Graduate forward Taiyier Parks (14) flashes a smile while getting back on defense for Ohio State against Michigan. The then No. 2-ranked Buckeyes defeated the Wolverines 67-51 at the Schottenstein Center Feb. 28. Credit: Caleb Blake | Photo Editor
After dipping her foot into different sports as a kid, graduate forward Taiyier Parks knew from the moment she picked up a basketball in the second grade that the rest would be history.
Parks, who grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, as the youngest of three siblings, was always competitive with her two older brothers, Omari Spellman and Arashma Parks, whenever they would play pickup basketball in their neighbor’s backyard.
Parks said having relatives with extensive basketball experience helped her develop as a player growing up.
“It helps having older brothers who have experienced it,” Parks said. “Having them as a resource was very beneficial for me and my mom, as well.”
Parks’ mother, Teresita Jones-Thomas, played collegiate basketball at Youngstown State, and her two older brothers both played college ball as well, with Spellman playing in the NBA for two seasons.
At first, Parks said her mother did not want to immediately throw a basketball into her and her brothers’ lives.
“She wanted us to be active but she didn’t want to force basketball onto us first, so she let us navigate different sports,” Parks said. “My first sport was cheer, and I did soccer, also did dance,
and then I finally told my mom I’m going to play basketball, let’s see how it is.”
Once she finally started playing organized basketball, Parks ended up having some of her best childhood memories growing up with her mom and two older brothers, whether it was playing pickup games down the street or Amateur Athletic Union ball.
Jones-Thomas said basketball came easy for Parks thanks to watching her brothers play.
“[Parks] was always taller than everyone else. So initially, she didn’t have to work as hard as some of the little girls that wasn’t tall or didn’t have some idea of basketball,” Jones-Thomas said. “She was able to jump right in and do the activities with ease.”
Jones-Thomas said Parks had a unique work ethic because she watched her family play.
“[Parks] could see something on TV and replicate the move, it was weird, she had a knack for it,” Jones-Thomas said. “I would say her work ethic was a little bit different because her brother’s; basketball came a little bit easy for them, and so it almost trickled down for her.”
In sixth grade, Parks said she played AAU basketball with high school sophomores and was the youngest player out of everybody in the entire league. Despite that, the outstanding age difference did not phase Parks one bit, and colleges started to take notice.
Parks said it was that same year that she realized her dream of playing Division I college basketball could eventually come true.
“We were playing tournament games, and I received my first college; the questionnaires that colleges send out,” Parks said. “It clicked for me that I’m actually really good and I can go far in this, so I feel like that’s what really pushed me to do more.”
Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff said he loves how hard Parks plays when she is on the floor, which is reflective of how she played growing up.
“[Parks has] a physical presence and it’s something that we’ve lacked in recent years, especially around the basket,” McGuff said. “I really like how physical she is in the effort that she plays.”
Spellman, who became a national champion at Villanova before playing for the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors in the NBA from 2018-20, was a big mentor for Parks.
After Spellman went off to college in 2016, Parks said his knowledge became extremely helpful for her and it stuck with her as she progressed throughout high school.
“[Spellman] gave me advice a lot, especially what his experience was and what to look forward to and what not to do when you get to school,” Parks said. “It’s just be a sponge and willing to learn especially from older vets who’s been through it and just pay attention.”
When Spellman won a national championship with Villanova in 2018, his entire family was there in San Antonio, including Parks, and she said she remembers being proud of how far he came, and it motivated her to work even harder to follow in her brother’s footsteps.
Parks’ motivation paid off as she committed to play for Michigan State for the 2019-20 season. However, after four seasons with the Spartans, she decided to enter the transfer portal, staying in the Big Ten and choosing to play for the Buckeyes back in her home state.
During the season, Parks was an integral piece of an Ohio State team that won its first outright Big Ten regular-season title since the 2009-10 season and finished the season as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament with a 26-6 record.
McGuff said Parks’ experience with Michigan State and now with the Buckeyes is her hard work and determination paying off.
“[Parks has] got such great experience coming from Michigan State for four years; she’s been really valuable,” McGuff said. “She’s been in the big games, she’s been in the big moments, she knows the grind of the season and all that stuff has been really important.”
Jones-Thomas said she is very excited for Parks’ future and she knows she will be great wherever she ends up after leaving Columbus.
“She’s a special person; I knew she was destined for greatness whatever that may be,” Jones-Thomas said. “To see her smile, even on the court, is truly amazing because it tells me that she truly still loves the game of basketball.”
Even after wrapping up the season, Parks still keeps that competitive spirit she had as a young child alive in hopes of playing professional basketball and carrying on her family’s legacy.
“I was so competitive so you’re always trying to one-up your siblings,” Parks said. “So it’s always been in the back of my mind to go overseas to play professionally and God willing; being able to make it to the league I’ll be blessed to do that as well.”
