Ha Seung-jin
A gentle giant who broke the NBA's color line for South Korea, facing immense pressure as a cultural pioneer on the basketball court.
Born 1985 (age 41)·South Korean basketball player·Birthday: August 4·Millennials
Biography
Ha Seung-jin's journey to the NBA was less about stats and more about sheer, unprecedented scale. At 7'3", he was a physical marvel in South Korea, a country with no history of producing players for the world's top league. Drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2004, his selection was a landmark moment, making him the first—and still only—South Korean to be drafted and play in the NBA. His time on the court was limited, hampered by the need to adjust to a vastly faster and more physical game, as well as the overwhelming weight of national expectation. Every move was scrutinized, not just as a player's performance, but as a measure of Korean potential on the global stage. While his NBA career was brief, his legacy is permanent: he proved it was possible, opening the door in the minds of a generation of young Korean athletes and changing the perception of Asian players in professional basketball.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Ha was born in 1985, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ha Was Born
The biggest hits of 1985
#1 Movie
Back to the Future
Best Picture
Out of Africa
#1 TV Show
Dynasty
Ha's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1985Born
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1990Started school
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1998Became a teenager
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Could drive
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2003Could vote
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Turned 21
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2015Turned 30
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 40
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 41 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first and only South Korean-born player to be drafted and play in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
- Was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round (46th overall) of the 2004 NBA Draft.
- Played professionally for over a decade in the NBA, its developmental league, and in South Korea's KBL.
Did You Know?
He did not start playing organized basketball until he was 15 years old.
During his NBA stint, he was one of the tallest active players in the league.
He won a KBL championship with the Jeonju KCC Egis in 2011.
“At my height, every step onto a new court was a question I had to answer.”
