J.R. Henderson
Encyclopedia
, born Milton "J. R." Henderson (October 30, 1976 in Bakersfield, California
, USA
), is a naturalized Japan
ese professional basketball
player.
Raised in Bakersfield, Sakuragi played college basketball
at University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA), and was a member of their 1995 National Championship team
. On the NCAA championship team in his freshman year, Sakuragi was named the team's most valuable freshman along with Toby Bailey
. He was named to the All-Pac-10
First Team during his sophomore and senior seasons, and was also named the Bruins' co-most valuable player both years as well. He averaged 14.2 points per game in his four-year career at the school. He was selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies
in the 2nd round (56th pick) of the 1998 NBA Draft
where he played one season.
Sakuragi played the next two years for teams in Las Vegas and France and summer-league teams in Puerto Rico and the Philippines. In 2001, he moved to Japan to play for the Aisin Seahorses
of the JBL Super League, averaging 21.5 points and 11.6 rebounds per game in 2006.
Sakuragi's application to become
a Japanese citizen
cleared on July 2, 2007, and he changed his name from J.R. Henderson to J.R. Sakuragi. He chose his new name for two reasons: firstly, he thought a Japanese name would speed up the naturalization, and secondly for the Japanese sakura
cherry blossoms. It also corresponded to the name of Hanamichi Sakuragi, the protagonist of the popular basketball manga Slam Dunk
.
Sakuragi will play for the Japan national basketball team
as they compete in the FIBA Asia Championship
, a qualifier for the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
To comply with Japanese naturalization requirements, Sakuragi taught himself to read, speak and write Japanese at a "rudimentary level". The Sakuragis plan to stay in Japan and have no intention of returning to the U.S. soon.
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), is a naturalized Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese 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.
Raised in Bakersfield, Sakuragi played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
(UCLA), and was a member of their 1995 National Championship team
1994-95 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team
The 1994–95 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team won the 1995 National Championship by beating Arkansas 89–78 for the school's 11th title. It was the first title since the 1975 Championship and since the retirement of head coach John Wooden....
. On the NCAA championship team in his freshman year, Sakuragi was named the team's most valuable freshman along with Toby Bailey
Toby Bailey
John Garfield "Toby" Bailey is an American professional basketball player.-College career:Bailey played four years of college basketball at UCLA, being part of the Bruins squad that won the 1995 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. In the championship game against Arkansas, Bailey scored...
. He was named to the All-Pac-10
Pacific Ten Conference
The Pacific-12 Conference is a college athletic conference that operates in the Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I; its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of NCAA Division I football competition...
First Team during his sophomore and senior seasons, and was also named the Bruins' co-most valuable player both years as well. He averaged 14.2 points per game in his four-year career at the school. He was selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
in the 2nd round (56th pick) of the 1998 NBA Draft
1998 NBA Draft
The 1998 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1998 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around three struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, and the Toronto Raptors....
where he played one season.
Sakuragi played the next two years for teams in Las Vegas and France and summer-league teams in Puerto Rico and the Philippines. In 2001, he moved to Japan to play for the Aisin Seahorses
Aisin Seahorses
Aisin Seahorses is a Japanese professional basketball team sponsored by Aisin. The team was founded in 1947. The team currently plays in the JBL Super League and has won the league's last two titles .-Roster 2009-10:*C J.R...
of the JBL Super League, averaging 21.5 points and 11.6 rebounds per game in 2006.
Sakuragi's application to become
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
a Japanese citizen
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
cleared on July 2, 2007, and he changed his name from J.R. Henderson to J.R. Sakuragi. He chose his new name for two reasons: firstly, he thought a Japanese name would speed up the naturalization, and secondly for the Japanese sakura
Sakura
A cherry blossom is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is sometimes called sakura after the Japanese . Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do not produce fruit...
cherry blossoms. It also corresponded to the name of Hanamichi Sakuragi, the protagonist of the popular basketball manga Slam Dunk
Slam Dunk (manga)
is a sports-themed manga series written by Takehiko Inoue about a basketball team from Shōhoku High School. It was first serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in Japan from 1990 to 1996 and had also been adapted into an anime series by Toei Animation which had been broadcast worldwide,...
.
Sakuragi will play for the Japan national basketball team
Japan national basketball team
The Japanese national basketball team represents Japan in international basketball competitions. It is governed by the Japan Basketball Association . Japan is the second leading nation in qualifications to the Asian Basketball Championships...
as they compete in the FIBA Asia Championship
FIBA Asia Championship
The FIBA Asia Championship for Men is a tournament which takes place every two years between teams of the continent. This is the Asian qualifying tournament for the FIBA World Championship and the Olympic basketball tournament...
, a qualifier for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
To comply with Japanese naturalization requirements, Sakuragi taught himself to read, speak and write Japanese at a "rudimentary level". The Sakuragis plan to stay in Japan and have no intention of returning to the U.S. soon.
External links
- J. R. Sakuragi Basketball Player Profile, stats, biography, career at Asia-Basket.comEurobasket.comEurobasket.com and its related web sites are a group of global basketball websites covering 242 basketball leagues in 153 countries.The site was opened in March 1997...
- J.R. Henderson UCLA Statistics at Sports-Reference.com