ASSURED that he can play out his entire contract with Alab Pilipinas, Bobby Ray Parks shifts total focus on helping the team retains its ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) title.
Charlie Dy, who represents the 25-year-old Fil-Am, admitted Parks had one less burden to think of after the PBA gave him the go-signal to finish his contract witb Alab without compromising his commitment with mother team Blackwater.
"Ray can now fully concentrate playing for Alab in the ABL before taking care of his duty with Blackwater," said Dy before the team left for Taipei for its Sunday game against Formosa Dreamers.
The two-time UAAP and ABL MVP found himself in the middle of a tug-of-war between Alab and Blackwater, which selected him no. 2 overall in last year's rookie draft.
The Elite wanted Parks to play for them right away during the season-opener Philippine Cup, which will run in conflict with his tenure with Alab.
But after insisting that Parks made it clear he will fulfill his contract with Alab until the end of the ABL season as what was stipulated when he applied for the draft, Blackwater elevated the case before the PBA Commissioner's Office.
The Elite contended that Parks' case has no approval of the league board unlike the situation of Christian Standhardinger last season when he played out his contract with Hong Kong Eastern Lions in the ABL before coming on board San Miguel during the Commissioner's Cup.
Upon review of passed board meeting though, PBA legal counsel Melvin Mendoza didn't find any formal board resolution on the Standhardinger case, prompting the league to allow Parks to finish his committment with Alab.
"It was a fair ruling as there was a precedent with Christian Standhardinger just last year," said Dy, while also adding the previous cases of Alvin Patrimonio with Purefoods (1988) and Don Allado with Alaska (1999).
"Christian (Standhardinger) wasn't even representing a Philippine club team," Dy noted.
Blackwater management said it will respect the decision of the league and just await for Parks' availability.
"Yes we respect the decision of the commissioner," said Blackwater governor Siliman Sy.