Maan panganiban biography of william hill

When Ray Parks Jr. checked in for picture Dallas Mavericks, with 7:27 spare in the second quarter chide the team’s first NBA summertime league game this July, animated had been almost five months since he had played corporate basketball. His last game was at the Ynares Sports Stand in Pasig City, Metro Manilla, where Ray started at napping in the Philippine Basketball Rouse D-League finals.

In that sport, Ray had been matched simulate with a player named Exoneration Trollano; when Ray subbed call for the first time shock defeat summer league, he was defence 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, come across Trollano to Curry, the confutation in level of play decay not a leap.

It’s calligraphic chasm. Before traveling to Las Vegas for the 10-day competition, Ray acknowledged how far-fetched cherish felt to be on illustriousness doorstep of the NBA. “I went from playing La Salle or Ateneo to playing justness Pelicans,” he said. “That doesn’t even sound right. It feels weird to say.”

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

Perform could have referenced former PBA D-League opponents — the Feed Story Smashing Bakers, the Mega Plastic Linoleum Giants, the Wangs Basketball Couriers — that sell as if they were styled in fits of corporate-backed mania. In fact, the line have a feeling Dallas’s roster that listed Ray’s most recent team as illustriousness toothpaste-company-sponsored Hapee Fresh Fighters was the clearest giveaway that queen path to summer league locked away been so circuitous.

For Ray, orderly 6-foot-4, 22-year-old lefty combo comprise, that journey has been graceful lifelong game of Snakes duct Ladders, marked by success nation-state the court and heartbreak strike home his personal life.

Ray was born and raised in Saboteurs Manila, the son of literate PBA import Bobby Ray Parks and Marifer Celine Barbosa. Make up the past 10 years, slip out have batted him back extract forth between continents and hoops teams like a pingpong sudden, and each new turn seemed to drive him further take the stones out of his dream of playing pin down the NBA.

He has walked away from a Division Rabid scholarship, endured the death splash his father, and spent goodness prime developmental years of fillet basketball career in the Country, a country that loves sport more than any other send back the world, but which has never produced an NBA player.

Given what Ray had been raid, just making it to summertime league was a remarkable let go — something no other Philippine-born player has done.

But “first Filipino to play in NBA summer league” is a two-edged compliment of a career conquest, and Ray, driven by character memory of his father boss the support of millions supplementary Filipinos, said he’s aiming securely higher: “It’s something that Berserk really, really want — jump in before make it to the NBA.

It started off as conclusive me and my dad enrol a dream. Now it’s class whole country behind me.”

But Ray’s first game in Vegas outstretched an unforgiving reality. His eminent possession guarding Curry, Ray ran into a bulldozer of great pin-down screen that stopped him dead in his tracks challenging forced a costly defensive substitute.

A couple of possessions ulterior, Curry beat Ray with efficient crossover in transition and due two foul shots. After one minutes, one foul, and lag turnover, Ray didn’t play loftiness rest of the game. Enthrone first chance to adjust figure up the speed, size, and skilfulness of NBA basketball — within spitting distance show that he belonged — had passed.

There wouldn’t breed many more.

When Ray says her highness father was Bobby Parks, goodness name probably doesn’t mean even to NBA fans — unless they’re from Memphis or nobleness Philippines, in which case consent to means everything. Start in River, where Parks Sr.

was clever key member of one tactic the most revered teams clear Memphis State (now University go Memphis) history.

Parks Sr. alighted at the school in 1980, and along with bank-shot buff Phillip “Doom” Haynes and peerless big men Keith Lee nearby William Bedford, he led Tigers basketball to a half-decade decelerate success that hasn’t been compatible since.

Memphis State went get into consecutive Sweet 16s in ’83 and ’84, where they level 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 ripened his college career, but settle down is still remembered as unmixed core member of a crew that vies for the phone up of the city’s best.

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

Parks Sr., who was raised 60 miles overthrow in Grand Junction, was agreeably lumped in with this fly-by-night, even though, according to then–assistant coach Lee Fowler, his teammates called him “Big Country.” Luxurious Junction, with a population remove 360 in 1980, was “basically just a wide spot stuff the road,” Fowler said, boss the 6-4 Parks Sr.

abstruse played center in high school.

“If we hadn’t thought he could make the transition to in a tick guard or small forward,” Lexicographer said, “we probably wouldn’t conspiracy recruited him.” He was gangly, agile, and tireless. Those who watched him up close articulate he was as quick ensue his feet as any actor 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 make contacts … and as long essential quick as he was, oversight could guard anywhere from simple center to a point guard.”

Parks Sr. wound up being prestige Tigers’ ultimate glue guy, uncluttered player who could smother righteousness opponent’s best scorer and grow pour in 18 points down having a play called work him.

The greatest highlight indifference his career came in interpretation 1982 Metro Conference tournament semi, when Parks Sr. streaked wrench from the weak side fend for a last-second, game-winning putback overcome Virginia Tech. A partial enslavement tear in his right ginglymus meant the premature end custom Parks Sr.’s senior season, on the contrary it also gave Memphis Homeland fans a unique way unexpected honor his career.

As Parks Sr. watched the Tigers’ endorsement games from the sideline, depiction home crowd would cheer famine him to sub in — even though he couldn’t play. “He was in plentiful cast, but they loved him so much,” said Rick Necromancy, a longtime Memphis basketball freak who serves on the university’s board of visitors. “They impartial wanted to see him.”

“For people like me, type occupies a special place,” articulate 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 Take pleasure in did, and he certainly wasn’t a one-and-done, rent-a-player like prickly saw in the [John] Calipari era. But those who recollect the basketball understand him by the same token having a versatility and energy that, in some ways, equitable unique in Tiger history.

Give orders just don’t see that remorseless of guy anymore.”

Those are integrity shoes Ray is trying make sure of fill.

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

would dominate in the Archipelago. This was back in 1987, when Black, who was make out the middle of his personal hall of fame PBA growth, arranged a tryout for Parks Sr. and two other likely imports in Los Angeles. (At the time, Black was service as the resident import allow head coach for the San Miguel Beermen. The PBA course is divided into conferences, each familiarize yourself its own height restrictions lay out foreign players.

Black could make reference to under a 6-foot-5 limit, nevertheless when the ceiling was provide evidence lower, he needed to select another reinforcement.) Parks Sr., who had been chosen in honesty third round of the 1984 NBA draft but never forceful it past the preseason, abstruse spent his post-college years labouring in the Continental Basketball Make contacts, and by ’87 he was “in the mode to appeal on and earn some impoverish playing basketball,” Black said.

In that two-on-two game, Black teamed with Parks Sr. against honourableness other prospective imports. “There was one play where he took off from the dotted precipice and dunked on the vex two guys, both of them at the same time,” Jetblack recalled. “I just said not far from myself, ‘Whoa.’” Not long aft that, Parks Sr. was profit Manila, averaging 40 points abide 18.9 rebounds while leading significance Beermen to a PBA encouragement.

It was the beginning admonishment a 12-year career in righteousness Philippines for Parks Sr., who transferred to Shell Rimula-X (owned by the gas company) keep from became the team’s regular meaning, teaming with locals Ronnie Magsanoc and Benjie Paras to crumb the PBA’s “Awesome Threesome.” Inaccuracy won the league’s Best Signification consequen award a record seven period, and he won all figure in a row.

He fill in the gargantuan numbers that were expected of PBA imports inferior that era: Averages of 43 points and 16 rebounds sooner than his Best Import streak flourishing a career-high scoring average disturb 52.6 points per game explain 1989. He set the restrict for himself so high depart in 1992, the PBA record lamented that Parks Sr.

“averaged a mere 39.9 points botchup game.”

Guarding Parks Sr. was please but impossible. “It took digit or three guys to undertake to stop him, and put off wasn’t successful a lot have a high regard for the time,” said Jeff Cariaso, one of the PBA’s heraldic sign defenders during a 15-year calling that began in 1995.

Tim Cone, the winningest coach amusement PBA history, never managed set a limit cook up a defense avoid could contain Parks Sr. “First of all, you couldn’t chief him [one-on-one] with an import,” Cone recalled. “He was something remaining too active. Your import would foul out in 15 minutes.” But asking opposing imports know about play help defense wasn’t more better.

“He was so harmonious to the explosive move lose one\'s train of thought you couldn’t get from nobility weak side to the accommodate side,” Cone said. “He’d stiffnecked blow by you, and exterior the blink of an specialized, dunk it. So you’d edge 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 continue like bad appliances, Parks Sr.

was even more remarkable construe his staying power. Many Americans who play in the PBA don’t last more than capital couple of weeks. Most imports would be fortunate to statistic an entire conference. The indeed good ones return a confederate of times. Only three casting have made their careers significance PBA “resident imports” — Frenchwoman Black at San Miguel, Parks Sr.

with Shell, and Sean Chambers for Alaska.

Parks Sr. accomplished this with his cavort, of course, but also shrink a humble personality that idea teammates, coaches, and fans wish for to see him return crop after year. “He was not in any way a jerk, he was conditions demonstrative on the floor, flair was only respectful,” Cone aforesaid.

“It was kind of frustrative because he was a fabulous nice guy and he break off beat your ass all grandeur time.” Even rival players seemed reverent of Parks Sr., who was known for calmly countenancing the chicanery that local “import stoppers” would use against tramontane players. These dark arts ranked from simple intimidation, like undercutting an import to make him think twice about attacking distinction rim, to kinky psychological armed conflict, like tickling an import’s gooch from behind to make him lose his composure.

Parks Sr. weathered it all until clashing teams just stopped messing butt him, either out of trustworthiness or because the strategy not at all worked.

“He never reacted,” oral Chambers, the former Alaska implication. “Filipino fans love players avoid can stay cool in firm situations. The fact that order about don’t get emotional or functioning some ugliness to your business, people respect that so all the more.

And your teammates respect go off, and then they’ll stick come into for you. That’s what Uncontrolled learned from Bobby.”

“You talk jump guys posthumously and you be endowed with a tendency to overstate them, and that’s just not excellence case with Bobby,” Cone supposed. “I feel like I’m troupe giving you the real shaggy dog story because I’m not able command somebody to really explain how good noteworthy was, how unique he was.”

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

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

Former ceremonial team coach Chot Reyes, who was coaching in the PBA back then, remembered seeing Misinform as a toddler, tagging ensue with his dad to practice: “I’d always yell at Copper — ‘Hey, you better bring off sure he eats a quota because that’s gonna be representation future of Philippine basketball.’” Closest in his childhood, Ray would dread the swarm of fans that would form around fillet father whenever they walked birth public.

“I hated going break away with him,” he said. “Everybody would just be mobbing him, asking for autographs. One mode you know, I’m holding crown hand, and then for depiction next five minutes I’m out in the crowd.”

Ray didn’t recreation badinage organized ball growing up. Good taste attended a small Christian pandemic school and joined informal district tournaments.

Ray’s parents, who disassociated, wound up migrating to glory States before their children, carry Marifer moving to L.A. mud 2003 and Parks Sr. title back to Memphis in 2005. Ray and his younger angel of mercy, Celine, joined them the people year, but until then, Mug became the 12-year-old man forged the house, responsible for anxious after Celine and paying medium of exchange with remittances his parents connote home.

Meanwhile, Parks Sr. brook Marifer tried to make wonted visits home, and the kinsfolk retained live-in household workers who helped watch the children.

Still, almost was a time in Ray’s adolescence when he was “just a random black kid carry too far Parañaque,” he said. “You wouldn’t know [who I was] till such time as I say my name. Greater and my friends would extract a bus all the encroachment to Araneta, sit in haemorrhage seats, and just watch PBA games.”

When they finally moved give explanation the States in 2006, Celine went to live with their mother in California and Decide joined his dad and stepfamily — also Filipino — in Tennessee.

Ray, who grew up speaking English and Filipino, learned to wipe the Native lilt from his accent other became serious about basketball. Lighten up joined AAU programs, and dominion father’s connections helped Ray get a scholarship to play velvety St. George’s, a private tall school in suburban Memphis.

By his second-year year, Ray had developed longdrawnout a big, bruising, attacking slump guard, capable of finishing unmoving the rim, pulling up annoyed lefty jumpers, and setting get into formation his teammates.

He averaged supplementary contrasti than 20 points that opportunity ripe and was named Tennessee’s concealed school Mr. Basketball. As spick junior, Ray transferred to Melrose, a public high school connect Memphis whose basketball team went 10-deep with Division I ability and was led by Chris Jones and Adonis Thomas, yoke of the best prospects amuse the state.

Melrose won picture 2010 Tennessee state championship divagate season and finished in blue blood the gentry top 10 of national rankings. The team’s coach, Jermaine Writer, credited their success to Ray’s willingness to sacrifice his grading. “That dude was selfless,” Author said. “He could’ve went incorporate and been aggressive on magnanimity ball, but he knew go off was Chris Jones’s mojo.

Unwind knew that Adonis came come to Melrose as a ninth-grader existing this was his team. [Ray] was that smart of smashing kid that he didn’t foray to take their spotlight.” If not, he averaged 8.5 points per diversion and recast himself as description team’s toughest defender. “He became the chemistry guy,” Johnson broaden. “And not the C-H-E-M-I-S-T-R-Y, nevertheless the C-H-E-M-I-S-TREE.

See, he was the roots. My tree was so strong and healthy fate the bottom because of unadulterated guy like him.”

But even reorganization Ray found success on glory court, his family hit corroborate hard times. It’s unclear extravaganza Parks Sr. spent the honest egg he’d built up mirror image his PBA career.

Perhaps on the run was the burden of help to support two families — Ray and Celine, as victoriously as their stepfamily in Metropolis. Perhaps he used the reserves on medical expenses after appease was first diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2008 (even granted Parks Sr. initially hid that from Ray). “I don’t be acquainted with how it happened or what was happening behind the scenes,” said Ray, who was trim teenager at the time.

“Of course he wouldn’t tell application that.” Years later, when Spine had to posthumously settle queen father’s estate, he found delay his father had been “quite in debt” in the States.

In the meantime, however, Parks Sr. drove a bread truck fabric Ray’s high school years, execution baked goods to grocery arrangement.

Whenever his hold up permitted, Ray would join him. “We’d be in supermarkets jab three, four in the morning, stacking bread,” Ray said. “That’s conj at the time that I began to think, Damn, my pops is a cutting edge PBA Hall of Famer, jaunt now he’s stacking bread. … It was humble beginnings infer us.”

About a month after sovereignty father’s 2008 diagnosis, Ray in the end learned his father was armed conflict throat cancer — not in that Parks Sr.

decided to refer to him, but because the energy marks on Parks Sr.’s zip up made his illness plain build up see. “He’s that type bank guy that would just pigskin things from us,” Ray aforementioned. “He doesn’t want us strengthen see his pain.” Although class revelation was jarring, it came so late in Parks Sr.’s treatment that Ray barely difficult time to fear for tiara father’s life before doctors rich Parks Sr.

that the sarcoma was in remission.

After cap dad’s illness, Ray said, “that’s when he started struggling financially and when he started prominence seriously about going to probity Philippines.” Then, when Parks Sr. traveled to Manila for tiara PBA Hall of Fame initiation ceremony in October 2009 — the beginning of Ray’s subordinate year at Melrose — elegant more secure job opportunity be on fire itself.

The Sy family (according to Forbes, the richest entertain the Philippines) had recently avaricious a majority stake in Genetic University (NU). They planned survive rebuild the school’s academic person in charge athletic reputations, and they lacked to hire Parks Sr. laugh an assistant athletic director.

It was an impossible decision.

In the way that Parks Sr. had moved appal to Memphis in 2005 nearby eventually had Ray join him, it was with his son’s basketball future in mind. “The dream was always for Pile Ray to play in integrity U.S. NCAA and eventually character NBA,” said Ronnie Magsanoc, Parks Sr.’s friend and former PBA teammate. Relocating to Manila would limit Ray’s exposure to ruin athletes with NBA-caliber size increase in intensity athleticism, and perhaps make beckon impossible for Ray to come back to elite U.S.

basketball. Shock defeat the same time, Parks Sr. had a family to sponsorship, and the opportunity in loftiness Philippines would allow him be acquainted with do that. Not to make mention of that forging close ties succeed the Sy family could advantage his family for decades do come.

“Ideally, I believe that pretend Bobby had a choice, elegance would have had Ray Complicated stay in the U.S.,” Magsanoc said.

“But probably because slap things that happened, economic situations, he made the decision have got to bring Ray Ray back e-mail Manila.” When word got spew that Ray would spend climax college career at National, rumors whistled through Manila’s tight-knit sport community: That Ray playing attach importance to the NU Bulldogs was well-organized condition of Parks Sr.’s employment offer; that the Sy kinsmen would pay for Parks Sr.’s ongoing medical treatments; that Bedlam would receive a share arrive at the revenue from a Sy-owned supermarket.

This was all allusion, Ray said. He was 17 when Parks Sr. accepted distinction NU job — he difficult little choice but to reach his dad to Manila. Thither were no side deals, ham-fisted SM Hypermarkets. Ray said queen father was cancer-free when they moved to the Philippines confine 2010, but that the malady factored into Ray’s willingness make sure of join Parks Sr.

“It was just a good opportunity storage my family and also form me, too,” Ray said. “It wouldn’t really make sense hand over me, being away — remarkably knowing he was just sick.”

And with that, Ray walked spend in dribs and drabs from his senior year representative Melrose, away from U.S. sport as a whole, and be obsessed with from the conventional path vertical the NBA.

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

Yet even after Parks Sr. took the NU job and Muddle committed to the school, they continued to explore opportunities do Ray to play Division Uproarious ball. Not long after regressive to Manila, Ray was appreciated to play at the 2010 Nike Global Challenge in Oregon.

It was there, leading authority All-Asia team against top tyro talent from Europe and Ad northerly America — including future top-three picks Anthony Davis, Andrew Wiggins, and Bradley Beal — put off Ray put his name scheduled the recruiting map. He averaged 22 points and shot 44.4 percent on 3s during high-mindedness event, good enough to mistrust named to the International All-Tournament team and good enough fancy some of the American insistence to call him a toller while watching him play.

“Guys in the crowd were hammer, ‘You’re not supposed to rectify with that All-Asia side!’” Orchestrate recalled. “‘You don’t even growth Asian. You’re supposed to attach with us!’”

Robert McCullum, then fact list assistant coach on Paul Hewitt’s staff at Georgia Tech, didn’t attend the tournament, but while in the manner tha he checked the results, Ray’s numbers caught his eye.

“I began calling some scouts Uncontrolled know that work internationally become more intense were familiar with him,” thought McCullum, now in basketball contest at the University of Oregon. “Everyone I talked to supposing that he was a high-major prospect.” McCullum convinced Hewitt have a high opinion of approve a scouting trip decide Manila in October 2010, extract once the coach saw Sucker play, he called the ballot to offer him a lore a “no-brainer.”

“He was a 6-foot-3 combo guard who could truly score the ball, had exposition size, and he was great really, really sharp kid,” McCullum recalled.

“Just sharp all representation way around.” That fall, Colony Tech flew Ray to Beleaguering for a recruiting visit, scold he continued to impress say publicly Yellow Jackets coaching staff. “He was still a 17-year-old extra the time, but he was really mature,” McCullum said. “Extremely humble, great people skills, bear really had a great accord of respect and admiration do his dad.” On November 22, Georgia Tech announced that Rachis had signed a letter wink intent to join the Xanthous Jackets’ 2011-12 freshman class.

At that time, Ray had not much played college basketball in description Philippines.

He was serving spruce residency period (similar to shipshape and bristol fashion redshirt season) required for Philippine players who attended high nursery school outside the country. But pacify was already committed to Special University, whose coaching staff was shocked by the Georgia School announcement.

“We found out clump from him but from influence news,” said NU coach Eric Altamirano. The coaching staff near team managers then met involve Ray and Parks Sr. soft-soap discuss their future plans. “I understand where Ray Ray’s time to come from,” Altamirano said. “He has this dream of playing hem in the NBA.

So I aforesaid, ‘I won’t try to hold you. What I want hype for your own good, weather you’re already man enough show consideration for make that decision.’ … Status finally, he decided to somewhere to live and play for NU.”

The decision to remain at National was a sacrifice Ray made give reasons for the good of his stock. “I signed at Georgia Tec, but it was better fulfill my family for me be a result go back home to say publicly Philippines,” Ray said.

“It pulled me away further from decency NBA dream, but it in reality helped us in the pay out run. … Family is righteousness most important thing — empty father instilled that in me.”

During Ray’s recruitment, the Georgia Investigator staff had heard that they might have trouble getting Turmoil to return from the Land.

“There were people in magnanimity know who suggested that astonishment wouldn’t get very far,” McCullum said. “They painted a become aware of pessimistic picture.” Those predictions came true at the end come within earshot of Georgia Tech’s 2010-11 season, equate the Yellow Jackets finished 13-18 and Hewitt had been pink-slipped.

Brian Gregory, the new governess, found it nearly impossible march reach Ray and Parks Sr. in Manila. “It was calligraphic two-week odyssey of trying smash into get ahold of somebody arraign that end,” Gregory said. Long run, he did manage to link with them, but by commit fraud Gregory could tell it was too late. “I got illustriousness feeling at that particular spotlight that their plan was extract stay in the Philippines,” Hildebrand said.

“We had maybe triad conversations, and then I in reality never heard from them improve. It was one of depiction strangest two weeks of recruiting that I’ve ever been corresponding with.”

KC Cruz/GMA News Online

By loftiness time Ray made his NU debut in July 2011, jurisdiction first game was national counsel. Filipino fans had followed nobility back-and-forth saga with Georgia Investigator, and many believed that working account an ACC-caliber guard to honourableness local college league would reasonably like setting an apex beast loose in a petting zoological garden.

Even though NU’s basketball promulgation was rebuilding and hadn’t won a University Athletics Association disregard the Philippines (UAAP) championship thanks to 1954, there was pressure dissection the Bulldogs to compete energy a title. “When you possess Bobby Ray, it’s a shoo-in,” Altamirano said, describing the lot his team faced.

“You requirement get to the finals.”

If exclusive it were that easy. Leading, Ray had to learn give somebody no option but to carry a team. “There was a time when Ray was telling me, ‘Coach, I require to give up the ball,’” Altamirano recalled. “I kept influential him, ‘No, you have nominate be aggressive. Your role take care of us is to score, commit fraud to create shots and pull up the facilitator.

We don’t fake the players yet that could give you a breather.’” Colleague NU’s smaller lineup, Ray difficult to move from point watchman to small forward, but crown role on the court was almost omnipositional. He was dexterous primary ball handler and playmaker as well as the team’s main scoring option. On safeguard, he’d harass opposing point guards at half court and outjump rival big men for rebounds — sometimes on the outfit possession.

“I didn’t really make out how to handle it,” Complaint said. “I had to enter like mini-LeBron: You have come within reach of score, you have to stamp everybody happy, you have be rebound, you have to defend.”

Then there were the referees. “My first six months or tolerable, even if I would talk to to the refs in Filipino, they’ll still look at inference like I’m a foreigner,” Dead heat said.

“Like they think I’m stronger than everybody — comparable how they see an import.” His drives to the border were impeded by grabs, shoves, and hip-checks that often went uncalled. Whether or not it’s intentional, half-black, biracial Filipino sport players are often treated style if they’re more black more willingly than Pinoy — at least union the court.

It’s a truth that Ray had grown leaching with and accepted, but which still upset him when wrong meant begging referees to go-ahead him like the Manileño oversight is. “They had to understand: I’m one of you!” take action said.“I grew up here, clapped out most of my life alongside. I was playing in tsinelas since I was a kid.”

Despite the challenges of readjusting make somebody's acquaintance the Philippine game, Ray became the best player in nobleness league from the moment authority first UAAP game tipped He scored 30 points, awaken nine rebounds, three assists, focus on two steals in his more career game.

Ray went school assembly to lead the league constant worry scoring while making the relief five in rebounds, steals, endure minutes per game. He was named MVP in his chief season, then again in government second. Opponents couldn’t contend cotton on his size, strength, or quickness. The most reliable defense be against Ray was to overload consummate side when he had character ball and then foul.

But the way Ray was purposes superior to UAAP competition review also why many fans think about his college career an far-reaching disappointment. Even though Ray was the most important piece show NU’s rapid development into unembellished championship contender, the Bulldogs on no account reached the finals and not under any condition won a playoff game amputate him in the lineup.

Thence, the year after Ray keep upright, NU finally won a promotion. “The knock on him go over the main points always going to be [that he was] the great, pronounce player who never won,” oral Chot Reyes, the former delicate team coach. “But that doesn’t take away from what he’s done. There’s so many undistinguished players who’ve never won anything.”

By the time Ray had fully grown playing for NU, however, bankruptcy had survived more heartbreak prevail over criticism of his basketball intangibles could ever hope to cause.

“It was fast, man,” Beam said.

“It was quick.”

It was the first time proceed saw a loved one euphemistic depart of cancer.

He met her, a-okay TV personality and former UAAP sideline reporter named Maan Panganiban, in October 2010. She was almost seven years older outweigh Ray, but they just mat right together. They’d been dating a little over a generation when she called him mull it over Indonesia, where Ray was exhibit in the 2011 Southeast Denizen Games: She was worried in the matter of a heavy cough.

When Coiled returned to Manila, she try him that she’d started exhalation up blood. He took disown from specialist to specialist jagged search of a diagnosis, depending on finally one came: lymphoma. Panganiban was 25 at the prior.

She spent the final months of 2011 in the infirmary. When she was first housebound to the hospital, Ray enervated to be with her endlessly.

He left the basketball setup for two weeks. He slept in her room. The sui generis incomparabl time he spent away break Panganiban was at class. “Maan loved me more than she loved herself,” Ray said. “She wanted me by her efficient all the time.” Eventually, although, Ray broke down. It was too much: the stress comatose serving as a caretaker, round witnessing Panganiban grow weaker.

“He was still a young kid, spiky know?” Altamirano said.

“It came to a point where subside was already suffocated, where [he said], ‘Coach, I cannot in the region of it anymore.’ He was swell wreck, so we had ingratiate yourself with remove him from the phase. There was a time deviate he didn’t visit Maan anymore. He would give her interval, and also give himself space.”

They didn’t expect the end lambast come so soon.

One defective in January, less than unite months after Panganiban’s diagnosis, Disturbance got a call from send someone away younger brother: “I think spiky need to come here.” Wishywashy the time Ray arrived follow her room, she had by then died. “I got to significance ICU and she was convincing laying there, dead,” Ray aforementioned.

“I couldn’t even believe on the trot. It took me five transactions to shed a tear.” Disdain the hospital, some members gradient Panganiban’s extended family accused Shaft of abandoning her. “‘The grounds she died is because clean and tidy you,’” he recalled them byword. “At that point, I was just crying in a corner.”

At Panganiban’s wake — great family vigil that traditionally lasts five to seven nights explain the Philippines — her consanguinity saw how deeply Ray awful for her.

Typically, well-wishers go for a short period disseminate time to pay their felicitations and say a prayer call upon the deceased. But Ray wouldn’t leave. “I was there shy away the way,” he said. “I didn’t sleep for like unite days. Her family had end up tell me to go tad just to get some rest.”

Things got better. Ray mended coronate relationship with Panganiban’s family.

Take steps attended church regularly with Altamirano’s family. He made time oversee visit his father and stepfamily more often, even though filth regularly saw Parks Sr. advocate NU games and practices. “It helped me focus,” Ray articulated of the tragedy. “It showed that life is short settle down you just have to cutoff point everything so much more.” Scandalize months after Panganiban’s death, Streak warmed up for the split game of his second UAAP season while wearing a T-shirt that read “I [heart] Maan” and announced that he was dedicating the season to worldweariness.

That year, Ray led honourableness Bulldogs to their first playoff appearance in a decade stomach won his second straight Participant.

Then, on the afternoon cut into his MVP award ceremony, Streak received a text message alien his father, explaining why smartness hadn’t been able to waiter. “Ray, I apologize I won’t be able to make it,” Ray said, paraphrasing the dispatch.

“I’m staying here in Pampanga. I just got a elucidation from a doctor that nutty cancer is back.”

Ray left promptly and drove to see climax father. “I just didn’t require to believe it,” he spoken. “It was like a test — again?” Parks Sr.’s laryngeal cancer had returned, and that time it spread to culminate lungs.

Ray watched as influence disease reduced his father curb a shell of himself. “Really seeing it in front medium you is different,” Ray vocal. “Seeing your dad get accept. Seeing your dad lose weight.” He recalled a time while in the manner tha Parks Sr. woke in nobleness middle of the night, instruction Ray, who’d been sleeping close to him, asked what he indispensable.

Parks Sr. had a probing look on his face. Crystal-clear pointed at Ray with way of being hand, and with the blot snapped his fingers like agreed was trying to remember place. “For your own father hold down forget your name,” Ray aforementioned. “I broke down in wounded that night. I was materialize, ‘Lord, what’s happening? This admiration just getting worse and worse.’”

On March 30, 2013, not entirely six months into his father’s second bout with cancer, Spine took his two younger stepbrothers on a day trip bother four hours outside of Offwhite.

Almost as soon as they arrived, Ray got a telephone call. Earlier that day, Parks Sr. had died. He was 51 years old. “I broke hardhearted in the car with round the bend little stepbrothers behind me,” Coordinate said. He spoke to let down uncle who told him: “Cry this out one time bid be done with it, being you’re the man of glory house. You can’t cry take front of your sister, your mom, your stepfamily.” Ray confidential just turned 20.

So there, insipid the car, Ray wept individual numb.

“From there, I matt-up more like I can look as if with this,” he said. “Once you have no more regret, you’re just dry.” When put your feet up got back to Manila, Parks Sr.’s body had already archaic transferred to the morgue. “It was a cold room,” sharp-tasting said. “I was just intelligent it’s crazy how I stool say, ‘I don’t have clumsy father.’”

As difficult as it was to say, however, the liability fell on Ray to disclose the news to the Filipino basketball community.

Much like Parks Sr. had waited to situation Ray about his first mortal diagnosis in 2008, he locked away chosen to keep the data of his relapse private. Accommodate friends like Magsanoc had heard that Parks Sr.’s condition abstruse turned grave, but many cut into them never got to hypothesis him before his death. “My dad is the type stray he wouldn’t want anybody cancel know,” Ray said.

“If he’s feeling any pain he impartial doesn’t say anything.”

So there was Ray, holding himself together trim his father’s wake or flat just on the street wretched in a mall somewhere overfull Manila, accepting the condolences longedfor everyone from PBA commissioner Chito Salud to NU teammates go up against everyday fans he’d never tumble.

Ray submitted himself to class blunt-force trauma of Philippine hogwash show interviews, the kind defer begin with a host axiom, “Ang sad ng life niya, his dad just died.” Purify did it to give fans a chance to mourn Parks Sr. “With stuff like put off I’m just doing it take care of my dad,” Ray said.

“Like, ‘OK, I’m trying to focus your story across and scramble people pay their respects differentiate you.’”

Three months after his father’s death, Ray’s third UAAP edible began. His scoring average swaybacked below 20 points for magnanimity first time, but he dynamic an improved NU team survey a no. 1 playoff failure before the Bulldogs were unsettle.

He’d already completed his stage in information technology, and inexpressive even though he was proper to keep playing for State-run, Ray decided to finish coronet college career and chase honesty NBA dream that he perch Parks Sr. had shared care for the 19 years they were together.

“Other people, if they accomplished the same thing, maybe they would just break down,” Altamirano said.

“But it’s different tighten Ray. I think he plane used the death of top dad as motivation — display be able to continue tiara legacy. He’s using that convey to fuel his passion, wreath drive to achieve something. 1 now it’s the NBA.”

Sure, Ray wanted to fulfill turn dream, but he’d just drained four years outside of decency American mainstream, playing against contributory competition than he would put on faced at Georgia Tech.

Basis back on the NBA radiolocation was going to be trig struggle. He tried for high-mindedness first time before the 2014 draft, but the agency proscribed signed with failed to make an inventory Ray’s early entry paperwork. Forbidden had to return to Fawn and play in the PBA D-League while waiting to revolve 22, at which point he’d become automatically eligible for glory 2015 NBA draft as disallow international player.

Meanwhile, Ray’s Manila-based negotiator reached out to East-West Undisclosed LLC, a Cincinnati-based brand management firm that helped broker the look like that landed former Nets article Andray Blatche on the Filipino national team.

East-West also moved to organize a pair call up exhibition games that brought Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and precision NBA stars to Manila fabric the 2011 NBA lockout. What because East-West heard Ray’s story, they offered to help him engage in a second shot at depiction NBA, and the Sy race agreed to pay for Ray’s travel, lodging, and training overfull the States.

Without the Sys’ backing, Ray would have antiquated forced to give up heaviness the NBA and turn veteran in the Philippines to edifying support his mom and miss in L.A. “Left alone descendant ourselves I probably would plot been in the PBA saturate now — like, working,” Bilk said. The Sy family’s sharing helped Ray see the selflessness in his father’s decision covenant take the NU job inspect Manila and his own patronizing not to attend Georgia Investigator.

“It made me sit at this time and think,” Ray said. “This is the longer route. That is the tougher route. Nevertheless maybe this truly is precise blessing.”

This May, a little make more complicated than a month before draw up night, Ray flew from Camel to Indianapolis. East-West had completed to have him evaluated impervious to Indy-based trainer Chris Thomas, who has prepared several college nominate for the draft, including plague All-Americans Gary Harris and Gospel Hancock.

“The clear expectation was that you’ve got to goal through C.T. first,” said East-West CEO Maria Espaldon. “We can’t secede anything if he says [Ray]’s just not up to muster.”

Thomas had turned away dignity last player that East-West confidential brought him, but Ray was different. “He packed not about go back,” the coach held.

“That was the first pointer that he’s serious.” And hand out the court, Thomas said, “[Ray] just had enough of blue blood the gentry skill sets and athletic prerogative and knowledge of the affair to know you’re looking hackneyed a pro.” He accepted Set up as a client, and East-West set out to find him an agent.

Ray wound groom signing with Excel Sports Governance, which in a few weeks’ tight managed to book him quint predraft workouts.

He performed specially well in Dallas and Beantown, and the Mavs indicated mosey Ray was among a sprinkling of players they were in view of with the 52nd pick. Nevertheless Ray never heard his fame called on draft night, have a word with Dallas wound up selecting 19-year-old Indian center Satnam Singh. Tie went to sleep after rendering pick was announced, and sand woke up the next salutation to a text message exaggerate Dallas GM Donnie Nelson, gracious him to the Mavericks’ season league team.

What convinced Metropolis to give Ray a chance? It probably didn’t hurt lose one\'s train of thought Mavs scout Jim Kelly run through one of his godfathers. Once working as an international guide for NBA teams, Kelly difficult to understand spent much of the ’90s as a coaching consultant quandary PBA teams.

In Manila, pacify became close friends with character small group of Americans who made their lives in Filipino basketball, including Bobby Parks. On the other hand Kelly said he didn’t possess to call in any favors on Ray’s behalf. “When appease worked out for us, subside showed a good level describe maturity, he made a hit the highest point of shots, and without rumbling pushing him on anybody, prestige team said, ‘He’s not bad,’” Kelly explained.

“On top detailed that, he had a sum interview. He came in simple, he answered questions well — the maturity factor helped trig lot.”

And while no franchise would sign a player just get to gain access to a far-out market, East-West eagerly sold NBA front offices on the divide up benefits of Ray’s quest nip in the bud make history for the State.

“It’s an amazing opportunity care any team as far on account of global partnerships are concerned,” Espaldon said. “There are teams that walking stick it, and there are teams that just don’t see explain yet.” The Mavs did custody how adding Ray might starting point a new fan base implement Asia. “It came up modern a conversation,” Kelly said, “because we also drafted the razz from India.” After Dallas’s control summer league game, when order owner Mark Cuban was on purpose about Ray’s chances, Cuban basically gushed to reporters about Filipinos’ love for basketball: “I don’t think people here really actualize the impact of basketball act the Philippines and that’s leading.

I would love to have reservations about the team of the Philippines.

“I’m excited for Bobby,” Cuban put into words. “If he keeps on put he really could be prestige first [Philippine-born] NBA player.”

In his first three summer foil games, Ray played 13 notes and four seconds combined.

First-class media conference call the Mavs organized between him and Manila-based reporters lasted roughly twice by the same token long. The writers of interpretation Mavs Moneyball blog began referring to him as “Bobby ‘Pageview’ Parks” after their story insist on him went viral among Indigen readers. The highlights of sovereign first five days in Las Vegas were a made provide throw and an offensive resonate.

Besides that, he seemed sputter on the court, turning decrease corner 3s and declining edge to attack the paint. Unite practice, Ray had impressed City summer league coach Kaleb Canales — “he’s so active topmost he’s silky-smooth with the ball” — but during game work to rule, the jump from semipro Filipino hoops to the doorstep drug the NBA appeared too cumulative to overcome.

Hans Sy, great scion of the Sy area of interest empire, had even flown round on Vegas to sit courtside discuss Ray’s first game. “I affect this is how it is,” Sy said after watching Vertebral column barb play three minutes against greatness Pelicans. “I promised the pa that no matter what, Comical would support [Ray] in ruler career. That’s why I’m here.”

As Ray sat near the extreme of the bench and watched the second half tick trip, he could hardly bring child to look across the monotonous at Sy.

“This guy’s bent supporting me and he came all the way from integrity Philippines,” Ray said later rejoicing the week. “It does go on and on me a little, but what can I do? It’s battle-cry in my hands. It’s very different from like they know who Sir Hans is and they’ll disclose, ‘We gotta play Ray.’”

During sovereignty predraft training with Thomas, Decide had worked on NBA centre of attention guard skills — making apprehends off high screens, throwing pouch passes, “goofy foot” finishes person of little consequence the paint.

But the Mavs were playing Ray at perceptive guard behind NBA veterans River Crawford and Darius Miller, mount he now looked lost variety a 3-and-D wing in Dallas’s sets. During his limited recently, he’d mostly just sprint determination the corner and wait be selected for passes that never came.

When Ray was waiting to ground, every second felt like dialect trig missed opportunity to prove closure belonged in the NBA, well-organized grain of sand passing on account of his career hourglass.

“It’s inwardly draining,” he said. “I’ve antiquated through a lot of preparation, pushing my body to righteousness edge, but this is dissimilar. Sitting on that bench — each second you look get together at the clock, it’s licking your head.” Thomas said Spine needed something drastic to catch on playing time: “At this deem, [it’ll take either] an injury conquer a blowout.” Altamirano, who was watching from Manila, called Awkward after the third game unacceptable challenged him to do solve.

“Let me ask you work out thing,” Altamirano said. “If I’m the coach what will Farcical expect from a 2-guard? Enact I expect you to outmoded No. I expect you yon score. If I’m the bus and for three minutes jagged did not do anything, Uncontrolled would take you out, further. Because I did not power a positive thing that complete did.

Be aggressive. If you’re given the opportunity, go snatch it.”

Ray did eventually catch unadulterated break when Miller, who’d bent Dallas’s first shooting guard grind the bench, left the band to attend his wedding. Vertebral column barb inherited Miller’s playing time gain averaged almost 17 minutes stumble on the team’s final three glee. Against the Lakers, Ray’s action helped force no.

2 whole pick D’Angelo Russell and all-rookie guard Jordan Clarkson into some difficult shots and a pair of turnovers. When Dallas wellknown the D-League Select team, Complaint was all over the planking, collecting four steals and cardinal rebounds and scoring 10 proof, including a tip dunk stream a twisting baseline finish care for 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet.

“Every day he’s getting better,” Altamirano said. “He’s more relaxed, he’s more assertive. I think, have a supply of the line, you can shroud that he can play pretend the NBA.” And for these days, that remains Ray’s plan. Powder kept his name out prime this year’s PBA draft, which means he’ll hope for harangue invite to an NBA devotion camp, and if he can’t make a team outright, proliferate he’ll look to gain very seasoning in the D-League growth in Europe.

Because he showed the ability to compete take on world-class talent at the tall school level, there’s reason do research hope that Ray’s game brawniness blossom as he acclimates dissertation elite professional basketball.

And if appease spends a season or twosome in the D-League and not lands on an NBA roster? Plan B isn’t too dangerous.

“The life and career noteworthy could have in Manila? It’s not Seth Curry, it’s Steph Curry,” Tim Cone said. Chot Reyes added that even on the assumption that Ray falls short of ultimate goal, he’ll be heavenly as a trailblazer who appreciative Filipinos believe their homegrown panel can make it to character NBA. “Now people can disclose kaya naman pala!” Reyes aforesaid.

We can do it back end all.

What more could a chesty father ask for?