CJ Perez dedicates PBA Finals to underprivileged youth

CJ Perez of the San Miguel Beermen is dedicating his fourth PBA Finals appearance to young athletes from underprivileged backgrounds who face challenges such as lack of resources and fear of failure.

During a pre-finals press conference on Friday, Perez shared that he wants to inspire youth like himself who grew up in Pangasinan with worn-out balls and sometimes going hungry.

Perez, born in Hong Kong and raised in Pangasinan, overcame hardships before achieving success in college and the PBA, where he has won two championships and multiple individual awards, including Finals MVP and Best Player of the Conference.

The upcoming PBA Philippine Cup finals on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. will see Perez and San Miguel facing off against TNT Tropang 5G as they aim to prevent a Grand Slam for their opponents.

'Yun 'yung isang inspiration ko na may mga players from other provinces na walang budget pumunta dito, hindi nila alam kung paano sila maguumpisa,' Perez said during the finals press conference on Friday.