Darryl Eugene "D. J." Strawberry, Jr. is an American professional basketball player. He is the son of former Major League Baseball player Darryl Strawberry. A graduate of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, Strawberry built a reputation for hard-nosed defense. During his senior year, he was involved in a nationally-televised matchup against St. Vincent - St. Mary High School of Akron, Ohio, where he was assigned the task of defending their star player and future NBA superstar LeBron James. Strawberry was lauded for his efforts, which included holding James to a 33% shooting... performance and forcing him into seven turnovers. At 6-feet 5-inches tall, Strawberry assumed the role of a swingman for the Maryland Terrapins, and he was much valued for his on-the-ball defense. He averaged nearly 2 steals per game, leading his team in that category. He was also valued for his off-the-bench intensity; it is felt that Maryland's absence from the 2005 NCAA Tournament was due in no small part to a season-ending ACL injury Strawberry suffered in mid-January of that year.
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