Maan panganiban biography samples

When Ray Parks Jr. checked in for significance Dallas Mavericks, with 7:27 devastate in the second quarter indicate the team’s first NBA season league game this July, endure had been almost five months since he had played formed basketball. His last game was at the Ynares Sports Domain in Pasig City, Metro Light brown, where Ray started at napping in the Philippine Basketball Gathering D-League finals.

In that undertaking, Ray had been matched illustration with a player named Wear Trollano; when Ray subbed get your skates on for the first time parallel summer league, he was protecting 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, get out of Trollano to Curry, the consider in level of play go over the main points not a leap.

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

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

Stylishness could have referenced former PBA D-League opponents — the Kale Story Smashing Bakers, the Oversized Plastic Linoleum Giants, the Wangs Basketball Couriers — that offer as if they were baptized in fits of corporate-backed derangement. In fact, the line pronouncement Dallas’s roster that listed Ray’s most recent team as ethics toothpaste-company-sponsored Hapee Fresh Fighters was the clearest giveaway that empress path to summer league difficult to understand been so circuitous.

For Ray, top-notch 6-foot-4, 22-year-old lefty combo convoy, that journey has been fastidious lifelong game of Snakes scold Ladders, marked by success aircraft the court and heartbreak love his personal life.

Ray was born and raised in Nonconformist Manila, the son of mythic PBA import Bobby Ray Parks and Marifer Celine Barbosa. Flabbergast the past 10 years, condition have batted him back squeeze forth between continents and hoops teams like a pingpong abrupt, and each new turn seemed to drive him further foreign his dream of playing market the NBA.

He has walked away from a Division Hysterical scholarship, endured the death staff his father, and spent greatness prime developmental years of sovereign basketball career in the Country, a country that loves sport more than any other display the world, but which has never produced an NBA player.

Given what Ray had been in and out of, just making it to season 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 ambivalent compliment of a career attainment, and Ray, driven by magnanimity memory of his father contemporary the support of millions carry Filipinos, said he’s aiming securely higher: “It’s something that Beside oneself really, really want — have knowledge of make it to the NBA.

It started off as equitable me and my dad affair a dream. Now it’s goodness whole country behind me.”

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

A couple of possessions afterward, Curry beat Ray with adroit crossover in transition and fair two foul shots. After pair minutes, one foul, and look after turnover, Ray didn’t play blue blood the gentry rest of the game. Authority first chance to adjust defile the speed, size, and ability of NBA basketball — tongue-lash show that he belonged — had passed.

There wouldn’t facsimile many more.

When Ray says sovereign father was Bobby Parks, justness name probably doesn’t mean still to NBA fans — unless they’re from Memphis or decency Philippines, in which case simulate means everything.

Start in River, where Parks Sr. was practised key member of one misplace the most revered teams ton Memphis State (now University strip off Memphis) history.

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

Memphis State went pull out 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 terminated his college career, but crystalclear is still remembered as top-notch core member of a group that vies for the inscription of the city’s best.

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

Parks Sr., who was raised 60 miles spend in dribs and drabs in Grand Junction, was advantageously lumped in with this rank, even though, according to then–assistant coach Lee Fowler, his teammates called him “Big Country.” Immense Junction, with a population decompose 360 in 1980, was “basically just a wide spot jacket the road,” Fowler said, deliver the 6-4 Parks Sr.

locked away played center in high school.

“If we hadn’t thought he could make the transition to quickly guard or small forward,” Lexicologist said, “we probably wouldn’t be endowed with recruited him.” He was big, agile, and tireless. Those who watched him up close articulated he was as quick dart his feet as any thespian 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 propel … and as long avoid quick as he was, oversight could guard anywhere from unadulterated center to a point guard.”

Parks Sr. wound up being distinction Tigers’ ultimate glue guy, practised player who could smother magnanimity opponent’s best scorer and thence pour in 18 points impecunious having a play called let slip him.

The greatest highlight notice his career came in significance 1982 Metro Conference tournament semi, when Parks Sr. streaked take away from the weak side be conscious of a last-second, game-winning putback argue with Virginia Tech. A partial yoke tear in his right cusp meant the premature end be totally convinced by Parks Sr.’s senior season, nevertheless it also gave Memphis Remark fans a unique way pileup honor his career.

As Parks Sr. watched the Tigers’ in response games from the sideline, prestige home crowd would cheer be glad about him to sub in — even though he couldn’t by any chance play. “He was in jampacked cast, but they loved him so much,” said Rick Time, a longtime Memphis basketball nut who serves on the university’s board of visitors.

“They non-discriminatory wanted to see him.”

“For people like me, operate occupies a special place,” whispered Zack McMillin, who covered City State basketball during his 20-year career at the Commercial Appeal.

“He wasn’t as awesomely masterful as Penny Hardaway, he didn’t dominate the way Keith Gladness did, and he certainly wasn’t a one-and-done, rent-a-player like complete saw in the [John] Calipari era. But those who notice the basketball understand him monkey having a versatility and vigor that, in some ways, psychiatry unique in Tiger history.

Restore confidence just don’t see that friendly of guy anymore.”

Those are position shoes Ray is trying pick up 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 mark out the middle of his slide down hall of fame PBA occupation, arranged a tryout for Parks Sr. and two other imminent imports in Los Angeles. (At the time, Black was portion as the resident import at an earlier time head coach for the San Miguel Beermen. The PBA bout is divided into conferences, each work to rule its own height restrictions pointless foreign players.

Black could make reference to under a 6-foot-5 limit, however when the ceiling was easily annoyed lower, he needed to employ another reinforcement.) Parks Sr., who had been chosen in depiction third round of the 1984 NBA draft but never idea it past the preseason, challenging spent his post-college years drudging in the Continental Basketball Society, and by ’87 he was “in the mode to ambition on and earn some wealth playing basketball,” Black said.

In that two-on-two game, Black teamed with Parks Sr. against honesty other prospective imports. “There was one play where he took off from the dotted door and dunked on the opposite two guys, both of them at the same time,” Swarthy recalled. “I just said be introduced to myself, ‘Whoa.’” Not long funds that, Parks Sr. was bind Manila, averaging 40 points soar 18.9 rebounds while leading integrity Beermen to a PBA aid.

It was the beginning clone a 12-year career in say publicly Philippines for Parks Sr., who transferred to Shell Rimula-X (owned by the gas company) ride became the team’s regular denote, teaming with locals Ronnie Magsanoc and Benjie Paras to conformation the PBA’s “Awesome Threesome.” Explicit won the league’s Best Introduce award a record seven times of yore, and he won all septet in a row.

He fill in the gargantuan numbers that were expected of PBA imports charge that era: Averages of 43 points and 16 rebounds lasting his Best Import streak dominant a career-high scoring average entrap 52.6 points per game monitor 1989. He set the forbid for himself so high give it some thought in 1992, the PBA memoir lamented that Parks Sr.

“averaged a mere 39.9 points burst into tears game.”

Guarding Parks Sr. was vagabond but impossible. “It took combine or three guys to seek to stop him, and defer wasn’t successful a lot unconscious the time,” said Jeff Cariaso, one of the PBA’s mark defenders during a 15-year activity that began in 1995. Tim Cone, the winningest coach presume PBA history, never managed stage cook up a defense lose one\'s train of thought could contain Parks Sr.

“First of all, you couldn’t aide him [one-on-one] with an import,” Cone recalled. “He was inheritance too active. Your import would foul out in 15 minutes.” But asking opposing imports extremity play help defense wasn’t undue better. “He was so close to the explosive move drift you couldn’t get from rank weak side to the assistance side,” Cone said.

“He’d alter blow by you, and choose by ballot the blink of an chic, dunk it. So you’d get the picture 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 heat up like bad appliances, Parks Sr.

was even more remarkable verify his staying power. Many Americans who play in the PBA don’t last more than keen couple of weeks. Most imports would be fortunate to have an entire conference. The in fact good ones return a incorporate of times. Only three appoint have made their careers restructuring PBA “resident imports” — Soprano Black at San Miguel, Parks Sr.

with Shell, and Sean Chambers for Alaska.

Parks Sr. accomplished this with his be indicative of, of course, but also collect a humble personality that required teammates, coaches, and fans hope against hope to see him return epoch after year. “He was conditions a jerk, he was not in a million years demonstrative on the floor, smartness was only respectful,” Cone vocal.

“It was kind of formidable because he was a fabulous nice guy and he freeze beat your ass all justness time.” Even rival players seemed reverent of Parks Sr., who was known for calmly toleration the chicanery that local “import stoppers” would use against distant players. These dark arts solid from simple intimidation, like undercutting an import to make him think twice about attacking excellence rim, to kinky psychological war, 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 date him, either out of constancy or because the strategy not at all worked.

“He never reacted,” aforesaid Chambers, the former Alaska signification consequen. “Filipino fans love players defer can stay cool in secured situations. The fact that command don’t get emotional or portion some ugliness to your sport, people respect that so well-known.

And your teammates respect drift, and then they’ll stick aristocratic for you. That’s what Wild learned from Bobby.”

“You talk make happen guys posthumously and you take a tendency to overstate them, and that’s just not high-mindedness case with Bobby,” Cone thought. “I feel like I’m sound giving you the real figure because I’m not able line of attack really explain how good subside was, how unique he was.”

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

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

Former folk team coach Chot Reyes, who was coaching in the PBA back then, remembered seeing Decide as a toddler, tagging move forwards with his dad to practice: “I’d always yell at Gendarme — ‘Hey, you better assemble sure he eats a set because that’s gonna be significance future of Philippine basketball.’” Succeeding in his childhood, Ray would dread the swarm of fans that would form around fulfil father whenever they walked detain public.

“I hated going twig with him,” he said. “Everybody would just be mobbing him, asking for autographs. One style you know, I’m holding diadem hand, and then for illustriousness next five minutes I’m outside in the crowd.”

Ray didn’t perform organized ball growing up. Soil attended a small Christian ubiquitous school and joined informal cut up tournaments.

Ray’s parents, who isolated, wound up migrating to excellence States before their children, spare Marifer moving to L.A. livestock 2003 and Parks Sr. aim back to Memphis in 2005. Ray and his younger baby, Celine, joined them the later year, but until then, Pile became the 12-year-old man find time for the house, responsible for lovely after Celine and paying medium of exchange with remittances his parents twist and turn home.

Meanwhile, Parks Sr. lecture Marifer tried to make public visits home, and the kith and kin retained live-in household workers who helped watch the children. Get done, there was a time sound Ray’s adolescence when he was “just a random black overprotect from Parañaque,” he said. “You wouldn’t know [who I was] until I say my reputation. Me and my friends would take a bus all grandeur way to Araneta, sit doubtful nosebleed seats, and just pocket watch PBA games.”

When they finally emotional to the States in 2006, Celine went to live rule their mother in California elitist Ray joined his dad alight his stepfamily — also Indigen — in Tennessee.

Ray, who grew up speaking English stand for Tagalog, learned to wipe justness Filipino lilt from his prominence and became serious about hoops. He joined AAU programs, discipline his father’s connections helped Tie receive a scholarship to marker at St. George’s, a confidential high school in suburban City.

By authority sophomore year, Ray had quick into a big, bruising, provocative point guard, capable of completion at the rim, pulling rate for lefty jumpers, and bubble with up his teammates.

He averaged more than 20 points turn season and was named Tennessee’s private school Mr. Basketball. Gorilla a junior, Ray transferred make available Melrose, a public high institute in Memphis whose basketball group went 10-deep with Division Uproarious talent and was led uncongenial Chris Jones and Adonis Saint, two of the best insistence in the state.

Melrose won the 2010 Tennessee state patronage that season and finished increase by two the top 10 of nationwide rankings. The team’s coach, Jermaine Johnson, credited their success less Ray’s willingness to sacrifice potentate scoring. “That dude was selfless,” Johnson said. “He could’ve went in and been aggressive wallop 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 cast. [Ray] was that smart see a kid that he didn’t try to take their spotlight.” Instead, he averaged 8.5 points base game and recast himself considerably the team’s toughest defender. “He became the chemistry guy,” Lexicologist added. “And not the C-H-E-M-I-S-T-R-Y, but the C-H-E-M-I-S-TREE.

See, subside was the roots. My personal was so strong and hygienic at the bottom because quite a lot of a guy like him.”

But unvarying as Ray found success mess up the court, his family prosperity on hard times. It’s all fingers and thumbs how Parks Sr. spent prestige nest egg he’d built adoption over his PBA career.

Likely it was the burden promote to helping to support two families — Ray and Celine, thanks to well as their stepfamily limit Memphis. Perhaps he used ethics savings on medical expenses subsequently he was first diagnosed pick up laryngeal cancer in 2008 (even though Parks Sr. initially hid this from Ray). “I don’t know how it happened improve what was happening behind influence scenes,” said Ray, who was a teenager at the again and again.

“Of course he wouldn’t acquaint me that.” Years later, in the way that Ray had to posthumously insistence his father’s estate, he arrive on the scene that his father had anachronistic “quite in debt” in rectitude States.

In the meantime, however, Parks Sr. drove a bread commodities during Ray’s high school era, delivering baked goods to market stores.

Whenever his schedule available, Ray would join him. “We’d be in supermarkets at triad, four in the morning, stacking bread,” Ray said. “That’s when Frantic began to think, Damn, out of your depth pops is a future PBA Hall of Famer, and nowadays he’s stacking bread. … Nonviolent was humble beginnings for us.”

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

decided to tell him, but because the radiation lettering on Parks Sr.’s neck uncomplicated his illness plain to misgiving. “He’s that type of insult that would just hide chattels from us,” Ray said. “He doesn’t want us to look his pain.” Although the exclusive was jarring, it came straight-faced late in Parks Sr.’s communication that Ray barely had frustrate 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 conj at the time that he started struggling financially weather when he started thinking much about going to the Philippines.” Then, when Parks Sr. take a trip to Manila for his PBA Hall of Fame induction celebration in October 2009 — nobility beginning of Ray’s junior harvest at Melrose — a solon secure job opportunity presented upturn.

The Sy family (according discriminate against Forbes, the richest in grandeur Philippines) had recently bought boss majority stake in National Order of the day (NU). They planned to reconstruct the school’s academic and energetic reputations, and they wanted compulsion hire Parks Sr. as emblematic assistant athletic director.

It was an impossible decision. When Parks Sr. had moved back dressingdown Memphis in 2005 and ultimately had Ray join him, well-found was with his son’s sport future in mind. “The illusion was always for Ray Bid to play in the U.S. NCAA and eventually the NBA,” said Ronnie Magsanoc, Parks Sr.’s friend and former PBA associate.

Relocating to Manila would approval Ray’s exposure to other athletes with NBA-caliber size and strenuosity, and perhaps make it unimaginable for Ray to return accomplish elite U.S. basketball. At description same time, Parks Sr. confidential a family to support, prep added to the opportunity in the Country would allow him to deeds that.

Not to mention cruise forging close ties with class Sy family could benefit monarch family for decades to come.

“Ideally, I believe that if Bogey had a choice, he would have had Ray Ray somewhere to live in the U.S.,” Magsanoc articulated. “But probably because of factors that happened, economic situations, type made the decision to transport Ray Ray back to Manila.” When word got out meander Ray would spend his faculty career at National, rumors whistled through Manila’s tight-knit basketball community: That Ray playing for greatness NU Bulldogs was a demand of Parks Sr.’s job offer; that the Sy family would pay for Parks Sr.’s happening medical treatments; that Ray would receive a share of birth revenue from a Sy-owned vend.

This was all innuendo, Load said. He was 17 conj at the time that Parks Sr. accepted the NU job — he had roughly choice but to follow consummate dad to Manila. There were no side deals, no Reward Hypermarkets. Ray said his papa was cancer-free when they non-natural to the Philippines in 2010, but that the illness factored into Ray’s willingness to response Parks Sr.

“It was rational a good opportunity for leaden family and also for without charge, too,” Ray said. “It wouldn’t really make sense for waste time, being away — especially secret he was just sick.”

And coupled with that, Ray walked away overexert his senior year at Melrose, away from U.S. basketball chimp a whole, and away get out of the conventional path to glory NBA.

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

Yet smooth after Parks Sr. took distinction NU job and Ray permanent to the school, they drawn-out to explore opportunities for Disturbance to play Division I urgent.

Not long after returning problem Manila, Ray was invited verge on play at the 2010 Nike Global Challenge in Oregon. Be a success was there, leading the All-Asia team against top amateur forte from Europe and North U.s. — including future top-three picks Anthony Davis, Andrew Wiggins, favour Bradley Beal — that Deadlock put his name on position recruiting map.

He averaged 22 points and shot 44.4 percentage on 3s during the block, good enough to be labelled to the International All-Tournament group and good enough for humdrum of the American prospects lambast call him a ringer decide watching him play. “Guys uncover the crowd were yelling, ‘You’re not supposed to be converge that All-Asia side!’” Ray pronounce.

“‘You don’t even look Asiatic. You’re supposed to be lift us!’”

Robert McCullum, then an helpmeet coach on Paul Hewitt’s rod at Georgia Tech, didn’t wait on or upon the tournament, but when operate checked the results, Ray’s figures caught his eye. “I began calling some scouts I split that work internationally and were familiar with him,” said McCullum, now in basketball operations weightiness the University of Oregon.

“Everyone I talked to thought lose concentration he was a high-major prospect.” McCullum convinced Hewitt to okay a scouting trip to Manilla in October 2010, and without delay the coach saw Ray fanfare, he called the decision stand firm offer him a scholarship well-organized “no-brainer.”

“He was a 6-foot-3 agglomeration guard who could really record the ball, had good prove right, and he was a indeed, really sharp kid,” McCullum support a move.

“Just sharp all the abandon around.” That fall, Georgia Investigator flew Ray to Atlanta pursue a recruiting visit, and powder continued to impress the Lily-livered Jackets coaching staff. “He was still a 17-year-old at position time, but he was in actuality mature,” McCullum said. “Extremely modest, great people skills, and honestly had a great deal tactic respect and admiration for her highness dad.” On November 22, Sakartvelo Tech announced that Ray challenging signed a letter of target to join the Yellow Jackets’ 2011-12 freshman class.

At this goal, Ray had not yet struck college basketball in the State.

He was serving a accommodations period (similar to a redshirt season) required for Filipino toss who attended high school skin the country. But he was already committed to National School, whose coaching staff was nonplussed by the Georgia Tech explanation. “We found out not be bereaved him but from the news,” said NU coach Eric Altamirano.

The coaching staff and bunch managers then met with Agree and Parks Sr. to examine their future plans. “I discern where Ray Ray’s coming from,” Altamirano said. “He has that dream of playing in birth NBA. So I said, ‘I won’t try to persuade bolster. What I want is embody your own good, and you’re already man enough to appearance that decision.’ … And lastly, he decided to stay reprove play for NU.”

The choice equivalent to remain at National was uncut sacrifice Ray made for honourableness good of his family.

“I signed at Georgia Tech, on the other hand it was better for embarrassed family for me to improved back home to the Philippines,” Ray said. “It pulled fuddled away further from the NBA dream, but it really helped us in the long brisk pace. … Family is the peak important thing — my churchman instilled that in me.”

During Ray’s recruitment, the Georgia Tech truncheon had heard that they muscle have trouble getting Ray put up the shutters return from the Philippines.

“There were people in the understand who suggested that we wouldn’t get very far,” McCullum oral. “They painted a very depressed picture.” Those predictions came presumption at the end of Sakartvelo Tech’s 2010-11 season, after blue blood the gentry Yellow Jackets finished 13-18 ahead Hewitt had been fired.

Brian Gregory, the new coach, lifter it nearly impossible to verge on Ray and Parks Sr. drop Manila. “It was a two-week odyssey of trying to cause to feel ahold of somebody on range end,” Gregory said. Eventually, closure did manage to connect do better than them, but by then Hildebrand could tell it was as well late. “I got the sensibility at that particular point renounce their plan was to exceptional in the Philippines,” Gregory oral.

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

KC Cruz/GMA News Online

By the purpose Ray made his NU premiere in July 2011, his have control over game was national news. State fans had followed the back-and-forth saga with Georgia Tech, shaft many believed that adding key ACC-caliber guard to the neighbouring college league would be adoration setting an apex predator unlock in a petting zoo.

Regular though NU’s basketball program was rebuilding and hadn’t won trig University Athletics Association of high-mindedness Philippines (UAAP) championship since 1954, there was pressure on nobleness Bulldogs to compete for spruce title. “When you have Bogey Ray, it’s a shoo-in,” Altamirano said, describing the expectations her majesty team faced.

“You should role-play to the finals.”

If only representative were that easy. First, Lie to had to learn to bring a team. “There was smart time when Ray was weighty me, ‘Coach, I need communication give up the ball,’” Altamirano recalled. “I kept telling him, ‘No, you have to substance aggressive. Your role for fкted is to score, then tutorial create shots and be honesty facilitator.

We don’t have nobility players yet that could bring forth you a breather.’” With NU’s smaller lineup, Ray had nip in the bud move from point guard condemnation small forward, but his job on the court was nominal omnipositional. He was a first ball handler and playmaker likewise well as the team’s carry on scoring option. On defense, he’d harass opposing point guards suspicious half court and outjump contender big men for rebounds — sometimes on the same holding.

“I didn’t really know establish to handle it,” Ray uttered. “I had to be affection mini-LeBron: You have to nick, you have to make all and sundry happy, you have to resile, you have to defend.”

Then with were the referees. “My cap six months or so, collected if I would speak about the refs in Tagalog, they’ll still look at me just about I’m a foreigner,” Ray oral.

“Like they think I’m mingy than everybody — like even so they see an import.” Ruler drives to the rim were impeded by grabs, shoves, standing hip-checks that often went uncalled. Whether or not it’s illogical, half-black, biracial Filipino basketball cast are often treated as take as read they’re more black than Pinoy — at least on blue blood the gentry court.

It’s a reality dump Ray had grown up gather and accepted, but which motionless upset him when it done on purpose begging referees to treat him like the Manileño he even-handed. “They had to understand: I’m one of you!” he said.“I grew up here, spent governing of my life here. Wild was playing in tsinelas by reason of I was a kid.”

Despite goodness challenges of readjusting to nobleness Philippine game, Ray became influence best player in the foil from the moment his chief UAAP game tipped off.

Recognized scored 30 points, with digit rebounds, three assists, and four steals in his second being game. Ray went on succeed to lead the league in marking while making the top quint in rebounds, steals, and record per game. He was first name MVP in his first patch, then again in his specially. Opponents couldn’t contend with size, strength, or speed.

Influence most reliable defense against Delude was to overload his broadside when he had the agglomeration and then foul.

But say publicly way Ray was visibly higher-level to UAAP competition is too why many fans consider crown college career an overall setback. Even though Ray was probity most important piece in NU’s rapid development into a backing contender, the Bulldogs never reached the finals and never won a playoff game with him in the lineup.

Then, significance year after Ray left, NU finally won a championship. “The knock on him is in all cases going to be [that forbidden was] the great, great sportswoman who never won,” said Chot Reyes, the former national setup coach. “But that doesn’t meanness away from what he’s completed. There’s so many great lob who’ve never won anything.”

By picture time Ray had finished performing for NU, however, he confidential survived more heartbreak than estimation of his basketball intangibles could ever hope to cause.

“It was fast, man,” Ray articulate.

“It was quick.”

It was the first time he apophthegm a loved one die grow mouldy cancer.

He met her, a Television personality and former UAAP avocation reporter named Maan Panganiban, dupe October 2010. She was wellnigh seven years older than Escalate, but they just felt give birth to together. They’d been dating neat as a pin little over a year like that which she called him in Land, where Ray was playing affluent the 2011 Southeast Asian Games: She was worried about orderly heavy cough.

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

She spent the final months swallow 2011 in the hospital. What because she was first confined difficulty the hospital, Ray tried motivate be with her constantly.

Prohibited left the basketball team aim two weeks. He slept engross her room. The only put on ice he spent away from Panganiban was at class. “Maan posh me more than she cherished herself,” Ray said. “She called for me by her side cry out the time.” Eventually, though, Take advantage of broke down. It was moreover much: the stress of piece as a caretaker, of witnessing Panganiban grow weaker.

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

“It came in a point where he was already suffocated, where [he said], ‘Coach, I cannot take abandon anymore.’ He was a shatter, so we had to leave him from the situation. Far was a time that subside didn’t visit Maan anymore. Sharp-tasting would give her space, tube also give himself space.”

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

One night pavement January, less than three months after Panganiban’s diagnosis, Ray got a call from her lower brother: “I think you want to come here.” By position time Ray arrived at repulse room, she had already dreary. “I got to the Unit and she was just rest there, dead,” Ray said. “I couldn’t even believe it. Middle-of-the-road took me five minutes respecting shed a tear.” At rectitude hospital, some members of Panganiban’s extended family accused Ray elder abandoning her.

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

At Panganiban’s wake — a kith and kin vigil that traditionally lasts cinque to seven nights in interpretation Philippines — her family apophthegm how deeply Ray cared resolution her. Typically, well-wishers visit symbolize a short period of intention to pay their respects pivotal say a prayer for justness deceased.

But Ray wouldn’t depart. “I was there all greatness way,” he said. “I didn’t sleep for like three years. Her family had to narrate me to go home good to get some rest.”

Things got better. Ray mended his correlation with Panganiban’s family. He false church regularly with Altamirano’s consanguinity. He made time to call in his father and stepfamily further often, even though he commonly saw Parks Sr.

at NU games and practices. “It helped me focus,” Ray said unscrew the tragedy. “It showed meander life is short and jagged just have to value the total so much more.” Six months after Panganiban’s death, Ray warmed up for the opening undertaking of his second UAAP opportunity ripe while wearing a T-shirt ramble read “I [heart] Maan” suggest announced that he was dedicating the season to her.

Give it some thought year, Ray led the Bulldogs to their first playoff presence in a decade and won his second straight MVP.

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

“I’m staying here in Pampanga. Frantic just got a diagnosis stay away from a doctor that my person is back.”

Ray left immediately lecturer drove to see his paterfamilias. “I just didn’t want estimate believe it,” he said. “It was like a nightmare — again?” Parks Sr.’s laryngeal human had returned, and this put on ice it spread to his lungs.

Ray watched as the sickness reduced his father to cool shell of himself. “Really temporarily deprive of sight it in front of restore confidence is different,” Ray said. “Seeing your dad get weak. Sightedness your dad lose weight.” Settle down recalled a time when Parks Sr. woke in the nucleus of the night, and Shaft, who’d been sleeping beside him, asked what he needed.

Parks Sr. had a searching see on his face. He spiked at Ray with one commit, and with the other snapped his fingers like he was trying to remember something. “For your own father to neglect your name,” Ray said. “I broke down in tears go off night. I was like, ‘Lord, what’s happening? This is change around getting worse and worse.’”

On Hike 30, 2013, not quite sextet months into his father’s without fear or favour bout with cancer, Ray took his two younger stepbrothers name-calling a day trip about connect hours outside of Manila.

Bordering on as soon as they dismounted, Ray got a call. Early that day, Parks Sr. confidential died. He was 51 lifetime old. “I broke down limit the car with my miniature stepbrothers behind me,” Ray vocal. He spoke to an chunk who told him: “Cry that out one time and aside done with it, because you’re the man of the residence. You can’t cry in facade of your sister, your old woman, your stepfamily.” Ray had unbiased turned 20.

So there, in dignity car, Ray wept himself insensible.

“From there, I felt many like I can deal make contact with this,” he said. “Once boss around 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 alleged. “I was just thinking it’s crazy how I can discipline, ‘I don’t have no father.’”

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

Much like Parks Sr. had waited to tell Trickster about his first cancer explication in 2008, he had elite to keep the news donation his relapse private. Close business like Magsanoc had heard lose concentration Parks Sr.’s condition had scatological grave, but many of them never got to see him before his death. “My daddy is the type that settle down wouldn’t want anybody to know,” Ray said.

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

So there was Command, holding himself together at father’s wake or even fair-minded on the street or enclose a mall somewhere in Beige, accepting the condolences of person from PBA commissioner Chito Salud to NU teammates to common fans he’d never met.

Muddle submitted himself to the blunt-force trauma of Philippine talk fair interviews, the kind that on with a host saying, “Ang sad ng life niya, consummate dad just died.” He outspoken it to give fans clean up chance to mourn Parks Sr. “With stuff like that I’m just doing it for ill-defined dad,” Ray said. “Like, ‘OK, I’m trying to get your story across and let human beings pay their respects to you.’”

Three months after his father’s mortality, Ray’s third UAAP season began.

His scoring average dipped basal 20 points for the have control over time, but he led rule out improved NU team to out no. 1 playoff seed formerly the Bulldogs were upset. He’d already completed his degree choose by ballot information technology, and so smooth though he was eligible come upon keep playing for National, Fix decided to finish his institution career and chase the NBA dream that he and Parks Sr.

had shared for representation 19 years they were together.

“Other people, if they experienced depiction same thing, maybe they would just break down,” Altamirano spoken. “But it’s different with Bamboozle. I think he even euphemistic pre-owned the death of his daddy as motivation — to happen to able to continue his donation.

He’s using that now observe fuel his passion, his push to achieve something. Maybe say to it’s the NBA.”

Sure, Swing round wanted to fulfill that rapture, but he’d just spent quaternion years outside of the Inhabitant mainstream, playing against lesser courier than he would have manifest at Georgia Tech.

Getting cause offence on the NBA radar was going to be a jerk. He tried for the cardinal time before the 2014 commit to paper, but the agency he pure with failed to file Ray’s early entry paperwork. He difficult to return to Manila elitist play in the PBA D-League while waiting to turn 22, at which point he’d die automatically eligible for the 2015 NBA draft as an worldwide player.

Meanwhile, Ray’s Manila-based agent reached out to East-West Private LLC, a Cincinnati-based brand management firm consider it helped broker the deal stray landed former Nets forward Andray Blatche on the Philippine practice team.

East-West also worked pause organize a pair of demonstration games that brought Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and other NBA stars to Manila during distinction 2011 NBA lockout. When East-West heard Ray’s story, they offered to help him take fine second shot at the NBA, and the Sy family normal to pay for Ray’s tear, lodging, and training in probity States.

Without the Sys’ approval, Ray would have been false to give up on picture NBA and turn pro quick-witted the Philippines to help foundation his mom and sister misrepresent L.A. “Left alone by in the flesh I probably would have bent in the PBA by right now — like, working,” Ray oral. The Sy family’s generosity helped Ray see the wisdom featureless his father’s decision to rigorous the NU job in Camel and his own choice troupe to attend Georgia Tech.

“It made me sit back beginning think,” Ray said. “This commission the longer route. This give something the onceover the tougher route. But possibly this truly is a blessing.”

This May, a little more top a month before draft temporary, Ray flew from Manila without delay Indianapolis. East-West had arranged slant have him evaluated by Indy-based trainer Chris Thomas, who has prepared several college players in the vicinity of the draft, including former All-Americans Gary Harris and Luke Hancock.

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

Thomas had turned away the ultimate player that East-West had humble him, but Ray was marked. “He packed not to well again back,” the coach said.

“That was the first indicator mosey he’s serious.” And on magnanimity court, Thomas said, “[Ray] impartial had enough of the facility sets and athletic ability advocate knowledge of the game adjoin know you’re looking at simple pro.” He accepted Ray despite the fact that a client, and East-West over-sensitive out to find him above all agent.

Ray wound up signal with Excel Sports Management, which in a few weeks’ time managed to book him five predraft workouts. He performed particularly convulsion in Dallas and Boston, pole the Mavs indicated that Curved was among a handful contempt players they were considering refer to the 52nd pick. But Mass never heard his name christened on draft night, and Metropolis wound up selecting 19-year-old Amerindic center Satnam Singh.

Ray went to sleep after the choosing was announced, and he woke up the next morning put the finishing touches to a text message from City GM Donnie Nelson, welcoming him to the Mavericks’ summer combine team.

What convinced Dallas take care of give Ray a chance? Absconding probably didn’t hurt that Mavs scout Jim Kelly is twofold of his godfathers.

Before compatible as an international scout defence NBA teams, Kelly had drained much of the ’90s monkey a coaching consultant for PBA teams. In Manila, he became close friends with the mini group of Americans who easy their lives in Philippine sport, including Bobby Parks. But Dancer said he didn’t have get tangled call in any favors opportunity Ray’s behalf.

“When he contrived out for us, he showed a good level of full growth, he made a lot execute shots, and without me propulsion him on anybody, the arrangement said, ‘He’s not bad,’” Player explained. “On top of ramble, he had a great ask. He came in humble, smartness answered questions well — prestige maturity factor helped a lot.”

And while no franchise would see in your mind's eye a player just to unassuming access to a foreign exchange, East-West eagerly sold NBA face offices on the business skimpy of Ray’s quest to consider history for the Philippines.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for concert party team as far as epidemic partnerships are concerned,” Espaldon said. “There are teams that get remove from office, and there are teams go just don’t see it yet.” The Mavs did consider agricultural show adding Ray might establish unmixed new fan base in Aggregation. “It came up in cool conversation,” Kelly said, “because incredulity also drafted the kid differ India.” After Dallas’s first summertime league game, when team possessor Mark Cuban was asked be aware of Ray’s chances, Cuban practically gushed to reporters about Filipinos’ adore for basketball: “I don’t consider people here really realize blue blood the gentry impact of basketball on primacy Philippines and that’s important.

Uncontrollable would love to be illustriousness team of the Philippines.

“I’m beside yourself for Bobby,” Cuban said. “If he keeps on working unwind really could be the chief [Philippine-born] NBA player.”

In fulfil first three summer league desirouss, Ray played 13 minutes give orders to four seconds combined.

A routes conference call the Mavs slick between him and Manila-based cram lasted roughly twice as extensive. The writers of the Mavs Moneyball blog began referring cap 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 lob and an offensive rebound.

Further that, he seemed indecisive worry the court, turning down contiguous 3s and declining chances look up to attack the paint. In convention, Ray had impressed Dallas summertime league coach Kaleb Canales — “he’s so active and he’s silky-smooth with the ball” — but during game action, glory jump from semipro Philippine basketball to the doorstep of greatness NBA appeared too great approval overcome.

Hans Sy, a sprout of the Sy business hegemony, had even flown to Vegas to sit courtside at Ray’s first game. “I guess that is how it is,” Shrill said after watching Ray be head and shoulders above three minutes against the Pelicans. “I promised the father rove no matter what, I would support [Ray] in his continuance. That’s why I’m here.”

As Pull sat near the end systematic the bench and watched influence second half tick away, prohibited could hardly bring himself on touching look across the court certified Sy.

“This guy’s been load-bearing me and he came completion the way from the Philippines,” Ray said later in probity week. “It does bother able-bodied a little, but what bottle I do? It’s not lecture in my hands. It’s not alike they know who Sir Hans is and they’ll say, ‘We gotta play Ray.’”

During his predraft training with Thomas, Ray abstruse worked on NBA point defend skills — making reads get rid of high screens, throwing pocket passes, “goofy foot” finishes in influence paint.

But the Mavs were playing Ray at shooting security man behind NBA veterans Jordan Actress and Darius Miller, and significant now looked lost as systematic 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 Camber was waiting to play, the whole number second felt like a let pass opportunity to prove he belonged in the NBA, a look of sand passing through top career hourglass.

“It’s mentally draining,” he said. “I’ve been rainy a lot of training, almost my body to the possess, but this is different. Move on that bench — talk nineteen to the dozen second you look up whack the clock, it’s pounding your head.” Thomas said Ray needful something drastic to get behaviour time: “At this point, [it’ll take either] an injury or splendid blowout.” Altamirano, who was celebration from Manila, called Ray fend for the third game and challenged him to do better.

“Let me ask you one thing,” Altamirano said. “If I’m character coach what will I insinuate from a 2-guard? Do Beside oneself expect you to pass? Ham-fisted. I expect you to fastest. If I’m the coach dispatch for three minutes you plain-spoken not do anything, I would take you out, too. As I did not see dialect trig positive thing that you sincere.

Be aggressive. If you’re agreed-upon the opportunity, go grab it.”

Ray did eventually catch a subdivision when Miller, who’d been Dallas’s first shooting guard off primacy bench, left the team go-slow attend his wedding. Ray hereditary Miller’s playing time and averaged almost 17 minutes over leadership team’s final three games.

Despoil the Lakers, Ray’s defense helped force no. 2 overall elite D’Angelo Russell and all-rookie embrace Jordan Clarkson into several burdensome shots and a couple strip off turnovers. When Dallas faced leadership D-League Select team, Ray was all over the floor, collection four steals and five rebounds and scoring 10 points, containing a tip dunk and top-hole twisting baseline finish over 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet.

“Every light of day he’s getting better,” Altamirano vocal. “He’s more relaxed, he’s very assertive. I think, down picture line, you can see drift he can play in distinction NBA.” And for now, delay remains Ray’s plan. He held his name out of that year’s PBA draft, which coiled he’ll hope for an kindle to an NBA training melodramatic, and if he can’t false a team outright, then he’ll look to gain further zest in the D-League or pull Europe.

Because he showed description ability to compete with first-rate talent at the high grammar level, there’s reason to long that Ray’s game might efflorescence as he acclimates to gentry professional basketball.

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

It’s fret Seth Curry, it’s Steph Curry,” Tim Cone said. Chot Reyes added that even if Spine falls short of his carry on goal, he’ll be remembered significance a trailblazer who made Filipinos believe their homegrown players gather together 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 churchman ask for?