Duke commit Jabari Parker is one step closer to capping off a stellar high school basketball career with one of the most prestigious prep school basketball awards in the nation-the Naismith National High School Player of the Year.

Parker was recently named one of three finalists for the honor, joining fellow top 2013 stars Andrew Wiggins and Aaron Gordon. The award, named after basketballs founder, has been bestowed annually since 1987 by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the nations top high school basketball player. (Boy and girl)

Alonzo Mourning, Kenny Anderson, Chris Webber, Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Kevin Love and Brandon Jennings are all past recipients of the award. Two Duke players-Shane Battier in 1997 and Austin Rivers in 2011 have been given the honor.

If Parker were to be named the Naismith National High School player of the year, he would add to an incredible high school basketball career that currently includes: 

-2010 National Freshman of the Year (ESPN HS)
-2011 National Sophomore of the Year (ESPN HS)
-2012 National Junior of the Year (ESPN HS & MaxPreps .com)
-USA Basketball’s Male Athlete of the Year
-2010, 2011 and 2012 ISHA State Champions (Simeon, Chicago)
-2012 CPL City Champion
-2012 Gatorade National Player of the Year
-2012 Illinois Mr. Basketball (Gatorade)
-2012 First Team All-American (ESPN HS, SLAM, USA Today)

By Taylor Ostrick