The Skyhawk men’s basketball team will be without star guard Parker Stewart for the 2020-21 campaign as the OVC’s third-leading scorer from the 2019-20 season has committed to play for the Indiana Hoosiers.
Stewart announced via Instagram yesterday that he chose the Hoosiers over in-state Memphis, Arkansas and Kansas State. As a graduate transfer, Stewart could be eligible to play with the Hoosiers next semester.
“I just feel like it’s a good fit overall, and the tradition at the school I just couldn’t overlook,” Stewart told ESPN. “”I have known [assistant coach Kenya] Hunter for awhile now; he recruited me at Nebraska while I was in high school and when I left Pitt. I feel me and him have a good relationship and that I can trust him, and my father thought highly of him as well.”
Stewart noted the importance of the geographical location of the school in Bloomington, Indiana in his decision where to transfer. The school is situated near the states of Ohio, where his family is from, and Tennessee, where his family currently resides.
“Bloomington is four hours away from where my family is currently in Tennessee and four hours away from Ohio, where I’m originally from, so it made sense distance-wise,” Stewart said to ESPN. “My mom has also been working on her PhD online at the university, so she was happy when they recruited me as well.”
Stewart entered the transfer portal in late November after the passing of his father and Skyhawk men’s basketball coach Anthony Stewart, who was going into his fifth year at the position.
Stewart, who played for the nearby Union City Golden Tornadoes in high school, transferred from Pitt to play for his father for the 2018-19 campaign, though he sat out the season due to NCAA transfer rules. Academically, Stewart graduated from UTM in the summer of 2019, becoming the first UTM student-athlete to graduate in two years, and his earned his Master’s degree in the fall of 2020.
Stewart was named to the All-OVC second-team last season after averaging 19.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Stewart ranked only below forward Quinton Dove (20.2 per game) in team-scoring. Stewart also led the OVC in three-point field goals per game, averaging 2.8, making 157 three-pointers on 381 attempts.
Photo Credit / The Daily Hoosier
