NC State basketball freshman guard Trey Parker has recently emerged as a bright spot on a team that is struggling to find its way. Parker came to NC State with a lot of hype due to his large social media following, his top 100 ranking in the 2023 class and his rare athletic ability displayed in his viral dunks.
Parker is known for his explosive athleticism but hasn’t had much opportunity to display it this season. Parker has provided a spark off the bench recently but has made freshman mistakes that prevent him from making a larger impact. Bad shots and sloppy turnovers remind Wolfpack fans that the Fayetteville, North Carolina native is still young and has a lot of work to do, but he still has a high ceiling.
The freshman essentially fell out of the rotation until he bursted on to the national scene against No. 2 Duke. Parker played 18 minutes against the Blue Devils, and it was the first game in the last six where he logged over 10 minutes.
Parker touched Coach K Court for the first time with 13:07 to play in the first half. Within a minute of checking in, Parker drained a contested pull-up 3-pointer to give the Wolfpack a 15-9 lead. The bench exploded, and the energy was sucked right out of Cameron Indoor Stadium as Parker began to take over the game.
The 3 was a harbinger as Parker finished the game with a career-high 15 points on 6-9 shooting in only 18 minutes, torching the nets from all three levels. Parker’s performance against a national title contender let his coach and the college basketball world know that he deserves more playing time.
After the game in which Duke pulled away for a 74-64 win, Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer talked about the impact Parker had on the game.
“He didn’t change [the game] a little bit, he changed it a lot,” Scheyer said. “Holy smokes, he was quick, and the way he was shooting it — he’s a really great player.”
After Parker’s career game, the question became, would Parker see an increased role in the Pack’s next game? The answer was yes, as he was awarded more minutes in the Pack’s next game against Clemson. It was the first time all season Parker played 15 or more minutes in consecutive games.
However, Parker didn’t have the same impact as he did against Duke, as he finished with six points on 3-8 shooting with three turnovers. In the 15 minutes that Parker played, he looked more like a true freshman but still showed some freaky athleticism and hustle.
Many freshmen can have a hard time adjusting to the stamina needed to play a long season, but Parker hasn’t buckled under the stress and hasn’t shown signs of fatigue. He embodies head coach Kevin Keatts’ philosophy of playing hard the entire time you’re on the court and the willingness to give it all.
“I love the way [Parker and freshman guard Paul McNeil] are showing up every day,” Keatts said. “Showing up early, working, staying late, getting better — they are catching up, and it’s showing on the floor.”
Parker may not be going to the NBA like Duke’s Cooper Flagg or Rutgers’ Ace Bailey, but that’s a good thing for the Wolfpack. Parker has all the tools to become a star for NC State, and if he stays for all four years, he might just become an NC State legend.
Parker is expected to make his next appearance against California on Wednesday. Tipoff is set for 11 p.m.
