MANILA – Negrense cager James Yap can still be a major contributor for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters come the 2021 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) season amid rumors of his impending retirement.
Painters head coach Carlos Garcia said any talk of retirement about the Escalante City, Negros Occidental-native is still premature and Yap has not even hinted about it.
“We’re constantly in touch, and as far as I know, we haven’t talked about that (retirement), nor has he discussed that with (the Rain or Shine) management,” Garcia said in an interview with ESPN5.
The two-time PBA MVP awardee, who transferred to the Painters in a blockbuster trade with Magnolia Hotshots’ Paul Lee four years ago, has been hobbled with injuries the past few seasons.
During the recent 2020 PBA Philippine Cup inside the AUF Sports Arena and Cultural Center in Pampanga, the six-foot-two Yap played through calf muscle problems limiting his minutes for the Painters.
Garcia said he was saddened with Yap’s showing inside the PBA bubble as he was already in good playing condition early this year, when the global health pandemic brought the season to a halt.
“James was already in shape when the pandemic hit and entering the PBA bubble, somehow, that kind of affected him,” Garcia said. “He was already in shape but he lost his momentum.”
Garcia, however, is optimistic that the 38-year-old Yap and the rest of the Painters can set a good timeline to prepare for the 2021 PBA season, which will tentatively begin in April 2021.
“Although what we know for now is that the (Rookie) draft is set this March and the season starting this April, we plan to do a Zoom workout for the players early,” the Painters coach said.
“When the pandemic hit, there was no timeline to begin with, and then so many things happened when we started playing (in the PBA bubble). So now that we have a timeline for next season, players can slowly work their way back into shape,” he added./PN
