HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

If you scour the hundreds of mock draft projections currently appearing in print or online publications there is one item which remains consistent – the slot of Chandler Parsons.

The former University of Florida standout isn’t projected to hear his name called in the first round of next month’s NBA draft despite becoming the first Gator in history to win the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year award.

Parsons is aware of the skeptics and how they believe his skills aren’t worth investing a first round pick, so he’s out to prove doubters wrong by showing the strengths of his game and putting in extra hours at the gym.  

"I think so," Parsons told HOOPSWORLD on whether he believes he has a lot to prove to NBA scouts. "I think I’m a lot more athletic than people think.  I think I can finish and shoot the ball a lot more than people think.  Basically I’m going to be showcasing my skills and just having fun with it, working extremely hard and keep getting better. "

The May 20 edition of HOOPSWORLD’s mock draft has Parsons being selected in the second round as the No. 45 overall pick.

Parsons, who played collegiately at less than 220 pounds, hasn’t convinced the majority of NBA scouts of his physicality or his ability to overcome the lack of strength in the future while getting his shots off against bigger and stronger competition.

"You know it’s physical in the NBA so I think my biggest weakness would probably be my strength," Parsons admits without hesitation. "I’m working on that very hard, I’m a very hard working guy and very competitive. I’m trying to work on my all-around game all of this offseason and getting into the best shape of my life."

However one thing working in Parsons’ favor is the style of the NBA game.

At the professional level, favorable matchups and the ability of teams to create them on the floor in their favor typically rules king. Players able to play multiple positions and fill a variety of roles still come at a premium.

It is within this niche which Parsons believes he can be successful as a professional.

"I think I can really shoot the ball from the three-point line," Parsons told HOOPSWORLD. "I’m very big for my position (small forward). I just measured in at 6’9 ½, basically a 6’10 small forward that can put the ball on the floor, play point, bring the ball up the floor, initiate the offense and be a facilitator out there."

Parsons also believes he’ll eventually be able to slide over to play some power forward in certain situations and patterns a lot of his game after 2011 Sixth Man of the Year, Lamar Odom who currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.

"I think I could [play power forward]," Parsons said confidently. "I like to look at myself like a Lamar Odom. I’m 6’10 and can do a little bit of everything. I’m good at facing up off the block, if I have a smaller guy on me I can take him to the post. If I have a bigger guy on me I can use my quickness off the dribble.   So I think I have a good all-around game and can play multiple positions."

{AUTHOR_BOX} Those who may be in doubt whether Parsons has the inner fortitude to overcome his weaknesses through hard work and dedication need to understand his journey over the past four years.

He arrived on the University of Florida’s campus as a freshman right after the Gators won back-to-back NCAA championships behind current NBA players Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer.

Unfortunately, maintaining that level of success for Parsons and his fellow freshman class proved too difficult to bear as Florida would fail to make the NCAA Tournament during his first two years on campus.

This led to Florida head coach Billy Donovan at one point telling Parsons perhaps it would be in his best interests if he transferred and maybe Gainesville wasn’t the best place for him to be.

Instead of taking the easy way out which has become the standard in today’s society, Parsons fully bought into Donovan’s system and improved his work ethic.

Now, after the rough early transition period he fully credits Donovan’s help in getting him prepared to face the challenges of the next level and Donovan in turn has become one of Parsons’ biggest cheerleaders. 

"Coach Donovan has been great," Parsons told HOOPSWORLD. "He’s been through this process many of times with some of the players he’s coached. He helped me through the whole process of picking an agent. He’s helped through the doing this right now , the grind of the next four weeks, just working out for different teams traveling all over the country. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before in all of these workouts. He really gets his guys prepared, all these workouts I’ve seen before."

But the Gator nation support hasn’t stopped at the coaching level.

In fact, many former Florida standouts currently having success in the NBA have reached out to Parsons to make sure he’s putting his best foot forward during the rigorous pre-draft process.

"They have been great," Parsons told HOOPSWORLD on the impact of former Gators."David Lee (Golden State Warriors forward) and I share the same agent in Mark Bartelstein. Joakim, Al, Tuarean Green and Corey those guys are all great.

"When I was training in L.A., I went to game two of Mavericks-Lakers and stayed after and talked to Corey about the whole process. I was at Joakim’s house a couple days ago and went through that whole process so those guys have been great. No matter how good they play or big time they are they’re still going to answer our calls and look out for us."

While the 11.3 points per game Parsons put up as a senior could be considered pedestrian compared to some of his peers in the field, he was one of the only players in the nation standing over 6’8 who dished out over three assists per contest last season (3.8).

Parsons also connected on 37 percent of his three-point attempts, while pulling down 7.8 boards per game as a senior.

These traits show Parsons has the foundation in place to be a versatile threat; whether it translates into NBA success won’t be known for years. 

One thing is for sure, Parsons seems totally dedicated to putting in the hard work to maximize his skill set.