Bakari Hendrix facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 23, 1977 Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| High school | St. Patrick-St. Vincent (Vallejo, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| NBA Draft | 1998 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1998–2008 |
| Career history | |
| 1998–2000 | Quad City Thunder |
| 2000 | Iraklio |
| 2000–2001 | Besançon BCD |
| 2001–2002 | Aurora Basket Jesi |
| 2002–2003 | Huntsville Flight |
| 2004–2005 | Seoul Samsung Thunders |
| 2005 | Yakima Sun Kings |
| 2005 | Coca-Cola Tigers |
| 2005–2006 | Benfica |
| 2006–2007 | Colorado 14ers |
| 2007 | Wellington Saints |
| 2007–2008 | South Dragons |
| 2008 | Tebnin |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Bakari Akil Hendrix (born May 23, 1977) is a former American basketball player. He was known for his strong play at Gonzaga University. After college, he became a professional player, traveling to play in many different countries around the world.
Contents
Bakari Hendrix: A Basketball Journey
Early Life and College Years
Bakari Hendrix grew up in Vallejo, California. He went to St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School. He played college basketball at Solano Community College from 1994 to 1995. Then, he moved to Gonzaga University and played there from 1995 to 1998.
His time at Gonzaga had a tough start. In his second year, he broke his ankle. This injury meant he could only play nine games that season. But he didn't give up!
In his junior and senior years, Bakari became a star player. He was named to the First-team All-West Coast Conference (WCC) both years. In 1998, he was even named the WCC Player of the Year. That year, he averaged 19.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
Playing Around the World
After college, Bakari Hendrix was not chosen in the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. But this didn't stop his basketball dream. He decided to play professionally overseas. His first stop was Turkey, where he played for Türk Telekom B.K..
This was the start of an amazing journey for Bakari. From 1998 to 2009, he played for 14 different teams in eleven countries! He played in places like Greece, France, Italy, South Korea, the Philippines, New Zealand, Australia, and Lebanon.
Bakari also played in the United States. He joined the Quad City Thunder in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). In 1999, he was named the CBA's Rookie of the Year. He also played for the Huntsville Flight and Colorado 14ers in the NBA Development League (NBDL).
A Special Pair of Shoes
In 2007, Bakari Hendrix played for the Wellington Saints in New Zealand. When he left New Zealand, he did something very thoughtful. He left behind a pair of his size 18 basketball shoes. He asked for them to be given to a kid who really needed them.
About a year later, those shoes found their perfect owner. They were given to a shy 14-year-old boy. This boy had moved to Wellington to study at Scots College. He loved basketball but couldn't find shoes big enough to train in. That young boy was Steven Adams, who later became a top international player in the NBA. Bakari's kind act helped a future basketball star!
