The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1487679
10 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER T he NC State men's basketball team is hoping for some Parker-to- Parker success in the future. The Wolfpack signed wing forward Dennis Parker II from Richmond (Va.) John Marshall and guard Trey Parker from Fayetteville, N.C., as part of a two- player class in November. Both are rated as four-star prospects by On3.com. The latter Parker is a 6-1, 162-pound highlight machine at Overtime Elite (OTE) in Atlanta. He previously played at Cape Fear High in Fayetteville as a freshman, stayed in that city as a soph- omore at New Life Christian Academy and then went to Vertical Academy in Charlotte last year. OTE is a professional league for 16- to 20-year-olds. Some players receive a minimum salary of $100,000, while others choose a scholarship option to maintain their college eligibility. In his first three games this sea- son, Parker averaged 15.0 points while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 85.7 percent from the line. On3 rates Parker the No. 72 pros- pect in the country and the No. 11 point guard nationally in the 2023 class. He made a visit to NC State during Halloween weekend. Kansas State and Mississippi State were also recruiting him. "I chose NC State because I felt like this school was the best fit for me and my talent," Parker told On3. "The pro- gram is getting a dog and a leader." Parker's explosive highlight reel has attracted nearly 350,000 followers on social media. "I think Trey is just scratching the surface of what he can become," NC State head coach Kevin Keatts said. "He is an explosive athlete and probably one of the most entertaining high school basketball players out there, but there is a lot more to his game than just flash. He understands the game, and he's equally able to play with or without the ball. "He has deep range on his jump shot but is also shifty enough to create of- fensive opportunities for himself and others. He's just an incredibly difficult cover for a defender because of his jump shooting and ballhandling ability. "He's a young man that has shown over the last few years that he is willing to put in the time and effort to improve himself and work on his weaknesses. He is coachable and will put the work in to get better, and I'm excited to get him in our program." The 6-7, 175-pound Dennis Parker II picked the Wolfpack over offers from Georgetown and Oklahoma State. "I ultimately chose NC State because I feel like this is a place where I can walk in as a freshman and prove everyone wrong about all the opinions they had of me in the past," Parker said to On3. "Coach Keatts has been recruiting me hard since I was a freshman, and I re- spect that also." On3 rated Parker as the No. 78 pros- pect nationally and the No. 17 small forward. "I think Dennis is one of the top two- way players in his class," Keatts said. "He can score in a variety of ways offensively, either blowing by his man to get to the rim or knocking down the jumper if they play off of him. Defensively, he can really lock down and frustrate his opponent. He's a willing defender. He has a lethal com- bination of athleticism and intelligence. He is a heady player who continues to get better every time I see him play. T R A C K I N G THE PACK NC State Men's Basketball Inks Two Prospects NC State coach Kevin Keatts described Dennis Parker II as "one of the top two-way players in his class" The 6-7 forward chose the Wolfpack over Georgetown and Oklahoma State. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS NC State's 2023 Men's Basketball Recruiting Class Player Pos Ht. Wt. On3 Rating Hometown School Dennis Parker II SF 6-7 175 HHHH Richmond, Va. John Marshall Trey Parker PG 6-1 162 HHHH Fayetteville, N.C. Overtime Elite (Ga.)