Marist head coach John Dunne and his coaching staff have been on the phone recruiting freshman forward Myles Parker for three years, and this year the process may finally pay off.
The forward committed to Marist the summer before his senior year at Rutgers Prep, after building a close connection with associate head coach Dalip Bhatia. While on his visits, Parker saw a lot of camaraderie within the team, an important motive for the 6-foot-8 forward.
Parker met Bhatia and Dunne while they were recruiting junior guard Jadin Collins-Roberts. Collins-Roberts, the first captain of the Dunne era, played with Parker for two years at Rutgers Prep. The two will now reunite as teammates in Poughkeepsie. “I’ve never played with a better passer,” said Parker. “I’ll never forget playing with him in high school.”
Bhatia and Parker remained in contact over the course of his high school career as the recruiting process ramped up during his junior year. The two called and texted almost every day, and throughout the process, they seemed to build a strong relationship.
“Myles is such a unique player, having a 6-foot-8 forward that can shoot,” said Bhatia. “We haven’t had a player like Myles during my tenure at Marist.”
The freshman is the third player in five years that the Red Foxes have landed from Rutgers Prep, a school in Somerset, New Jersey. Parker attended Rutgers Prep for four years, but before high school, he played under his father, Scott Parker, who helped him find his dream for basketball.
“My dad coached me my whole life; he was in my ear every time we were together,” said Parker.
During his high school career, Parker averaged 15.3 points, five assists and three rebounds per game. He did most of his scoring from behind the three-point line, finishing with 187 three-pointers over the course of his career. He also scored over 1,000 career points in his career for the Argonauts.
Rutgers Prep helped prepare the shooter for Division I basketball by teaching him discipline and the importance of being on time. Parker’s coaches knew he dreamed of playing Division 1 basketball, so they trained him to pursue his dream.
Parker’s competition also helped him develop for college basketball. He played against players like Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford, Philadelphia 76ers guard Justin Edwards and San Antonio Spurs first-round draft pick guard Dylan Harper.
“You can tell how locked in they were before the game started,” Parker said.
The New Jersey native did not just learn from playing top-notch competition; he also proved he can compete against it. In the New Year’s tip-off in 2024, Parker dropped 28 points and recorded seven steals against Pettiford’s Hudson Catholic team.
Parker always seemed to thrive against the top players in the country. When the lefty faced off against Phillipsburg, a team on a nine-game win streak, he caught fire and scored 40 points, knocking down 11 threes.
“That wasn’t a one-time thing. I am really a good shooter,” said Parker when asked about his performance.
Parker’s standout play at Rutgers Prep earned him a McDonald’s All-American nomination, an honor only nine players received in his home state of New Jersey.
During the AAU season, Parker played with the New Jersey Panthers, a team he started playing with when he was 14. The coaches and players around him helped him expand his game, improving his ability to drive the basket, turning him into a more versatile player beyond just being a knockdown shooter.
The lefty also learned the value of hard work through Walking Bucket Fam, a group chat comprised of the top Division I athletes in New Jersey. The group chat is used to motivate each other.
“We all push each other; we couldn’t let each other pass us up,” said Parker.
The freshman’s success throughout high school and AAU earned him ten Division I offers, including Rider, Boston University and Marist. Parker faced a tough decision but chose Marist, partly because he wanted to reunite with his former teammate Collins-Roberts.
“I knew if I committed to Marist I’d have a brother on the team,” said Parker.
Photo via Marist Athletics
The Red Foxes offered Parker based on his upside. Parker’s frame allows him to use his length to get his shot off quickly. With defenders leaking out to contest his shot, the forward can use the threat of his shot to attack the rim.
“When he’s open, we want him to shoot it, and when there is a chance to drive, we want him to drive, it’s all about making the right play,” said Bhatia.
Parker has the potential to be an important asset for Marist through his shooting, but first, he will need to sharpen his defense. While he can force turnovers off the ball with his length, increasing his strength will help him become a more consistent on-ball defender.
“I’ve got to adjust on defense, these guys are way faster, stronger, quicker than in high school,” said Parker.
After Marist’s first 20-win season since 2007, the team is looking to find sustainable success in the MAAC. During the offseason, Dunne focused on finding players to help make up for the scoring loss of Josh Pascarelli, who transferred to Colorado State. Parker’s three-point shooting provides Dunne with a valuable scoring option to help fill the void.
With nine returners coming back for the 2025-2026 season, including senior guard Elijah Lewis and Collins-Roberts, the Red Foxes are poised to compete in the MAAC once again; however, they’ll need to find a way to get over the hump in Atlantic City.
“Our main goal is to win a MAAC championship,” said Parker. “If everyone buys in, we can definitely win the championship.”
Edited by Ryan Eichem and Mike Schiavone
Graphic by Quinn DiFiore
Photos by Marist Athletics
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