Q&A: Parker Fox hearing from high-majors

Coming out of high school, Mahtomedi, Minnesota forward Parker Fox didn't have many options. In fact, he only had one option at the Division-II level — a half scholarship at Northern State in the NSIC.

The former Minnesota Heat star redshirted his first year at Northern State, then came off the bench as a redshirt freshman to average 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

In his redshirt sophomore and junior seasons, he took off. Averaging 19.9 as a junior and 22.1 as a senior while shooting over 60% from the field, it was clear that Fox had molded himself into one of the best players in the country at the Division-II level.

He's 6'8", super athletic, and excels when he can slip or roll to the cup and finish high above the rim. He's also really improved his faceup game, and is dangerous on the attack, especially when he utilizes the pump fake to get his defenders off balance.

Fox's athleticism and improving skill level has allowed him to hear from Division-I programs, including high majors, all around the country. Here's just a sample of that bounce you've been hearing about:

TGR spoke with Fox about his time at Northern State and his recruitment out of high school, his recruitment now, and his Minnesota roots:

TGR: Describe your career at Northern State. What did you learn and why was your time there so good for your growth as a basketball player?

Fox: Coming out of high school, Northern was my only Division-II offer. It was a half scholarship, my recruiting was pretty slow. I came into a place that has led D-II in attendance for the past 15 years and was a great program before I got there. I redshirted my freshman year and was on a team that went 34-4 and played in the national championship game. The program has a great tradition and history with great coaches. You can go down the line: Bob Wilson, the legendary Don Meyer. That whole deal. I just came in as a kid that had some success in high school, but wasn't quite good enough yet. I fell in love with basketball and I really went to work, deciding to get better every single day. Northern gave me the facilities for that, the strength and conditioning program, the coaches all the way down the line.

TGR: Talk about the coaches you had, and falling in love with the game at Northern.

Fox: At the end of the day it's an internal drive you have to have in you, and you really have to be able to want it. I probably had 10 coaches in my time at Northern. Two different head coaches. Coach Sather who's in Grand Forks now. Then coach Saul Phillips.

I think when coach Phillips came in I was able to play my kind of game. He allowed me to do some things that were non-traditional and kind of outside of the box because of my athleticism and I think that helped me really fall in love with the game of basketball. I was able to just be free, have fun, and play the sport that I love to do with guys that I love to do it with.

TGR: What schools have reached out to you since entering the transfer portal?

Fox: I entered the Portal at about 11 o'clock and about a minute later my phone was blowing up. My laundry list is extremely long, I can go down the list a little: Creighton, Cal Berkley, South Carolina, Xavier, Butler, Vanderbilt, Seton Hall, Texas A&M, TCU, New Mexico, Georgetown, Boston College, Colorado State, Pepperdine, Iona, Dayton, Liberty, Ole Miss.

I can name others for you as well, but it was honestly a whirlwind and a little bit overwhelming. At one point I had to put my phone down for a little bit and watch an episode of TV to take a little break.

TGR: Your first recruiting process you had a half-scholarship at Northern State, now you're getting calls from high-majors all around the country

Fox: I think growing up as a kid that loves basketball and loves to watch basketball, you watch games and hear announcers talk about different schools and coaches, that was my dream to play Division-I basketball coming out of high school. I wasn't good enough yet. It's cool to get calls from all over the country and talk to schools that I would have never dreamed to play at, which is awesome.

I get a call from (Iona head coach) Rick Pitino — incredible. I would have never thought that Rick Pitino would be calling me.

Or even Richard Pitino. I was growing up being a huge Gopher fan, I grew up watching coach Pitino coach here at the U of M but hearing from him down at New Mexico now is pretty incredible. I'm trying to take it all in. I wish I had this in high school, but I just wasn't good enough yet.

TGR: Do you have any early favorites or are you taking this in stride right now?

Fox: I think the biggest thing right now is to just take it in stride. I'm the type of person that I want to give everyone a chance to give me there pitch and I want to hear the out. At the end of the day I'm going to have to shorten this list down a great deal and then find a place that I can find myself really succeeding at. I wouldn't say I've cut down my list, but I will say there are some schools that are more kind of up there than some of the others.

TGR: What are you looking for as a grad transfer? You have your degree, is it now more about a basketball fit and how you will work in the coaches scheme?

Fox: The goal is to be a professional basketball player obviously. Whether that be NBA, NBA G-League, Euro-League and that whole deal. I want to find a spot where I can come in and grow my game. I'm able to do things at the Division-II level because I'm more athletic than some people, but I want to be able to expand my game. Shooting the ball at a more consistent and constant clip. Getting to the free throw line and executing there. My post and face game. Development is huge. Especially since I'll have two years with the COVID deal.

But also, winning. I've won over 100 games here at Northern. Being in college for four years, you kind of get how basketball works and how it flows. I think I can bring that to a team with a winning atmosphere and step in with a leadership role. It's all about being able to step in and help a team win. You don't want to go somewhere with four guys at your position and you're never going to see the court. Playing time obviously is vital. It's important for pro teams to see I did it not only at the D-II level, but the D-I level as well.

TGR: You mentioned being a Gopher fan, what would mean to get a call from the home school and get an offer to play at Williams Arena where your grew up watching games?

Fox: It's 100% a factor. I grew up the biggest Gopher fan. I was court kid at home games, I would go to all the games with my mom, dad, and brother. We would always go to the games and get B-Dubs with the family. I grew up 20 minutes away. You have t-shirts, sweatshirts, and you've been a fan your whole life, and if you're not willing to admit that I don't think you're telling the truth. The Gopher have been one of my dreams my whole life. Obviously I wasn't good enough yet.

It would be awesome to hear from the new staff, whoever that may be. I'm sure Mark Coyle is doing an awesome job right now getting that job done. Hopefully that time comes and I would love to explore the option of finding a spot back home.