Ray Parks excited to join Gilas in Olympic qualifier

.@ray15parks here at Gilas Pilipinas practice today @gmanews pic.twitter.com/DVmg9MLA9A

— Marisse Panaligan (@marspanaligan) May 18, 2016

Bobby Ray Parks Jr. attended his first practice session as a member of the Gilas Pilipinas pool on Wednesday afternoon at the Meralco Gym.

The two-time UAAP Most Valuable Player, who left for the United States last year to chase his NBA dream, looked right at home with the national team as he learned offensive sets with the veterans.

"I'm excited just to have that Gilas label on," said the 23-year-old Texas Legends swingman. 

"It means a lot. To represent your country, to be the youngest in the senior national team, is a privilege."

His arrival comes in a perfect timing for the Gilas pool, which saw two of its members ruled out for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament as Greg Slaughter and Matt Ganuelas Rosser went down with injuries,

"We're happy he's here. We're happy we have another international caliber player in our pool of players in this country," head coach Tab Baldwin said about Parks, son of the late legendary PBA import Bobby Parks.

Baldwin, who handled the former National University Bulldogs in the Gilas cadets pool last year, said Parks is looking good and in great shape.

"I think he's a better player - from what I saw today - than the one that left. He's another talented body," he said.

Parks bulked up a bit after playing in the NBA D-League, looking more physically fit and more mature than when he left the country a year ago.

"I feel more comfortably with my body now, playing at 215 lbs instead of 205 lbs. 205 I was easily bumped, I just had to keep the weight on," he said.

"I learned a lot in the year I was gone," he added. — APG, GMA News