Jabari Parker a full participant as Bucks open training camp

As part of the Milwaukee Bucks’ long-overdue statewide outreach program, second-year power forward Jabari Parker showed up at the University of Wisconsin football game Saturday and received a loud ovation. With general manager John Hammond and coach Jason Kidd leading the way, Milwaukee is building around a young core led by forwards Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Parker practiced like any other player and all parties involved seemed encouraged with his comeback from last December’s ACL tear.

“When he went out with his injury, I think he was fourth in the league in dunks”, Hammond said.

“With everything that we were going through (for the arena), the fact that we were in Madison a lot anyway from a political standpoint – (Bucks president) Peter (Feigin) and his group – it fit”, Hammond said. “I think this is a good thing, especially with the weather being nice, being able to get out and maybe catch a volleyball game or something like that that’s happening here on campus”.

Parker and the team are proceeding cautiously.

Continue to monitor his involvement in training camp as draft day approaches.

“We’re so used to being in the Cousins Center”, Parker said. Parker has been a regular at the Bucks’ training facility during his rehabilitation. Also in attendance was Rod Thorn, a veteran National Basketball Association executive who was hired this week as a consultant.

“What you see him doing today and the last couple weeks, you can see that the ceiling is very high”, Kidd said. He can score the ball. “We’re probably not the most patient guys in the world”.

Being back in the Kohl Center with the Bucks for training camp didn’t feel like home for former Badger Marcus Landry, “it is home”, he said. But the best way to do that is still to win, and the best way to win is for Parker to get back on the path toward greatness.