Now that the 2015-2016 NBA Season is underway, and the Dallas Mavericks are in the thick of the far-too-soon-to-matter Western Conference Playoff picture, fans of Frisco’s Texas Legends know that the D-League season is on the runway and ready for take off.
Here’s a look at four new faces to be featured on the Legends’ roster for the upcoming 2015-16 season.
PG Bobby Ray Parks Jr.—National University
Bobby Ray Parks Jr. certainly has all the tools—and the pedigree—to be a force for the Texas Legends. Born in Metropolitan Manila in the Philippines in 1993, his father, Bobby Ray Parks Sr., is a former third-round NBA draftee (1984) and a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Hall of Fame member.
Parks Jr. starred at National University in Manila, where he was a two-time UAAP MVP (2011 and 2012), and made his professional debut in 2014 with the NLEX Road Warriors in the PBA D-League. Parks went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, but was invited to join the Mavericks’s Summer League team where he impressed enough to be drafted by the Texas Legends in the second round of the NBA D-League Draft.
F Justin Reynolds—Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Although new to the Texas Legends, Justin Reynolds is a seasoned professional basketball player. The well traveled forward has seen time all over the world, from Macedonia to France, and was most recently a member of the Tsukuba Robots of the Japanese National Basketball League.
While playing for the Islanders of A&M-Corpus Christi, he amassed an excellent career, where he stands in the school’s Top 10 all-time in scoring, rebounds, blocks and steals. Reynolds was selected in the fourth round of the 2015 NBA D-League Draft.
C James Blasczyk—USC
Known for his hustle and his ability to play through nagging injuries, James Blasczyk will brings ample size and immeasurable leadership qualities to the 2015-16 Texas Legends.
Blasczyk, a Michigan native, attended Friendswood High in Texas, where he was heavily recruited by multiple Division-I programs. Ultimately, he chose Texas A&M, where he appeared in just 13 games, before transferring to USC.
As a Trojan, Blasczyk was one of just five teammates to play in all 32 games during the 2011-2012 season.
F/C Jarrid Famous—South Florida
Much like Justin Reynolds, Jarrid Famous has had a lengthy professional career playing all over the globe. After averaging 9.6 ppg and 5.4 rpg while at South Florida, the Bronx native signed with SKP Bystrica of Slovakia, to kick start his eventual path to the Texas Legends.
Over the next five seasons, Famous would play for ten teams ranging from the D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants (2012) to the Tadamon Zouk of the Lebanese Basketball League. In 2015, Famous appeared in five preseason games for the Dallas Mavericks, before being released on October 22.
Upcoming Texas Legends Games
The Texas Legends kick off their 2015-2016 season next Friday, November 13 as they travel to Cedar Park to take on the Austin Spurs. The tip off is scheduled for 7:30 PM (CST) and tickets can be purchased here.
Can’t make that four-hour (barring traffic) trek down south on I-35? No worries, the Legends have got you covered as all games can be enjoyed on your mobile device via the D-League Center Court Mobile App.
The Texas Legends return home to Frisco’s Dr. Pepper Arena on Friday, November 20, as they play host to the Austin Spurs for their 2015-16 home opener.
