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The transfer portal is loaded with names and talent but one transfer you may not have heard about is Division II standout Parker Fox. The 6-foot-8, 210-pound big man out of Aberdeen (S.D.) Northern State averaged 22.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.2 blocks a game this season and has caught the eye of high majors across the the college basketball landscape.
"It was crazy, I think I entered the portal and then a minute later my phone was just buzzing and buzzing and buzzing," Fox said of his time since entering the portal. "Obviously it is exciting, it's an honor to go through this process and talk to great coaches but it is a little overwhelming and a little stressful. I had to put my phone down at some point but it has been really fun and I have been fortunate to hear from some of these schools that I have been hearing from."
As Fox said, his phone has been blowing up to the point he told 247Sports that he has heard from nearly 100 programs.
"Creighton, Cal-Berkley, Clemson, South Carolina, LSU, St. John's, Xavier, Butler, Arkansas, Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Seton Hall, Texas A&M, TCU, Boston College, Georgetown, New Mexico and Dayton are some of the high majors," he said of the high majors who have been in contact.
Fox is a Minnesota native and with their new hire of Ben Johnson, he hopes that the new staff will also join the mix.
"I am hoping to hear from Minnesota, they just hired their new coach today," he said. "Minnesota is home, they just hired Ben Johnson today, he's a Minnesota dude. He reached out to me at Xavier so hopefully I am ablate connect with him through Minnesota as well."
"He was one of the first ones to reach out and introduce himself and tell me that they're interested in my game and to hopefully form a relationship," Fox added.
When he spoke with coach Johnson at Xavier, he also had the chance to speak to head coach Travis Steele so even though Johnson has moved on, a connection has been established with the Musketeers.
"I've been able to talk to coach Steele about Xavier as well and now that coach Johnson is doing his own thing now that was a good introductory telling me that they're interested in me and look forward to recruiting me," said Fox.
Among the dozens of programs who have been in contact, he said his conversations with Iona and others have also stood out.
"I really liked the conversation with coach Rick Pitino at Iona," said Fox. "He's a big guy on player development so that was huge for me as I want to continue developing my game. Then, like that list, I am interested basically in every team on that list and then you add a team like Dayton or Missouri State or Ole Miss and Drake as well."
His conversation with Ole Miss was brief but the Rebels are planning to continue pursuing the Northern State star.
"Ole Miss was a quick conversation," he said. "An assistant coach called me and basically explained that they're interested in my game and that they don't really have a guy in my position and they need to fill that role and that they're going to continue to recruit me and hopefully put me in contact with the head coach. Coach [Ronnie] Hamilton was who reached out to me and he just sent me some of the highlights of how they play, how they run their offense so I have been able to watch that video and lock in on what they like to do."
Although Fox would like to hear from Minnesota and grew up a Gophers fan, he is not set on staying close to home and is keeping his options open.
"I wouldn't necessarily say that it has to be close to home or anything like that but growing up I lived 20-minutes from campus and I grew up as a Gopher fan with all sports from football, basketball, hockey, everything," he said. "I went to all of the games and have all the tee-shirts, all the memorabilia and all of that stuff so Gophers are my college team for every sport. They're not always the top of the league or anything like that but that's home and will always have a special place in my heart."
As to what he will be looking for in a program, it will come down to opportunity.
"I will be looking for a program where I can come in and make an impact," stated Fox. "I have won 107 games at the Division II level so I think I know what it takes to win in terms of leadership on and off the court. Being a graduate from a University I feel like I can come in and understand how the game works and I can help a team win."
"Obviously, playing time is important to me and I have to prove myself and that I deserve to play but my goal is of transferring up is to play at a higher level and to prove others that I can do it at this level," he added. "Then hopefully will be a pro from that situation."
Fox being a Division II prospect, many fans don't know much about him and why he is so sought after but it starts with his energy and athleticism.
"I will bring energy, I will bring effort and enthusiasm every single day, day-in and day-out, I'm a crazy energy guy, I bring energy in everything I do in life so that's huge to me," Fox described of his game. "Then I will bring in extreme athleticism. I lead the country in blocked shots this year and probably lead it in dunks as well.'
"I love to dunk the ball, I love highlight plays, I love to get a crowd going," he added. "I just love to fly around and compete. Basketball really is my life and I love to play the game and play at a high level and then make winning plays, do the little things that help the team win. It is important along with the highlight plays, the little things like getting a steal or taking a charge or making an assist are just as big as some of these highlight plays."
The transfer portal is loaded with names and talent but one transfer you may not have heard about is Division II standout Parker Fox. The 6-foot-8, 210-pound big man out of Aberdeen (S.D.) Northern State averaged 22.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.2 blocks a game this season and has caught the eye of high majors across the the college basketball landscape.
"It was crazy, I think I entered the portal and then a minute later my phone was just buzzing and buzzing and buzzing," Fox said of his time since entering the portal. "Obviously it is exciting, it's an honor to go through this process and talk to great coaches but it is a little overwhelming and a little stressful. I had to put my phone down at some point but it has been really fun and I have been fortunate to hear from some of these schools that I have been hearing from."
As Fox said, his phone has been blowing up to the point he told 247Sports that he has heard from nearly 100 programs.
"Creighton, Cal-Berkley, Clemson, South Carolina, LSU, St. John's, Xavier, Butler, Arkansas, Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Seton Hall, Texas A&M, TCU, Boston College, Georgetown, New Mexico and Dayton are some of the high majors," he said of the high majors who have been in contact.
Fox is a Minnesota native and with their new hire of Ben Johnson, he hopes that the new staff will also join the mix.
"I am hoping to hear from Minnesota, they just hired their new coach today," he said. "Minnesota is home, they just hired Ben Johnson today, he's a Minnesota dude. He reached out to me at Xavier so hopefully I am ablate connect with him through Minnesota as well."
"He was one of the first ones to reach out and introduce himself and tell me that they're interested in my game and to hopefully form a relationship," Fox added.
When he spoke with coach Johnson at Xavier, he also had the chance to speak to head coach Travis Steele so even though Johnson has moved on, a connection has been established with the Musketeers.
"I've been able to talk to coach Steele about Xavier as well and now that coach Johnson is doing his own thing now that was a good introductory telling me that they're interested in me and look forward to recruiting me," said Fox.
Among the dozens of programs who have been in contact, he said his conversations with Iona and others have also stood out.
"I really liked the conversation with coach Rick Pitino at Iona," said Fox. "He's a big guy on player development so that was huge for me as I want to continue developing my game. Then, like that list, I am interested basically in every team on that list and then you add a team like Dayton or Missouri State or Ole Miss and Drake as well."
His conversation with Ole Miss was brief but the Rebels are planning to continue pursuing the Northern State star.
"Ole Miss was a quick conversation," he said. "An assistant coach called me and basically explained that they're interested in my game and that they don't really have a guy in my position and they need to fill that role and that they're going to continue to recruit me and hopefully put me in contact with the head coach. Coach [Ronnie] Hamilton was who reached out to me and he just sent me some of the highlights of how they play, how they run their offense so I have been able to watch that video and lock in on what they like to do."
Although Fox would like to hear from Minnesota and grew up a Gophers fan, he is not set on staying close to home and is keeping his options open.
"I wouldn't necessarily say that it has to be close to home or anything like that but growing up I lived 20-minutes from campus and I grew up as a Gopher fan with all sports from football, basketball, hockey, everything," he said. "I went to all of the games and have all the tee-shirts, all the memorabilia and all of that stuff so Gophers are my college team for every sport. They're not always the top of the league or anything like that but that's home and will always have a special place in my heart."
As to what he will be looking for in a program, it will come down to opportunity.
"I will be looking for a program where I can come in and make an impact," stated Fox. "I have won 107 games at the Division II level so I think I know what it takes to win in terms of leadership on and off the court. Being a graduate from a University I feel like I can come in and understand how the game works and I can help a team win."
"Obviously, playing time is important to me and I have to prove myself and that I deserve to play but my goal is of transferring up is to play at a higher level and to prove others that I can do it at this level," he added. "Then hopefully will be a pro from that situation."
Fox being a Division II prospect, many fans don't know much about him and why he is so sought after but it starts with his energy and athleticism.
"I will bring energy, I will bring effort and enthusiasm every single day, day-in and day-out, I'm a crazy energy guy, I bring energy in everything I do in life so that's huge to me," Fox described of his game. "Then I will bring in extreme athleticism. I lead the country in blocked shots this year and probably lead it in dunks as well.'
"I love to dunk the ball, I love highlight plays, I love to get a crowd going," he added. "I just love to fly around and compete. Basketball really is my life and I love to play the game and play at a high level and then make winning plays, do the little things that help the team win. It is important along with the highlight plays, the little things like getting a steal or taking a charge or making an assist are just as big as some of these highlight plays."
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