The number one player in the class of 2013, Jabari Parker will be on Duke’s campus this weekend for his official visit. Parker, the highly sought after prospect from Chicago, cut his list of schools to five this month.  Michigan State, Duke, Florida, Stanford and BYU made the cut, with Michigan State and Duke rumored to be leading the pack. He plans to take official visits to each of his five finalists before making a decison, and this weekend will be Duke’s turn to host the country’s number one player.

On Parker’s visit to Duke this weekend he will be accompanied by his father Sonny and his mother Lola.  Saturday afternoon, he will be able to attend Duke’s exhibition game against Western Washington, where the Cameron Crazies will hopefully be out in full effect and on their ‘A game’ to make Jabari feel welcome at Duke. The students and Duke fans present at Countdown to Craziness did just that when Tyus Jones, Jahlil Okafor, Theo Pinson, Karl Towns and Harry Giles entered the gym.

It is looking more and more likely that Parker will make a decision some time around mid-season (December or January) and sign his letter of intent in the spring signing period (April 17-May 15).  Sonny Parker says they will not rule out signing in the early period, which is November 14-21, but there is a good chance his son will need more time to make a choice.

“We really don’t know for sure,” Sonny Parker told the Washington Post.  “He has five visits.  He might go on his first two visits and say, ‘Hey, this is where I want to go.’ You never know.  I know all his visits are going to go past the (early) signing period.  His last visit, probably BYU, is going to be the end of November.”

Parker has already taken his official visit to Michigan State (October 19-21) and after visiting Duke this weekend, he will take his other three official visits.  He will make the trip to Florida (November 2-4), to Stanford (November 9-11) and BYU towards the end of November.

Parker and Austin Nichols  are final two major prospects on Duke’s radar for the 2013 class.  Getting one or both of these prospects would wrap up a 2013 class for the Blue Devils that already includes the 6’4 shooting guard Matt Jones from Texas, and Semi Ojeleye, the 6’6″ small forward from Kansas.

By Taylor Ostrick