Five schools – Mississippi Valley State, Columbia College, Erskine, Parkland College and Chaminade were anxiously anticipating Parks’ announcement on Jan. 15. Parks could only commit to one school – and that school was Division I Mississippi Valley State. Coach Jason James and the Delta Devils program has to be thrilled with what it will be getting in Parks. She has led her 1A North assembling to a 13-2 record and the Eagles were ranked second in the most recent 1A coaches’ poll – only behind Military Magnet. North’s only losses this season were opposite 5A Division 2 Eastside and inter-county rival 3A Orangeburg-Wilkinson. Through 15 games, Parks has averaged 18.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.3 steals and 3.5 assists. She is ready for the Southwestern Athletic Conference – but is the SWAC ready for her?

Following a berth in the 1A Upper State championship last season, Parks’ North assembling is back for more in 2025-26. On Dec. 17, the Eagles hosted 4A Gilbert and earned a 66-51 victory on its home court. Parks reached a career milestone as she reached the 1,000-point plateau. Parks is this year’s team captain for North and she has led by example as evidenced by the 19.8 points, seven rebounds, 5.6 steals and three assists she has averaged. She is set to make more news this month as she will announce her college commitment on Jan. 15. Her final five schools are Mississippi Valley State, Columbia College, Erskine, Parkland College and Chaminade. North’s region schedule starts on Jan. 6 when the Eagles leave their nest for another – that of Blackville-Hilda’s Hawks. 

Parks is closing in on a collegiate decision as evidenced by her narrowing her collegiate possibilities to a final three. She will visit Parkland College, Chaminade and Mississippi Valley State before announcing her collegiate commitment. Whichever school lands Parks will be landing one of the Palmetto State’s premier guards. Parks wore North’s signature blue hues on 26 occasions last season and averaged 22.5 points, 6.3 steals and 5.7 rebounds in 2024-25. She played her final AAU season with FBC Next Up SC Lady Wolves. The Eagles advanced to the 1A Upper State championship game last season and North should be an even tougher out in 2025-26. 

Following an appearance at Run 4 Roses, Parks and her FBC BounceNation NextUp Lady Wolves team returned to Derby City to take part in the NE2K National Championship. Parks helped her team advance to the semifinals of the tournament where they matched up against Georgia Queen Elite Black 2026. Her team may have come up short, but she still tallied 21 points and eight rebounds in her final travel effort. Parks is another who has had a busy offseason with the offers she has received and she now looks forward to the 2025-26 season with a 1A North team that was an Upper State finalist last season. 

The veteran guard from 1A North departed from Run 4 Roses having turned in an impressive showing – and departed with an offer. Parkland College in downstate Illinois is hoping to bring Parks to the Prairie State once she graduates from North. Parks’ recruiting has picked up over the last several months as she has added offers from Chaminade, Talladega College, Erskine and Toccoa Falls College since the season concluded. She already held offers from Mississippi Valley State and Stephens College as well. Parks was a team captain on last year’s Eagles team and put up team captain-esque numbers – 22.5 points, 6.3 steals and 5.7 rebounds per contest. 

Parks greatly helped her FBC Next Up SC Lady Wolves team to a 56-45 victory over LA Hoops Basketball Club 2026 NE2K in the early going of Roses Saturday. Following the win over the Louisiana team, Parks was rewarded with an offer, fittingly, from Parkland College in Illinois. Parks is a skilled ball handler who can get herself and her team out of precarious spots. She can collect a large amount of rebounds by guard standards and can give her team additional offensive possessions with her defense. When one averages 22.5 points, 6.3 steals and 5.7 boards as Parks did in her junior campaign at 1A North, collegiate coaches and scouts will take notice.

Parks may not necessarily garner the attention statewide that prospects who play for larger schools attract, but the old adage is true. If one is good enough, collegiate programs will be present regardless of location. Chaminade University in Hawaii was the latest program to extend an offer Parks’ way. North was one of the premier teams last season in the 1A ranks as Parks led the team to an Upper State championship and the Eagles made moves during the offseason that should solidify its contender status. Parks averaged 22.5 points, 6.3 steals and 5.7 rebounds in the 26 games she played last season in North’s uniform.

Parks has been a nice addition to the Lady Eagles roster this season. Kailen transferred in from Lexington HS to North HS this past fall. She just helped the Lady Eagles clinch a berth in the Class 1A State Upper State Championship Game this coming Thursday in Florence vs Lee Central HS.

Kailen is currently averaging 23 ppg, 6.5 steals, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Lady Eagles (18-8). Kailen is the number one option for Head Coach Irek Hartwell on this North HS roster.

Kailen does a little bit of everything with her game. She will look to set the table when it comes to passing the rock, playing stingy defense or filling it up from all 3 levels on the hardwood. Kailen made the move up from #68 to #47 after the high school season she had for the Lady Eagles.

One had to believe that part of the Ridge Spring-Monetta game plan for its Region 3-A matchup with North was to contain Parks. She ensured the homestanding Trojans would have to go back to the drawing board. Parks would finish with 19 points as the Eagles earned the 47-28 victory to dispatch Ridge Spring-Monetta. Parks will find plenty of lanes to the basket and has no issues drawing contact to get to the free throw line. She also can wreak plenty of havoc as a defender and is also gifted in the transition game. Defensively, Parks will have plenty of occasions where she ensures there is virtually no space between her and an opposing defender and she plays the point efficiently. 

The program at 1A North only claimed six victories last season – four of which came against Branchville and Wagener-Salley. The addition of Parks to the program from 5A Lexington should yield better fortunes for the Eagles’ 2024-25 rendition. Defensively, she approaches every play with a heads-up mentality and it enables her to take quick advantage of an opposing offense’s miscues. Parks will run the floor well and fuses together ball handling and speed to finish strong at the rim. She will find spacing in the open floor and if she does so behind the 3-point line, Parks will take and make her 3-point tries.