For the second time this fall, the Georgia Bulldogs have been spurned by a Milton High School hoops standout. Friday night it was shooting guard Dai-Jon Parker's turn to pass over the Bulldogs.
Parker gathered in the packed Milton High gymnasium where he and his teammates will be looking to capture a second straight Class AAAAA state championship for the announcement. It was there that he chose Vanderbilt because he believed it was the best school.
"I said from the beginning that education comes first and that’s why I chose Vanderbilt," Parker said via webcast on CourtCred.com.
Milton High coach David Boyd thinks it is a great fit for Parker and Vanderbilt:
"Vandy is a great fit for him as a player and student"
Parker joins a class at Vanderbilt that includes fellow ESPNU 100 prospect in point guard Kedren Johnson of Lewisburg, Tenn. Vanderbilt hopes they have found their future backcourt in Parker and Johnson.
For Milton High, Parker concentrates on the defensive end of the floor where is routinely matched up on the opposing team's best player. Parker is up to the challenge and is regarded as one of the best defenders in the 2011 class. What about his offense? Coach Boyd says he easily could score more points.
"Dai-Jon is almost too unselfish," Boyd said. "He averages 14 points per game and could get more, but he cares too much about winning."
Parker is the second Milton High player to select another school over Georgia. Teammate Julian Royal previously chose Georgia Tech over the Dawgs.