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NBA DRAFTJune 26, 2014Jabari ParkerBROOKLYN, NEW YORK THE MODERATOR: Jabari, if you could just start opening statements about going to Milwaukee. Going No.2 to Milwaukee. JABARI PARKER: It's just been great, man. It's just been real humbling to get anybody who just wants you. I've been having the luxury of Duke and Simeon really embracing me, and the Bucks have really shown that picking me up. Even if it was the No. 1 pick, even if it was the No.3 pick, I'm just so, so glad and so grateful. Most of all, I want to thank God because He's put me in this situation. Q. Jabari, you said yesterday you thought you were going with the Bucks, and how did you know? What does it feel like that it really came true? JABARI PARKER: I was just going off what I was given. They told me that they're all in. I can't go in with any accusations of teams not telling me anything. I just went from what was more accurate. Q. How much of the Bucks have you watched? And how do you feel you fit in with their personnel? JABARI PARKER: They're a young team. I feel like I can contribute right off the bat. I feel like I'm going to be able to grow with that organization, and I'm trying to be a throwback player, only stick with one team. This might bite me in the butt years from now, but right now I just want to stick with whoever's rolling with me. Q. Jabari, first of all, congratulations. Talk about what you'll bring to the Milwaukee Bucks. What do you think you can bring day one, year one? JABARI PARKER: I'm going to bring everything I got. You know, you ain't got to ask for anything else. When I said that I was committed to going to Duke, I gave them everything I had, and even with my high school. So I'm going to try to do the same thing with Milwaukee. Q. It would have been nice to go No. 1. The fact that you're from Chicago, which is only 81 miles from Milwaukee, is there kind of a part of you that was kind of hoping this isn't such a bad deal? Have the family come up on the Amtrak and see you whenever they want. Was that part of your thinking in this process? JABARI PARKER: I'm just very optimistic. If it was 1, 2, put me at 60, just getting that opportunity, getting that chance of being in the NBA. Q. But the proximity being near home. That's kind of the point I'm making. JABARI PARKER: That really speaks for itself, too. It's not really a long drive. My parents can easily access me, and also I get to enjoy that Great Lake water again. Q. How excited are you at the prospect, new ownership, new arena, and you're basically the face of a new era of Milwaukee Bucks basketball that really you look at franchise, going back to Jabbar, Ray Allen in the '90s, they had a lot of success. JABARI PARKER: They really did have a lot of success, especially in the days with Lew Alcindor. In the '90s when they made the playoffs with Sam Cassell. I just want to be remembered as one of them, too, since I'm going to the Bucks. Q. With you going No.2 and Andrew going No. 1, inevitably there's going to be a comparison, a rivalry there. Have you talked about it going up to the Draft? And how do you embrace that dynamic going forward and that comparison happening and how you guys will be the faces of franchises heading in there? JABARI PARKER: It's not my job to compare. I'm going to leave it to y'all. It's your duty and your job to stir up controversy, and y'all keep it, you know. Q. Did you feel any competitiveness to try to go No. 1, to try and beat Wiggins for that spot? JABARI PARKER: No. What does the draft really give entitlement to, the best player? You got Doug McDermott scoring 3,000 points. Shoot, you got Julius Randle went to the National Championship. Shabazz Napier won two National Championships. I mean, we're all good. We're all great players. Q. And did you have a chance to talk to Andrew coming into this room? Did you guys cross paths with each other? Any good wishes or anything coming in? JABARI PARKER: Most definitely. You always want to wish good on people. We don't take a good enough job embracing each other and uplifting each other, and Andrew's going to do a real good job being a Cavalier, and he also has the opportunity to be amongst his fellow Canadian teammates. Q. Jabari, what do you feel as far as small forward, power forward, some talk that you might be able to play some power forward for the Bucks as well? With Giannis there, how do you see that fit with the Bucks? I think yesterday you said you could play either one. JABARI PARKER: Yeah, I'm just trying to continue that role that I was given by Coach K, just being a complete basketball player, whether they want me at the two, the one, the five, being able to fit in all slots and being able to contribute in the best ways. Q. What about playing with Giannis? JABARI PARKER: Giannis is very young. He's a year older than me. We get a chance to grow together. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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