Topic: Anthony Parker

Anthony Michael Parker (born June 19, 1975) is an American professional basketball player currently with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After graduating from Bradley University with a major in liberal arts, he entered the 1997 NBA Draft and played briefly in the NBA before plying his trade in Europe. There, Parker spent five seasons with the Israeli Super League basketball club Maccabi Tel Aviv and one season with the Italian Lega A club Lottomatica Roma. With Maccabi he won five Israeli Super League national championships, five Israeli National Cups, three Euroleague titles (including the Suproleague in 2001), and was voted two consecutive times Euroleague MVP. After returning to the NBA as a free agent in 2006, Parker established himself as the Toronto Raptors' starting shooting guard, as well as one of the best three point shooters and perimeter defenders in the league. In his first season with the Raptors, Parker helped the team clinch their first ever division title, first NBA Playoffs berth in five years, and best regular season record in franchise history. He helped the Raptors reach the playoffs again in the 2007–08 season, before becoming a free agent in 2009.

Parker was born in Naperville, Illinois. His father played college basketball at the University of Iowa, while his mother was a cheerleader. Parker's younger siblings also played basketball; his brother Marcus played basketball in high school, while his sister Candace plays in the WNBA and was the number one pick of the 2008 draft. Early in his professional basketball career, Parker married Tamy, and they had their first child named Alonso in 2002. Parker is Christian.

Parker started out playing high school basketball at Naperville Central High School. He then played college basketball at Bradley University where he established himself as a top player, averaging 18.9 points per game (ppg) and shooting 42% from the three point line in his third season, earning the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Most Valuable Player and All-MVC first team honors in the same season. His outstanding performances for the Braves ensured that he became one of 15 players honored in Bradley's All-Century basketball team named in 2003. Academically, Parker also excelled. He majored in chemistry before switching to liberal arts and sciences in his senior year, and earned two Major Robert H. Lawrence Jr. Scholarships while at Bradley.