An ultimate role player ever since his championship-filled collegiate career in the NCAA, Jaypee Mendoza never ached for the spotlight. But one thing is for sure: he is a winner. Sepak Takraw was the first sport he loved, but it was obvious at a young age that Jaypee was already towering over his peers. So his father encouraged him to try basketball, and as they, the rest is history.
He received a basketball scholarship from Tarlac State University, which turned out to be the first stepping stone of his basketball career. Sepak takraw ang laro ko noon. Yung father ko lang ang nagsabi na subukan ko ang basketball kasi may height ako. So nag-try ako mag-basketball hanggang sa nagustuhan ko na at nakakuha ako ng scholarship sa Tarlac. Sila yung nag-train talaga sa akin. Doon ako nag-improve. Kung hindi dahil sa kanila, hindi ako makakarating ng PBA.
With his quickly improving skill set and his length at the wing position, Jaypee received recruitment offers from colleges and universities in Manila.
Jaypee went back and forth trying out for both the national team and Ateneo, but he eventually decided to focus on suiting up for the RP-Youth squad.
But a call from the national team radiates a different kind of value, something that Jaypee held on to. Sinubukan ko na kasi pangarap ko din maglaro sa UAAP. Grabe kasi exposure doon.
