Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus #2 St. Thomas on March 5, 2026 , Loss , 67, to, 80
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FINAL
Men's Basketball
67
vs #2 St. Thomas
80
South Dakota State University Athletics
Photo by: Graham Hodges
#ProJacks: Deondre Parks
7/7/2017 8:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
In part three of a four-part series on South Dakota State Men's Basketball #ProJacks, GoJacks.com dives into Deondre Parks' rookie season, where he earned All-League honors in the British Basketball League and reached the BBL Finals with his Newcastle Eagles.
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Joining former teammate George Marshall as one of two Jackrabbit rookies in Europe this season, Deondre Parks spent the 2016-17 campaign with the Newcastle Eagles of the British Basketball League, winning the BBL Cup title and reaching the BBL Playoff finals.
After establishing himself as a scorer throughout college (where he scored more than 2,000 points), Parks took what he did best and brought it to the BBL, where he averaged 18.5 points per game in the regular season, shooting 50 percent from the field with a 45 percent mark beyond the arc.
Those numbers were good enough to land him a bench spot on the Molten BBL Team of the Year, an "incredible" honor, according to Parks.
Over 39 total games that included postseason and tournament play, he started 33 contests, averaged 17.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while dishing out 1.8 assists on average.
"From the moment I got off the plane, the other guys on the team told me to score the ball," Parks said. "The veterans on the team, they just told me 'don't be passive, score it when you can. We brought you in to score.'"
Though he knew scoring would help him as a pro, it wasn't a priority to go to a team where he would be a star. Instead, he searched for an opportunity where he could grow and learn from leaders of the game.
The Flint, Michigan native mentioned several areas of growth, but a key area he focused on was his assertiveness on the court.
"I wanted to be more vocal," he said. "We had a lot of vets on the team who had been in tough games and high-stress situations, but I wanted to get to better and have the heart to speak up no matter what was going on."
One of the veterans Parks had the opportunity to learn from was teammate Rahmon Fletcher, who led the league in scoring.
"Learning from Fletch was great," Parks said. "I picked up a lot from him. He's a leader and a two-time MVP, so I was lucky to be teamed up with him."
Another vet, former Jackrabbit Kai Williams, provided guidance from afar for the Newcastle rookie.
"Kai followed me on social media before I graduated from State, but my first time playing him this year was the first time we've met. You know, we won three of the four matchups, so I kind of got the upper hand on him this year," Parks said with a laugh. "But, he's a great guy who would write to me a lot on social media and just offers encouragement."
Off the court, Parks transitioned easily to life in Newcastle upon Tyne (located in northeast England near the North Sea), sharing that the English verbiage and rainy weather was most difficult part of the new surroundings.
Additionally, Parks explored the historic area in his limited free time, making a special trip to the Angel of the North, an iconic statue in the region.
After closing a successful rookie campaign, Parks is back stateside and spending time with his family and digging into the food he craved while overseas. Beyond that, like other Jackrabbit pros, it's a time to work out and wait for offers.
Look for part four of #ProJacks, featuring Nate Wolters, July 12.
Part One: George Marshall
Part Two: Kai Williams
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Joining former teammate George Marshall as one of two Jackrabbit rookies in Europe this season, Deondre Parks spent the 2016-17 campaign with the Newcastle Eagles of the British Basketball League, winning the BBL Cup title and reaching the BBL Playoff finals.
After establishing himself as a scorer throughout college (where he scored more than 2,000 points), Parks took what he did best and brought it to the BBL, where he averaged 18.5 points per game in the regular season, shooting 50 percent from the field with a 45 percent mark beyond the arc.
Those numbers were good enough to land him a bench spot on the Molten BBL Team of the Year, an "incredible" honor, according to Parks.
Over 39 total games that included postseason and tournament play, he started 33 contests, averaged 17.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while dishing out 1.8 assists on average.
"From the moment I got off the plane, the other guys on the team told me to score the ball," Parks said. "The veterans on the team, they just told me 'don't be passive, score it when you can. We brought you in to score.'"
Though he knew scoring would help him as a pro, it wasn't a priority to go to a team where he would be a star. Instead, he searched for an opportunity where he could grow and learn from leaders of the game.
The Flint, Michigan native mentioned several areas of growth, but a key area he focused on was his assertiveness on the court.
"I wanted to be more vocal," he said. "We had a lot of vets on the team who had been in tough games and high-stress situations, but I wanted to get to better and have the heart to speak up no matter what was going on."
One of the veterans Parks had the opportunity to learn from was teammate Rahmon Fletcher, who led the league in scoring.
"Learning from Fletch was great," Parks said. "I picked up a lot from him. He's a leader and a two-time MVP, so I was lucky to be teamed up with him."
Another vet, former Jackrabbit Kai Williams, provided guidance from afar for the Newcastle rookie.
"Kai followed me on social media before I graduated from State, but my first time playing him this year was the first time we've met. You know, we won three of the four matchups, so I kind of got the upper hand on him this year," Parks said with a laugh. "But, he's a great guy who would write to me a lot on social media and just offers encouragement."
Off the court, Parks transitioned easily to life in Newcastle upon Tyne (located in northeast England near the North Sea), sharing that the English verbiage and rainy weather was most difficult part of the new surroundings.
Additionally, Parks explored the historic area in his limited free time, making a special trip to the Angel of the North, an iconic statue in the region.
After closing a successful rookie campaign, Parks is back stateside and spending time with his family and digging into the food he craved while overseas. Beyond that, like other Jackrabbit pros, it's a time to work out and wait for offers.
Look for part four of #ProJacks, featuring Nate Wolters, July 12.
Part One: George Marshall
Part Two: Kai Williams
Friday, March 06
Friday, March 06
Friday, March 06
Tuesday, March 03