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[av_heading heading=’NBA drafts Parks, Umipig ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – Filipino-American guards Bobby Ray Parks Jr. and Isiah Umipig have been drafted by the Westchester Knicks and Maine Red Claws, respectively, during the 2016 NBA D-League Draft on Monday.
Parks, a member of the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball team, was drafted by the Knicks as its eighth pick in the sixth round of the draft. The Knicks is a NBA affiliate team of the New York Knicks.
The 23-year-old Parks was drafted and played for the Texas Legends during the 2015-2016 NBA D-League season but his contract was not renewed during the off-season making him eligible anew for the draft.
Parks, a two-time UAAP MVP with the National University Bulldogs, averaged 4.6 points, 1.91 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.09 blocks, and 0.56 steals in 13.3 minutes while playing for the Legends last season.
Parks’ league career-high is 16 points, on 6-of-14 shooting, which he tallied during Legends’ 139-109 victory over the Oklahoma City Blue on April 2. He also had four rebounds, three assists and two steals in that match.
Umipig, on the other hand, was selected by Red Claws as its second pick in the third round with draft rights they acquired in a previous trade with the Santa Cruz Warriors.
Umipig, who was a standout from the Seattle University Redhawks, has played as import overseas, including Slovakia, before deciding to try his luck in the NBA Developmental League.
Parks and Umipig became the third and fourth players with Filipino descent to be drafted in the NBA D-League after Japeth Aguilar was picked by the Warriors in 2012 and Mikey Williams by the Sioux Falls Skyforce in 2014.
Others who were drafted are former Alaska Aces import LaDontae Henton with the Warriors and Blackwater Elite reinforcement Keana King with the Greensboro Swarm. The NBA D-League season will tip off on Nov. 11./PN
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