Yousef Taha
No. 55 – Blackwater Bossing
PositionCenter
LeaguePBA
Personal information
Born (1988-07-08) July 8, 1988 (age 35)
Kuwait
NationalityFilipino / Palestinian
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High schoolTrinity Christian High School (Lubbock, Texas)
CollegeNorth Lake College
Mapúa Institute of Technology
PBA draft2012: 2nd round, 11th overall pick
Selected by the Air21 Express
Playing career2012–present
Career history
2012Air21 Express
2012–2013Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
2013GlobalPort Batang Pier
2013–2014Petron Blaze Boosters
2014GlobalPort Batang Pier
2014–2016San Mig Super Coffee Mixers / Purefoods Star Hotshots / Star Hotshots
2017–2018GlobalPort Batang Pier
2018–2019TNT KaTropa
2021–2022Alaska Aces
2022–presentBlackwater Bossing
Career highlights and awards

Yousef S. Taha (born July 8, 1988) is a Filipino-Palestinian professional basketball player for the Blackwater Bossing of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was selected 11th overall in the 2012 PBA draft by the Air21 Express.[1]

Professional career

In the middle of the 2012–13 Philippine Cup, Taha was traded from the Air21 to Ginebra.[2] Then before the 2013 Governors' Cup, Taha was again traded, this time to the GlobalPort Batang Pier. Petron Blaze Boosters, got him in a trade with the Batang Pier which gave them the Blaze Boosters' 5th overall pick in 2013 PBA draft[3] In the middle of 2014 PBA Commissioner's Cup playoffs which San Miguel Beermen is eliminated by Air21 Express, Taha was again traded to GlobalPort Batang Pier in exchange for Justin Chua and he will make return in GlobalPort.[4] On June 4, 2014 Taha was again traded by GlobalPort Batang Pier to San Mig Super Coffee Mixers in exchange for Yancy De Ocampo and Val Acuña.[5]

On November 28, 2016, Taha announced on a letter that he will be going back to his hometown country of Kuwait for personal reasons, thus ending his short career in the PBA.[6] The leave was only for a short while, however, as he returned to the Philippines to play with the team again in 2017–18 PBA season.[7] On November 29, 2017, exactly a year and a day after his "retirement", he officially signed a two-year contract with GlobalPort.[8]

On April 3, 2018, Taha, along with Terrence Romeo, was traded to the TNT KaTropa for Moala Tautuaa and two future draft picks.[9]

On February 19, 2021, he signed a one-year deal with the Alaska Aces.[10] Exactly one year later, he signed a one-year extension with the team.[11]

On May 21, 2022, Taha was traded to the Blackwater Bossing for Kurt Lojera.[12] Two days after, he signed a one-year extension with the team.[13]

PBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

As of the end of 2022–23 season[14][15]

Season-by-season averages

Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2012–13 Air21 37 11.7 .341 — .522 4.1 .7 .3 .4 2.5
Barangay Ginebra
GlobalPort
2013–14 Petron / San Miguel 23 8.8 .400 — .611 2.1 .4 .2 .2 1.9
GlobalPort
San Mig Super Coffee
2014–15 Purefoods / Star 31 15.1 .500 .000 .560 4.2 .9 .3 .5 4.2
2015–16 Star 23 18.9 .525 — .500 6.0 .9 .4 .3 4.5
GlobalPort
2017–18 GlobalPort 20 11.5 .466 .200 .533 3.4 .5 .2 .3 3.2
TNT
2019 TNT 40 12.4 .429 .000 .540 3.4 .6 .3 .4 3.2
2021 Alaska 16 23.2 .471 .500 .620 6.4 1.5 .6 .8 8.1
2022–23 Blackwater 30 18.5 .465 .000 .538 5.9 1.8 .4 .6 6.6
Career 220 14.5 .453 .100 .549 4.3 .9 .3 .4 4.0

References

  1. ^ Fajardo, Abueva top 2012 PBA draft Rappler
  2. ^ Mike Cortez to Air 21, Yousef Taha to Ginebra trade sealed InterAKTV
  3. ^ GlobalPort hopes for inside presence, energy after trades for Jay Washington, Yousef Taha InterAKTV
  4. ^ "San Miguel Beer, GlobalPort swap young centers Yousef Taha, Justin Chua". InterAksyon.com. April 29, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  5. ^ "GLOBALPORT TWEAKS LINEUP". Inquirer.net. June 4, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  6. ^ Ramos, Gerry (November 18, 2016). "Journeyman Yousef Taha bids PBA goodbye to 'return home to my family'". spin.ph. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  7. ^ King, Jay (November 17, 2017). "GlobalPort drops veterans Cortez, Mamaril, Maierhofer; signs rookies Flores, Gabayni, Sargent". hoops.ph. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  8. ^ Ramos, Gerry (November 29, 2017). "Globalport welcomes back Yousef Taha, signs big man to two-year deal". Spin.ph. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  9. ^ "GlobalPort sends Romeo to TNT KaTropa". ABS-CBN News. April 3, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  10. ^ Ramos, Gerry (February 19, 2021). "Yousef Taha gets new lease on PBA career after signing Alaska contract". Spin.ph. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  11. ^ Dy, Richard (February 19, 2021). "Alaska Aces, Jeron Teng agree to three-year deal". ESPN5. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  12. ^ Ramos, Gerry (May 21, 2022). "Blackwater trades rookie Kurt Lojera to Converge for Yousef Taha". Spin.ph. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  13. ^ Ramos, Gerry (May 23, 2022). "Blackwater signs newly acquired Yousef Taha to one-year deal". Spin.ph. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  14. ^ [1] PBA-Online.net
  15. ^ [2] Real GM
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