Bixby sharpshooter Parker Friedrichsen is walking with a little extra bounce in his step this week.
One of the top high school basketball players in the Class of 2023 in Oklahoma, the 6-3 guard recently gave a verbal commitment to play at Oklahoma State.
“I walked into the offices in Stillwater last week and told them I was in, and whenever I walked out, it just felt like this weight was lifted off my shoulders,” admitted Friedrichsen.
“I thought I would wait until mid-summer, but I just had that feeling that I was done,” added Friedrichsen, who’s OSU’s first 2023 commit. “It was good timing, I think.”
Although he still has another year of high school remaining, Friedrichsen took his time during the recruiting process. He took official visits to three Big Ten schools and a few unofficial visits as well to get a broad experience of what schools had to offer.
“I didn’t grow up watching OU or OSU,” admitted Friedrichsen. “My dad is from Nebraska. What I think is kind of cool is that I never really thought about going to OSU before this year. Now it’s going to be home. I’m excited.”
“The reason I chose OSU was the way they recruited me and the way they prioritized me,” continued Friedrichsen. “I really do feel like it’s my best fit, on and off the floor. It’s such a family atmosphere and it’s close to home. It just felt right.”
That “feeling” was solidified by time spent with Cowboys head coach Mike Boynton.
“That’s a big piece of the whole decision was Coach Mike,” stated Friedrichsen, who averaged nearly 28 points a game this season for the Spartans. “He’s a great coach and an even better person. He’s honest with me. I know he’s going to take care of me. He wants the best for us. He’s going to push me to be my best.”
“It’s funny you say that,” remarked Friedrichsen. “When I sat down in Coach Mike’s office and watched film, the majority of the clips he showed me were of Lindy Waters. That’s kind of how he said he wanted to use me, like Lindy Waters or Jeffrey Carroll.”
While he may remind some of Lindy Waters, Friedrichsen also draws inspiration from Waters’ former Norman North teammate.
“I would say a little bit of Trae Young,” said Friedrichsen when asked if he tries to model his game after another player. “I really like his game. One, because he’s from Oklahoma, and I really have a lot of respect for him and what he’s doing. He’s a great offensive threat.”
Friedrichsen is one of the top shooters in the state and he attributes that distinction to all the time he’s spent over the years honing his craft.
“I live in the gym,” claimed Friedrichsen, who’s also one of the top performers on the Bixby golf team. “Two or three workouts a day. Honestly, I just work. All my workouts are game-translated stuff, too. It’s not like I’m just doing cone drills. It’s all movements I would do in a game, so I’ll be prepared. It’s just reps on reps.”
With the weight of his college choice off his shoulders, Friedrichsen is ready to enjoy his last summer of AAU ball and his final high school season before making the move to Stillwater.
“It’s been hard to tell other schools no because they’re good people, but it was right at OSU,” reflected Friedrichsen. “I love it there.”
