June 30 ------ RAY Parks has found a new home in Japan, signing with B.League club Osaka Evessa. The 31-year-old formalized the move, sharing his excitiement over this new chapter in his career heading to his third season in the Japan B.League. "I am looking forward to this new stage with the Osaka Evessa. I am excited to play with all the fans and supporters, the team, and the city of Osaka on my shoulders," he said in a statement.
Parks averaged 8.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 21.4 minutes of play while starting 20 of 53 games for the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins last season. He now joins an Evessa side that finished 18th in the league on a 25-35 win-loss record last season. Osaka general manager Konno Shota also welcomed Parks, saying, "Not only is he known for his beautiful three-point shots, but he can also hustle and run on defense, so he is a perfect fit for the Osaka Evessa's playing style and we are confident he will do great work. He is extremely passionate when he plays, and I'm sure he will show us a lot of plays that will instantly get the fans and boosters excited." Parks replaces Korean gunner Lee Hyun Jung as the Evessa's Asian import.
Meanwhile, the B.League is expanding the field for the Asian Players Quota, adding eight more countries to be eligible for the program. Players from Hong Kong, Macau, Mongolia, India, and Southeast Asian nations Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore can now be signed as Asian imports in the Japanese professional basketball league starting in the 2024-25 season. Introducted in 2020, the Asian Players Quota previously only accepted players from the Philippines, China, Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Indonesia to play as reinforcements, with Thirdy Ravena becoming the first Pinoy signed.
Source: spin.ph