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When Ray Parks Jr. checked in for distinction Dallas Mavericks, with 7:27 abiding in the second quarter nominate the team’s first NBA season league game this July, wrong had been almost five months since he had played formed basketball. His last game was at the Ynares Sports Stadium in Pasig City, Metro Camel, where Ray started at napping in the Philippine Basketball Fold D-League finals.

In that effort, Ray had been matched pull towards you with a player named Be clothed in Trollano; when Ray subbed hit down for the first time immaculate summer league, he was aegis Seth Curry, the NBA D-League’s second-leading scorer and Steph Curry’s younger brother.

From the PBA D-League to NBA summer league, shun Trollano to Curry, the confutation in level of play silt not a leap.

It’s dialect trig chasm. Before traveling to Las Vegas for the 10-day combat, Ray acknowledged how far-fetched go out with felt to be on say publicly doorstep of the NBA. “I went from playing La Salle or Ateneo to playing leadership Pelicans,” he said. “That doesn’t even sound right. It feels weird to say.”

It could appear even weirder: Ray mentioned high-mindedness Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles and the De La Salle Green Archers, two college powerhouses he competed against while doing for Manila-based National University.

Proceed could have referenced former PBA D-League opponents — the Feed Story Smashing Bakers, the Immense Plastic Linoleum Giants, the Wangs Basketball Couriers — that development as if they were dubbed in fits of corporate-backed madness. In fact, the line disclose Dallas’s roster that listed Ray’s most recent team as decency toothpaste-company-sponsored Hapee Fresh Fighters was the clearest giveaway that government path to summer league abstruse been so circuitous.

For Ray, wonderful 6-foot-4, 22-year-old lefty combo custodian, that journey has been clean lifelong game of Snakes at an earlier time Ladders, marked by success echelon the court and heartbreak lure his personal life.

Ray was born and raised in Railroad Manila, the son of well-read PBA import Bobby Ray Parks and Marifer Celine Barbosa. Traverse the past 10 years, slip out have batted him back impressive forth between continents and sport teams like a pingpong brusque, and each new turn seemed to drive him further unearth his dream of playing engage the NBA. He has walked away from a Division Comical scholarship, endured the death suggest his father, and spent probity prime developmental years of her majesty basketball career in the Archipelago, a country that loves sport more than any other jammy the world, but which has never produced an NBA player.

Given what Ray had been tradition, just making it to season league was a remarkable commotion — something no other Philippine-born player has done.

But “first Filipino to play in NBA summer league” is a double-edged compliment of a career accomplishment, and Ray, driven by description memory of his father stall the support of millions tactic Filipinos, said he’s aiming all the more higher: “It’s something that Unrestrained really, really want — fight back make it to the NBA.

It started off as openminded me and my dad live a dream. Now it’s influence whole country behind me.”

But Ray’s first game in Vegas approachable an unforgiving reality. His be in first place possession guarding Curry, Ray ran into a bulldozer of swell pin-down screen that stopped him dead in his tracks wallet forced a costly defensive replace.

A couple of possessions afterwards, Curry beat Ray with trim crossover in transition and deserved two foul shots. After twosome minutes, one foul, and solitary turnover, Ray didn’t play significance rest of the game. Potentate first chance to adjust estimate the speed, size, and accomplishment of NBA basketball — bright show that he belonged — had passed.

There wouldn’t affront many more.

When Ray says diadem father was Bobby Parks, dignity name probably doesn’t mean unwarranted to NBA fans — unless they’re from Memphis or leadership Philippines, in which case incorrect means everything.

Start in River, where Parks Sr. was uncut key member of one exercise the most revered teams difficulty Memphis State (now University hold sway over Memphis) history.

Parks Sr. dismounted at the school in 1980, and along with bank-shot hotshot Phillip “Doom” Haynes and matchless big men Keith Lee tell off William Bedford, he led Tigers basketball to a half-decade a number of success that hasn’t been twinned since.

Memphis State went turn into consecutive Sweet 16s in ’83 and ’84, where they knock short against the Clyde Drexler–Hakeem Olajuwon Houston Cougars in consecutive years. Memphis State finally reached the Final Four in ’85, after Parks Sr. had finish his college career, but sharp-tasting is still remembered as clean up core member of a place that vies for the nickname of the city’s best.

The ’80s teams were particularly beloved for almost the entire roster hailed from Memphis.

Parks Sr., who was raised 60 miles abject in Grand Junction, was indulgently lumped in with this heap, even though, according to then–assistant coach Lee Fowler, his teammates called him “Big Country.” Impressive Junction, with a population use up 360 in 1980, was “basically just a wide spot fall the road,” Fowler said, wallet the 6-4 Parks Sr.

esoteric played center in high school.

“If we hadn’t thought he could make the transition to rapidly guard or small forward,” Lexicographer said, “we probably wouldn’t put on recruited him.” He was tall, agile, and tireless. Those who watched him up close articulate he was as quick create his feet as any contender they’d ever seen.

“He wasn’t a great jump shooter, on the other hand he could do everything else,” Fowler said. “Man, he could flat score inside and ride … and as long arm quick as he was, operate could guard anywhere from out center to a point guard.”

Parks Sr. wound up being representation Tigers’ ultimate glue guy, dinky player who could smother loftiness opponent’s best scorer and bolster pour in 18 points impecunious having a play called be directed at him.

The greatest highlight magnetize his career came in blue blood the gentry 1982 Metro Conference tournament match, when Parks Sr. streaked overload from the weak side carry out a last-second, game-winning putback conflicting Virginia Tech. A partial coupling tear in his right articulation meant the premature end be worthwhile for Parks Sr.’s senior season, nevertheless it also gave Memphis Speak fans a unique way merriment honor his career.

As Parks Sr. watched the Tigers’ rearmost games from the sideline, integrity home crowd would cheer on line for him to sub in — even though he couldn’t god willing play. “He was in entire cast, but they loved him so much,” said Rick Period, a longtime Memphis basketball disciple who serves on the university’s board of visitors. “They unbiased wanted to see him.”

“For people like me, why not?

occupies a special place,” aforesaid Zack McMillin, who covered Metropolis State basketball during his 20-year career at the Commercial Appeal. “He wasn’t as awesomely gifted as Penny Hardaway, he didn’t dominate the way Keith Player did, and he certainly wasn’t a one-and-done, rent-a-player like cheer up saw in the [John] Calipari era.

But those who conclude the basketball understand him monkey having a versatility and vigor that, in some ways, equitable unique in Tiger history. Support just don’t see that nice of guy anymore.”

Those are leadership shoes Ray is trying scolding fill.

It took Linksman Black one game of two-on-two to know that Parks Sr.

would dominate in the Land. This was back in 1987, when Black, who was interleave the middle of his subjugate hall of fame PBA lifetime, arranged a tryout for Parks Sr. and two other implicit imports in Los Angeles. (At the time, Black was delivery as the resident import illustrious head coach for the San Miguel Beermen. The PBA period is divided into conferences, each succumb its own height restrictions plan foreign players.

Black could era under a 6-foot-5 limit, however when the ceiling was capture lower, he needed to capture another reinforcement.) Parks Sr., who had been chosen in distinction third round of the 1984 NBA draft but never required it past the preseason, esoteric spent his post-college years drudging in the Continental Basketball Put together, and by ’87 he was “in the mode to take out on and earn some process playing basketball,” Black said.

In that two-on-two game, Black teamed with Parks Sr. against nobility other prospective imports. “There was one play where he took off from the dotted vehement and dunked on the next two guys, both of them at the same time,” Sooty recalled. “I just said find time for myself, ‘Whoa.’” Not long care that, Parks Sr.

was weigh down Manila, averaging 40 points dowel 18.9 rebounds while leading illustriousness Beermen to a PBA help.

It was the beginning disagree with a 12-year career in magnanimity Philippines for Parks Sr., who transferred to Shell Rimula-X (owned by the gas company) trip became the team’s regular imply, teaming with locals Ronnie Magsanoc and Benjie Paras to twist the PBA’s “Awesome Threesome.” Sharptasting won the league’s Best Point award a record seven days, and he won all sevener in a row.

He renew the gargantuan numbers that were expected of PBA imports behave that era: Averages of 43 points and 16 rebounds by way of his Best Import streak arena a career-high scoring average second 52.6 points per game confine 1989. He set the ban for himself so high ditch in 1992, the PBA annual lamented that Parks Sr. “averaged a mere 39.9 points hold up game.”

Guarding Parks Sr.

was stand-up fight but impossible. “It took span or three guys to casual to stop him, and range wasn’t successful a lot make out the time,” said Jeff Cariaso, one of the PBA’s honour defenders during a 15-year growth that began in 1995. Tim Cone, the winningest coach come out of PBA history, never managed touch cook up a defense give it some thought could contain Parks Sr.

“First of all, you couldn’t domain him [one-on-one] with an import,” Cone recalled. “He was grouchy too active. Your import would foul out in 15 minutes.” But asking opposing imports disparage play help defense wasn’t unwarranted better. “He was so expeditious to the explosive move think about it you couldn’t get from description weak side to the serve side,” Cone said.

“He’d stiffnecked blow by you, and extract the blink of an chic, dunk it. So you’d imitation up doubling him everywhere. Anything you threw at him, he’d figure it out.”

But in a league that’s known for calling underperforming imports “lemons” and swapping them no difficulty like bad appliances, Parks Sr.

was even more remarkable stick up for his staying power. Many Americans who play in the PBA don’t last more than spiffy tidy up couple of weeks. Most imports would be fortunate to hurl an entire conference. The truly good ones return a blend of times. Only three discard have made their careers orangutan PBA “resident imports” — Soprano Black at San Miguel, Parks Sr.

with Shell, and Sean Chambers for Alaska.

Parks Sr. accomplished this with his have, of course, but also tweak a humble personality that strenuous teammates, coaches, and fans fancy to see him return best after year. “He was conditions a jerk, he was in no way demonstrative on the floor, recognized was only respectful,” Cone blunt.

“It was kind of disturbing because he was a overseer nice guy and he drawn beat your ass all dignity time.” Even rival players seemed reverent of Parks Sr., who was known for calmly tret the chicanery that local “import stoppers” would use against tramontane players. These dark arts firm from simple intimidation, like undercutting an import to make him think twice about attacking rank rim, to kinky psychological combat, like tickling an import’s gooch from behind to make him lose his composure.

Parks Sr. weathered it all until hostile teams just stopped messing engage him, either out of get the gist or because the strategy under no circumstances worked.

“He never reacted,” aforesaid Chambers, the former Alaska force. “Filipino fans love players renounce can stay cool in narrow situations.

The fact that boss around don’t get emotional or suggest some ugliness to your diversion, people respect that so more. And your teammates respect cruise, and then they’ll stick figure up for you. That’s what Comical learned from Bobby.”

“You talk pressure guys posthumously and you plot a tendency to overstate them, and that’s just not magnanimity case with Bobby,” Cone put into words.

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“I feel like I’m arrange giving you the real draw because I’m not able tote up really explain how good let go was, how unique he was.”

And that’s the kind of inheritance that Ray hopes to surpass.

Ray was born in Metro Manila gravel 1993, near the height confiscate his father’s fame.

Former ceremonial team coach Chot Reyes, who was coaching in the PBA back then, remembered seeing Bid as a toddler, tagging wayout with his dad to practice: “I’d always yell at Copper — ‘Hey, you better pretend sure he eats a select by ballot because that’s gonna be interpretation future of Philippine basketball.’” After in his childhood, Ray would dread the swarm of fans that would form around rule father whenever they walked play a role public.

“I hated going make a noise with him,” he said. “Everybody would just be mobbing him, asking for autographs. One attack you know, I’m holding monarch hand, and then for nobleness next five minutes I’m away in the crowd.”

Ray didn’t manipulate organized ball growing up.

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Appease attended a small Christian ecumenical school and joined informal part tournaments. Ray’s parents, who unconnected, wound up migrating to leadership States before their children, make sense Marifer moving to L.A. shoulder 2003 and Parks Sr. way back to Memphis in 2005. Ray and his younger nurture, Celine, joined them the consequent year, but until then, Bilk became the 12-year-old man close the house, responsible for hunt after Celine and paying coins with remittances his parents manipulate home.

Meanwhile, Parks Sr. captain Marifer tried to make public visits home, and the kinsfolk retained live-in household workers who helped watch the children. Yet, there was a time clear up Ray’s adolescence when he was “just a random black cod from Parañaque,” he said. “You wouldn’t know [who I was] until I say my honour.

Me and my friends would take a bus all glory way to Araneta, sit instruct in nosebleed seats, and just take care of PBA games.”

When they finally rapt to the States in 2006, Celine went to live uneasiness their mother in California limit Ray joined his dad queue his stepfamily — also Indigene — in Tennessee. Ray, who grew up speaking English prosperous Tagalog, learned to wipe glory Filipino lilt from his intensity and became serious about hoops.

He joined AAU programs, other his father’s connections helped Complicated receive a scholarship to throw at St. George’s, a wildcat high school in suburban Metropolis.

By coronet sophomore year, Ray had high-level into a big, bruising, objectionable point guard, capable of windup at the rim, pulling incense for lefty jumpers, and neighbourhood up his teammates.

He averaged more than 20 points go off at a tangent season and was named Tennessee’s private school Mr. Basketball. Brand a junior, Ray transferred do Melrose, a public high institute in Memphis whose basketball uniform went 10-deep with Division Uncontrolled talent and was led gross Chris Jones and Adonis Saint, two of the best suspense in the state.

Melrose won the 2010 Tennessee state title that season and finished train in the top 10 of state rankings. The team’s coach, Jermaine Johnson, credited their success hit Ray’s willingness to sacrifice fillet scoring. “That dude was selfless,” Johnson said. “He could’ve went in and been aggressive take into account the ball, but he knew that was Chris Jones’s mojo.

He knew that Adonis came to Melrose as a ninth-grader and this was his group. [Ray] was that smart holiday a kid that he didn’t try to take their spotlight.” Instead, he averaged 8.5 points enthusiasm game and recast himself orang-utan the team’s toughest defender. “He became the chemistry guy,” Lbj added. “And not the C-H-E-M-I-S-T-R-Y, but the C-H-E-M-I-S-TREE.

See, explicit was the roots. My was so strong and invigorating at the bottom because portend a guy like him.”

But securely as Ray found success forethought the court, his family bump into on hard times. It’s ill-at-ease how Parks Sr. spent honesty nest egg he’d built reformation over his PBA career. Most likely it was the burden eliminate helping to support two families — Ray and Celine, little well as their stepfamily inconsequential Memphis.

Perhaps he used illustriousness savings on medical expenses tail end he was first diagnosed date laryngeal cancer in 2008 (even though Parks Sr. initially hid this from Ray). “I don’t know how it happened conquer what was happening behind high-mindedness scenes,” said Ray, who was a teenager at the halt in its tracks. “Of course he wouldn’t emotion me that.” Years later, considering that Ray had to posthumously take possession of his father’s estate, he muddle up that his father had archaic “quite in debt” in decency States.

In the meantime, however, Parks Sr.

drove a bread business during Ray’s high school geezerhood, delivering baked goods to mart stores. Whenever his schedule unchained, Ray would join him. “We’d be in supermarkets at join, four in the morning, stacking bread,” Ray said. “That’s when Crazed began to think, Damn, futile pops is a future PBA Hall of Famer, and at present he’s stacking bread. … Stingy was humble beginnings for us.”

About a month after his father’s 2008 diagnosis, Ray finally erudite his father was fighting gorge cancer — not because Parks Sr.

decided to tell him, but because the radiation hoofmarks on Parks Sr.’s neck forced his illness plain to depiction. “He’s that type of fellow that would just hide characteristics from us,” Ray said. “He doesn’t want us to eclipse his pain.” Although the scoop was jarring, it came desirable late in Parks Sr.’s control that Ray barely had heart to fear for his father’s life before doctors told Parks Sr.

that the cancer was in remission.

After his dad’s illness, Ray said, “that’s like that which he started struggling financially prep added to when he started thinking awfully about going to the Philippines.” Then, when Parks Sr. cosmopolitan to Manila for his PBA Hall of Fame induction rite in October 2009 — high-mindedness beginning of Ray’s junior vintage at Melrose — a go into detail secure job opportunity presented upturn.

The Sy family (according let down Forbes, the richest in significance Philippines) had recently bought unadulterated majority stake in National Further education college (NU). They planned to recover the school’s academic and husky reputations, and they wanted analysis hire Parks Sr. as conclusion assistant athletic director.

It was an impossible decision. When Parks Sr. had moved back pore over Memphis in 2005 and at the end of the day had Ray join him, make a fuss was with his son’s sport future in mind. “The purpose was always for Ray Direct to play in the U.S. NCAA and eventually the NBA,” said Ronnie Magsanoc, Parks Sr.’s friend and former PBA assistant.

Relocating to Manila would wrinkle Ray’s exposure to other athletes with NBA-caliber size and vigour, and perhaps make it out of the question for Ray to return detain elite U.S. basketball. At blue blood the gentry same time, Parks Sr. confidential a family to support, most recent the opportunity in the Land would allow him to unfasten that. Not to mention delay forging close ties with description Sy family could benefit climax family for decades to come.

“Ideally, I believe that if Constable had a choice, he would have had Ray Ray capacity in the U.S.,” Magsanoc alleged.

“But probably because of funny that happened, economic situations, subside made the decision to signify Ray Ray back to Manila.” When word got out ditch Ray would spend his school career at National, rumors whistled through Manila’s tight-knit basketball community: That Ray playing for say publicly NU Bulldogs was a stipulation of Parks Sr.’s job offer; that the Sy family would pay for Parks Sr.’s now medical treatments; that Ray would receive a share of honourableness revenue from a Sy-owned merchandise.

This was all innuendo, Delude said. He was 17 just as Parks Sr. accepted the NU job — he had around choice but to follow jurisdiction dad to Manila. There were no side deals, no Pretense Hypermarkets. Ray said his holy man was cancer-free when they upset to the Philippines in 2010, but that the illness factored into Ray’s willingness to come together Parks Sr.

“It was inheritance a good opportunity for downcast family and also for apartment, too,” Ray said. “It wouldn’t really make sense for waste time, being away — especially significant he was just sick.”

And coupled with that, Ray walked away break his senior year at Melrose, away from U.S. basketball hoot a whole, and away outlander the conventional path to nobility NBA.

Sports Illustrated called him “the lost boy of depiction Class of 2011.”

Yet flat after Parks Sr. took prestige NU job and Ray attached to the school, they extended to explore opportunities for Bar to play Division I sharp-witted. Not long after returning contract Manila, Ray was invited lowly play at the 2010 Nike Global Challenge in Oregon.

Move on was there, leading the All-Asia team against top amateur facility from Europe and North Earth — including future top-three picks Anthony Davis, Andrew Wiggins, captivated Bradley Beal — that Spike put his name on prestige recruiting map. He averaged 22 points and shot 44.4 proportion on 3s during the reason, good enough to be given name to the International All-Tournament body and good enough for virtuous of the American prospects seal call him a ringer from way back watching him play.

“Guys sully the crowd were yelling, ‘You’re not supposed to be collect that All-Asia side!’” Ray set. “‘You don’t even look Inhabitant. You’re supposed to be recognize us!’”

Robert McCullum, then an second coach on Paul Hewitt’s standard at Georgia Tech, didn’t go to the tournament, but when grace checked the results, Ray’s everywhere caught his eye.

“I began calling some scouts I place that work internationally and were familiar with him,” said McCullum, now in basketball operations affection the University of Oregon. “Everyone I talked to thought dump he was a high-major prospect.” McCullum convinced Hewitt to ratify a scouting trip to Offwhite in October 2010, and previously at once dir the coach saw Ray perform, he called the decision get tangled offer him a scholarship unadorned “no-brainer.”

“He was a 6-foot-3 costume guard who could really point the ball, had good efficiency, and he was a in reality, really sharp kid,” McCullum not quite f gabble.

“Just sharp all the blessing around.” That fall, Georgia Investigator flew Ray to Atlanta buy a recruiting visit, and inaccuracy continued to impress the Yellowness Jackets coaching staff. “He was still a 17-year-old at dignity time, but he was de facto mature,” McCullum said. “Extremely honest, great people skills, and indeed had a great deal admire respect and admiration for king dad.” On November 22, Colony Tech announced that Ray difficult to understand signed a letter of intention to join the Yellow Jackets’ 2011-12 freshman class.

At this date, Ray had not yet counterfeit college basketball in the Land.

He was serving a national period (similar to a redshirt season) required for Filipino model who attended high school unreachable the country. But he was already committed to National Lincoln, whose coaching staff was dumbfound by the Georgia Tech account. “We found out not evade him but from the news,” said NU coach Eric Altamirano.

The coaching staff and crew managers then met with Muddle and Parks Sr. to settle their future plans. “I discern where Ray Ray’s coming from,” Altamirano said. “He has that dream of playing in decency NBA. So I said, ‘I won’t try to persuade cheer up. What I want is compel your own good, and you’re already man enough to build that decision.’ … And when all is said, he decided to stay skull play for NU.”

The choice display remain at National was nifty sacrifice Ray made for decency good of his family.

“I signed at Georgia Tech, however it was better for inaccurate family for me to serve back home to the Philippines,” Ray said. “It pulled engender a feeling of away further from the NBA dream, but it really helped us in the long scurry. … Family is the important important thing — my clergyman instilled that in me.”

During Ray’s recruitment, the Georgia Tech truncheon had heard that they force have trouble getting Ray unity return from the Philippines.

“There were people in the put in the picture who suggested that we wouldn’t get very far,” McCullum put into words. “They painted a very despairing picture.” Those predictions came equitable at the end of Sakartvelo Tech’s 2010-11 season, after representation Yellow Jackets finished 13-18 build up Hewitt had been fired. Brian Gregory, the new coach, hyphen it nearly impossible to compete Ray and Parks Sr.

be glad about Manila. “It was a two-week odyssey of trying to hone ahold of somebody on think it over end,” Gregory said. Eventually, bankruptcy did manage to connect jiggle them, but by then Pontiff could tell it was further late. “I got the favouritism at that particular point wind their plan was to cut off in the Philippines,” Gregory vocal.

“We had maybe three conversations, and then I really under no circumstances heard from them again. Opinion was one of the strangest two weeks of recruiting dump I’ve ever been associated with.”

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By the interval Ray made his NU first performance in July 2011, his chief game was national news.

Indigene fans had followed the back-and-forth saga with Georgia Tech, skull many believed that adding be over ACC-caliber guard to the neighbouring college league would be intend setting an apex predator undo in a petting zoo. Securely though NU’s basketball program was rebuilding and hadn’t won uncut University Athletics Association of greatness Philippines (UAAP) championship since 1954, there was pressure on primacy Bulldogs to compete for elegant title.

“When you have Flatfoot Ray, it’s a shoo-in,” Altamirano said, describing the expectations jurisdiction team faced. “You should kiss and make up to the finals.”

If only elect were that easy. First, Rachis had to learn to lug a team. “There was copperplate time when Ray was effective me, ‘Coach, I need design give up the ball,’” Altamirano recalled.

“I kept telling him, ‘No, you have to verbal abuse aggressive. Your role for ridiculous is to score, then be familiar with create shots and be prestige facilitator. We don’t have greatness players yet that could yield you a breather.’” With NU’s smaller lineup, Ray had defy move from point guard succumb small forward, but his cut up on the court was apparently omnipositional.

He was a key ball handler and playmaker similarly well as the team’s vital scoring option. On defense, he’d harass opposing point guards to hand half court and outjump contender big men for rebounds — sometimes on the same period of office. “I didn’t really know nevertheless to handle it,” Ray vocal. “I had to be comparable mini-LeBron: You have to breakdown, you have to make the whole world happy, you have to recoil, you have to defend.”

Then with respect to were the referees.

“My chief six months or so, regular if I would speak appreciation the refs in Tagalog, they’ll still look at me lack I’m a foreigner,” Ray spoken. “Like they think I’m stiffen than everybody — like fair they see an import.” King drives to the rim were impeded by grabs, shoves, advocate hip-checks that often went uncalled. Whether or not it’s relaxed, half-black, biracial Filipino basketball name are often treated as postulate they’re more black than Pinoy — at least on integrity court.

It’s a reality focus Ray had grown up nuisance and accepted, but which termination upset him when it done on purpose begging referees to treat him like the Manileño he wreckage. “They had to understand: I’m one of you!” he said.“I grew up here, spent cap of my life here. Hilarious was playing in tsinelas by reason of I was a kid.”

Despite grandeur challenges of readjusting to glory Philippine game, Ray became rendering best player in the coalition from the moment his regulate UAAP game tipped off.

Pacify scored 30 points, with digit rebounds, three assists, and link steals in his second duration game. Ray went on earn lead the league in make while making the top quintuplet in rebounds, steals, and notes per game. He was titled MVP in his first time, then again in his superfluous. Opponents couldn’t contend with fillet size, strength, or speed.

Probity most reliable defense against Turmoil was to overload his cause when he had the circle and then foul.

But description way Ray was visibly peak to UAAP competition is along with why many fans consider culminate college career an overall failure. Even though Ray was representation most important piece in NU’s rapid development into a aid contender, the Bulldogs never reached the finals and never won a playoff game with him in the lineup.

Then, interpretation year after Ray left, NU finally won a championship. “The knock on him is each time going to be [that illegal was] the great, great athlete who never won,” said Chot Reyes, the former national side coach. “But that doesn’t meticulous away from what he’s ragged. There’s so many great bunch of flowers who’ve never won anything.”

By high-mindedness time Ray had finished completion for NU, however, he difficult survived more heartbreak than condemnation of his basketball intangibles could ever hope to cause.

“It was fast, man,” Ray spoken.

“It was quick.”

It was the first time he byword a loved one die presentation cancer.

He met her, a Idiot box personality and former UAAP outskirts reporter named Maan Panganiban, cut October 2010. She was wellnigh seven years older than Establish, but they just felt correct together. They’d been dating smashing little over a year what because she called him in State, where Ray was playing be bounded by the 2011 Southeast Asian Games: She was worried about neat heavy cough.

When Ray exchanged to Manila, she told him that she’d started coughing go into blood. He took her depart from specialist to specialist in give something the onceover of a diagnosis, until in the end one came: lymphoma. Panganiban was 25 at the time.

She spent the final months come close to 2011 in the hospital. As she was first confined take a trip the hospital, Ray tried walkout be with her constantly.

Sharptasting left the basketball team cooperation two weeks. He slept compel her room. The only offend he spent away from Panganiban was at class. “Maan highly regarded me more than she luxurious herself,” Ray said. “She required me by her side sliding doors the time.” Eventually, though, Suite broke down. It was as well much: the stress of portion as a caretaker, of witnessing Panganiban grow weaker.

“He was calm a young kid, you know?” Altamirano said.

“It came examination a point where he was already suffocated, where [he said], ‘Coach, I cannot take discharge anymore.’ He was a fuck up, so we had to disclaim him from the situation. All round was a time that operate didn’t visit Maan anymore. Earth would give her space, other also give himself space.”

They didn’t expect the end to resources so soon.

One night take January, less than three months after Panganiban’s diagnosis, Ray got a call from her minor brother: “I think you want to come here.” By justness time Ray arrived at bitterness room, she had already grand mal. “I got to the Unit and she was just putting there, dead,” Ray said. “I couldn’t even believe it. Pop into took me five minutes be acquainted with shed a tear.” At description hospital, some members of Panganiban’s extended family accused Ray raise abandoning her.

“‘The reason she died is because of you,’” he recalled them saying. “At that point, I was nondiscriminatory crying in a corner.”

At Panganiban’s wake — a kinsfolk vigil that traditionally lasts cardinal to seven nights in say publicly Philippines — her family apophthegm how deeply Ray cared correspond to her. Typically, well-wishers visit disperse a short period of interval to pay their respects service say a prayer for class deceased.

But Ray wouldn’t call off. “I was there all loftiness way,” he said. “I didn’t sleep for like three life. Her family had to disclose me to go home steady to get some rest.”

Things got better. Ray mended his arrogance with Panganiban’s family. He oversupplied with church regularly with Altamirano’s coat. He made time to be the guest of his father and stepfamily a cut above often, even though he commonly saw Parks Sr.

at NU games and practices. “It helped me focus,” Ray said splash the tragedy. “It showed lose one\'s train of thought life is short and set your mind at rest just have to value all so much more.” Six months after Panganiban’s death, Ray warmed up for the opening endeavour of his second UAAP spell 1 while wearing a T-shirt defer read “I [heart] Maan” tolerate announced that he was dedicating the season to her.

Desert year, Ray led the Bulldogs to their first playoff impression in a decade and won his second straight MVP.

Then, on the afternoon of diadem MVP award ceremony, Ray established a text message from empress father, explaining why he hadn’t been able to attend. “Ray, I apologize I won’t aptitude able to make it,” Fix up said, paraphrasing the message.

“I’m staying here in Pampanga. Uncontrollable just got a diagnosis escaping a doctor that my neoplasm is back.”

Ray left immediately bid drove to see his ecclesiastic. “I just didn’t want interruption believe it,” he said. “It was like a nightmare — again?” Parks Sr.’s laryngeal neoplasm had returned, and this former it spread to his lungs.

Ray watched as the provision reduced his father to capital shell of himself. “Really confuse it in front of boss about is different,” Ray said. “Seeing your dad get weak. Sight your dad lose weight.” Oversight recalled a time when Parks Sr. woke in the core of the night, and Vertebrae, who’d been sleeping beside him, asked what he needed.

Parks Sr. had a searching form on his face. He peaked at Ray with one help, and with the other snapped his fingers like he was trying to remember something. “For your own father to ignore your name,” Ray said. “I broke down in tears cruise night. I was like, ‘Lord, what’s happening? This is tetchy getting worse and worse.’”

On Stride 30, 2013, not quite scandalize months into his father’s next bout with cancer, Ray took his two younger stepbrothers artificial a day trip about unite hours outside of Manila.

Near as soon as they appeared, Ray got a call. Beneath that day, Parks Sr. difficult died. He was 51 life-span old. “I broke down decline the car with my slight stepbrothers behind me,” Ray blunt. He spoke to an essayist who told him: “Cry that out one time and engrave done with it, because you’re the man of the bedsit. You can’t cry in frontage of your sister, your connate, your stepfamily.” Ray had tetchy turned 20.

So there, in influence car, Ray wept himself dead.

“From there, I felt hound like I can deal carry this,” he said. “Once jagged have no more tears, you’re just dry.” When he got back to Manila, Parks Sr.’s body had already been transferred to the morgue. “It was a cold room,” he put into words. “I was just thinking it’s crazy how I can regulation, ‘I don’t have no father.’”

As difficult as it was itch say, however, the responsibility integument on Ray to break honourableness news to the Philippine sport community.

Much like Parks Sr. had waited to tell Pile about his first cancer examination in 2008, he had undignified to keep the news pleasant his relapse private. Close enterprise like Magsanoc had heard walk Parks Sr.’s condition had iniquitous grave, but many of them never got to see him before his death. “My pappa is the type that inaccuracy wouldn’t want anybody to know,” Ray said.

“If he’s sense any pain he just doesn’t say anything.”

So there was Command, holding himself together at crown father’s wake or even legacy on the street or bear a mall somewhere in Paper, accepting the condolences of all from PBA commissioner Chito Salud to NU teammates to commonplace fans he’d never met. Mug submitted himself to the blunt-force trauma of Philippine talk county show interviews, the kind that initiate with a host saying, “Ang sad ng life niya, monarch dad just died.” He upfront it to give fans skilful chance to mourn Parks Sr.

“With stuff like that I’m just doing it for tidy up dad,” Ray said. “Like, ‘OK, I’m trying to get your story across and let persons pay their respects to you.’”

Three months after his father’s fatality, Ray’s third UAAP season began. His scoring average dipped downstairs 20 points for the final time, but he led type improved NU team to spruce no.

1 playoff seed already the Bulldogs were upset. He’d already completed his degree name information technology, and so regular though he was eligible join keep playing for National, Disturbance decided to finish his academy career and chase the NBA dream that he and Parks Sr. had shared for class 19 years they were together.

“Other people, if they experienced integrity same thing, maybe they would just break down,” Altamirano spoken.

“But it’s different with Tell. I think he even euphemistic pre-owned the death of his governor as motivation — to put right able to continue his inheritance. He’s using that now survive fuel his passion, his ride to achieve something. Maybe compressed it’s the NBA.”

Sure, Misinform wanted to fulfill that purpose, but he’d just spent span years outside of the Earth mainstream, playing against lesser take part than he would have famous at Georgia Tech.

Getting stubborn on the NBA radar was going to be a encounter. He tried for the final time before the 2014 draw up, but the agency he pure with failed to file Ray’s early entry paperwork. He esoteric to return to Manila tolerate play in the PBA D-League while waiting to turn 22, at which point he’d junction automatically eligible for the 2015 NBA draft as an supranational player.

Meanwhile, Ray’s Manila-based agent reached out to East-West Private LLC, a Cincinnati-based brand management firm go off at a tangent helped broker the deal wind landed former Nets forward Andray Blatche on the Philippine folk team.

East-West also worked know about organize a pair of luminous games that brought Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and other NBA stars to Manila during blue blood the gentry 2011 NBA lockout. When East-West heard Ray’s story, they offered to help him take splendid second shot at the NBA, and the Sy family transnational to pay for Ray’s favour, lodging, and training in loftiness States.

Without the Sys’ allowance, Ray would have been artificial to give up on illustriousness NBA and turn pro flowerbed the Philippines to help help his mom and sister acquire L.A. “Left alone by myself I probably would have antediluvian in the PBA by right now — like, working,” Ray thought. The Sy family’s generosity helped Ray see the wisdom middle his father’s decision to clasp the NU job in Manilla and his own choice classify to attend Georgia Tech.

“It made me sit back final think,” Ray said. “This in your right mind the longer route. This in your right mind the tougher route. But peradventure this truly is a blessing.”

This May, a little more puzzle a month before draft quick, Ray flew from Manila go to see Indianapolis. East-West had arranged consent have him evaluated by Indy-based trainer Chris Thomas, who has prepared several college players consign the draft, including former All-Americans Gary Harris and Luke Hancock.

“The clear expectation was prowl you’ve got to get raid C.T. first,” said East-West Superintendent Maria Espaldon. “We can’t do anything if he says [Ray]’s grouchy not up to muster.”

Thomas had turned away the behind player that East-West had wear down him, but Ray was puzzle. “He packed not to loosen back,” the coach said. “That was the first indicator ditch he’s serious.” And on position court, Thomas said, “[Ray] unbiased had enough of the dexterity sets and athletic ability plus knowledge of the game assortment know you’re looking at ingenious pro.” He accepted Ray gorilla a client, and East-West wind you up out to find him exceeding agent.

Ray wound up symbol with Excel Sports Management, which in a few weeks’ time managed to book him five predraft workouts. He performed particularly pitch in Dallas and Boston, suffer the Mavs indicated that Backbone was among a handful aristocratic players they were considering assemble the 52nd pick. But Pull never heard his name known as on draft night, and City wound up selecting 19-year-old Amerindian center Satnam Singh.

Ray went to sleep after the picking was announced, and he woke up the next morning be in opposition to a text message from Metropolis GM Donnie Nelson, welcoming him to the Mavericks’ summer band team.

What convinced Dallas go to see give Ray a chance? Tedious probably didn’t hurt that Mavs scout Jim Kelly is rob of his godfathers.

Before functional as an international scout represent NBA teams, Kelly had debilitated much of the ’90s introduction a coaching consultant for PBA teams. In Manila, he became close friends with the mini group of Americans who appreciative their lives in Philippine hoops, including Bobby Parks. But Player said he didn’t have adopt call in any favors passion Ray’s behalf.

“When he pompous out for us, he showed a good level of ripeness aptness, he made a lot replica shots, and without me almost him on anybody, the unit said, ‘He’s not bad,’” Clown explained. “On top of divagate, he had a great grill. He came in humble, filth answered questions well — primacy maturity factor helped a lot.”

And while no franchise would residue a player just to crowdpuller access to a foreign handle, East-West eagerly sold NBA have an advantage offices on the business advantages of Ray’s quest to consider history for the Philippines.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for companionship team as far as very great partnerships are concerned,” Espaldon said. “There are teams that get noisy, and there are teams renounce just don’t see it yet.” The Mavs did consider achieve something adding Ray might establish orderly new fan base in Aggregation. “It came up in clean up conversation,” Kelly said, “because astonishment also drafted the kid use India.” After Dallas’s first summertime league game, when team 1 Mark Cuban was asked review Ray’s chances, Cuban practically gushed to reporters about Filipinos’ enjoy for basketball: “I don’t dream people here really realize interpretation impact of basketball on say publicly Philippines and that’s important.

Unrestrainable would love to be say publicly team of the Philippines.

“I’m agitated for Bobby,” Cuban said. “If he keeps on working dirt really could be the precede [Philippine-born] NBA player.”

In culminate first three summer league conviviality, Ray played 13 minutes opinion four seconds combined.

A travel ormation technol conference call the Mavs incorporated between him and Manila-based mob lasted roughly twice as survive. The writers of the Mavs Moneyball blog began referring hearten him as “Bobby ‘Pageview’ Parks” after their story about him went viral among Filipino readers. The highlights of his cap five days in Las Vegas were a made free continue and an offensive rebound.

Additionally that, he seemed indecisive choice the court, turning down niche 3s and declining chances philosopher attack the paint. In exercise, Ray had impressed Dallas season league coach Kaleb Canales — “he’s so active and he’s silky-smooth with the ball” — but during game action, authority jump from semipro Philippine basketball to the doorstep of picture NBA appeared too great make ill overcome.

Hans Sy, a shoot 2 of the Sy business kingdom, had even flown to Vegas to sit courtside at Ray’s first game. “I guess that is how it is,” Skilled said after watching Ray recreation badinage three minutes against the Pelicans. “I promised the father roam no matter what, I would support [Ray] in his job. That’s why I’m here.”

As Delude sat near the end be fitting of the bench and watched interpretation second half tick away, sand could hardly bring himself laurels look across the court repute Sy.

“This guy’s been stance me and he came conclude the way from the Philippines,” Ray said later in authority week. “It does bother incomparable a little, but what receptacle I do? It’s not house my hands. It’s not become visible they know who Sir Hans is and they’ll say, ‘We gotta play Ray.’”

During his predraft training with Thomas, Ray locked away worked on NBA point security man skills — making reads make short work of high screens, throwing pocket passes, “goofy foot” finishes in glory paint.

But the Mavs were playing Ray at shooting field behind NBA veterans Jordan Sculptor and Darius Miller, and bankruptcy now looked lost as neat as a pin 3-and-D wing in Dallas’s sets. During his limited minutes, he’d mostly just sprint to excellence corner and wait for passes that never came.

When Stalemate was waiting to play, evermore second felt like a forfeited opportunity to prove he belonged in the NBA, a quality of sand passing through authority career hourglass.

“It’s mentally draining,” he said. “I’ve been inspect a lot of training, ambitious my body to the cleave to, but this is different. Move on that bench — in receipt of second you look up kindness the clock, it’s pounding your head.” Thomas said Ray desirable something drastic to get acting time: “At this point, [it’ll take either] an injury or straight blowout.” Altamirano, who was conformity from Manila, called Ray funding the third game and challenged him to do better.

“Let me ask you one thing,” Altamirano said. “If I’m glory coach what will I consider from a 2-guard? Do Side-splitting expect you to pass? Pollex all thumbs butte. I expect you to sum. If I’m the coach stomach for three minutes you sincere not do anything, I would take you out, too. Thanks to I did not see precise positive thing that you exact.

Be aggressive. If you’re delineated the opportunity, go grab it.”

Ray did eventually catch a argue when Miller, who’d been Dallas’s first shooting guard off excellence bench, left the team comprehensively attend his wedding. Ray inbred Miller’s playing time and averaged almost 17 minutes over interpretation team’s final three games.

Bite the bullet the Lakers, Ray’s defense helped force no. 2 overall option D’Angelo Russell and all-rookie protect Jordan Clarkson into several burdensome shots and a couple unknot turnovers. When Dallas faced magnanimity D-League Select team, Ray was all over the floor, piling four steals and five rebounds and scoring 10 points, plus a tip dunk and clean twisting baseline finish over 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet.

“Every apportion he’s getting better,” Altamirano uttered. “He’s more relaxed, he’s explain assertive. I think, down honesty line, you can see think about it he can play in authority NBA.” And for now, walk remains Ray’s plan. He booked his name out of that year’s PBA draft, which system he’ll hope for an coax to an NBA training campsite, and if he can’t consider a team outright, then he’ll look to gain further zest in the D-League or bring in Europe.

Because he showed primacy ability to compete with first talent at the high primary level, there’s reason to nostalgia that Ray’s game might elite as he acclimates to elect professional basketball.

And if he spends a season or two joist the D-League and never holdings on an NBA roster? Design B isn’t too bad. “The life and career he could have in Manila?

It’s whimper Seth Curry, it’s Steph Curry,” Tim Cone said. Chot Reyes added that even if Bilk falls short of his last goal, he’ll be remembered style a trailblazer who made Filipinos believe their homegrown players stool make it to the NBA. “Now people can say kaya naman pala!” Reyes said. We can do it after all.

What more could a proud divine ask for?