MANILA, Philippines - Bobby Parks Jr. continued his pursuit of an NBA dream as he was picked 25th overall by the Texas Legends in the NBA Development League Draft Saturday, becoming the highest drafted Filipino player ever in the NBA’s farm league.
Texas is the Dallas Mavericks’ affiliate team in the NBA D-League.
Left undrafted in the NBA rookie draft this year, Parks stayed put in the US while turning down offers to play in the PBA back home with hopes of making it to the NBA via the backdoor with a solid stint with the Legends.
Parks, son of former many-time PBA Best Import Bobby, Sr., thus became the second Filipino to be drafted in the NBA farm league since Japeth Aguilar, now with Ginebra, was picked in the seventh round by the Santa Cruz Warriors three years ago.
Aguilar, however, didn’t make Santa Cruz’s main roster in the NBA D-League regular season.
The 6-4 Parks, a former National University standout, was actually the Legends’ first pick since Texas, coached by Nick Van Exel, didn’t have any first round draft rights.
Parks played in the NBA Summer League with the Mavericks and averaged three points, 1.7 rebounds in 10.5 minutes of action.
Parks had his best game in the NBA Summer League against the NBA D-League select team with 10 points, five rebounds, four steals, an assist and zero turnovers in 21 minutes.
Parks will join Indian Satnam Singh, who was drafted by the Mavericks 52nd overall this year but did not make it to NBA roster, in the Texas squad that wound up fourth in the Southwestern Division with a 22-28 (win-loss) record last season.
Jeff Ayres, Jimmer Fredette and Perry Jones, who all had NBA experience, were the top three picks of the recent D-League draft.
The NBA D-League starts Nov. 12 with the Texas Legends battling the Austin Spurs on Nov. 13 at the Cedar Park Center in Texas.