Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t need a long list when asked about the teammate who stood out most to him. He went straight to Jabari Parker.
In a goodbye video to the city of Milwaukee after being traded to the Miami Heat earlier this summer, the former two-time NBA MVP called the ex-Duke star his favorite teammate and made clear Parker left a real imprint on him early in his career.
“I was able to measure myself against him. If he works one hour, I’ll work one hour and a half. I never told him this, but he motivated me so much to be better because he was so good,” said Antetokounmpo.
That kind of praise carries weight coming from Antetokounmpo, and it speaks to the talent Parker showed long before injuries changed the course of his NBA path. Parker arrived in the league as the No. 2 overall pick after a dominant freshman season at Duke in 2014, when he put up 19.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game.
For Duke fans, none of that is news. They saw the full package up close: size, skill, production and the kind of upside that made him one of the most talked-about players in the country.
What makes the tribute sting a little is how Parker’s career was interrupted. His promising run in the NBA was derailed by two separate ACL tears in the same knee, nearly three years apart. He was never the same after the 2019-20 season.
Still, the recognition from Antetokounmpo gives Parker a meaningful spotlight, and it’s a reminder of just how undeniable his talent was when he was healthy.
In Other News...
Dukes Answer At Quarterback Is Finally Starting To Take Shape
After a spring and summer of uncertainty at the most important position on the field, Dukes quarterback picture is finally starting to come into focus. The Blue Devils had to reset after Darian Mensah transferred to Miami following the fallout from his multiyear NIL deal and the lawsuit that was later settled out of court, leaving the staff to search for a new answer as the 2026 season approached.
A graduate transfer from San Jose State has now emerged as the projected starter, and he was granted a waiver this offseason to be eligible next year. Even with that move giving Duke a clearer path at quarterback, the job still has to be sorted out on the field, with Dan Mahan, Ari Patu and Terry Walker III among the players who could push for the role once competition begins. [Read more 🡒]
Jon Scheyer Was Courtside For A Massive Duke Recruiting Check-In
Jon Scheyer and assistant Emanuel Dildy were courtside at a Nike EYBL game that doubled as a useful recruiting check-in, with 2027 Duke commit Kager Knueppel and another high-priority target, Beckham Black, facing off in a one-point game. Team Herro edged AB Elite 52-51, giving the Blue Devils staff a live look at two prospects who sit near the center of Dukes early 2027 board, along with a chance to track how Knueppel continues to fit into the programs long-term plan.
Black, one of the fastest-rising names in the class, has already drawn a recent Duke offer and arrived with the kind of family basketball background that tends to keep bluebloods paying attention. Knueppels outing was quieter than usual, but the bigger takeaway for Duke was simply being in the building for a matchup that also fit into a wider 2027 search, with Adan Diggs and Lewis Uvwo among the other names on the staffs radar. [Read more 🡒]