Parks: Kobe Paras has potential to play in NBA someday

Dallas Mavericks player Bobby Ray Parks (Facebook photo)

MANILA – Dallas Mavericks player Bobby Ray Parks was confident that Kobe Paras will make it to the National Basketball Association (NBA). In fact, he believed that any Filipino player can make it to the big league. All they need to do is grab opportunities along the way.

Paras is committed to play for the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins in the US NCAA Division 1 ball next season.

“Actually kausap ko si Kobe nung isang araw. Yeah, kaya naman ni Kobe (Actually, I talked to Kobe the other day. Yeah, Kobe can do it),” Parks told reporters in a press conference after playing two games in the NBA Summer League.

Parks has earlier been bypassed in the NBA rookie picked but saw an opportunity by playing for the Dallas Mavericks in the Summer League. Like him, Parks advises Paras and other Filipino players to seize opportunities.

“Actually lahat tayo, may opportunity. It’s just being in the right place talaga… Malay mo? May bata diyan sa Pilipinas, nagsho-shooting gamit tsinelas niya (at kinuha ng NBA),” Parks said. “Depende talaga sa plano ni God.”

(Actually, we all have opportunities. It’s really just being in the right place… Who knows? There could be a kid there in the Philippines shooting with his slippers on and would later on be noticed by NBA teams and be taken as a recruit… It all depends in God’s plans.)

Right now, Parks feels so blessed with his Summer League stint.

“Blessing naman ‘yun na masuot ‘yung jersey, na kada sagundo sa court. Malaking accomplishement na ‘yun,” he said.

(It’s a blessing wearing the jersey, spending every second in the court. It’s already a big accomplishment.)

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Lakers player Jordan Clarkson has offered an advice to Paras. He urges the college-bound basketball player to work hard and compete as much as possible until he makes it to the NBA.

“Just keep working. Put your time in and just go hard on the court and that’s all you can do, compete, every time you get on the floor. You know, he’ll fall in the right places,” Clarkson said in a separate press conference.

Clarkson also believes that playing for the Bruins under head coach Steve Alford will give Paras a chance in the NBA draft and turn pro.

“I haven’t seen that much of him, but, you know, if he goes to UCLA and does what he’s supposed to, he’s on the right stage to do that (become a lottery pick),” Clarkson added.