Four-time state champion, current Illinois Mr. Basketball and Duke signee Jabari Parker, represented his city well during Monday night’s Powerade Jam Fest at the Gerald A. Ratner Center on the campus of the University of Chicago. The event is set up to mirror what you would see during NBA All-Star Weekend and is a precursor to the annual McDonald’s All-American Game, which will take place on Wednesday night at the United Center.
The Simeon standout essentially played host to a collection of the best high school basketball talent in the country and, much to the surprise of everyone, Parker took part in the slam dunk contest and did well despite finishing in third place.
“They needed contestants, so I put my name out there,” Parker said after Monday morning’s McDonald’s All-American practice session. "Everyone was too shy, but I know I’m not going to win.”
Parker may not have won, but he paid homage to the NBA’s greatest player ever, Michael Jordan, by replicating some of MJ’s iconic dunk contest jams. He opened with Jordan’s famous cradle dunk and followed that up with an attempt at MJ’s most famous dunk, the free-throw line jam.
Parker made the dunk on his first attempt; however, he did miss the line by about a foot.
Local celebrities such as former White Sox player Bo Jackson, current Chicago Bear Anthony Adams and Val Warner, co-host of Windy City LIVE, judged the contest.
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