John Leonard "J. L." Parks (April 3, 1927 – March 13, 2018)[1][2] was an American basketball player.

Parks, a 6'0 guard from Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, attended Oklahoma A&M from 1944 to 1946 and 1947–49, winning championships with the Aggies in both 1945 and 1946 with future Hall of Fame teammate Bob Kurland.

When Parks and teammate Bob Harris again led the Aggies to the Final Four in 1949, Parks became the first player in NCAA history to compete in three Final Fours.

[7] Having served as a staff sergeant in the United States Army, he was interred at Houston National Cemetery on March 22, 2018.

[8] This biographical article relating to a United States basketball player, coach, or other figure born in the 1920s is a stub.