NBA Draft Rumors: Scouts ‘taken aback’ by Jabari Parker

There are many experts who believe Duke Blue Devils’ forward Jabari Parker really hurt his draft stock on Friday.

The third-seeded Blue Devils were upset by the 14th-seeded Mercer Bears and Parker had just 14 points on four-of-14 shooting and turned the ball over four times.

According to Mitch Lawrence of The New York Daily News, Parker did indeed hurt his draft stock.

"NBA scouts were taken aback by freshman sensation Jabari Parker’s shaky 28-minute performance when Duke was KO’d in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Mercer on Friday. “He looked rattled and was definitely pressing,” said one scout, after Parker finished with as many baskets (four) as turnovers. “That can’t help him.” But how much it hurts his draft stock remains to be seen. Meanwhile, scouts are keeping close tabs on injured Kansas center Joel Embiid, a 7-foot, 250-pound super-athlete who is considered the top draft prospect. He’s been sidelined by what was originally thought to be a back sprain, but has been re-diagnosed as a stress fracture."

Despite Parker’s performance, his friendship with incoming Duke recruit Jahlil Okafor and him telling reporters his career is “incomplete,” Parker is not expected to go any later than three in the draft and most expect him to declare.