Christian Jaymar Perez (born November 17, 1993) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the

San Miguel Beermen The San Miguel Beermen are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). It is one of three PBA clubs owned by the San Miguel Corporation group of companies along with the Magnolia Hotshots and Barangay Ginebra ...

of the

Philippine Basketball Association The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of twelve company-branded franchised teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia and is the se ...

(PBA). He was selected 1st overall in the

2018 PBA draft The 2018 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) rookie draft was an event that allowed teams to take turns selecting amateur basketball players and other eligible players, including half-Filipino foreign players. The league determined the drafti ...

Columbian Dyip The Terrafirma Dyip is a professional basketball team playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The team is owned by Terrafirma Realty Development Corporation and originally played under its affiliate company Columbian Autocar Cor ...

Early life and college career

Although born in

Kowloon, Hong Kong Kowloon () is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. With a population of 2,019,533 and a population density of in 2006, it is the most populous area in Hong Kong, compared with Hong Kong Island and th ...

, CJ lives and grew up in

Bautista, Pangasinan Bautista, officially the Municipality of Bautista ( pag, Baley na Bautista; ilo, Ili ti Bautista; tgl, Bayan ng Bautista), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population ...

, Philippines. CJ Perez played for San Sebastian College – Recoletos Stags, Ateneo De Manila Blue Eagles and Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates. 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. He also could have been on the NCAA Mythical Team that year if not for a suspension.

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.

Columbian / Terrafirma Dyip (2018–2020)

On December 16, 2018, Perez was selected first overall by the

in the

. In his first career game, he scored 26 points in a win against the

. Three games later, he was unanimously awarded the first-ever PBA Press Corps Rookie of the Month for January. For the month of February, Perez was second in voting for Rookie of the Month, losing the award to

Javee Mocon Javee Dimalanta Mocon (born April 7, 1995) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He played college basketball for the San Beda Red Lions in the NCAA. H ...

. During All-Star Weekend, he participated in the Rookies/Sophomores vs. Juniors game (winning MVP), the slam dunk contest, and the All-Star 3x3. His team did not qualify for the playoffs for the Philippine Cup, finishing with a 4-7 record. In the Commissioner's Cup, Perez exploded for a career-high 39 points in a 120-105 win against the

NLEX Road Warriors The NLEX Road Warriors is a professional basketball team owned by NLEX Corporation, a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, currently playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) since the 2014–2015 season. The Roa ...

. He ended the 2019 season with the Rookie of the Year award, a First Mythical Team selection (the first rookie since

Calvin Abueva Calvin Abueva (born February 4, 1988) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Magnolia Hotshots of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was picked second overall by the Alaska Aces during the 2012 PBA Draft. He was nic ...

in 2013), and was on the All-Defensive Team (the first rookie since

Ryan Reyes Ryan Jay Reyes (born August 10, 1983) is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for TNT Tropang Giga of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Nicknamed D-Energizer for his energetic style of play, he was drafted third overall b ...

in 2008.) He also led the league in scoring with 20.8 points, the first rookie since

Eric Menk Eric Conrad Menk (born August 24, 1974) is a Filipino-American former professional basketball player who played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the Asean Basketball League. Known as Major Pain, Menk is a four-time PBA champion ...

to do so, back in 1999. His 20.8 points a game is also the third-highest among the highest scoring averages for a rookie in the PBA. In his final season with Terrafirma, he averaged 24.4 points a game, leading the league in scoring.

San Miguel Beermen (2021–present)

On February 2, 2021, Perez was traded to the

for

Matt Ganuelas-Rosser Matthew Allen Ganuelas-Rosser (born June 13, 1990) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the TNT Tropang Giga of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He played college basketball for the NCAA Division II school Cal Poly Pomon ...

Russel Escoto Russel Dalusung Escoto (born December 4, 1992) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Magnolia Hotshots of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). PBA career statistics ''As of the end of 2021 Season''Gelo Alolino Joshua Angelo Alolino is a Filipino basketball player for the Terrafirma Dyip of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was selected in the second round of the 2016 PBA draft by the Phoenix Fuel Masters The Phoenix Super LPG Fuel M ...

, and two future first-round picks. 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.

PBA career statistics

''As of the end of 2022–23 season''

Season-by-season averages

, - , align=left , , align=left ,

Columbian Columbian is the adjective form of Columbia (disambiguation), Columbia. It may refer to: Buildings * The Columbian Theatre, a music hall in northeastern Kansas * The Columbian (Chicago), a building in Illinois Published works * ''The Columbian' ...

, 33 , , 37.8 , , .447 , , .325 , , .639 , , 7.4 , , 3.4 , , 1.9 , , .4 , , 20.8 , - , align=left , , align=left , Terrafirma , 11 , , 37.2 , , .436 , , .269 , , .623 , , 6.8 , , 4.3 , , 2.0 , , .6 , , 24.4 , - , align=left , , align=left , San Miguel , 32 , , 29.5 , , .433 , , .308 , , .688 , , 5.8 , , 1.8 , , 1.3 , , .5 , , 14.8 , - , align=left , , align=left , San Miguel , 59 , , 33.0 , , .448 , , .285 , , .684 , , 6.1 , , 4.2 , , 1.9 , , .5 , , 18.7 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 135 , , 33.7 , , .444 , , .298 , , .664 , , 6.4 , , 3.4 , , 1.8 , , .5 , , 18.8

National team career

Perez first started playing at the national team level in 2016, as a member of Gilas 5.0 for the

FIBA Asia Challenge The FIBA Asia Challenge, previously known as the FIBA Asia Stanković Cup between 2004 and 2010 and FIBA Asia Cup from 2012 to 2014, is a basketball tournament which takes place every two years between teams from Asia. History The second tourn ...

. 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 Rey Francis J. Guevarra (born November 24, 1986) is a Filipino professional basketball player who last played for the Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Guevarra was selected by the Barako Bull Energy, Air ...

Sidney Onwubere Sidney Nelson Onwubere (born August 1, 1993) is a Filipino-Nigerian basketball player for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He is a former star player for the EAC Generals. He was selected by the Pho ...

and

Bright Akhuetie Bright Osagie Akhuetie is a Nigerian basketball player who last played for the UP Fighting Maroons of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Early life and education Akhuetie was born on September 12, 1996, in Kaduna, Nig ...

in this competition. The team finished 7th out of 8th competitors. In 2019, Perez was one of the youngest members of the Gilas team that played in the

2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 18th tournament of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for men's national basketball teams. The tournament was hosted in China and was rescheduled from 2018 to 2019, becoming the first since 1967 FIBA World Ch ...

. 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. He was named to the Gilas 3x3 team for the

SEA Games The Southeast Asian Games, also known as the SEA Games, is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games are under the regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with supe ...

, along with

Chris Newsome Christopher Elijah Duque Newsome (born July 25, 1990) is a Filipino American professional basketball player for the Meralco Bolts of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Early life and high school career Newsome was born in San Jose, Ca ...

Jason Perkins Jason Andre Perkins (born September 20, 1992) is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Personal life Perkins is the youngest of three siblings. ...

, and

Moala Tautuaa Moala Delvalle Tautuaa Jr. (born April 30, 1989) is an American born Filipino-Tongan professional basketball player for the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was drafted first overall by the TNT Tropang Texter ...

. That team went on to sweep their competition in eight games, winning the gold medal In 2020, Perez was among the 12 chosen for the Asia Cup qualifiers against Indonesia. He had 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals in that game that they won, 100-70. Perez was also named to the FIBA 3x3 OQT lineup, along with SEA Games teammate Moala Tautuaa,

Joshua Munzon Joshua Eugene Richardson Munzon (born January 22, 1995) is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for the NorthPort Batang Pier of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Early life and collegiate career Joshua Eugene Munzon w ...

, and Alvin Pasaol. They finished in last place in that tournament.

Player profile

Perez's game has been primarily influenced by

, 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 San Sebastian College – Recoletos (SSC-R), commonly known by its nickname Bastê, is a private Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Order of Augustinian Recollects in Manila, Metro Manila Philippines. It is ...

References

External links

PBA.ph profile

FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 profile
* * *
CJ Perez
at

RealGM RealGM.com is a sports website created in 2000. The site was originally a basketball site, but has since expanded its scope to provide information about American football, baseball, ice hockey and soccer. According to Alexa, the site ranked in the ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perez, CJ 1993 births Living people 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup players Ateneo de Manila University alumni Basketball players from Pangasinan Citizens of the Philippines through descent Competitors at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games Filipino men's 3x3 basketball players Filipino men's basketball players Filipino people of Nigerian descent Lyceum Pirates basketball players Philippine Basketball Association All-Stars Philippines men's national basketball team players Philippines national 3x3 basketball team players San Miguel Beermen players San Sebastian Stags basketball players Shooting guards Small forwards Southeast Asian Games gold medalists for the Philippines Southeast Asian Games competitors for the Philippines Southeast Asian Games medalists in 3x3 basketball Terrafirma Dyip draft picks Terrafirma Dyip players