Plenty of college basketball assistant coaches around the country play key roles in recruitment victories. It’s an integral part of the job.
But few can match the lengths IU women’s basketball assistant Colsten Thompson underwent to earn class of 2027 forward Finley Parker’s commitment.
Thompson has offered Parker a scholarship three separate times, at three separate programs. He began his relationship with Parker when she was in eighth grade and he offered her at Lipscomb. He left the Bisons to join Alabama’s staff in 2022, and he again offered her a spot with the Crimson Tide. After leaving Tuscaloosa for Bloomington last offseason, Thompson once again extended Parker an offer, this time at Indiana.
That relationship and clear interest was a big factor in Parker committing to the Hoosiers last week.
“I feel like I’ve known him for so long,” Parker told The Daily Hoosier in a phone interview. “Obviously, he’s recruiting me, from a school standpoint. But when I was going through the process, he was also always somebody I could talk to as just a coach, just asking questions, in general. But also, the fact that he’s seen me from when I was just in eighth grade and seen me be able to grow, and saw potential in me from that young, has always been something that stuck with me.”
Class of 2027 four-star forward Finley Parker commits to IU women’s basketball
The Woodstock, Ga. native became Indiana’s first commit in the class of 2027.
In modern college athletics, things change very quickly. Rosters turn over at a higher rate than ever before, which can affect the outlook for a high school commit for a future class. But Parker has no concerns about that with IU; she said the staff assured her she’d have a spot in Bloomington, and she trusts them. She didn’t have any qualms over committing on the earlier side.
“I had some talks with my AAU coach, and we just thought that it would probably be best if I did make my decision early. And even regardless of what he said, I did have plans to already commit early because I kind of just wanted to have my last AAU season to just play freely, be committed, and already have a home and a place,” Parker told TDH. “I know that it’s crazy with the transfer portal and everything. And I just wanted to already find a spot and not have to worry about it.”
Finley isn’t a particularly common first name. There isn’t some intricate story behind the name; her parents simply liked names that would work for both a girl and a boy. She’d occasionally run into someone else named Finley, but it didn’t happen often. Growing up, Parker would get frustrated that she never saw license plates or keychains in gift shops with her name on it.
She grew up playing soccer, but things changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parker’s father put a basketball hoop in their driveway, just for fun. And while the family was quarantining during the early stages of the pandemic, they’d play around together regularly. Her soccer practices were obviously canceled, so basketball became Parker’s main activity.
During that time, when she was in sixth grade, she realized she didn’t miss soccer. Parker was even happy that her soccer practices were canceled. That’s when she decided to pursue basketball.
“I just went to my parents, and I said, ‘Hey, I’m just not really enjoying this anymore. I think I want to try basketball,'” Parker told TDH. “My dad was heartbroken, because he loved soccer. I was good at soccer. He knew that basketball would be challenging. And it is. But I’m really glad I made the switch.”
As Parker put more serious work into basketball, she got better and better. She’s continued having fun on the court, just as she did in the driveway in 2020. She finds joy in the relationships she’s built through basketball over the years, along with the time spent working to improve.
She grew into the 6-foot-3 frame she currently wields, giving her the height and length to be an impactful collegiate player.
Parker has taken steps forward in each of her three seasons at River Ridge High. She averaged 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game as a freshman, while shooting 37 percent from the floor. The next year, as a sophomore, Parker shot 47 percent from the field and 37 percent on 3-pointers for 14.6 points per game, along with seven rebounds per game. And she excelled as a junior this past season, averaging 19.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game while shooting 42 percent from the field.
The Georgia native projects as a stretch four at the next level. Parker remembers watching some Indiana games in 2022-23, when the Hoosiers won the Big Ten regular season title, as she perused various programs to see which could suit her game the best. And watching players like Grace Berger and Sydney Parrish made her think Teri Moren’s system would be a good fit, with the positional versatility she utilizes.
“I can shoot and stretch the floor, not only for (my) teammates, but also being able to post up and score from three levels. I’m still working on my pull-up, but being able to score from three levels is something I’ve really been working on,” Parker told TDH. “I feel like I can bring a lot of value with my shooting ability, but also my ability to post up and be versatile in that way.”
For complete coverage of IU women’s basketball, GO HERE.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
- Find us on Instagram, X, and Facebook
- Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.
