KELLY Williams admittedly made a “rash decision” when he announced his retirement last year. He’s hoping Bobby Ray Parks isn’t doing the same.
“Just like I told him, it’s no secret. Just make sure you don’t leave anything to chance,” the comebacking TNT center told Radyo5’s Power and Play Saturday.
“Talk directly to who you need to talk directly to. Don’t leave anything to chance to be miscommunicated, misunderstood because that happens all the time,” he added.
The former PBA MVP admitted he doesn’t have full knowledge of what happened between Parks and the Tropang Giga, although he understands where Parks is coming from following their talks after the latter announced he is skipping this PBA season.
“When you’ve dealt with the business for as long as I have, you get an understanding of how it can be,” said Williams. “I don’t know a hundred percent about his situation and how everything went down, but I know how it can get and I know how frustrating it can get as a player.
“I’ve reached out to Ray-Ray, we exchanged a little bit. I get where he’s at and he knows how I feel about everything.”
Williams has his own experience to draw from.
The 15-year pro announced in September of last year that he was retiring, a decision that caught many by surprise, including the Manny V. Pangilinan group’s flagship franchise.
“There were some disagreements and some things that I wasn’t happy with at that time,” he said “And with the business also on the court, you know… The past several years, not really being happy with how I was being played as a player.
“So when the business side of things got a little murky, that’s when, for me, it was like… You know what, maybe it’s time to kinda get myself out of the way, because I felt like it was just kinda tearing me apart on the inside.
“I love the sport, I love the game, and I’ve tried to get back to it here in the Philippines the best way I can and try to play the game the right way; and conduct myself within the business side as best as I can. I felt it was the best decision for me than just to leave it all alone altogether. I felt if I fought any more, it would just get really ugly,” he added.
Then again, Williams realized that he could have thought of a much better way to handle the situation since TNT, his home since 2010 and with which he won five of his six PBA championships, has been good to him.
“At that time, I just made an emotional decision, a really rash decision. I didn’t handle it the best way,” admitted Williams. “Looking back, there was a better way to go about it, and maybe even salvage the situation and be able to play in the bubble last year. Maybe, maybe not, I don’t know.
“Like I said, for the next several months, I had to deal with myself and do a lot of internal work, and just try to move forward the best way I can and not harbor any bitterness or anger towards anyone. The franchise and the company have been nothing but great for me for the last 11 years now, and I have nothing but respect for the management and the organization altogether.”
Things have since been sorted out and Williams came out of retirement last month and officially rejoined the ballclub by signing a two-year deal.
Williams’ return came weeks after the team re-appointed Chot Reyes as its head coach to replace Bong Ravena and Mark Dickel and Williams confessed his former mentor’s return had inspired him to make his comeback.
Williams hopes Parks’ mind would clear up, too, since the son of seven-time Best Import Bobby Parks Sr. remains a valuable asset to the Tropa.
“I hope they can mend fences and work something out,” said Williams, “because he’s a great teammate, he’s an amazing player. And he would only help the cause of what we’re trying to do this year.”
