Pagara shows up Donaire

BOBBY Ray Parks is hell-bent on becoming the first Filipino-born player to see action in the NBA. Hardly anything else occupies his mind at this time.

Not even the PBA, supposedly his fallback in case he fails to make it to the NBA.

Parks’ Filipino agent Charlie Dy personally confirmed that his client has no plans to apply for the PBA Rookie Draft, which will be held next month. The deadline for application is on Aug. 7.

Dy, who is with Parks in Las Vegas to provide support and encouragement, plans to return to Manila when the NBA Summer League ends on July 20. Parks will not be with him.

Whether or not the cager makes it to the Dallas Mavericks’ regular training  camp with the team veterans, Charlie   said Parks’ plan is to stay behind. He said Parks may likely play in the farm team of the Mavs in the D-League, if he makes it.

That statement may only be partly true. Why did Parks have to take his PBA agent with him to the United States to attend the NBA draft and then the NBA Summer League if he intends to cut his  ties completely with the PBA.

Could it be that it’s just a ploy to raise his worth when draft time comes  around? We will know for sure by Aug. 7.

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He wasn’t included in Pinoy Pride 31’s “Clash of World Champions,” but Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr.  was in Cebu City last weekend to train  for his coming fight with Frenchman Anthony Settoul at Venetian Macau on July 18.

Since we barely made it to the  weigh-in of the Pinoy Pride protagonists Friday morning, eve of the fights, we missed Donaire’s sparring sessions, especially the one with knockout artist  “Prince” Albert Pagara which was the topic of discussion among sports scribes who saw it.

One of our colleagues from Manila said Pagara, who will be in Dubai in the first week of August for Pinoy Pride 32, “really gave Donaire a hard time, and if you ask me, lamang pa nga siya (he was even leading).” Donaire looked  tired and admitted it, according to the scribe.

Pagara, the undefeated IBF Intercontinental junior featherweight champion, is several years younger than the five-division world champion Donaire.

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HOOPVINE: On our return to Manila from Cebu, we were updated on the latest buzz in the PBA … The report is that two coaches, both from the five most popular teams, will  be replaced this coming season, one of  them by a rookie  mentor … We’ve been wondering who or what was the connection between Filipino boxing icon-KIA playing coach Manny Pacquiao and Letran, which appointed him team manager of the Knights. A boxing colleague said one of   the KIA assistant coaches, Aldin Ayo, is now the Letran head coach.