Bucks Zone

A look back at Jabari Parker's incredible run at Simeon High School

While Jabari Parker's stint with the Bucks didn't pan out, his high school career certainly was amazing.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee Bucks

Despite being the second overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, it’s safe to say that Jabari Parker’s time with the Milwaukee Bucks didn’t pan out. After suffering two devastating knee injuries in his four seasons with the Bucks, fans were left wanting more from the player who won four straight state championships for Simeon High School in Chicago.

Incredible high school career

Parker, an athletic 6-foot-8 forward, was just too good in high school, winning an IHSA class 4A state championship in each of his four years. He capped off his high school career with a 58-40 victory over the Stevenson High School Patriots, which featured a sophomore sensation named Jalen Brunson. 

Brunson, of course, went on to star for Villanova before making his way to the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks.

Parker had 20 points and eight rebounds in the finals as Simeon finished the season with an impressive 30-3 record.

Injury-riddled career

After playing one season at Duke, Parker declared for the 2014 NBA Draft and was picked second overall by the Bucks, right behind Andrew Wiggins and before Joel Embiid. His rookie season, though, was cut short by an ACL injury in December that sidelined him for the rest of the campaign. 

His third season with the Bucks was shaping up to be a terrific one, as he was averaging over 20 points and six rebounds. However, he went down with another ACL injury on the same left knee he injured during his rookie year, sidelining him for nearly a year. 

Parker eventually signed with the Chicago Bulls in 2018, ending his four-year stint with the Bucks averaging 15.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.