“I root for the United States,” he says, “but at the same time I root for J.R. to go for 40.”

Proving critics wrong

Holden didn’t go for 40 in Sunday’s exhibition against the U.S., but he did post 17 points and seven boards in the Americans’ 89-68 victory. Some observers may have been surprised by Holden’s success against the best players in the world, but he’s been proving doubters wrong for as long as Flannery can remember. The former Bucknell mentor recalls seeing him play at the Five-Star Camp in Pittsburgh.

“Coaches tend to run in packs and everybody knows this kid or that kid,” he says. “In J.R.’s case, out at Five-Star, he wasn’t even in the NBA Division (with the big-name recruits). He was in the NCAA Division. If you wanted to see J.R. play, you had to stay there late.”

In his e-mail to The Daily Item, Holden, who will turn 32 on Sunday, says that Bucknell was the only Division I school that wanted him.

“Coming out of high school, I was not highly recruited at all,” he writes. “I had a couple of Division II offers and Butch Beard was recruiting me at Howard University (a D-I school). I wanted to attend Howard, but Butch Beard left to become the head coach of the New Jersey Nets and that left me with only one other Division I offer — Bucknell. I always wanted to play Division I basketball. I didn’t know much about Bucknell, but coach Flannery won me and my mom over the first time we met.”

A different path

After a four-year career at Bucknell in which he finished with 1,327 career points and a degree in business management, Holden made his way to Europe, where he played in Latvia, Belgium and Greece before catching on with CSKA Moscow. CSKA, which Sports Illustrated called the best pro basketball franchise outside of the NBA, has won two Euroleague titles since Holden’s arrival. It’s not surprising then that CSKA coach Ettore Messina told SI that Holden is the best point guard in Europe.

“That made me feel good,” Holden writes. “Coach Messina is the best coach in Europe, and for him to think that highly of me is an honor. He had a lot to do with my growth as a point guard, so to see it materialize over the last few years is a true blessing.”

Holden’s play for CSKA Moscow — which also features former Duke star Trajan Langdon — caught the attention of the Russian Basketball Federation, and this is now his fourth year playing for Russia. Flannery believes strongly that Holden could catch on in the NBA, but his former pupil is happy where he is.

“I don’t think about (the NBA) at all,” he says. “If a team gives me a good enough offer to come home, then of course I would probably take it. But my path, my road to success has been in Europe, and I am happy and satisfied with that.”

n E-mail comments to tstanford@dailyitem.com.