If Ray-Ray Parks Jr. would only pursue his dream and at the same time be patient, Dallas Mavericks scout Jim Kelly is confident the amateur stalwart could be on his way to the next level – the NBA.
The veteran scout is in town for a visit and has shared his thoughts on the versatile Parks, who he watched during the NBA Summer League last year and in the NBA D-League.
Parks was drafted and saw action for the Texas Legends, the affiliate D-League squad of the Mavericks. In 32 games, the 23-year-old Parks averaged 4.6 points and 1.9 rebounds for Texas.
“He played with the team (Texas),” said Kelly yesterday. “He played sparingly in the beginning, (but) as the year went on he played more. I think he showed good improvement and I think they want him back again.”
“He made up one step, and I think he got to go a few more steps before he gets there… I think he got to work on that outside shooting,” said Kelly, who also was a former scout for the Toronto Raptors.
The 6-foot-3 Parks, son of the late seven-time PBA Best Import Bobby Parks, was part of Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).
Kelly, who used to be part of the PBA television panel in the 80s and 90s before joining the Raptors in 1996, said that it’s not just Parks who has a shot of making it at least in the NBA Summer League.
Kelly mentioned two other names – PBA reigning two-time MVP June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer, and Paul Lee of Rain or Shine.
