One of the hottest targets this July has been 2023 Parker Friedrichsen with the Tulsa Hawks, has he has picked up several big-time offers including the latest from Purdue. He breaks down his thoughts on the latest, which schools he has been building a relationship, and his thoughts on the visits he has taken.
Phenom: Congrats on the latest offer from Purdue. What was your excitement about receiving that offer'
Friedrichsen: I appreciate it. I'm pretty excited. Coach and I had a great talk and I'm excited to learn more about Purdue. I have a zoom call with them next week.
Phenom: What did they have to say when they offered' What did they like about your game and what you can provide'
Friedrichsen: Coach saw me play in Indy and really liked my game, especially how I was more than a shooter and thinks I would be a good fit for their program. I think on offense, I can provide pretty much every way to score, and also, I take pride in being a leader on the court.
Phenom: How long have they been in touch with you' Anything intrigue you early on'
Friedrichsen: Coach Lusk reached out to me for the first time last Tuesday. We talked on the phone and the Coach Painter called me on Saturday, so it has been recent. Things that stand out to me are that they are a winning program in the Big 10 that also gets to the NCAA Tournament.
Phenom: July has been a HUGE month for you. What was it like to add offers from Oklahoma, Southern, Iowa, Ohio, Virginia Tech, Drake, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Akron, and SE Missouri State to your recruitment'
Friedrichsen: I knew coming into the summer, July would be by far the biggest stage. I just put in a lot of work and prepared for it. And for me, it has been really exciting. I'm anxious to get out and start visiting schools. I'm really grateful for every relationship I've made over the summer but especially in July.
Phenom: Any schools that have offered stand out to you' Or any that have impressed you so far'
Friedrichsen: They all stand out to me because they all believe in my game. The schools that impress me the most are the ones that reach out and keep somewhat consistent communication with me because I really like building relationships.
Phenom: Who has been building that consistent relationship with you would you say'
Friedrichsen: As of now, UTSA, Oral Roberts, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Purdue, Stanford, Butler, and Virginia Tech.
Phenom: How would you best describe your game'
Friedrichsen: I would say my specialty is shooting the three but being able to create for myself and others as well. My handles have also improved.
Phenom: Have you been able to take any visits or have anything planned coming up'
Friedrichsen: I have been to UTSA, Iowa State, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Liberty, and Oral Roberts. I plan to visit Purdue, Iowa, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Butler, Nebraska, and Illinois in the fall as of right now.
Phenom: What stood out about those programs that you already visited'
Friedrichsen: UTSA: They got on me early and we connect all the time, so to get down there and spend a day on campus was nice. ISU: It was a good trip, the people up there were really nice and it is a great town with great athletics overall. I'm excited to see what Coach TJ can do in his first year there. Nebraska: It was a really cool visit also. Meeting the coaching staff and visiting with them all day. I sat in Coach Hoiberg's office and broke down film so that was cool. Virginia Tech: was a fun one. All these schools I visited have great fan bases. So, I think that would be cool to play in front of. VT has been a solid program and I'm excited to keep up with them. Liberty: I underestimated them for sure. They have a super nice campus and great facilities for a school in the ASUN. They are up and coming and building a relationship with Coach Pierre has been great. Oral Roberts: I visited the first day I could because it is close and a great hometown school. They obviously made a great run this year, so it is going to be fun to see if they can do it again. I talk to Coach Springmann frequently.
