Justin Ray "J. R." Giddens (born February 13, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. He was selected to the 2003 McDonald's All-American team, then initially played for the University of Kansas but transferred to the University of New Mexico following his sophomore season. He was selected with the 30th overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics, and played for various professional teams until 2019. Giddens is the former head coach of the women's basketball team at Northern New Mexico College.
College Giddens accepted a scholarship offer from University of Kansas from then-head coach Roy Williams. After Williams left, Giddens was persuaded to stay by Williams' replacement Bill Self. In his first year at Kansas, Giddens earned All-Big 12 Conference Freshman honors while averaging 11 points per game. In May 2005 he was involved in a fight outside a bar in Lawrence and received a stab wound. He was later charged with battery for his role in the incident and left Kansas in a mutual agreement with Self.Ex-Jayhawk Giddens charged with battery – Men's College Basketball – ESPNMark Murphy, Celtics select J.R. Giddens with 30th pick in NBA draft, Boston Herald, June 27, 2008. Giddens transferred to New Mexico and sat out the next season due to NCAA regulations. As a junior, he was suspended from the team in late February for disciplinary reasons and missed the team's summer trip to work on his academics.Geoff Grammer, Steve Alford: A bitter departure, Albuquerque Journal, August 4, 2013. New Mexico hired head coach Steve Alford, who took a no-nonsense approach to discipline, and Giddens made a dramatic transformation.Richard Stevens, Alford Takes UNM To New Levels, But No Sweet 16 Trip , New Mexico Athletics, June 22, 2013. As a senior, he was named Mountain West Conference Co-Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American following career highs in points (16.3 per game) and rebounds (8.8 per game).J.R. Giddens, Profile , New Mexico Athletics.
Professional career On June 26, 2008, Giddens was selected by the Boston Celtics with the 30th overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft. He had worked out with the Celtics for three days, and received praises from head coach Doc Rivers,Steve Bulpett, For Celts, future is now, Boston Herald, June 27, 2008. who thought he could fight for minutes on the team right away.Julian Benbow, Taking a shot with J.R., The Boston Globe, June 27, 2008. He was even mentioned as a possible replacement for restricted free agent Tony Allen.Steve Bulpett, Celts drafting offseason plan, Boston Herald, June 28, 2008. Giddens was already familiar with Leon Powe and Kendrick Perkins, who were his teammates at the 2003 McDonald's All-American Game. But on behalf of his agent Aaron Mintz, Giddens declined to work out at the Celtics' minicamp in early July, because he had not signed a contract yet.Monique Walker, This year, Davis not one of the babies in camp, The Boston Globe, July 3, 2008.Scott Souza, Celtics: Giddens a no-show at mini-camp, The MetroWest Daily News, July 2, 2008.
On November 15, 2008, Giddens was assigned to the Boston Celtics' NBA Development League affiliate team, the Utah Flash.Celtics Assign Giddens to Utah Flash | Celtics.com He had played with the Celtics in the 2008–09 pre-season but had been on the inactive list for the first 10 games of the regular season. He was recalled by the Celtics from Utah Flash development team on February 8, 2009.
Giddens started his first game for the Boston Celtics on January 2, 2010.
On February 18, 2010, Giddens, Bill Walker and Eddie House were traded to the New York Knicks for Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry.
On October 13, 2010, Giddens's agent said that Giddens would spend the 2010–11 season with Asseco Prokom Gdynia in Poland,Giddens to play in Europe but Giddens left the team in December 2010 by mutual consent.
In September 2011, Giddens signed with PAOK Thessaloniki of Greece.PAOK signs swingman Giddens
In September 2012, Giddens signed with Basket Brescia Leonessa, an Italian Legadue team.
On June 30, 2014, he signed with Vaqueros de Bayamón of Puerto Rico.
On November 22, 2014, Giddens signed with Peñarol de Mar del Plata of Argentina. On March 10, 2015, he was waived by the Peñarol after appearing in seventeen LNB games.
In January 2017, Giddens signed with Club Trouville of the Liga Uruguaya de Basketball.Trouville lands J.R. Giddens, ex Leones SD The next month, he left the club after appearing in five games.Trouville y un nuevo recambio On February 22, 2017, he signed with Mexican club Mineros de Parral.Te presentamos a los nuevos refuerzos del equipo mineros de parral, de excelente nivel, el orgullo parralense y jugador reconocido en liga nacional Alan Olivas, así como el jugador ex NBA (knicks-celtics) JR Giddens
On March 22, 2018, Giddens signed with Ferro Carril Oeste of the Liga Nacional de Básquet in Argentina.
Stabbing incident On May 19, 2005, Giddens was stabbed in his right calf in a bar fight in Lawrence, Kansas, requiring 30 stitches.
Personal Majored in university studies. Cleared as a high jumper in high school. His parents are Charles and Dianna, and he has two sisters, Breeanna and Portia. Lists Steve Urkel and Mr. Rogers as his favorite television characters. Has sixteen tattoos, including his first initial "J" on his left triceps and his last initial "G" on his right triceps, and the Bible verse Philippians 4:13 – "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" – on his right shoulder.Jeremy Fowler, Men's basketball: Lobo J.R. Giddens seeks to rise above the labels , The Albuquerque Tribune, February 10, 2007.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
| align="left" | | align="left" | Boston | 6 || 0 || 1.3 || .667 || – || – || .5 || .0 || .2 || .0 || .7 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Boston | 21 || 1 || 4.7 || .429 || .000 || .500 || 1.0 || .3 || .2 || .0 || 1.1 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | New York | 11 || 0 || 12.7 || .487 || .000 || .636 || 2.8 || .6 || .5 || .1 || 4.1 |- | align="left" | Career | align="left" | | 38 || 1 || 6.5 || .476 || .000 || .565 || 1.4 || .3 || .3 || .1 || 1.9
References
External links
J. R. Giddens Euroleague.net Profile J. R. Giddens Player Info @ DraftExpress.com New Mexico Lobos bio J. R. Giddens Draft 2008 Profile @ NBA.com Trying to get past his past – The Boston Globe