How Will Jabari Parker Recover From His Torn ACL?

When former Duke basketball star and current Milwaukee Bucks Jabari Parker went down with a torn ACL the question became how well will he play after his recovery.

Prior to tearing his ACL on Dec. 15, 2014, Parker was looking like the Rookie of the Year. He was helping lead a much improved Bucks team that was looking like it may compete for a seven or eight seed in the Eastern Conference. Before the injury Parker was averaging 12 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. His numbers were getting better in the December before he went down and would only continue to get better as the season went on.

Dec 13, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker (12) drives for a dunk during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

How will Parker look when he returns next season? How will Jabari Parker recover from his torn ACL?

For me it is quite simple. The ACL injury, as serious as they may be, is not career threatening like it once used to be. If you tear an ACL sometimes doctors can have you back playing in less than a year and playing as if nothing ever happened. Parker isn’t an above the rim player or a player who relies on athleticism to perform at a high level. Don’t get me wrong though,  Parker is athletic and can post the highlight reel dunk but his game doesn’t depend on it.

Parker has a high basketball IQ and is a polished player. He makes the right decisions and typically doesn’t force shots. Parker has the ability to play with his back to the basket, shoot the mid-range jumper, or knock it down from three. Jabari reminds me a lot of Carmelo Anthony. Good size, knows how to use their strength and body, good positioning, and has a sneaky athleticism but don’t rely on it.

Obviously Parker isn’t the scorer that Melo is, but he has the potential to be close. The style in which they play is similar. I don’t see any reason that Parker won’t rebound strong and become a better player for it. As much as no one wants to see a player get hurt it can sometimes be a blessing in disguise.

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It happens over and over again. A player gets hurt and they work to improve another part of their game. You have time to study the game and watch it from a coaching perspective to see what you can do differently. There is time to work on different aspects of your game, whether that is dribbling, shooting or just getting stronger.

There are some flaws in Parker’s game that can be improved upon. After all he is only 19 and doesn’t turn 20 until March. The injury that will cost him the rest of his rookie season will benefit him in the long run. Although there is no replacement for game experience there is always room to improve.

Parker needs to work on his dribbling and three-point shot. Those are two aspects of his game which need improving and he will have time to do just that. With an improved handle and long-range shot, his game will only become more potent and he’ll be tougher to guard. Because he is not overly athletic he has to be shifty in his attacking.

A better handle will allow him to keep defenders off-balance. An improved three-point shot will keep defenders honest. Parker already has an efficient mid-range game and can finish in the paint. For Parker the biggest improvement will be in his approach to the game.

Being forced to sit out allows a player more time to study the game and see what a coach sees during a game. NBA players talk about the mental aspect of the game when they are injured frequently. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant both preached about how their injuries and the time they missed were blessings. They were able to see what coaches see and that aspect of the game is something that only comes with experience.

The torn ACL for Parker is just going to be a blip on the radar on what I predict is going to be a bright future. The Bucks will take every possible measure to protect Parker and his health and will ease him back when he is fully ready. The biggest obstacle for Parker to overcome will be the mental aspect of trusting your knee and body to hold up. From everything I have read and heard about Parker I don’t believe that will be an issue.

Hoping for a speedy recovery and long productive career for Parker. #DukeInTheNBA