James Yap

James Yap

Yap during his tenure with then B-Meg Llamados
No. 18 – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
Position	Shooting guard / Small forward
League	PBA
Personal information
Born	(1982-02-15) 15 February 1982 (age 35) Escalante, Negros Occidental, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school	Iloilo Central Commercial
College	University of the East
PBA draft	2004 Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs
Playing career	2004–present
Career history
2004–2016	Star Hotshots
2016–present	Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
Career highlights and awards
7× PBA champion (2005–06 Philippine, 2009–10 Philippine, 2012 Commissioner's, 2013 Governors' 2013–14 Philippine, 2014 Commissioner's, 2014 Governors') 4× PBA Finals MVP 2× PBA Most Valuable Player (2006, 2010) PBA Best Player of the Conference (2009–10 Philippine) 13× PBA All-Star (2004–2016) PBA All-Star Game MVP (2012) 3× PBA Mythical First Team (2006, 2010, 2012) PBA Mythical Second Team (2011) PBA All-Rookie Team (2005) PBA Three-Point Shootout champion (2008) UAAP men's basketball tournament Most Valuable Player (2003) UAAP men's basketball tournament Mythical First Team (2003)
Medals Men's Basketball Representing  Philippines Southeast Asian Games 2003 Ho Chi Minh Team

James Carlos Agravante Yap Sr., popularly known as James Yap (born February 15, 1982 in Escalante City, Negros Occidental), is a Filipino professional basketball player who currently plays for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Known by his nickname Big Game James, he had played for the Star Hotshots for twelve seasons winning seven PBA championships before being traded on 2016. He is also a twelve-time PBA All-Star through 2004 to 2015.

Yap had a successful high school basketball career at Bacolod Tay Tung High School and then at Iloilo Central Commercial High School, where he sparked his team to three consecutive Iloilo PRISAA titles. He then went on to play at the collegiate level for the UE Red Warriors and helped the team to the Final Four in 2002 after years of absence. However, the Red Warriors lost to the Blue Eagles, the eventual champions. In the following season of UAAP, Yap led the Red Warriors to the Final Four for the second straight time. Eventually in the semifinals series, the Warriors lost to the Far Eastern University Tamaraws. Nevertheless, Yap was named as the UAAP Most Valuable Player in 2003.

Yap also played in the Philippine Basketball League from 2001 to 2004. He decided to declare his eligibility for the PBA Draft, and was selected the 2nd overall pick in the 2004 PBA draft by the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants. One of the focal points of the Purefoods offense, he is the 2005–2006 and 2009–2010 seasons' Most Valuable Player. He is also the 2009–2010 Philippine Cup Conference MVP. In 2014, along with Peter June Simon and Marc Pingris, he led his team to a historic grand slam, earning the 2013-2014 Commissioners' Cup and 2013–2014 Governors' Cup Finals MVP Award.