MANILA, Philippines – Signing a one-year deal with TNT KaTropa was a deliberate move on the part of Ray Parks.

Parks, the second overall pick in the 2018 PBA Rookie Draft, was offered a longer deal by the franchise, as confirmed by team governor Ricky Vargas. However, the two parties eventually settled on a one-year contract for the maximum.

For Parks, signing a shorter deal is all about proving himself to a team that he only joined about five months ago.

"For me naman, like I said, I wanna prove myself, to make sure that, you know, Talk 'N Text trusts me, that I'm worth the value that they put on me," Parks explained during the PBA's Media Day last Thursday at Okada.

"And like I said, I still have to prove myself in the PBA. Bata pa naman ako, I'm still learning and I'm still growing," he added.

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Parks was drafted by the Blackwater Elite, but sent to TNT in a blockbuster trade in November 2019. He averaged 12.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in nine games for the KaTropa, and helped them reach the semifinals of the 2019 PBA Governors' Cup.

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The former UAAP Most Valuable Player is confident he can keep improving and help TNT reach greater heights in his second season with the team.

"I felt like last year was a great year, pero I could have done better. I did my role naman when nalipat ako sa Talk 'N Text, and I felt naman na we've accomplished as much as we could," he said.

"Yeah, sayang, but at the end of the day, we're still growing for the long haul."

This will also be Parks' first time to compete in an All-Filipino Conference. He missed last season's Philippine Cup due to his duties with San Miguel Alab Pilipinas in the ASEAN Basketball League.

"It's another opportunity for me to grow," he said. "It's gonna be my first time. Excited lang to get the opportunity to play."

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