Johnny Yan
Encyclopedia
Yen Hsing-Shu also known as Johnny Yen, is a Taiwanese professional basketball player, singer, actor
, and model
. He is a former member and captain of both the Chinese Taipei men's national basketball team and 183 Club
.
(later Kaohsiung
and BCC
Mars) in the Chinese Basketball Alliance
of Taiwan. As starting point guard
, he led the league in assists for the 1997-1998 season and was then ranked among the best and brightest next-generation backcourt players in Taiwan. He was also selected to the Chinese Taipei
senior basketball team from 1997 until 2003.
At the turn of the century, however, Yen Hsing-Shu started to suffer from a succession of knee
injuries
. In his last appearance on the national team, Yen led the FIBA Asian Championship in assists, signifying his ability to continuously compete at Asia's
highest level of basketball if free from injury. Yet, he decided to become a full-time entertainer after completing the first season (2003–2004) of the newly founded Super Basketball League
(SBL). This was presumably due to the chronic knee problem and, arguably, the success of his new entertainment
career following the airing of My MVP Valentine, a basketball-themed TV drama he starred in while healing the initial knee injury in 2002.
In 2007, Yen returned to basketball when he signed with Yunnan Bulls
in the Chinese Basketball Association
in mainland China
to play in the 2007-2008 season. As a starter, he averaged 8.1 points and 5.2 assists (3rd in the league) in 22 games. After the season, he returned to Taiwan to play for Taiwan Beer
in the SBL where he won his only club championship
title. In the ensuing 2009-2010 season, Yen once again joined the Chinese professional league to play for the Shanghai Sharks
.
Currently, Yen is a coach assistant in Brigham Young University–Hawaii.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
. He is a former member and captain of both the Chinese Taipei men's national basketball team and 183 Club
183 Club
183 Club is a Taiwanese boyband managed by Jungiery. In other words, 183 Club is part of J-Star. Originally they were called "183 Yu Le Bu," meaning "183 Entertainment Group," but it was later decided that the name should be shortened to what it is now: 183 Club. The average height of the...
.
Basketball career
Nicknamed "The Basketball Genie" (籃球精靈), Yen was a high school star and turned professional in 1995 with the Tera MarsTaiwan Mobile Clouded Leopards
The Taiwan Mobile Clouded Leopards are a semi-professional team in the Super Basketball League in Taiwan.The franchise dates back to 1983 when it was originally founded as the Chien-hong Men's Basketball Team...
(later Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
and BCC
Broadcasting Corporation of China
The Broadcasting Corporation of China , BCC, is a broadcasting company in the Republic of China. It was founded as the Central Broadcasting System in Nanjing in 1928.-History:...
Mars) in the Chinese Basketball Alliance
Chinese Basketball Alliance
The Chinese Basketball Alliance was a men's professional basketball league in Taiwan that existed from 1995 to 1999. Also abbreviated as "CBA", the defunct organization based in Taiwan was distinct from the Chinese Basketball Association of the People's Republic of China and was also not to be...
of Taiwan. As starting point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
, he led the league in assists for the 1997-1998 season and was then ranked among the best and brightest next-generation backcourt players in Taiwan. He was also selected to the Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some international organizations and almost all sporting events, such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games and Asian Para Games...
senior basketball team from 1997 until 2003.
At the turn of the century, however, Yen Hsing-Shu started to suffer from a succession of knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
injuries
Injury
-By cause:*Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident*Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite*Injury from infection...
. In his last appearance on the national team, Yen led the FIBA Asian Championship in assists, signifying his ability to continuously compete at Asia's
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
highest level of basketball if free from injury. Yet, he decided to become a full-time entertainer after completing the first season (2003–2004) of the newly founded Super Basketball League
Super Basketball League
The Super Basketball League , often abbreviated to the SBL, is the pre-eminent men's semi-professional basketball league in Taiwan. It was founded in 2003 and considered by many as the successor organization to the short-lived Chinese Basketball Alliance , a men's professional basketball league...
(SBL). This was presumably due to the chronic knee problem and, arguably, the success of his new entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
career following the airing of My MVP Valentine, a basketball-themed TV drama he starred in while healing the initial knee injury in 2002.
In 2007, Yen returned to basketball when he signed with Yunnan Bulls
Yunnan Bulls
Yunnan Honghe Bulls or Yunnan Honghe or Yunnan Bulls were a basketball team in the South Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Mengzi, Yunnan ....
in the Chinese Basketball Association
Chinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association , often abbreviated to the CBA, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in China.The league is commonly known as the CBA, and this acronym is often used even in Chinese...
in mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
to play in the 2007-2008 season. As a starter, he averaged 8.1 points and 5.2 assists (3rd in the league) in 22 games. After the season, he returned to Taiwan to play for Taiwan Beer
Taiwan Beer (basketball)
For the beer, see Taiwan BeerThe Taiwan Beer Basketball Team is a semi-professional basketball team in the Super Basketball League in Taiwan sponsored by the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation...
in the SBL where he won his only club championship
Championship
Championship is a term used in sport to refer to various forms of competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.- Title match system :...
title. In the ensuing 2009-2010 season, Yen once again joined the Chinese professional league to play for the Shanghai Sharks
Shanghai Sharks
The Shanghai Sharks , is a Chinese Basketball Association team based in Shanghai, China. Steven Kevelam is the first to corporate a good sponsorship, there is often an additional name used: for many years they were also known as the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks , but now are known as Shanghai Xiyang...
.
Currently, Yen is a coach assistant in Brigham Young University–Hawaii.
TV dramas
- My MVP Valentine (2002)
- The Champion (2004)
- Snow Angel (2004)
- The Prince Who Turns Into a FrogThe Prince Who Turns Into A FrogThe Prince Who Turns Into a Frog is a 2005 Taiwanese drama starring Ming Dow and Sam Wang of boyband 183 Club; and Joe Chen and Joyce Chao of girl group 7 Flowers, as well as all the members of the former and two members of the latter, who are signed by Jungiery Entertainment...
(2005) - Legend of Star Apple (2006)