Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

[LetsGetJacked]

Hey guys,

I know there's a separate thread already on Deondre Parks and his family, but I wanted to make a new one to share his amazing story and keep it fresh in everyone's mind.

I was fortunate enough to sit down with him for more than 45 minutes last month and what I got was as emotional, eloquent, raw and real as I've ever seen a college athlete. He did not hold anything back and having to condense it down into a feature-length story was difficult, but this is the result. The story starts at the 11:46 mark of the video: https://t.co/50Dv7ohcmR

All the credit in the world goes to Deondre and South Dakota State for allowing me the opportunity to tell his journey. If you didn't have a reason before, you certainly do now: Deondre Parks is a man worth rooting for and supporting no matter what.

Please let me know what you guys think and I hope I did his story justice. Thanks.

David Brown
Midco Sports Network

[6-4-3 Jackrabbit]

Re: Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

Excellent story of basketball and life. Rooting for Deondre to hit that big shot this season.

Go Rabbits!

[Jacked_Up]

Re: Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

That's a very touching, inspirational story about an impressive young man and great role model. Thanks, David Brown. Even more so, thanks and best wishes to Deondre.

[jacks1]

Re: Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

Tremendous story David. Deondre is a special young man. He's gonna make a difference in this world...he already has.

[bigticket1]

Re: Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

We all go through tough spots in our lives, and think it couldn't get any worse. But this story shows that many of our problems are minor compared to what Deondre has gone through. He will be a success story regardless of whether he plays basketball beyond this year.

[sfjacksfan99]

Re: Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

Show it to your kids. I did. They sat there and didn't say a word in awe of how bad things could be when you can't turn you faucet on and just get a drink in a city in the great USA, not some third world country.

This is not a knock on the media, but I find it crazy that it took this long for somebody to hit on the story. His kid brother has been here all of this school year I believe, and the first I started to hear of the story was when Deondre's brother gave him his headband when he dropped 30 in his game that week.

Seeing his fam there on Senior Night put a lump in my throat. Not to take anything away from Cory Jacobson's emotional speech that night, but seeing that little boy there that can't talk because of the crap in the water in Flint along with the rest of Deondre's family was the story of the night for me. We wish nothing but the best for Deondre. He was a bad kid, he admitted it. But from everything we have see,n he has seen the light of a life without violence and that has made this bad kid into a grown man. Hopefully if not through basketball, but a career, he can pull his entire family out of that terrible situation. Kudos to Scott Nagy and his staff also for giving this kid a chance. Kids with that background would throw red flags all over the place, but obviously Nagy saw he truly wanted a better life.

Now go win that tournament! Go Jacks!

[Nidaros]

Re: Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

A great story. When you cant brush your teeth, its very, very sad. Several things could be said about this situation but I would be getting political and that's not allowed.

[73alum]

Re: Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

A great story. When you cant brush your teeth, its very, very sad. Several things could be said about this situation but I would be getting political and that's not allowed.

You are so right, Nidaros, how Flint and Detroit have been run into the ground. Some incredibly bad stories about these two cities.

[GopherHole]

Re: Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

While Daum got the most press down the stretch, the clutch play of Deondre in the tourney is why we're going dancing. He's filled many roles on this team and never "Flintched" when he had to carry the team on his back.

I want to thank Deondre and the rest of this year's seniors for taking us on a fun roller coaster ride this year!

[Nidaros]

Re: Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

While Daum got the most press down the stretch, the clutch play of Deondre in the tourney is why we're going dancing. He's filled many roles on this team and never "Flintched" when he had to carry the team on his back.

I want to thank Deondre and the rest of this year's seniors for taking us on a fun roller coaster ride this year!

I join in the thanks to the seniors and the rest of the team. Seems like we played almost flawless basketball during November, and I thought then that they were playing like it was March. Then the injuries started in December and went through January and towards the end of the month we started getting the team back together and then certain guys started to slump and that funk continued until tonight. This is not the way Nagy teams have played in the past where they usually do not play good in November but gradually improve and by March, they are in high speed. So this has been an unusual season, but we won 26 games which is nothing to sneeze at.

[BTownJack]

Re: Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

During the trophy presentation yesterday I noticed a tattoo on the back of one of Deondre's calf muscles.

"Attack or be killed"

Scary to think what people in Flint have to go through on a daily basis.

[Nidaros]

Re: Deondre Parks: The Man From Flint

During the trophy presentation yesterday I noticed a tattoo on the back of one of Deondre's calf muscles.

"Attack or be killed"

Scary to think what people in Flint have to go through on a daily basis.

This is typical of today, homes with strong single parents who want only the best for their sons and daughters. It appears Deondre has a very good support system. I think he will be a model citizen down the road. If I had gotten tattoos back in 1965, I probably would still have them and maybe not proud of them. Thank God, those places were not around Brookings much.