Scoonie Penn

Scoonie Penn

Penn, withEfes,in 2008.
Personal information
Born	(1977-01-09)January 9, 1977 Yonkers, New York,U.S.
Listed height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Listed weight	180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school	Salem(Salem, Massachusetts)
College	Boston College(1995–1997) Ohio State(1998–2000)
NBA draft	2000:2nd round, 57th overall pick
Selected by theAtlanta Hawks
Playing career	2000–2011
Position	Point guard
Coaching career	2019–present
Career history
As player:
2000–2001	Trieste
2001–2002	Virtus Roma
2002	Asheville Altitude
2002–2003	Crvena zvezda
2003–2004	Cibona
2004	Makedonikos
2004–2005	Scavolini Pesaro
2005–2006	Cibona
2006–2007	Olympiacos
2007–2008	Efes Pilsen
2008–2009	Kyiv
2009	Virtus Bologna
2010	Olympiacos
2010–2011	Prima Veroli
As coach:
2019–2024	Memphis Grizzlies(assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As player: 2×Croatian Leaguechampion (2004, 2006) Greek Cupwinner (2010) Consensus second-teamAll-American(2000) Second-team All-American –USBWA(1999) Third-team All-American –AP,NABC(1999) Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award(2000) Big Ten co-Player of the Year(1999) 2× First-team All-Big Ten(1999, 2000) Big East Rookie of the Year(1996)
Statsat Basketball-Reference.com
Medals RepresentingUnited States Summer Universiade 1999 Palma

James Donell"Scoonie"Penn(born January 9, 1977) is an American professionalbasketballcoach and former player who used to be an assistant coach for theMemphis Grizzliesof theNational Basketball Association(NBA). He was apoint guardduring his playing career that was spent primarily in Europe. Although Penn was selected in the 2000 NBA Draft by theAtlanta Hawkswith the 57th overall pick, he never played a single game in the NBA, joining 7 other players from his draft class that never played in the league.

High school

Penn played high school basketball atSalem High Schoolin Salem, Massachusetts. He led the team to a state championship in 1995.

College career

After high school, Penn playedcollege basketballatBoston College,before transferring toOhio State University,where he teamed up to form a dominant back court with the futureMilwaukee Bucks'shooting guardMichael Redd.

Professional career

After college, Penn left the United States to play in Europe. He made his big splash with theAdriatic LeagueclubCrvena zvezda(Red Star Belgrade). He had a great 2002–03 season with Crvena zvezda. The fans loved him. He was the leader of the team, and that was the best season in his career.

Penn left Red Star the following season, and played in the 2005–06 season forCibona Zagreb.In the 2006–07 season, he was a member of theGreek LeagueclubOlympiacos.He then moved to theTurkish Super LeagueclubEfes Pilsen,for the 2007–08 season, followed by theUkrainian Super LeagueclubKyiv,in the 2008–09 season.

At the beginning of the 2009–10 season, Penn made the move to theItalian League,to play withVirtus Bologna.On New Years Day, 2010, it was announced by Greek powerhouse Olympiacos, that Penn would return to the club, to replaceVon Wafer,who had been released, due to his inability to adapt to the European game. In October 2010, he signed withPrima Veroli,which was playing in theItalian Second Divisionat the time.

National team career

As a member ofTeam USA,Penn won a gold medal at the1999 Palma Summer Universiade.

Coaching career

After Penn retired from playing professional basketball, he became the director of player development for theOhio State basketball program.On August 5, 2019, he accepted a position working as an assistantcoachwith theNBA'sMemphis Grizzlies.

Awards and accomplishments

College:

• 1995–96Big East Conference Rookie of the Year,First Team All-Big East Conferencemember.
• 1996–97 First Team All-Big East Conference.Big East Conference tournamentchampionship winner (MVP).
• 1998–99Big Ten Conference Co-Player of the Year.
• 1998–99 LedOhio Stateto theNCAA Final Four.
• 1999–00Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award,as the nation's top senior under 6'0 "(1.83 m) tall.
• SelectedThird Team All-America,and First Team All-Big Ten Conference,in both hisjunior seasonandsenior season.Ended his career atOhio State University,as the college's all-time leader in three-point field goals made.

External links

• Euroleague.net Profile
• FIBA Europe Profile
• Italian League Profile(in Italian)
• Interview with Scoonie Penn from September 2003
• NBDL stats