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Duke commit Jabari Parker hopes to change perception of Chicago (VIDEO)

Jabari Parker

Phil Velasquez/ Chicago Tribune

6-8 forward Jabari Parker has won many awards, including a Gatorade National Player of the Year award (2012), the 2013 Morgan Wootten Award and a spot in the 2013 McDonald’s All America Game.

Parker, who will attend Duke next year, will play in tomorrow’s Jordan Brand Classic in Brooklyn and his hopes for the future go beyond the basketball court.

A native of Chicago, Parker has seen his city portrayed in a negative light due to the violence that has plagued the city in recent years. Parker’s hope is to provide a positive image for the city both on and off the court.

“Everything in my city is negative,” Parker said of how he feels his hometown is portrayed in national media. “[The media] try to bring it down so much with the violence and I’m an African-American male in my community…going to college and that’s big time. I want to represent them in the best form, the best manner just to keep them close to my heart so they can see that there’s a young [guy] out on the South Side doing big things.”

In a story by Todd Johnson of The Grio Parker also noted that he would consider staying in school for more than one season, noting how much his family values education.

Raphielle also writes for the NBE Basketball Report and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.