Cal picks up junior college perimeter ace

Back in September of 2007, De'End Parker didn't know if his basketball career was over before it had even begun. Then a junior at Lincoln High in San Francisco, he was involved in a serious car wreck that caused him to re-evaluate things. Friday, Parker saw things come full circle when he committed to play college basketball at California.

Now a sophomore at City College of San Francisco in his native California, Parker visited Berkeley last weekend before making a verbal commitment.

"Cal is a great school, and I always knew that I was going to most likely commit to Cal," Parker told Ryan Gorcey of BearTerritory.net. "I always knew that I wanted to pursue a Cal degree. It was just time. I didn't want to prolong anything anymore. I didn't want to make Cal feel like I was being aloof or anything, or that I was bigger than them or thought that I could do better or anything like that."

A versatile 6-foot-5 athlete, Parker first earned acclaim during high school as a crafty wing.

Since arriving in junior college, though, Parker's game has evolved. At City College of San Francisco, the 210 pounder spends much of his time running the point where his size and passing ability are best utilized. He's also capable of playing off the ball as a two and would fit just as easily as a small forward on the next level.

Named as the 2011 Co-MVP of the Coast Conference, Parker has helped lead City College of San Francisco to a 25-1 record and 22 consecutive wins. He joins three-star high school forward David Kravish who signed a scholarship in the early period to make up Cal's 2011 recruiting class.