Jon Robert Holden

Infobox Euroleague Player
name = Jon Robert Holden
Джон Ро́берт Хо́лден
nickname = J.R.


caption =
position = Point guard
Shooting guard
height_ft = 6
height_in = 1
weight_lb = 180
nationality = American
nationality_2 = Russian
league = Russian League
Euroleague
team = CSKA Moscow
number = 10
birth_date = birth date and age|1976|8|10
birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
college =Bucknell
draft =
draft_year =
draft_team =
career_start = 1998
former_teams = ASK/Brocēni/LMT (1998-99)
Telindus Oostende (1999-2001)
AEK Athens BC (2001-2002)
awards = Russian League Player of the Year 2003

Jon Robert Holden (born August 10, 1976 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), also known as J. R. Holden, is a naturalized Russian professional basketball player, originally from the United States. He played NCAA Division I college basketball at Bucknell University (1994-1998). He currently plays for CSKA Moscow of the Russian Super League, which is the current Euroleague champion. He is also a member of the Russian national basketball team. His Russian name is Dzhon-Robert Kholden ( _ru. Джон Ро́берт Хо́лден).

Professional career

After graduation from Bucknell, Holden received a call from the basketball club ASK/Brocēni/LMT, located in Riga, Latvia, offering him $3,000 a month to join their team. He accepted and began a long and very successful career in European basketball. [http://bucknellbison.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/012804aaa.html Former Bison Hoops Star J.R. Holden Thriving in Russia :: Standout point guard given Russian citizenship ] ]

Holden has played for teams in Latvia, (ASK/Brocēni/LMT 1998-99), Belgium, (Telindus Oostende, 1999-2001), Greek League, (AEK Athens BC, 2001-2002) and Russian League (CSKA Moscow 2002-present). [ [http://eurobasket2005.fibaeurope.com/en/cid_SbGnUV12IgwUcAUu7UmfU1.teamID_381.compID_qMRZdYCZI6EoANOrUf9le2.season_2005.roundID_3769.playerID_31379.html EuroBasket 2005 Player Profile] ] He has won national championships in each country. He was named the 2003 Russian Basketball Super League Player of the Year. He earned an Import Players Honorable Mention in the 2002 Eurobasket All-Europe Rankings. [http://www.eurobasket.com/article1.asp] Holden has won the Euroleague 2005-06 and the Euroleague 2007-08 season championships with CSKA.

Russian national basketball team

His biggest achievement came in the 2007 European Championship game against the Spanish national basketball team, where he scored the winning shot that gave the Russian national team the championship. He was also named to the Russian squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics Olympic Basketball Tournament.

Personal

On October 20, 2003, Holden became a Russian citizen by decree of President Vladimir Putin. This move was brought about by new Russian Basketball Federation regulations restricting the number of foreigners, and specifically Americans allowable on Russian League teams. In response to the move, CSKA Basketball CEO Sergei Kushchenko hatched the idea of Holden acquiring citizenship. Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov and the Russian State Sports Committee both wrote letters in support of the decree. Holden currently maintains dual American and Russian citizenship.

Trivia

*Holden started for PBC CSKA Moscow against the Philadelphia 76ers in an exhibition game in October 2006 in Cologne, Germany as part of the EA Sports NBA Europe Live 2006 promotional event. [ [http://www.koelnarena.de/main.php?mSelect=1008391 Koelnarena ] ] . Coincidentally, Holden played college basketball in the state of Pennsylvania, where the 76ers are based.
*He won the Eurobasket 2007 with Russia on September 16, 2007. He scored the final winning basket with 2 seconds left in the game.

External links

* [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?gamecode=216&pcode=AQO Euroleague.net Profile]
* [http://www.cskabasket.com/team/?a=player&p=7357&season=54&lang=en Club Profile]
* [http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1819129_1819134_1825950,00.html "J.R. Holden"] , n°54 on "Time"’s list of "100 Olympic Athletes To Watch"

Notes