PBA commissioner Willie Marcial on Tuesday refuted rumors that Ray Parks Jr. has been banned from the league following his decision to take a sabbatical.
Parks played for TNT Tropang GIGA in the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, emerging as a candidate for Best Player of the Conference. But he announced his decision to take a leave of absence early this month, which caught his mother team off guard.
TNT team owner Manny V. Pangilinan and team governor Ricky Vargas have both publicly questioned Parks' reasons for his sabbatical. The player said he was doing it for "family reasons," but TNT brass are skeptical.
Nonetheless, Marcial said there was no truth to the rumors swirling on social media that Parks has been banned.
"Wala. Hindi naman namin napag-uusapan sa board meeting 'yan," he said, as quoted by Tiebreaker Times, Tuesday afternoon.
However, Marcial also acknowledged that he cannot stop the league's Board of Governors from making a "gentleman's agreement" of sorts regarding Parks.
"'Yung Board of Governors natin, dikit silang lahat," the commissioner said.
Vargas, according to a report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, has dared Parks to "offer his services to the other teams, and see for himself if he can land a job."
"I'm sure no team will be interested in him, considering the way he conducts himself," Vargas was also quoted as saying.
After Parks' decision to go on leave, Vargas tried to contact him but the TNT official said he did not receive a reply. The team governor has made it clear that they have a contract on the table for Parks, who only signed a one-year deal with the team last year.
"Nakaka-lungkot lang, kasi you know, he's such a very high potential player," Vargas said after the PBA Press Corps Awards Night earlier this month. "(But) if he wants to be a real winner, he has to look at himself very carefully."
Parks has remained silent on social media ever since making his announcement on March 6.