University of Georgia Athletics
A Quick Chat With ... Juwan Parker
December 21, 2015 | Men's Basketball
By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
Juwan Parker hasn't taken the court yet this season for the Georgia men's basketball team. Still recovering from an Achilles injury, the junior guard from Tulsa, Okla., does what he can in practice and tries to be the best teammate and cheerleader on the bench he can be.
The 6-foot-4 Parker has already accomplished one major goal this month, graduating with a degree in Management last Friday. Inquisitive, interesting and thoughtful, Parker sat down for a quick chat Monday to discuss graduating, gift giving, the value of patience and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: How does it feel to be sitting here as a college graduate, and what are your academic plans going forward?
Parker: It feels great to be a graduate. It's something that's hard to accomplish and you work hard toward, and to do it early feels great. As far as what's next, I'm going to start my Master's in Sports Management (next semester).
Frierson: What do you want to do with that one day?
Parker: I eventually hope to become a collegiate-level athletic director.
Frierson: What's the funniest thing you've ever seen or heard in a game or practice?
Parker: There's too much stuff. Probably just the different personalities of the coaches, throughout all of basketball. Some guys are quiet and some more dramatic, and some are really, really funny guys.
Frierson: If you could have played with or against anyone in history, who would it be?
Parker: I'd definitely like to play with Russell Westbrook, because I think it would just be fun to watch him play and see how explosive he is in person. And against, probably (LeBron James.
Frierson: Why LeBron?
Parker: Because he's surgical with what he does, so it would be kind of cool to see you try to game plan against that or try to take him away.
Frierson: The holidays are just about here, so what's the best gift you've ever received?
Parker: It was probably when I was 5 or 6 and I got a yellow Pokemon Gameboy. And what's funny is, for my birthday in September, (teammate Houston Kessler) bought me the exact same Gameboy, in the original Gameboy color, and I've been playing it like crazy.
Frierson: What's the best gift you've ever given, where I can't wait for he or she to open this because I know I nailed it?
Parker: I got one of my nieces a dollhouse they were asking for all year long and I knew once she got the dollhouse that she would be really excited. That's probably the best gift I've ever given.
Frierson: Do you remember your first dunk?
Parker: I do remember my first dunk. It was in middle school and we were playing against Edison Middle School, and I was in seventh grade. I had a fast break and in the same game I had missed two or three dunk attempts prior, and on like the fourth or fifth one I finally got a weak two-hander to go down.
Frierson: Was it as significant moment as those of us that can barely graze the net think it would be?
Parker: It really is. As a kid, everybody's trying to touch the rim and touch the backboard. Especially being so young, I don't know how many guys were dunking in middle school, so all of my friends, after I got one down, they were all hyped and jumping around and stuff. It was a pretty good moment.
Frierson: What are two things you've discovered or really began to appreciate in the past year? It can be a band, a book, a sandwich or whatever, just two things that you're glad they came into your life this year.
Parker: One, and it's more of a lesson, and that's the power of the mind. I read a book called "Mind Gym" (full title is "Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence") and it's about how powerful your mind can be as far as getting you places and determining your success. That was definitely a big one.
Two, I love food so let's go with Eddie's Calzones in downtown Athens. They're the bee's knees.
Frierson: That leads me to my next question. Say it's the night after a game and you can pig out on anything, what are you ordering?
Parker: I'm pretty simple, so probably just a pizza with pepperoni or sausage. That's good enough for me.
Frierson: If you could have played any other sport for the Bulldogs, what would it be?
Parker: I can't swim so I'm not going with that one (laughs). I think, and it's probably cliche, but I have to go with football. There's probably nothing like a hundred thousand people being at your game and cheering you on.
In the stands when kickoff happens and you hear that loud barking, chills just run down you, so I can't imagine what it's like being on the field when that happens.
Frierson: What's the most underrated part of being a student-athlete?
Parker: Probably the relationships you build with people. Definitely the relationships you build with people on your own team and even the people across the country you meet. There's also a lot of people on other teams you grow tight with because you have that common bond of playing a sport that y'all love.
Frierson: Given your injury situation, has all of this given you a new appreciation for patience? I would imagine it has been a trying period for you.
Parker: Definitely, and that's where that book has come into play. You're kind of questioning why am I hurt and why is it taking so long, and the book gives you something to do and think about and focus on. It gives you goals to write down and it definitely helps to have something to keep your mind off of things.
Frierson: Is everyone in basketball caught up in the whole Stephen Curry/Golden State thing? I know for me, and I saw him play in person in college a couple of times, I know it's mind-blowing watching them play. Basketball looks like it's never been more fun to play and I know it's never been more fun for me to watch.
Parker: I can't speak for everybody but I think it kind of has taken the whole sports world by storm because they just play a brand of basketball that is beautiful. It's kind of like how the (San Antonio) Spurs play, but with more athleticism and individual stardom. It's just like another form of art, that's fun to watch.
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
