NU star gets feelers to join NBA camps

MANILA, Philippines - National U’s Bobby Ray Parks Jr. hopes to join Japeth Aguilar in a dream chase for a chance to play in the NBA.

Bobby Parks Sr., Bobby Ray’s father, told The STAR yesterday that there are two NBA teams interested in inviting his son to attend separate training camps in the US right after the ongoing 75th UAAP season.

“I can’t say until they make it official but we’re drawing interest from the NBA,” said Parks, the former many-time PBA Best Import and coach of the San Miguel Beermen in the ASEAN Basketball League.

Parks said they have plans of working out with John Lucas’ basketball and training camps in Houston after the UAAP season.

“We’re looking at possible workouts with John Lucas after the UAAP,” said Parks. “John Lucas has a training school in Houston, mostly for NBA and European players who are preparing to enter the draft.

“Usually, NBA teams listen to him analyze players to see if they are ready or what they need to work on,” he added.

The 19-year-old Parks, tipped to nail a second straight MVP award in the UAAP, has signed a letter of intent to play for US NCAA Division I school Georgia Tech before ending up in NU Bulldogs uniform.

Aguilar, meanwhile, held another private workout, this time with Tom Sellers, a scout of the New Orleans Hornets, according to a recent report from the popular basketball website HoopsHype.

“Filipino forward Japeth Aguilar had a workout with Hornets’ scout Don Sellers in attendance, agent Chris McGarry told HoopsHype,” said HoopsHype’s official Twitter account.

It was the second private workout attended by Aguilar since he joined a workout hosted by team Western Conference teams, including the San Antonio Spurs.

Aguilar has also attended a tryout of the Bakersfield Jam, an NBA D-League affiliate of the Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns, and made quite an impression. He reportedly drew offers from leagues from China, Canada and the Harlem Globetrotters.

Aguilar is also set to attend a tryout by another D-League team, the LA D-Fenders late this month, according to personal trainer Leo Balayon, who told Yahoo Sports Philippines recently.