Ray Parks Jr. looks to make the B.LEAGUE playoffs for the fourth straight season, but this time with his new team in the Osaka Evessa.
Starting fresh.
Ray Parks Jr. is set for a new challenge in the 2024-25 B.LEAGUE season as he begins his fourth season in Japan, this time with Osaka Evessa.
Parks, who spent his first three seasons in Japan with the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins, consistently helped his former team reach the playoffs, including a deep run last year.
Now, Parks joins an Osaka squad eager to bounce back after a disappointing season that saw them miss the playoffs with a 25-35 record.
[Related: Ray Parks Jr. welcomes fresh start, signs with Osaka Evessa in the B1]
Parks’ time with Nagoya was marked by both promise and setbacks. Injuries limited his and his team’s potential during his first two seasons, but last year saw a resurgence as he stayed relatively healthy and played in 58 games, including the postseason.
Although his role shifted, with fewer starts, Parks remained a key contributor for the Diamond Dolphins, who came within one win of making the B.LEAGUE Finals, ultimately falling to eventual champions Hiroshima in the semifinals.
Now, Parks takes his talents to Osaka, where the Evessa are looking to recover from a season that started strong but spiraled out of control.
Osaka opened the 2023-24 campaign with a 9-1 record, only to suffer a 10-game losing streak that derailed their playoff hopes. For the Evessa, Parks represents a fresh start and a player with playoff experience who can help steady the team during tough stretches.
Aside from Parks, Osaka has undergone significant changes in the offseason, welcoming five other new faces to the roster.
[Related: Osaka Evessa’s Ray Parks and Zeinab Harake are now engaged … TWICE]
Among the notable additions are Volodymyr Gerun, who brings his size and versatility from Sendai, and Matt Bonds, the former B2 scoring and steals champion from Nagasaki Velca.
Osaka will be on the road to open the season, as the Evessa get the honor of welcoming the Shiga Lakes back to the B1.
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[Editor's note: This article was generated by a member of the One Sports Digital team using AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]