Jason Fraychineaud
Tony Parker is officially a Bruin.
We, here at Bruinsball.com, originally reported that Parker would choose UCLA over a week ago. Here is the updated version of that report.
With Parker now in the fold, what does his commitment mean for next year?
With Parker, it gives the roster another bona fide post prospect. At 6'9" 270, Parker isn't a "high flyer", but he's very effective on the block.
He's adept at carving out space with his bulk, and has a feathery touch around the rim. In addition, he has a solid midrange jumper which extends out to 17 feet.
Perhaps the best aspect about getting Parker is that he'll push Josh Smith. There's no secret that Smith has to get into better shape if he is to make a big impact. Not only will Parker battle Smith in practice, but he'll provide a great option in the event that Smith doesn't get in the requisite shape.
Recent reports indicate that Smith is taking his conditioning seriously, and that he's making progress. However, there's no guarantee that he'll make the commitment needed.
Parker should instantly compete for quality minutes. At this point, he'll most likely back Smith up at the center spot.
Head coach Ben Howland does have some interesting roster decisions to make. In terms of the front court rotation, it's quite crowded.
At this point, the four healthy prospects up front will be Parker, Smith, and the Wear twins. Anthony Stover's shoulder surgery will keep him out upwards of four months, while Brendan Lane recently transferred to Pepperdine.
It will be imperative that Howland can massage the egos of the front court quartet, allowing for everyone to get ample minutes.
Parker's commitment is also indicative of the staff's recruiting prowess.
There's no secret that the main culprit behind the commitment was assistant coach Korey McCray. Howland brought the 33-year-old into the fold because he can recruit.
He was formerly the CEO of the famed Atlanta Celtics AAU program. With his connections, it helped UCLA land not only Parker, but Jordan Adams as well. His influence in the greater Atlanta area will undoubtedly help UCLA secure a pipeline to the southeast.
Simply put, this is a massive pickup for UCLA. Anytime a squad can land a 5-star prospect is huge. The fact that the Bruins landed a top 20 player nationally from the opposite coast is that much more impressive.
With the quartet of Adams, Parker, Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson, next years' roster will be loaded. In fact, the recruiting class might not even be finished.
According to sources, UCLA is heavily pursuing Philadelphia wing Savon Goodman. Not only is the staff in hot pursuit, but Anderson is putting in work to land Goodman as well.
At 6'6", Goodman is a great athlete with lockdown capabilities defensively. He also displays good toughness and has a willingness to do the little things out on the floor.
Within the next few days, we will have a full preview on what to expect next year in terms of personnel and possible combinations.
