Lee Dong-jun (basketball)

Lee Dong-jun (born Daniel Sandrin on 27 January 1980), is an American-born South Korean basketball player.[1]

For the South Korean footballer, see Lee Dong-jun (footballer).

Lee Dong-jun
Personal information
Born (1980-01-27) 27 January 1980
NationalitySouth Korean
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Career information
College University Of Portland (1999-2000)Seattle Pacific (2000-2002)
PositionForward
Career history
2007–2012Daegu Orions
2012–2015Seoul Samsung Thunders
2015–2016Seoul SK Knights
2016Alab Pilipinas
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  South Korea
FIBA Asia Championship
2007 Japan Team
Lee Dong-jun
Hangul
이동준
Hanja
Revised RomanizationI Dongjun
McCune–ReischauerRi Tongjun
This is a Korean name; the family name is Lee.

Career

Lee began his basketball career playing for the University of Portland in the 1998–1999 season, appearing in eight games and scoring an average of 1 points. He transferred to Seattle Pacific University in 2000.[2] After his graduation, he went on to play on professional teams in Luxembourg and Germany before coming to South Korea in 2006.[1]

In South Korea, Lee joined Yonsei University's team in March 2006.[1] Lee's participation in university basketball was controversial because he was not a South Korean citizen and he had previously played in professional leagues in Europe. Even after he naturalised, Korea University continued to object to his participation due to his professional experience; after he was ruled ineligible, a physical altercation broke out at a September 2006 match between Yonsei University and Korea University.[1] Coming to South Korea was a difficult adjustment for Lee in terms of culture and language.[3] Philippine Olympic Committee president Monico Puentevella stated in media interviews that Sandrin had told him "he couldn’t relate with the Koreans because they hardly speak English … he felt more comfortable with our team.[4] Nevertheless, Lee stated that he relished the opportunity to live in the country and learn more about his roots.[3]

Lee would go on to play professionally in the Korean Basketball League for the Daegu Orions.[3] He later moved to the Seoul Samsung Thunders. In January 2013 he and elder brother Lee Seung-jun were booked on assault charges in Mapo District, leading to controversy over whether they should be permitted to play in the then-ongoing KBL All-Star Games.[5]

On 21 November 2016, it was announced that Lee would serve as one of two Alab Pilipinas' world imports together with his brother Lee Seung-jun.[6]

Personal life

Lee was born into a basketball family: his father was an avid player, and taught the game to Lee's older brother and then to Lee himself.[3] He graduated from Bothell High School in 1998 before going on to the University of Portland and then Seattle Pacific University.[2] He naturalised as a South Korean citizen in June 2006, relinquishing his United States citizenship in the process.[1][7] His elder brother Eric Sandrin followed him to South Korea and in 2009 also naturalised as a South Korean citizen, changing his name to Lee Seung-jun.[8]

gollark: Someone put in `<script>`. It didn't work, of course.
gollark: ... did you really try and XSS-attack it?
gollark: If you have other ideas for what to put in I'll maybe accept them.
gollark: Well, currently I Indexed osmarks.tk and some random person who was testing it, so very few.
gollark: I fixed https://search.osmarks.tk/ for mobile devices!

References
  1. "Korea's Next Hoops Star in Making". The Dong-A Ilbo. 6 January 2007. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  2. "Daniel Sandrin Transfers from Portland, Joining Brother". Seattle Pacific University Athletics. 23 May 2000. Archived from the original on 26 June 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  3. "The First Naturalized Half-Korean Brothers in KBL". Arirang News. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  4. Henson, Joaquin (6 August 2007). "Summit to Tackle Basketball Issues". NewsFlash. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  5. "이승준-이동준, 폭행 혐의 입건에도 올스타전 출전 논란 (Lee Seung-jun, Lee Dong-jun booking on assault charges causes All-Star Games controversy)". Korea Economic Daily. 28 January 2013. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  6. http://aseanbasketballleague.com/news/team-preview-alab-pilipinas/
  7. "연세대 귀화 선수 이동준 '농구하고 싶어 美시민권 포기' (Yonsei University naturalised athlete Lee Dong-jun: 'I wanted to play basketball so I gave up U.S. citizenship')". Chosun Ilbo. 20 October 2006. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  8. Yoo, Jee-ho (12 November 2010). "Half-Korean player on S. Korean basketball team realising dream at Asiad". Yonhap. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
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