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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 Russia national basketball team.
[edit] 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.[1]
Holden has played for teams in Latvia (1998-99), Belgium (Telindus Oostende, 1999-2001), and Greece (AEK Athens BC, 2001-2002) as well as Russia (2002-present).[2] He has won national championships in each country. He was named 2003 Russian Basketball Super League Player of the Year. He earned an Import Players Honorable Mention in the 2002 Eurobasket All-Europe Rankings.[3]Holden won the Euroleague 2005-06 with CSKA. His biggest achievement came in the Eurobasket 2007 Championship game against the Spanish national basketball team, where he scored the winning shot that gave the Russian national team the Championship.
[edit] 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.[1]
[edit] Trivia
[edit] External links
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Russia
