When
Clayton Parker talks about Morehead State, he doesn't sound like someone who simply picked a college — he sounds like someone who found a second home. "I chose Morehead State because of the great connection I had with Coach Mattox and the whole coaching staff," Parker said. "Morehead is also a pretty small town like my hometown back in Missouri so it makes it feel like home even more!"
That small-town comfort has been a big part of his early success. The close-knit campus, familiar faces, and the steady rhythm of a community that reminds him of where he grew up have given him the perfect foundation to chase his basketball dreams.
Parker's journey to Division I basketball didn't start in a gym or on a big stage — it started at home, battling with his two older brothers. "As three boys growing up without a sister in the household, there were many 'friendly fights' that would take place between us," he said. "They have shaped me into the person and player I am today which I am very grateful for."
He never got the chance to share a high school court with them, but he never missed a game. Watching them compete, learning from their mistakes and their successes, and trying to measure up in every family pickup game turned him into the player he is now. "Being the youngest of three, I had to get so much tougher because there was no crying to mom or dad when Carson or Collin punches you in the face when they are driving to the basket," he said. "I just had to toughen up."
Those backyard battles taught him more than any drill ever could — how to compete, how to get up when you're knocked down, and how to love the game.
Growing up in a basketball family meant Parker didn't have much of a choice when it came to the sport — and he's thankful for that. His dad coached his pee-wee teams and helped him fall in love with the game. "My dad is someone who coached my pee-wee teams with my senior class who really influenced us to really love the game," he said.
That foundation has stuck with him. The lessons from those early years — teamwork, discipline, and joy — are the same ones that drive him today at Morehead State. Whether it's staying late after practice or getting extra shots up in an empty gym, it all traces back to the way his family taught him to work and have fun.
Now that he's at the college level, Parker's focus is simple: keep getting better. "I would just like to continue to build my body up and get faster and stronger in the weight room," he said. "Also, just continuing to get shots up every day and consistently staying in the gym to grow my game."
It's the same mindset he'd share with any young player dreaming of Division I basketball. "The one thing I would say is to just get 1% better every day and continue to stay in the gym," he said. "Respect the game, and the game will respect you."
That attitude — steady, humble, and hungry — has already made him a valuable part of the Eagles' program.
Ask Parker what he wants people to remember about this year's team, and he doesn't hesitate. "One thing I hope people remember about this year's team is all the different personalities we have and how fun it is to be around us," he said. "I would also like for them to remember us as an OVC Champion and a team that plays in March Madness!"
It's a big goal, but it fits the way he talks about the game — with joy, with confidence, and with a sense of family.
As for who he models his game after? Parker laughs at the comparison his friends make. "My friends back home joke around all the time about me looking like Luka Garza," he said. "He is a big that has good footwork and can step out and knock down a shot so I can see it."
If he keeps working the way he has, there's no telling how far that "Luka Garza" footwork and small-town toughness can take him."
