By JAMES MADDEN
Four-star junior shooting guard Parker McDaniel is the latest high school recruit to visit Kansas, doing so Sept. 11 to attend its always-important football meeting with Missouri.
Growing up a few hours from Lawrence in Bixby, Oklahoma, McDaniel called his experience at Kansas “different,” highlighting the profound impact the program’s had on the sport of basketball.
“KU is different,” he said on Monday. “To see all of it, take it all in… Kansas is definitely a legendary program.”
Beginning a tour of visits around the country, McDaniel called his visit to Lawrence a success as the Oklahoma native has seen his stock rise in the recruiting world.
“It was great. We got to watch a practice… and hang out with the players,” McDaniel told ZAGSBLOG. “We got to eat breakfast with the whole coaching staff and coach (Bill) Self. It was a great experience.”
He’s been heavily recruited by some of the top programs and coaches around the nation, but his primary contact at Kansas has been fellow Oklahoman Jeremy Case, who’s an assistant with the Jayhawks.
“I love coach Case,” he said. “He’s a great guy. I got to know him a lot better this past weekend. He has a high IQ for the game and he’s from Oklahoma too, so we have a connection there.”
McDaniel also shares his birth state with Bill Self, who was born and raised in Oklahoma before playing college basketball at Oklahoma State.
With seemingly every person to step foot in the famous Allen Fieldhouse instantly falling in love with it, McDaniel has additional plans to return to Lawrence to catch a Kansas game this season.
“Allen Fieldhouse is on the next level. I’m definitely going to have to get up to a game for their season,” McDaniel said.
Off the court, McDaniel has a humble energy and swagger to him, but once he suits up he’s focused on winning as much as anyone. His drive to win is what highlights his skill set, he told the ZAGSBLOG.
“I impact winning at a high level,” he said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to win. I score the ball at a high level and I guard at a high level.”
Wherever McDaniel’s recruitment takes him, he said that anyone and everyone is welcome to have a “genuine conversation” with him.
Recently visiting Iowa during the first weekend of September, McDaniel will also take visits to Nebraska, Washington, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State throughout the remainder of the fall, with plans to schedule official visits after his high school season.
Despite not visiting the programs, McDaniel has also been in contact with Cincinnati, Northwestern, LSU, Minnesota and Purdue.
After a long summer on the AAU circuit with the Southern Assault, McDaniel said Kansas fans can find him on the golf course in his free time, where he describes his golf game as “casual.”
Follow James Madden on Twitter
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
Follow ZAGSBLOGHoops on Instagram
