University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Add Kwe Parker to Hoops Signing Class
November 23, 2015 | Men's Basketball
The Tennessee basketball program added a fifth member to its 2015 Early Signing Period crop last week when Kwe Parker (first name pronounced: KWAY) submitted his signed National Letter of Intent to UT.
A 6-2, 165-pound guard from Wade, North Carolina, Parker 45-inch vertical jump and explosive slam dunks have made him a YouTube hoops sensation.
He will be a freshman for the Volunteers next season, with plans to enroll in the summer.
“Kwe will bring tremendous athleticism and toughness to our roster, as well as provide us with another perimeter ball-handler,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. “He also has the potential to become a real defensive stopper, which we love.”
Parker is currently a senior at Wesleyan Christian Academy in High Point, North Carolina, where he is coached by Keith Gatlin and is teammates with fellow Tennessee signee Jalen Johnson.
“I love how Rick Barnes coaches, and I love the environment that he’s creating at Tennessee,” Parker said. “The fan support there is really impressive, too. You can tell how passionate they are about the athletic programs.”
As a junior at Wesleyan last season, Parker—who made the 2015 NCPreps.com NCISAA All-State Team—averaged 14 points per game before suffering a season-ending foot injury in February. The Trojans went on to win the NCISAA 3A state championship and finish the year ranked No. 21 in the final USA TODAY “Super 25” national rankings.
Parker, who’s full first name is KweShaun, spent his first two years of high school at Trinity Christian School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In addition to basketball, he also played safety on the football team at Trinity.
He played his AAU basketball with the Fayetteville Seminoles, coached by Dennis Smith, and the Karolina Diamonds, coached by Kevin Graves.
Parker joins Johnson, guards Lamonté Turner (currently enrolled and redshirting) and Jordan Bone and forwards John Fulkerson and Grant Williams as Tennessee’s projected 2016-17 freshman class.
For the most up-to-date information about the Tennessee basketball program, visit UTsports.com/basketball and follow @Vol_Hoops on Twitter and Instagram.
