The ultimate for us and our children is being a good example and being a good person, giving back," Lola says. "That's really very dear and precious to Jabari and also to us."
[Associated Press;
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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