Ha Seung-Jin
Encyclopedia
Ha Seung-Jin is a South Korea
n professional basketball
player who has played in the NBA
and the NBA D-League
. He was a second round draft pick (46th overall) of the Portland Trail Blazers
in the 2004 NBA Draft
. At 7 ft 3 in, 305 lb, he was among the largest players in the NBA. He is also the first Korean to be in the NBA.
and Samil Commercial School in South Korea. Ha arrived in Los Angeles, California
in 2004 to prepare himself for the 2004 NBA Draft
. Ha played seven tournament games with the Yonsei basketball team in his high school senior year and averaged 12.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks; Yonsei won the national title. He played briefly with the Portland Reign
of the ABA
. Ha joined the Blazers in the middle of the 2004-05 season
. Ha rarely played in games; however, on April 20 against the Los Angeles Lakers
, he scored a career high 13 points. During the 2005-06 season
Ha was assigned to the NBA D-League
's Fort Worth Flyers
on March 28, 2006, where he played for five games but did not make an impact. When fellow Blazer centers Theo Ratliff
and Joel Przybilla
were unable to play due to injury, Ha started four games, averaging 11 minutes playing time.
On July 31, 2006, Ha was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks
in a four-player deal. On October 28, 2006 (prior to the start of the 2006-07 season
), he was waived by the Bucks. He was acquired by the Anaheim Arsenal
of the NBA Development League
on December 31, 2006, whom he spent time with.
Ha is currently playing professional basketball in South Korea and is a member of the team KCC Jeonju which won the 2009 and 2011 Korean Basketball League (KBL) championships.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who has played in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
and the NBA D-League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
. He was a second round draft pick (46th overall) of the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
in the 2004 NBA Draft
2004 NBA Draft
The 2004 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2004 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York and was broadcast live on ESPN at 7:00 pm . In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible...
. At 7 ft 3 in, 305 lb, he was among the largest players in the NBA. He is also the first Korean to be in the NBA.
Career
Before playing in the NBA, Ha played for Yonsei UniversityYonsei University
Yonsei University is a Christian private research university, located in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1885, it is one of the oldest universities in South Korea, the top private comprehensive universities in South Korea, and is widely regarded as one of the top three comprehensive...
and Samil Commercial School in South Korea. Ha arrived in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 2004 to prepare himself for the 2004 NBA Draft
2004 NBA Draft
The 2004 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2004 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York and was broadcast live on ESPN at 7:00 pm . In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible...
. Ha played seven tournament games with the Yonsei basketball team in his high school senior year and averaged 12.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks; Yonsei won the national title. He played briefly with the Portland Reign
Portland Reign
The Portland Reign was an American Basketball Association team based in Portland, Oregon. The team began play in the fall of 2004. The team folded in February of 2005, having posted a 4-8 record to that point....
of the ABA
American Basketball Association (21st century)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
. Ha joined the Blazers in the middle of the 2004-05 season
2004-05 NBA season
The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association . It began on November 2, 2004 and ended June 23, 2005. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs defeating defending champion Detroit Pistons 4–3 in the NBA Finals....
. Ha rarely played in games; however, on April 20 against the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, he scored a career high 13 points. During the 2005-06 season
2005-06 NBA season
The 2005–06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. It began on November 1, 2005 and ran through April 19, 2006...
Ha was assigned to the NBA D-League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
's Fort Worth Flyers
Fort Worth Flyers
The Fort Worth Flyers is the name of a now defunct team of the NBA Development League minor league basketball expansion team based in Fort Worth, Texas. They began play in the 2005-06 season. The decision was made by the NBADL to not operate this team for the 2007-08 season.- Franchise history...
on March 28, 2006, where he played for five games but did not make an impact. When fellow Blazer centers Theo Ratliff
Theo Ratliff
Theophilus Curtis Ratliff , better known as Theo Ratliff, is an American professional basketball player who last played with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. Primarily a center, he was an excellent shot-blocker who has led the league three times in blocks per game...
and Joel Przybilla
Joel Przybilla
Joel Przybilla is an American professional basketball player. A 7'1" center, he last played for the Charlotte Bobcats in the NBA.- High school career :...
were unable to play due to injury, Ha started four games, averaging 11 minutes playing time.
On July 31, 2006, Ha was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
in a four-player deal. On October 28, 2006 (prior to the start of the 2006-07 season
2006-07 NBA season
The 2006–07 NBA season was the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. The regular season began on October 31, 2006 and ran through April 18, 2007. The league fielded 30 teams, each playing an 82 game regular season schedule. The top eight seeds from each conference reached the NBA...
), he was waived by the Bucks. He was acquired by the Anaheim Arsenal
Anaheim Arsenal
The Anaheim Arsenal was a professional basketball team which played in NBA Development League from 2006-2009. They played their home games at the Anaheim Convention Center, in Anaheim, California....
of the NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
on December 31, 2006, whom he spent time with.
Ha is currently playing professional basketball in South Korea and is a member of the team KCC Jeonju which won the 2009 and 2011 Korean Basketball League (KBL) championships.
Family
- Ha's older sister, Ha Eun-Joo, is also a professional basketball player. A 6'8" center, she signed with Los Angeles SparksLos Angeles SparksThe Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
of the WNBA on February 6, 2006, and was later waived on May 19, for failing to arrive in Los Angeles due to a conflicting contract with Chanson Cosmetics of the Japanese league.