TRANSFER SHOWS REACH OF AZTECS
Detroit’s Parrish knew all about the program
San Diego State’s basketball team officially announced the addition of Micah-Immanuel Parrish, a 6-foot-6 lefty from Oakland University who shot 46.2 percent behind the 3-point arc during conference play, was a Horizon League all-defensive selection and has three years of eligibility remaining.
The most impressive part about landing Parrish, though, is where he’s from: Detroit.
And the school he turned down: Michigan State.
“He’s always liked the Aztecs,” SDSU coach Brian Dutcher said, allowed to speak publicly about Parrish now that he’s signed a scholarship agreement. “That’s testament to our national brand, that we are recognized around the country, that had four players get NBA minutes this year, that we are in the NCAA Tournament every year, that when you look at the metrics we were ranked No. 2 nationally at the defensive end.
“For a kid who fancies himself as a really good defender, this is school obviously that was attractive to him. And when your favorite player is Kawhi Leonard, you know how we play. He already knew all about us.”
Dutcher and predecessor Steve Fisher built the SDSU program largely through Southern California players, either as incoming freshmen or “bounce back” transfers returning home. But success breeds popularity and respect, and increasingly their recruiting radius has expanded. Last season’s roster had five foreign-born players and two Texas natives. Now, Detroit. Recruiting from the transfer portal is more akin to speed dating than the exhaustive, laborious process of wooing high school players, which often drags over two or three (or more) years. You contact a transfer target, chat on the phone a few times, watch film, talk to his coaches, invite him on a campus visit, wait for a decision — all in a matter of weeks.
The more Dutcher and his staff learned about Par
rish, the more they realized they had a shot at beating Michigan State for a Detroit kid, as absurd as that might sound.
For starters, his family grew up rooting for rival Michigan, where Fisher and Dutcher led the Wolverines to the 1989 national title and two more trips to the championship game with the Fab Five. Parrish’s father, Emanuel, also spent five years in the Navy stationed at Miramar air base and attached to the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier, which, as luck would have it, was moored in the harbor when they arrived for their visit.
“When they got here, we felt the connection immediately and I think that was a big part in Micah coming here,” Dutcher said. “I think if he grew up a Michigan State fan, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Parrish’s commitment last week came as a surprise to many Aztecs fans because the transfer chatter had focused on a shooter.
Which is exactly what the Aztecs got, Dutcher is quick to point out.
Parrish shot just a pedestrian 35.2 percent behind the arc in his two seasons at Oakland. But buried in those numbers is 36 of 84, or 46.2 percent, during 17 Horizon
League games last season. He also shot 80 percent at the line, which many shooting coaches use as a key indicator for a player’s potential from long range.
The Oakland coaches raved about his chip-on-theshoulder work ethic, how they had never seen anyone improve their 3-point shot
that much, that quickly.
“He can really shoot the 3,” Dutcher said. “And he can create his own 3. Not only can he catch and shoot, he can shoot the step-back 3. His 3-point shooting in conference play last year was unbelievable. When I watched tape, I felt every time he shot the ball it was
going in.”
At 6-6, he is effective around the rim (he shot 57.5 percent inside the arc at Oakland) and can rebound (6.0 last season). He also can handle the ball and played some backup point. And — true story — he is genuinely passionate about defense.
If there is a learning curve, it will be the adjustment to SDSU’s helpside man-to-man system after primarily playing matchup zone for the Golden Grizzlies.
“The thing he feels he does best is play defense,” Dutcher said. “Just his willingness to say, ‘I want to come and defend, that’s what I do, I’m a defender,’ that sits well with us as a coaching staff. He’s not a guy who is strictly offensive. He has a defensive mindset but has an offensive game that goes along with that.”
Parrish and fellow transfer Darrion Trammell from Seattle University put the Aztecs at the 13-scholarship limit, assuming Nathan Mensah returns for a fifth “COVID” season. If he doesn’t, Dutcher said they’ll pursue a replacement.
Otherwise, that likely will be it for the transfer portal this spring.
“We’re not actively looking,” Dutcher said. “We’re obviously monitoring Nate. We’re continued to investigate bigs. But I’ve never been a guy who tries to have too many players. We have a full roster, with a lot of good players. To add another guard, I don’t think would be the right thing to do right now. These guys are coming here to play. You transfer to play, you don’t transfer to sit.”