Rain or Shine offers James Yap extension despite temporary leave

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

James Yap will most likely return to the PBA after the Rain or Shine Elastopainters offered him a contract extension despite taking a leave of absence for his political campaign.

Several months ago, the tagged “Man with a Million Moves” confirmed his temporary absence in Rain or Shine’s PBA Governor’s Cup campaign when he declared his candidacy for a councilor seat in the city of San Juan, Metro Manila.

The PBA superstar however did not disclose whether he will retire from the big league if he wins in the election and become one of San Juan’s councilors.

It was Rain or Shine’s co-team owner Raymond Yu who announced their move of extending Yap’s contract which expired last December 31, 2021.

Yu added that Yap will have his Rain or Shine contract active until the end of 2022 and will return in the official lineup once campaign season will be over.

The official campaign for the candidates will formally begin this February while the election will be held on May 9, 2022.

Meanwhile, the halted Governor’s Cup is foreseen to end in April and Yap will just be in time for the next conference if he pledges to be reactivated with Rain or Shine.

Yap will seek to help the Elastopainters franchise clinch another PBA grand finals seat since the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.