Ha Seung-jin facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | August 4, 1985 Seoul, South Korea |
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| High school | Samil Commercial (Suwon, Gyeonggi Province) |
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| Listed height | 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 305 lb (138 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Yonsei (2003–2004) | |||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2004 / Round: 2 / Pick: 46th overall | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2004–2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Portland Reign | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | Portland Trail Blazers | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | →Fort Worth Flyers | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Anaheim Arsenal | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2012, 2014–2019 |
Jeonju KCC Egis | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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| Ha Seung-jin | |
| Hangul |
하승진
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| Hanja |
河昇鎮
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| Revised Romanization | Ha Seung-jin |
| McCune–Reischauer | Ha Sŭngjin |
Ha Seung-Jin (born August 4, 1985) is a retired professional basketball player from South Korea. He is famous for being the first and only South Korean to play in the NBA. Standing at 7 feet 3 inches (221 cm) and weighing 305 pounds (138 kg), he was one of the tallest players in the NBA during his time. He was chosen by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2004 NBA draft.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
Ha Seung-Jin went to Samil Commercial High School in Suwon, just like his father. He played basketball there with his friend Yang Hee-jong. Together, they helped their high school team win its first national championship!
After high school, Ha Seung-Jin planned to join the NBA draft in 2003. However, he decided to play college basketball first. He joined Yonsei University in 2003. He played only seven games for Yonsei before leaving for the United States. He wanted to prepare for the 2004 NBA draft.
Professional Basketball Career
Playing in the NBA (2004–2007)
In 2004, Ha Seung-Jin moved to Los Angeles, California. He was getting ready for the 2004 NBA draft. The Portland Trail Blazers picked him as the 46th player overall.
He briefly played for a team called the Portland Reign. Then, he joined the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2004-05 NBA season. He played in 19 games that season. On April 20, he scored a career-high 13 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. This helped the Trail Blazers win the game.
During the 2005-06 season, Ha was sent to the NBA D-League. He played for the Fort Worth Flyers for five games. Later, he started four games for the Trail Blazers when other players were injured.
In 2006, Ha was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. However, he was released by the Bucks before the 2006-07 season began. He then played for the Anaheim Arsenal in the NBA D-League.
Playing in South Korea (2008–2019)
After his time in the NBA, Ha Seung-Jin returned to South Korea. He joined the Korean Basketball League draft in 2008. He signed with the Jeonju KCC Egis team.
He helped his team win the KBL Championship twice, in 2009 and 2011. In 2011, he was even named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the playoffs! After the 2018–19 season, he decided to retire from playing basketball.
Playing for the National Team
Ha Seung-Jin also played for the South Korea national basketball team. He represented his country in several big tournaments. These included the 2009 FIBA Asia Championship and the 2010 Asian Games. He also played in the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship.
Life After Retirement
In 2020, Ha Seung-Jin became a sports commentator. He works for KBS N Sports. He mostly talks about games in the Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL). He was also a guest commentator for basketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Personal Life and Family
Ha Seung-Jin is the younger of two children. His older sister, Ha Eun-joo, is also a professional basketball player. She is 6 feet 8 inches (203 cm) tall and played in the WJBL and the WKBL.
Their father, Ha Dong-gi, was also a basketball player and coach. He had to stop playing because of injuries. He was part of the team that won a silver medal at the 1978 Asian Games.
Ha Seung-Jin married Kim Hwa-yeong in 2012. They have a son, born in 2012, and a daughter, born in 2017.
Television Appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
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| 2022 | Over the Top | Contestant |
See also
In Spanish: Ha Seung-Jin para niños
- List of tallest players in National Basketball Association history
- List of Korean Basketball League annual statistical leaders
