CJ Perez
Perez in 2023
No. 77 – San Miguel Beermen
PositionShooting guard / small forward
LeaguePBA
Personal information
Born (1993-11-17) November 17, 1993
Kowloon, British Hong Kong
NationalityFilipino
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight187 lb (85 kg)
Career information
College
PBA draft2018: 1st round, 1st overall
Selected by the Columbian Dyip
Playing career2019–present
Career history
2019–2020Columbian / Terrafirma Dyip
2021–presentSan Miguel Beermen
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Philippines
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2022 HangzhouTeam
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2023 Phnom PenhTeam
Men's 3x3 basketball
Representing  Philippines
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2019 PhilippinesTeam

Christian Jaymar Perez (born November 17, 1993) is a Hong Kong-born Filipino professional basketball player for the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was selected 1st overall in the 2018 PBA draft by Columbian Dyip.[1]

Early life and college career

Perez was born in Kowloon, British Hong Kong, to a Nigerian father and Filipino mother.[2] He grew up in Bautista, Pangasinan, Philippines.

CJ Perez played for San Sebastian College – Recoletos Stags, Ateneo De Manila Blue Eagles and Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates.[3]

In his final college season, he averaged a league-best 19.3 points per game, while grabbing 6.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists while leading the Pirates to an 18-game sweep of the eliminations, where they were eventually beaten by San Beda in the Finals.[4] He also could have been on the NCAA Mythical Team that year if not for a suspension.[5]

Professional career

PBA D-League

Perez played for Zark's Burger-Lyceum, which was composed of the core of the Pirates that won 18 straight games in the NCAA Season 93 tournament before losing in the Finals to the San Beda Red Lions. He led Zark's Burger-Lyceum to the Finals averaging 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.9 steals to the championship round. He was named as the 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup Conference Most Valuable Player.[6]

Columbian / Terrafirma Dyip (2018–2020)

Perez after being drafted by the Columbian Dyip during the 2018 PBA draft

On December 16, 2018, Perez was selected first overall by the Columbian Dyip in the 2018 PBA draft. In his first career game, he scored 26 points in a win against the San Miguel Beermen.[7] Three games later, he was unanimously awarded the first-ever PBA Press Corps Rookie of the Month for January.[8] For the month of February, Perez was second in voting for Rookie of the Month, losing the award to Javee Mocon.[9] During All-Star Weekend, he participated in the Rookies/Sophomores vs. Juniors game (winning MVP),[10] the slam dunk contest,[11] and the All-Star 3x3.[12] His team did not qualify for the playoffs for the Philippine Cup, finishing with a 4-7 record.[13] In the Commissioner's Cup, Perez exploded for a career-high 39 points in a 120-105 win against the NLEX Road Warriors.[14] He ended the 2019 season with the Rookie of the Year award, a First Mythical Team selection (the first rookie since Calvin Abueva in 2013), and was on the All-Defensive Team (the first rookie since Ryan Reyes in 2008.)[15] He also led the league in scoring with 20.8 points, the first rookie since Eric Menk to do so, back in 1999.[16] His 20.8 points a game is also the third-highest among the highest scoring averages for a rookie in the PBA.[17]

In his final season with Terrafirma, he averaged 24.4 points a game, leading the league in scoring.[18]

San Miguel Beermen (2021–present)

On February 2, 2021, Perez was traded to the San Miguel Beermen for Matt Ganuelas-Rosser, Russel Escoto, Gelo Alolino, and two future first-round picks.[19] Perez won his first championship with the Beermen in the 2022 Philippine Cup. In Game 7, he scored 25 points, including 7 during the Beermen's 4th quarter rally.

National team career

Perez first started playing for the Philippines in the 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge.[20] He was also a member of the Team Manila roster for the 2016 FIBA 3x3 All Stars in Doha, Qatar. He played with Rey Guevarra, Sidney Onwubere and Bright Akhuetie in this competition. The team finished 7th out of 8th competitors.[21]

In 2019, Perez was one of the youngest members of the Gilas team that played in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[22] His averages of 12.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists and fearless brand of basketball was a silver lining in a campaign that saw the Philippines finish dead last in the World Cup.[23] He was named to the Gilas 3x3 team for the SEA Games, along with Chris Newsome, Jason Perkins, and Moala Tautuaa.[24] That team went on to sweep their competition in eight games, winning the gold medal[25]

In 2020, Perez was among the 12 chosen for the Asia Cup qualifiers against Indonesia.[26] He had 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals in that game that they won, 100-70.[27] Perez was also named to the FIBA 3x3 OQT lineup, along with SEA Games teammate Moala Tautuaa, Joshua Munzon, and Alvin Pasaol.[28] They finished in last place in that tournament.[29]

Perez was included in the 21-man pool for the 2023 FIBA World Cup,[30] where he was eventually included in the final 12-man lineup.[31]

PBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

As of the end of 2022–23 season[32]

Season-by-season averages

Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2019 Columbian 3337.8.447.325.6397.43.41.9.420.8
2020 Terrafirma 1137.2.436.269.6236.84.32.0.624.4
2021 San Miguel 3229.5.433.308.6885.81.81.3.514.8
2022–23 San Miguel 5933.0.448.285.6846.14.21.9.518.7
Career 13533.7.444.298.6646.43.41.8.518.8

Player profile

Perez's game has been primarily influenced by Calvin Abueva, to the point where he notes Abueva as his favorite player at the game. His rebounding and aggressiveness has been compared positively to Calvin Abueva's college years at San Sebastian College – Recoletos.

References

  1. ↑ Rappler
  2. ↑ Henson, Joaquin. "Phl rookies soak in World Cup experience". Philstar.com.
  3. ↑ Leongson, Randolph B. (June 2, 2016). "Source: CJ Perez set to leave Ateneo for Lyceum". sports.inquirer.net.
  4. ↑ "Lyceum top gunner CJ Perez named NCAA Season 93 MVP". November 10, 2017.
  5. ↑ Villar, Joey. "Perpetual's Eze cops NCAA MVP plum". Philstar.com. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  6. ↑ Leongson, Randolph B. (April 26, 2018). "CJ Perez named PBA D-League Aspirants' Cup MVP". sports.inquirer.net.
  7. ↑ Dalupang, Denison Rey A. (January 18, 2019). "Top rookie pick CJ Perez leads charge as Columbian stuns San Miguel". sports.inquirer.net.
  8. ↑ "CJ Perez given first-ever PBA Press Corps Rookie of the Month citation". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  9. ↑ "JV Mocon beats out CJ Perez for PBA Rookie of the Month honor". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Mocon tip-in hands Rookies/ Sophomores victory in All-Star thriller to remember". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  11. ↑ "CJ Perez excited to thrill Pangasinan home crowd in dunk contest, RSJ match". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Perez leads Team Codiñera past Patrimonio-led side in PBA All-Star 3x3". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  13. ↑ "PBA - Philippine Cup Standings - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  14. ↑ Terrado, Reuben (June 1, 2019). "CJ Perez drops 39 as Columbian grabs first win, adds to NLEX woes". Spin.ph. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Rookie of the Year CJ Perez eyes playoffs as next goal for Columbian". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Rookie CJ Perez mirrors Eric Menk feat by taking PBA scoring title". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Here's where CJ Perez ranks among best rookie scoring averages". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Perez leads PBA in scoring, Standhardinger in rebounds, Abueva in assists". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  19. ↑ "PBA approves CJ Perez trade from Terrafirma to SMB for 3 players, 2 first round picks". PBA.ph. February 2, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  20. ↑ Bacnis, Justine (August 25, 2016). "Gilas contingent for FIBA Asia Challenge Cup named". Tiebreaker Times. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  21. ↑ Leongson, Randolph (November 19, 2016). ""Akhuetie-led Manila bows out early in 3×3 All-Stars"". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Philippines' new generation of stars will be featured at World Cup". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Seven hopeful FIBA Asia Cup 2021 debuts after World Cup performance". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  24. ↑ Ramos, Gerry (November 24, 2019). "CJ Perez, Newsome, Tautuaa, Perkins named to Gilas 3x3 team for SEA Games". Spin.ph. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Gilas rips Indonesia to cap perfect run to SEA Games 3x3 gold medal". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Ravena bros, Perez, Ramos among Gilas final 12 for Asia Cup qualifier vs Indonesia". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Gilas Grades: Defense does it for cold-shooting PH team vs Indonesia". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Philippines go all out with star-studded FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament squad". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Gilas with lowest total points, ends up dead last in 3x3 OQT". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  30. ↑ Terrado, Reuben (June 6, 2023). "Clarkson, Brownlee, Kouame head 21-man Gilas pool for World Cup". spin.ph. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  31. ↑ Ventura, Sid (August 23, 2023). "Gilas Pilipinas confirm final 12 for FIBA World Cup". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  32. ↑ "CJ Perez Player Profile, San Miguel Beermen - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com.
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