By AARON BRACY
August 6, 2024
Big5Hoops.com
Villanova just got a little better in an offseason of great gains.
The Wildcats received a commitment from former four-star recruit Kris Parker on Tuesday. The 6-foot-9, 195-pound guard redshirted last season at Alabama after choosing the Crimson Tide over the Wildcats, Missouri, and Central Florida following a standout career at Crossroad Academy in Florida. The Tallahassee native averaged 24.8 points, 14.2 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 2.4 blocks as a high school senior. He entered the transfer portal after last season in which Alabama, led by a group of veterans, reached the Final Four.
Parker is excited for a fresh start at Villanova.
“Most importantly, I’m a winner,” Parker told Big5Hoops.com when asked to describe his game. “I’m going to do what it takes to win. I’m a big guard. I handle the ball really well for my size. I get to my spots. A shooter, scorer. And I’m going to defend whoever.”
Parker joins Jhamir Brickus (La Salle), Wooga Poplar (Miami), Enoch Boakye (Fresno State), and Tyler Perkins (Penn) as transfer portal additions. Villanova also welcomed back Eric Dixon after Dixon withdrew from the NBA draft and added freshman Aleksandar Gavalyugov from Bulgaria. The Wildcats also will be working three other freshmen, Matthew Hodge, Josiah Moseley, and Malcolm Thomas, into the mix.
Parker chose Villanova over Oklahoma State and Florida State. He has four years of eligibility remaining.
“I know going into the season the coaches are really preaching, ‘Bring Villanova back,'” Parker said. “I’m ready for that.”
Villanova also is returning Jordan Longino from last season’s team that finished 18-16 overall and 10-10 in the Big East while missing the NCAA tournament for the second straight season. Coach Kyle Neptune made clear that last season’s showing wasn’t acceptable by Villanova standards and had high hopes for this season when he joined us on the Bracy Sports Media podcast in late June—and that was before adding Parker.
“It just felt like the perfect situation for me,” Parker said. “I felt comfortable.”
Parker didn’t expect to sit out last season, but he was slowed in the preseason by an eye injury that forced him to miss the first two regular-season games. With upperclassmen ahead of him, there wasn’t much playing time available when he was ready to come back. While redshirting wasn’t what he envisioned when he signed with Alabama, it did have positives for Parker as it helped him get comfortable with the college game.
“It definitely helped a lot, just building confidence,” he said. “I was hearing folk tale stories. When I got to playing, I really thought it was the same game. Basketball is basketball.”
Parker, who is home in Florida and working out on his own, expects to be at Villanova later this month.
“I’m just ready to get up there,” he said.
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Aaron Bracy has been covering Philadelphia sports since 1996. His byline regularly appears on Associated Press stories. Follow Bracy on X: @Aaron_Bracy and like his Facebook and Instagram pages. He currently is writing a book on the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball team. Contact him at aaron@big5hoops.com.