Parks Picks Duke : Prep basketball: Marina’s 6-11 center, one of nation’s top recruits, bypasses UCLA to commit to Blue Devils.

Cherokee Parks of Marina High School, UCLA’s top basketball recruit and one of the most sought-after players in the nation this season, orally committed to Duke Monday.

Parks, a 6-foot-11 center, committed to Blue Devil Coach Mike Krzyzewski Sunday night after visiting the Durham, N.C., campus over the weekend. The first day Parks can sign a letter of intent with the Blue Devils is Nov. 14.

“It’s all set,” Parks said. “I’m heading to Duke.”

Parks, The Times’ Orange County player of the year last season, had been recruited by several basketball powers since the eighth grade.

But he narrowed his choices this fall to five schools--Duke, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State and Kentucky.

After committing to Duke, Parks canceled trips to UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State. He visited Kentucky Oct. 14-16.

“I called all the coaches (Monday) morning and told them my plans,” Parks said. “It was such a shock to them. I had planned to go visit everywhere, then I pulled this off.”

Parks said he wanted to finish the recruiting process before Marina starts its basketball season in December.

“Deep down, I really wanted it all out of the way,” he said. “I’m glad I did now. I can relax and have fun my senior year. There won’t be anyone telling me where I should go.

“I had a long time to think about this on the plane ride home. I think Duke is a good place for me. I’m not putting down the other schools by committing. It was fun to go through the recruiting process.”

UCLA was hoping to add Parks to a lineup that included two of last season’s best high school players, Ed O’Bannon of Artesia and Shon Tarver of Santa Clara.

But Parks’ commitment to Duke is the second setback for UCLA in the last two weeks. O’Bannon injured his knee during a pickup game before preseason practice began and will miss the rest of the season.

Many coaches and recruiters figured Parks would stay near home and play for the Bruins.

“Everyone was picking me to go to UCLA because I’m from Southern California and they kept comparing me to Bill Walton,” he said. “Everyone figured I would stay home, but I didn’t want to.”

Said Corey Parks, Cherokee’s sister: “Mom (Debe) really wanted him to go to Duke. I think the reason he didn’t go to UCLA was because everyone expected him to go there.”

Parks couldn’t contact UCLA Coach Jim Harrick, who was out of town, so he broke the news to assistant Brad Holland.

“He took it real well,” Parks said. “It comes with the job.”

Parks’ play during the regular season and summer all-star camps had caught the attention of recruiters.

Last season, Park averaged 22.1 points, 13.4 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots per game while shooting 59% from the field. A three-year starter, he has averaged more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game since his sophomore year.

Last summer, he averaged 39 points and 18 rebounds per game for a Southern California all-star team that played in Stockholm, Sweden.

“I’m not sure Cherokee couldn’t step in with the Lakers right now,” UC Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan said. “He’s a big-time player.

“I wish he had stayed on the West Coast, though, and gone to UCLA or one of the Arizona schools. I hate to see those (East Coast) schools come in and be able to do that. It’s the same with the guys (Mater Dei’s LeRon Ellis, Capistrano Valley’s Scott McCorkle) who went off to Syracuse. I hate to see it.”

Parks is the first player to commit to Duke this season. He will join a team that has made four Final Four appearances in the last five years and has a 231-101 record in the last 10 seasons.

“I think I can adjust to Duke’s style of play,” Parks said. “I’m looking forward to playing in the ACC.

“Duke felt like home to me. Everyone is down-to-earth there.”

During his visit, Parks stayed with Blue Devil guard Bobby Hurley. He attended the team’s scrimmage, went to classes and even wandered over to Chapel Hill to visit the North Carolina campus.

“I guess I was kind of behind enemy lines there,” Parks said.