BOBBY Ray Parks Jr. has spent more than half of his life playing basketball, but he now faces the challenge of being away for the first time. Although relocating from one country to another is a familiar experience, the 30-year-old guard for the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins expressed that it has become more challenging since he now has a family of his own, with celebrity personality Zeinab Harake.
“It really is a sacrifice. During my first two years here, I was single, it hard enough as it is, but now that I have Bel, Bia, and Lucas, being apart for me is the toughest,” the 6-foot-4 stalwart shared with SPIN.ph during the Japan B.League All-Star weekend.
Ray-ray, though, understands that it’s part of his profession as an overseas athlete, hence, he chose to have a better perspective thinking about the situation.
“It’s a reminder of who I am doing it for, and I am doing it for them, so they could have a great future,” he said. “Before, I was more of doing it for myself, my sister, my mom, but now I have an immediate family.”
The social media star came all the way from the Philippines to watch Parks play with the Asia All-Star team on Saturday.
Parks on being father
Parks took the role of being the father of the two children of Harake, and he shared that decision was one of the best ones he made.
“Just them calling me ‘daddy’, nakakatanggal ng pagod, very heartwarming, and it would have been nice to see them everyday,” he said.
The two started sharing their love story publicly back in May 2023. And being in the relationship for a few months now, Parks just keeps loving the family more.
Harake said in an old interview she finds Parks as someone very patient, and the Pinoy import has his reasons.
Parks: 'She's worth the wait'
“I’m patient because she’s worth it. Worth the wait, the effort, the patience, just worthy of the love being given to her,” he said.
Showing more consistency in his game as the 2023-24 B.League season goes, Parks owes it to the motivation this part of him brings in.
Parks continued: “Apart from the coaching staff doing a great job with load management for us, I know basketball is just a physical game, and I’m just more inspired, mentally, emotionally because of my family.”
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