James Carlos Agravante Yap Sr. (born February 15, 1982) is a Filipino professional basketball player and politician who last played for the Blackwater Bossing of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Known by his nickname Big Game James, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever play in the PBA.
Yap spent his high school career initially with Bacolod Tay Tung High School before moving to Iloilo Central Commercial High School. In college, he spent his entire college career with the University of the East, playing for the Red Warriors. He won the MVP award in Season 66 (2003) and was part of two Mythical Five teams. During this time he also played in the Philippine Basketball League.
In 2004, Yap was selected second overall by the Star Hotshots in the 2004 PBA draft. He spent twelve years with the Purefoods franchise before being sent to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in 2016 in a blockbuster trade. He played for Rain or Shine for eight years, though he took a break in 2022 as he began to get into politics. In 2024, he moved to the Blackwater Bossing, and has since yet to return.
In politics, he is currently serving as the city councilor for San Juan, where he has assumed office since 2022.
Amateur career Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) Yap was born in Escalante, Negros Occidental. As a child, Yap already showed athleticism playing football, baseball, and track and field until high school.Sunstar "Football was my first love" Growing up, he looked up to one of the most prolific players in the history of Philippine Basketball, Samboy Lim.
Yap emerged to be one of the most promising basketball stars in the Iloilo/Negros region back in the late 1990s. Early on that decade, he played for the Bacolod Tay Tung High School and made his mark. He was transferred to Iloilo Central Commercial High School, displaying his skills. Manila Standard. Along the way, he sparked his team to three consecutive Iloilo PRISAA titles.
University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Instead, Yap went on to play at the collegiate level where he polished his skills. He played for the UE Red Warriors under former national team coach Boysie Zamar. In 2002, known for his quick-release shooting and all-around presence, he, alongside Paul Artadi and Ronald Tubid, brought the Red Warriors to the Final Four after years of absence. However, second seed University of the East lost to a dramatic semifinal series as they faced the Ateneo Blue Eagles the eventual champions. Nevertheless, Yap established himself as one of the most prolific scorers averaging more than 20 points per game in just his third year in the league.
In the same year, he led UE to the first Bantay Bata Crossover Cup, exacting a sweet revenge against Ateneo in the finals. A month after, he again led UE to the inaugural Collegiate Champions League crown, beating FEU.
In the 66th season of UAAP, Yap led the Red Warriors to the Final Four for the second straight time as he topped his teammates in points and rebounding, and closed second to Artadi in overall efficiency rating. Eventually in the semifinals series, the Warriors lost to a much more defense-orchestrated team, the Far Eastern University Tamaraws led by tactician coach Koy Banal and star player Arwind Santos. Nevertheless, Yap was named as the Most Valuable Player from coaches, players, and media votes. In the same year, he, along with incourt partner Paul Artadi, was teamed up with other UAAP and PBL counterparts to lead the Philippines in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games to a gold medal finish and was eventually honored by Philippines Sportswriter Association as the best basketball player in the amateurs alongside the best player in the professional level, Asi Taulava.
Philippine Basketball League Yap played in the Philippine Basketball League from 2001 to 2004. In 2001, he played for the ICTSI-La Salle Archers forming a backcourt tandem with Mike Cortez that almost had their team beating the veteran-laden Shark Energy Drink in the finals. In 2002, along with Mark Cardona and Joseph Yeo, he helped put the Archers in the playoffs against the Blu Detergent Kings. In 2003, he had to sit out the whole conference after ICTSI refused to sign his release papers to make him eligible to play for Sunkist-Pampanga. In 2004, Yap signed up for one conference with the Welcoat Paintmasters, teaming up with the comebacking Jojo Tangkay, leading them to a runner-up finish. He and Tangkay lost to PJ Simon of the Fash team for the MVP plum.
PBA career
Star Hotshots (2004–2016)
Rookie season (2004–05) Yap entered the 2004 PBA draft, and was selected as the second overall pick by the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants. The Giants were coming off a disappointing 2003 season, after failing to enter the quarterfinals of the three conferences. They ended the season with a dismal 9–27 win loss card (a franchise low). Their best player, Alvin Patrimonio, announced his retirement in November 2004, after playing his entire career with the team. During his rookie season, Yap mostly came off the bench. Bothered by an ailing shoulder, Yap had a slow start in the 2004–05 season but later on, he improved as he had numerous games where he scored 20 or more points. By the end of the season, he averaged 12.48 points per game (ppg), 4.70 rebounds per game (rpg) and 1.03 assists per game (apg) in 26.9 minutes per game (mpg). However, Purefoods failed to get past the quarterfinal round against the Shell Turbo Chargers. Despite leading all rookies in scoring, Yap eventually lost to Rich Alvarez in the Rookie of the Year award race.
First MVP award (2005–06)
In the 2005–06 season, Yap received more playing time and began to show more of his abilities as a talented young guard. In the 2005–06 Fiesta Conference, Yap was 4th in the statistical race, behind at the end of the semifinals series, while the Giants finished 4–2 at the series conclusion.
In the classification round of the 2006 Philippine Cup, the Chunkee Giants finished with a 12–4 record. In the first round of the all-Filipino Cup, Yap recorded 34 points against the Sta. Lucia Realtors then had a career-high 37 points to beat the Barangay Ginebra Kings. Near the end of the round, he played an important role in the win against the powerhouse team Talk 'N Text. The victory put the Purefoods team in a first-place finish in the classification phase, earning them an outright semifinals berth for the second consecutive time. After the accumulation of player statistics at the end of the semis, Yap edged out teammate Kerby Raymundo and Red Bull's Enrico Villanueva for the Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player award by recording averages of 17.60 ppg, 4.35 rpg, 1.18 apg and 1.19 steals per game (spg) in 36.4 mpg. This made him, at 24 years of age, the fifth youngest player, and second sophomore to have won the individual award. He was the statistical leader and garnered more than 7000 combined votes from players, the 4-man committee, and the media, almost 5000 votes ahead of the rest of the candidates. Yap was the first Purefoods player since Alvin Patrimonio to win the MVP award. He was also named to the Mythical First Team alongside teammates Raymundo and Roger Yap, and on-court rivals Enrico Villanueva and Lordy Tugade.
Ups and downs (2006–09)
Yap played in 41 games during the 2006–07 season. He averaged 19.71 ppg, 1.76 apg, 4.22 rpg and 0.63 steals per game while playing an average of 38.39 mpg. On June 1, 2007, Yap scored a career-high 41 points in a 109–97 win over the Welcoat Paints, leading Purefoods to a spot in the wildcard phase of the 2007 PBA Fiesta Conference playoffs. He scored six of the Giants' 11 3-pointers. In the following game against the Coca-Cola Tigers, he scored 40 points as Purefoods lost 100–97, thus being eliminated from the Conference. Despite failing to deliver the win for his team, Yap's efforts equaled former PBA player Nelson Asaytono's record of scoring 40+ points in back-to-back games.
Purefoods had renamed its team to the Tender Juicy Giants for the 2007 PBA Fiesta Conference.
The Giants then had a 7–0 start at the 2007–08 Philippine Cup with Yap having a banner conference. Purefoods eventually clinched the semifinals berth and the No. 1 seed after defeating the Coca-Cola Tigers. In the semifinals, the Giants were up against Red Bull, the winner over the Magnolia Beverage Masters in the quarterfinals series. In game 4, Yap injured his groin in the first quarter after scoring ten points and did not return to the game. Purefoods, now without Yap, ultimately lost the game in overtime, 97–88. After the injury to Yap, Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio announced prior to Game 5 that the former UE standout would be day-to-day.crucial Wednesday Doubleheader at the Big Dome , PBA.ph However, Yap started on Game 5 and helped his team nail a one-point victory, 96–95. After being outscored in the following match, 123–97, Yap led Purefoods to win the series in 7 games, and finally clinch their 12th AFC finals stint (the most by any team in history) against Sta. Lucia Realtors. The Giants lost a controversial 7-game series with Yap serving a suspension in game 5 after the Giants had come back a 0–2 deficit to tie the series at 2–2. They managed to level the series at 3–3 thanks to a classic fourth quarter performance by Yap, who made 5 of 6 three-point attempts and scored 20 points in the fourth quarter. In Game 7 Purefoods struggled in the third quarter with key players in foul trouble, and wasn't able to rally with Sta. Lucia's offence. In the end it was Sta. Lucia who made the crucial shots down the stretch and won the game 100–88.
By the end of the 2007–2008 season, Yap averaged 21.32 ppg, 1.58 apg, 4.06 rpg, 0.76 spg and 0.24 blocks per game (bpg) in 37 minutes playing time.
The 2008–2009 season saw the team playing only 37 games, their lowest in the James Yap-era while failing to advance to the semifinal round of the two conferences played for the season, the Philippine Cup and the Fiesta Conference. In the Philippine Cup, the team posted an 8–10 card to enter the wild-card phase where they were bundled out by the Air21 team 94–82 in the first pair of knockout games. On the other hand, in the Fiesta Conference, the team posted a 7–7 card where it reached the quarterfinals only to be booted out by the Rain or Shine team, 2–1. Notwithstanding, Yap again posted good numbers by averaging 18.08 ppg, 1.61 apg, 4.33 rpg in 35 minutes playing time.
During the 2009 PBA All-Star Weekend at the Araneta Coliseum, Yap scored 21 points to defeat San Miguel Beermen guard Dondon Hontiveros and Burger King Whoppers guard Gary David in the Three-Point Shootout contest.
Second MVP award (2009–10)
The 2009–10 Philippine Cup started on October 11, 2009. Purefoods finished third in the elimination round with a 12–6 record, outlasted the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the quarterfinals in five games, and defeated the No. 2 seed and sister team San Miguel Beermen in six games after trailing the series 1–2. In the finals, Purefoods swept Alaska, 4–0, to be crowned 2009–2010 PBA Philippine Cup champions. During their series against the Aces in the finals, Yap scored 24, 32, 14, and 18 points respectively. For leading his team to this incredible feat, Yap was named Best Player of the Conference (BPC), as well as Finals MVP. He also won his second MVP award, for the 2009–2010 PBA season with averages of 17.98 ppg, 3.50 rpg, 2.02 apg and 0.64 spg while playing almost 34 minutes per ball game. Yap was lauded for winning the award despite numerous distractions he had to deal with off the court. During his acceptance speech, Yap tearfully dedicated his latest trophy to his son Baby James.