D. J. Strawberry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
D. J. Strawberry

Strawberry with Gran Canaria in 2019
Shooting guard / small forward
Personal information
Born	(1985-06-15) June 15, 1985 (age 40) New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American / Cameroonian
High school	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California)
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	201 lb (91 kg)
Career information
College	Maryland (2003–2007)
NBA Draft	2007 / Round: 2 / Pick: 59th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	2007–2022
Career history
2007–2008	Phoenix Suns
2008–2010	Fortitudo Bologna
2010–2011	Lietuvos Rytas
2011–2012	Hapoel Jerusalem
2012–2013	Cibona Zagreb
2013–2014	Élan Béarnais
2014–2015	Karşıyaka
2015–2016	Olympiacos
2016–2018	Beşiktaş
2018–2019	Gran Canaria
2019–2020	Orléans Loiret
2020–2021	UCAM Murcia
2021–2022	Orléans Loiret
2022	Zamalek
Career highlights and awards
ABA League champion (2014) Turkish League champion (2015) Second-team All-ACC (2007) ACC All-Defensive Team (2007)

D. J. Strawberry Jr. is a former professional basketball player. He was born in the United States on June 15, 1985, and later became a citizen of Cameroon. His father, Darryl Strawberry, was also a famous athlete, playing Major League Baseball.

High School Basketball Journey

While growing up in Corona, California, D. J. Strawberry went to Mater Dei High School. During his final year there, he played against future NBA star LeBron James. This game was shown on TV across the country.

Strawberry did a great job guarding James. He helped limit James to a lower shooting percentage. Experts thought Strawberry was a top player, ranking him highly among shooting guards in 2003.

College Career at Maryland

Strawberry played for the Maryland Terrapins college team. He was known for his strong defense, especially when guarding other players. He often led his team in steals, getting almost two per game.

He was also important for bringing energy to the game when he came off the bench. In 2005, he had a serious knee injury (an ACL injury). Many believed this injury was a big reason why Maryland didn't make it to the NCAA tournament that year.

During his junior year, Strawberry also played as a point guard because the team needed him to. He did well in this new role, leading his team in assists. He received special honors for his defense and became one of the few Maryland players to lead the team in both steals and assists. In his senior year, he was chosen for the second-team All-ACC.

Professional Basketball Career

D. J. Strawberry was chosen by the Phoenix Suns in the 2007 NBA draft. He signed a two-year contract with them.

NBA D-League Experience

In December 2007, Strawberry was sent to the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in the NBA D-League. This league helps players develop their skills. He was named "Performer of the Week" in early January 2008. Soon after, he was called back to play for the Phoenix Suns.

Playing in Europe and Beyond

After his time with the Suns, Strawberry played for many different teams around the world.

• Italy: In 2008, he joined Fortitudo Bologna in Italy. He had a knee injury in April 2009, which ended his season there.
• Return to D-League: In 2010, he played for the Reno Bighorns in the D-League again. He also joined the Los Angeles Lakers for a summer league.
• Lithuania: In 2011, he signed with Lietuvos rytas in Lithuania.
• Israel: From 2011 to 2012, Strawberry played for Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel. He averaged 15.6 points per game in the Israeli League.
• Croatia and France: In 2012, he joined Cibona in Croatia. He later played for Pau-Lacq-Orthez in France in 2013.
• Turkey and Greece: In 2014, he signed with Pınar Karşıyaka in Turkey and helped them win the Turkish League in 2015. In 2015, he moved to the Greek team Olympiacos, a very strong team in Europe.
• More Turkish Basketball: From 2016 to 2018, Strawberry played for Beşiktaş in Turkey.
• Spain and France Again: In 2018, he joined Herbalife Gran Canaria in Spain. In 2019, he returned to France to play for Orléans Loiret Basket.
• Spain and Egypt: In 2020, he played for UCAM Murcia in Spain. He rejoined Orléans Loiret Basket in 2021. His last professional team was Zamalek SC in Egypt, where he played in 2022.

Playing for Cameroon

In 2017, D. J. Strawberry was allowed to play for the senior men's Cameroon national basketball team. This meant he could represent Cameroon in international basketball games.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular Season Games

Playoff Games

See also

In Spanish: D.J. Strawberry para niños