J. R. Giddens

College

Giddens accepted a scholarship from Kansas head coach Roy Williams, and after Williams left, Bill Self persuaded him to stay. As a freshman, Giddens averaged 11 points per game and earned All-Big 12 Conference Freshman honors. In May 2005, he was involved in a fight outside a Lawrence bar, receiving a stab wound to his right calf that required 30 stitches, and was later charged with battery. He left Kansas by mutual agreement with Self and transferred to New Mexico, sitting out the next season due to NCAA regulations.

As a junior, he was suspended in late February for disciplinary reasons and missed the team's summer trip to focus on academics. Under new head coach Steve Alford's no-nonsense approach, Giddens transformed. As a senior, he posted career highs of 16.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, earning Mountain West Conference Co-Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American honors.

Professional career

The Boston Celtics selected Giddens with the 30th overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft after a three-day workout. Head coach Doc Rivers praised him, thinking he could compete for minutes immediately, and Giddens was mentioned as a possible replacement for restricted free agent Tony Allen. He was familiar with Leon Powe and Kendrick Perkins from the 2003 McDonald's All-American Game. However, on behalf of his agent Aaron Mintz, Giddens declined to work out at the Celtics' minicamp in early July 2008 because he had not signed a contract.

On November 15, 2008, he was assigned to the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League, having played in the preseason but been inactive for the first 10 regular-season games. He was recalled on February 8, 2009. Giddens started his first NBA game for Boston on January 2, 2010. On February 18, 2010, he was traded to the New York Knicks alongside Bill Walker and Eddie House for Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry.

On October 13, 2010, his agent announced Giddens would spend the 2010–11 season with Asseco Prokom Gdynia in Poland, but he left the team in December 2010 by mutual consent. In September 2011, he signed with PAOK Thessaloniki of Greece. In September 2012, he signed with Basket Brescia Leonessa of Italy's Legadue. On June 30, 2014, he signed with Vaqueros de Bayamón of Puerto Rico.

On November 22, 2014, he signed with Peñarol de Mar del Plata of Argentina, appearing in 17 LNB games before being waived on March 10, 2015. In January 2017, he signed with Club Trouville of Uruguay, leaving after five games the next month. On February 22, 2017, he signed with Mexican club Mineros de Parral. On March 22, 2018, he signed with Ferro Carril Oeste of Argentina's Liga Nacional de Básquet.

Did You Know?

• Giddens was stabbed in his right calf during a bar fight in Lawrence, Kansas, on May 19, 2005, requiring 30 stitches.
• He lists Steve Urkel and Mr. Rogers as his favorite television characters.
• Giddens has sixteen tattoos, including the Bible verse Philippians 4:13 on his right shoulder.
• He was a cleared high jumper in high school.
• Giddens majored in university studies.