Blasian Named MVP of Maui Invitational

Rui Hachimura, the son of a Beninese father and Japanese mother, has exploded on the college basketball scene. Gonzaga University - known for seeking international talent for its athletic teams - first discovered Hachimura during the 2014 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Under-17 Basketball World Cup in Dubai. He also led his high school, Meisei High School, to the All-Japan High School Tournament title. Now he is the best player on the No. 3 NCAA basketball team.

Hachimura grew up in Toyoma, a coastal town about a five-hour drive west of Tokyo. He was often questioned about his Japaneseness. Now he is easily mistaken for African American but experienced confusion due to his inability to speak English. Prior to attending Gonzaga, he had been to the US only once for a family trip to New York when he was 12 years old, and he didn't speak any English. Now, in his Junior year, he is a fluent English speaker. This is no small feat, as English is extremely difficult for Japanese native speakers to learn.

He was Most Valuable Player of the Maui Jim Invitational All-Tournament. Gonzaga beat Duke 89-87 in the championship game. He averaged 22.7 points and 6 rebounds in 3 games.

He is the 5th Japanese-born player to play Division I Men's Basketball, and he is the 1st Japanese native to play in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. He is projected to be a 1st Round NBA Draft Pick in 2019. Should that happen, he would be the 2nd Japanese-born player to ever play in the NBA. The 1st was Yuta Tabuse in 2004, but he only played for the Phoenix Suns for 3 months before he was cut from the team. There have been several Japanese-American basketball players, starting in 1947 with Wataru Misaka (who was first introduced on Blasians Defined in 2012 in the post "Asians & Basketball"). After Misaka, there wasn't another Asian player for 40 years (although there was a Blasian player selected in 1978, Raymond Townsend). 

Selected Sources:
* Gonzaga Bulletin, "Gonzaga's Rui Hachimura is Gonzaga's X factor", February 21, 2018.
* ESPN, "The Education of Gonzaga's Rui Hachimura", November 16, 2018.
* Sports Illustrated, "Rui Hachimura Is Thriving as Japan and Gonzaga's Best Hope for Basketball Glory", November 27, 2018.

Naomi Osaka Wins U.S. Open

In October of 2015, Blasians Defined featured Naomi Osaka as the WTA Rising Stars Invitational Champion. Since then, Naomi was named the WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2016. She had a breakout year, making it to the 3rd round of all of the Grand Slam tournaments that she played in 2016 (Australian Open, French Open & US Open). The WTA Newcomer of the Year award is decided through votes submitted by members of the media and fans, with initial nominees chosen by the WTA based on players’ achievements throughout the year. Naomi was the 1st Japanese player to ever win the award.

And now Naomi has just won the 2018 US Open! She is the 1st Japanese woman to contest a Grand Slam singles final and the 1st Japanese Grand Slam singles champion. (It is believed she is also the 1st Haitian Grand Slam champion.) Now ranked in the top 10, she is the highest ranked Japanese player in history. 

Naomi's parents, Tamaki Osaka (from Hokkaido, Japan) and Leonard Maxime Francois (born in Haiti, raised in New York), met when her father was visiting Hokkaido while he was attending college in New York. Naomi and her sister, Mari (also a professional tennis player) were both born in Osaka, Japan.  The girls were given their mother's maiden name for practical reasons when the family lived in Japan.

Naomi with her parents and sister

Naomi has dual American and Japanese citizenship. Although the girls were largely raised in the United States, their parents decided that their daughters would represent Japan. Osaka's parents have said that, "We made the decision that Naomi would represent Japan at an early age. She was born in Osaka and was brought up in a household of Japanese and Haitian culture. Quite simply, Naomi and her sister, Mari, have always felt Japanese so that was our only rationale. It was never a financially motivated decision nor were we ever swayed either way by any national federation."

Her Haitian grandparents only spoke to her in Haitian Creole because they did not know English, while her mother spoke to her in Japanese. Her sister, Mari, speaks almost fluent Japanese. While Naomi can understand Japanese, she is not very confident to speak the language. At press conferences, she can take questions in Japanese but usually answers in English.

Some fans feel like her black identity is being erased. However, Naomi has repeatedly reminded reporters that she is Japanese and Haitian.

Selected sources:

* The Wall Street Journal, "Naomi Osaka: The Tennis Star Who Was Overlooked by Everyone", September 12, 2018.

* The Washington Post, "Japanese, Haitian, and now a Grand Slam winner: Naomi Osaka’s historic journey to the U.S. Open", September 10, 2018. 

* The New York Times Magazine, "Naomi Osaka’s Breakthrough Game", August 23, 2018.

* YonexUSA, "Naomi Osaka Named 2016 WTA Newcomer of the Year", October 24, 2016.

Blasian Wins WTA Rising Stars Invitational

Naomi Osaka is the WTA Rising Stars Invitational Champion. The WTA Rising Stars Invitational is a showcase event in Singapore that brings together 4 WTA Rising Stars age 23 and under through a fan vote to compete alongside the best of the best at the WTA Finals.

Born in Osaka, Japan to a Haitian father (Leonard Francois) and Japanese mother (Tamaki), Naomi was raised in the United States and speaks very little Japanese, but she has always played tennis under the Japanese flag. Her father registered Naomi with the Japanese Tennis Association, rather than the United States Tennis Association, due to her dual passport. Her diverse background and strong tennis skills could make Naomi the next big thing in tennis.

WTA Tennis, "Osaka Wins WTA Rising Stars International", October 25, 2015.

Blasian Athletes Shine at 2015 SEA Games

The 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games were held in Singapore from June 5 to June 16. A standout in the 2015 SEA Games was the performance of Team Philippines and their Fil-Heritage athletes, commonly known as Fil-Ams. The SEA Games Chief of Mission Julian Camacho confirmed that the Filipino team had the most United States-based entries. The final medal count for the Philippines included 5 gold medals, with 4 attributed to Fil-American athletes.

Eric Shauwn Cray (June 9)

Eric Cray and Kayla Richardson, a pair of blasian Fil-Americans, won gold in their respective 100-meter races, earning the unofficial titles of "fastest man and fastest woman in the region". Cray clocked in at 10.25 seconds, while Richardson finished at 11.76. Cray went on to set a new SEA Games record of 49.40 seconds on the way to gold in the 400-meter hurdles, breaking a 20-year-old record. Richardson also secured a silver medal in the 200 meters at 23.71 seconds. These 2 blasian athletes earned 3 of Team Philippines's 5 gold medals.

Kayla Anise Richardson (June 9)

Following the SEA Games, Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Philip Ella Juico faced criticism for the use of Fil-foreign players raised and trained overseas to mask the lack of programs for homegrown athletes. Juico took exception to the criticisms, saying Fil-Americans, are, in the end, still Filipinos.

"We have 10 million Filipinos around the world. We are sharing our human resources with the international community. When they are there, they inter-marry with locals and beget Filipino children who are half Filipino, half foreign. If we can use half foreign Filipinos for scientists, teachers, or engineers, why not use them for sports?", said Juico. "Why all of a sudden discriminating and frowning on this?, the former Philippine Sports Commission chairman added.

Juico said the only difference is that Fil-foreign athletes are based outside the Philippines by force of circumstances, and should not be stripped of their privilege to represent the country in international competitions. "Of course, we prefer homegrown talents but it's not their fault that they were born there."

Despite the criticism, Juico said they intend to recruit more Fil-Americans to beef up the athletics team. Juico spoke on this matter in a previous interview, stating, "If there are Fil-foreign (athletes), (athletes) with Filipino blood, why not? It's a global society now, it's a global community...if other countries can use this internationally-shared resource, why not us?"

Eric Cray - dubbed the "Usain Bolt of Southeast Asia" - responded to critics regarding the policy of searching overseas for talent with Filipino ties stating, "I just feel that if you have Filipino blood and you cherish the traditions of the Philippines, you know it's a great honor for me to be able to represent and I am just happy that they allow me to."

Selected Sources:
* Sports Interactive Network Philippines, "What's wrong with having Fil-foreign athletes, says Juico in face of SEA Games criticism", June 19, 2015.
* ABS-CBN News Channel, "New PATAFA head welcomes Fil-foreign athletes, coaches", August 7, 2014.

Blasian American Olympians

As we commemorate the end of the Games of the XXX Olympiad, let us recognize blasians who have represented Team USA throughout the history of the Olympics.

Tai Babilonia
Figure Skating

Tai with her skating partner, Randy

With partner Randy Gardner, Tai Babilonia was the 1979 World Champion and the gold medalist at the US Figure Skating Championships in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1980.  Randy and Tai competed in the 1976 and 1980 Olympics.  They were medal favorites at the 1980 Winter Olympics but were forced to withdraw due to an injury to Gardner.

Tai was the 1st figure skater of African American descent to win US and World titles.  Her mother was African American, and her father was part Filipino and part Native American (Hopi Indian). 

Sheila Hudson
Track & Field

Sheila Hudson (Korean-African American) dominated the triple jump in the US for years.  She started competing at age 10, took a 2-year hiatus from competition when her family moved to Korea, and returned to track and field in high school.  She represented the United States at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.  Sheila was the only American to reach the finals in the first Olympic triple jump competition for women and finished 10th.  

Tora Harris
Track & Field

Tora Harris was a four-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Outdoor Track & Field All-American (1998, 1999, 2001, 2002) and an NCAA Indoor All-American in 2002.  Tora was the number 1 ranked high jumper in the United States, according to Track & Field News, in both 2002 and 2006 and was among the top 10 every year from 2001 through 2009.   He was a member of the United States team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

His mother, Susan (Su-Chen), is Taiwanese, while his father, who passed away in 2000, was African American.  His parents made him take Chinese lessons when he was young, and he attended first grade in Taiwan.  Tora speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese.  His language skills made him very popular at the 2001 World University Games in Beijing, China, where he won a bronze medal.

Selected Sources:
* Tai Babilonia, Official website.
* HalfKorean.com: An online community for mixed-race Koreans, "Prominent People - Sheila Hudson".
* USA Track & Field, Tora Harris.

Blasian Olympians Worldwide

Ding Hui
Volleyball
CHINA

In April 2009, the Chinese Volleyball Team announced the 18 members of the men's national volleyball team for the 2012 Summer Olympics.  Among them was Ding Hui, the 1st black athlete on a Chinese national team.  While Ding is the 1st mixed-race athlete to play on a national team, a number of foreign players play in China’s professional football and basketball leagues, and foreign coaches have worked with China’s national teams.

Nicknamed "Xiao Hei" or "Little Black", by his team mates, Ding Hui is the son of a South African father and a Chinese mother.  A native of the east China city of Hangzhou, he speaks Mandarin and the Hangzhou dialect.  He is a Chinese national and was raised by his single mother, Yu Jianxiu.  Ding never met his father, who left China before he was born.

Ding Hui's selection has stirred up some racial prejudices among his countrymen.  Commentators have noted that he has a "pleasant and perky nature" and is talented at "singing and dancing".  On Chinese internet forums, he has been lauded for the "whiteness" of his teeth and the "athleticism of his genes".

China's black population is tiny.  However, the black population is growing rapidly.  One predominately African suburb in the southern city of Guangzhou is referred to as "Chocolate City".  Since 2003, when China started pouring investments into Africa, there has been a significant movement of Africans in the opposite direction.   Hopefully, as China's population becomes more diverse, future minority athletes will be recognized for their skills and performance, rather than their heritage. 

Chletzie Lee
Figure Skating

AUSTRALIA

Chletzie was named to the Australian team, competing as one of the youngest Australians on the 2010 Winter Olympic team at the age of 16.  At the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, she qualified 18th in the short program, scoring 52.16 (her career personal best score), and finished in 20th place overall.  She is working towards a spot in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

Her father is Chinese and was born in Bangladesh, and her mother was born and raised in Louisiana and is African American. 

Yvonne Kanazawa (金沢 イボンヌ)
Track & Field
JAPAN

Although Yvonne Kanazawa grew up in Sacramento and trained and coached at California State University, she competed for Japan.  "I was born in Japan.  My mom is Japanese.  So, I have Japanese citizenship only.  I'm not a dual-citizenship person.  So, I had no choice but to compete for Japan, and it worked out pretty well," Kanazawa said.

Yvonne is an 8-time national champion in the 100-meter hurdles with 6 records to her name.  In 1996, she became the first female sprinter in 32 years to make an Olympic team in Japan.  A Japanese record holder, she again competed for Japan at the 2000 Olympics.  She was a semi-finalist at the Summer Olympics in Sydney and retired from competition in 2004.

Selected Sources: 
* Wall Street Journal: China, "China Welcomes Chinese-African Player to National Team", April 14, 2009.
* Cheltzie Lee, Official website.
* Yvonne Kanazawa, The Study of Racialism.

Blasian Americans at the 2012 Olympics

As we celebrate the beginning of the Games of the XXX Olympiad, let us recognize the blasians representing Team USA in London this summer. 

CONGRATS TO LIA, KYLA, & PAIGE – Blasian Olympic medalists for Team USA!

Lia Neal

Swimming 

Lia with her parents, Siu & Rome

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Lia’s father, Jerome, is African American, and her mother, Siu, is from Hong Kong.  At age 17, she is the 2nd woman of African descent to make the US Olympic swim team.

 

Lia competed in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay at the 2012 Summer Olympics.  She won the bronze medal on Saturday, July 28, with Missy Franklin, Jessica Hardy, and Allison Schmitt, behind Australia and the Netherlands.  The team finished with a total time of 3:34:24, an American record.

To learn more about Olympic medalist, Lia Neal, go to her official website. 

Kyla Ross
Gymnastics

Kyla with her parents, Kiana & Jason

 












Kyla was born in Honolulu, Hawai'i and currently lives in Aliso Viejo, California.  Her father, Jason, is Japanese and Black, and her mother, Kiana, is of Filipino and Puerto Rican descent.  Her look reflects the multi-racialism of Hawaii.  "We call it the quadruple effect," says her father.

Kyla earned the 2nd-highest score on the uneven bars at the 2012 Olympic trials.  Nicknamed “Mighty Mouse,” Ross, 15, is the youngest person on Team USA’s gymnastics roster.  According to the Olympic format, each team selects 3 gymnasts for each of the 4 apparatuses in the final – balance beam, uneven bars, vault, and floor.  Kyla performed on the beam and the uneven bars.  On Tuesday, July 31, the US women captured the gold medal with an overall score of 183.596.

To learn more about Olympic medalist, Kyla Ross, go to her official website.

UPDATED
Tuesday, July 31, 2012 

Paige McPherson
Taekwondo

A native of Sturgis, South Dakota, Paige currently resides in Miami, Florida.  Born in Abilene, Texas, she was adopted when she was just 4 days old.  Her parents also adopted children from South Korea and Saint Lucia.  Paige is half Filipino and half African American (with a little Spanish and Japanese on her Asian side), and she likes to call herself "Blasian".

Paige is looking forward to her first Olympics after defeating 2004 silver medalist Nia Abdallah to earn a spot on the 2012 roster.  Nicknamed "McFierce", she is the youngest member of the US national team, having just graduated high school in January 2009.

Since turning 18, Paige has sought to connect with her biological roots.  She has an older brother, who she has already met.  She also has a half-brother and a half-sister, and she has spoken to her biological mother.  Paige plans to meet all of them after the Olympics. 

Paige represented the USA in the 67 kg women's taekwondo event. In the preliminary round, Paige secured a surprise defeat over Sarah Stevenson of Team Great Britain, 5-1.  She went on to win a bronze medal by defeating Franka Anić of Slovenia 8-3.

UPDATED
Saturday, August 11, 2012 

Selected Sources:
* New America Media, "Asian American Athletes Represent U.S. at 2012 Olympics", July 25, 2012.
* Mas TaeKwonDo, "Paige McPherson hopes to bring home a gold medal", July 25, 2012.
* The Epoch Times, "Lia Neal, Olympic Star Rising from Brooklyn", July 5, 2012.
* The Madeleine Brand Show, "SoCal gymnast Kyla Ross brings poise, nerves of steel to London Olympics", July 11, 2012.

Blasian Olympic Medalists

Bryan Clay 
Track & Field

Bryan Ezra Tsumoru Clay - often referred to as the "World's Greatest Athlete" - was born to a Japanese mother (Michele Ishimoto) and African American father (Greg Clay) and raised in Hawaii. He won the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and went on to win the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Bryan is among the very few decathletes to hold 2 Olympic medals.

Bryan had his eyes set on a third. He had hoped to become the only decathlete to win 3 Olympic medals.  Bryan Clay - the reigning Olympic decathlon gold medalist - was eliminated from the London Games after stumbling in the 110-meter hurdles at the U.S. track trials on Saturday, June 23, 2012. 

To see him in action, check out this Olympic highlights video of Bryan Clay.

Peter Westbrook
Fencing

The 1st Blasian American Olympian was Peter Westbrook.  The child of an African American father (Ulysses) and a Japanese mother (Mariko), Peter was harassed by other children because of his mixed race.  His mother paid him $5 to attend local fencing classes.  She wanted to divert his attention to a sport that was similar to the style of Samurai fighting that she was familiar with in Japan. 

Peter Westbrook was a member of 6 American Olympic teams – 1976 in Montreal, 1980 (US boycott of Moscow games), 1984 in Los Angeles, 1988 in Seoul, 1992 in Barcelona, and 1996 in Atlanta.  He won the bronze medal in Individual Sabre at the 1984 Olympics.  In 1992, he was selected to serve as flag bearer for the closing ceremonies, an honor conferred by a vote of that year’s Olympians.  He was the oldest member of the fencing team at the 1996 Olympics.

One of the first prominent biracial fencers and the first African American to medal in fencing, Peter began the Peter Westbrook Foundation in 1991.  The Foundation provides inner city children with access to fencing and works to guide them away from gang activity.  It is hailed as one of the most successful inner city sports programs in the country.

To learn about Peter Westbrook and his not-for-profit organization, visit www.PeterWestbrook.org.

UPDATED
Sunday, July 29, 2012 

Korean Basketball League Ethnic Draft

As we experience the excitement of Jeremy Lin and his meteoric rise in the NBA, I reflected on the limitations of racial diversity in Korea, my mother's homeland.  It's always been a reality to me that my opportunities in Korea would be limited due to my biracial status.  Koreans revere the idea of their country being monoethnic.  However, the Korean War (1950-1953) threatened the country's homogenous status.  Since then, there have been mixed race Koreans in Korea and around the world.

Three years ago, a professional sports association in Korea initiated an action to incorporate biracial Koreans for the first time.  The Korean Basketball League held an "Ethnic" draft.  The 10 professional basketball teams in Korea agreed to allow foreign players with a Korean parent to play in the Korean Basketball Leagues as signed players.  What's more, the draft allowed these foreign players with Korean ties to not be considered "foreign players".  (There is a limit of 1 foreign player per team.)  While it was not without controversy, the draft was a huge step toward the acceptance of diversity in Korea.

The inaugural KBL draft for "ethnic Korean players" was held in February of 2009.  To be defined as "ethnic Korean", the player had to verify that his biological father or mother had previously held Korean citizenship and had since gained foreign citizenship.  A copy of the Korean parent's family register document or Korean passport had to be presented.  

Players selected in the 1st "ethnic Korean" draft

In the 2009 “Ethnic” draft, 5 players were selected ― Tony Akins (전태풍 / KCC Egis), Eric Sandrin (이승준 / Samsung Thunders), Greg Stevenson (문태영 / LG Sakers), Kevin Mitchell (원하준 / KT&G Kites), and Chris Vann (박태양 / KT Sonic Boom) ― and 4 of them were blasian.  The draft was held again in 2010 and 2011.  In 2010, only 1 player was selected ― Jarod Stevenson (문태종 / ET Land Elephants), Greg Stevenson's older brother.  No players were selected in 2011.

Here's the rub.  The KBL implemented a limit of 3 years on 1 team for ethnic Koreans.  So, the players that were signed in the 2009 "ethnic Korean" draft are now required to participate in the 2012 draft.  The native Korean players are not subject to this rule.  Different signing rules apply to ethnic versus native Korean players.  The rule was designed to balance the teams and prevent a monopoly on ethnic Koreans, who are often better than the Korean players.  The idea is that having the ethnic Korean players continue on long-term with a single team could give too much of an advantage to one club.  

Greg & Jarod Stevenson

Note that, when an ethnic Korean player is drafted, he has to become a Korean citizen.  To sweeten the pot, the Nationality Act was revised in January of 2011 to allow foreigners with "outstanding talents" wishing to acquire Korean citizenship to maintain dual citizenship.  Subsequently, the Korean Basketball League and the Korean Olympic committee have recommended that the government allow ethnic Koreans to play for the Korean national team.

While the KBL benefits from the skills of ethnic Koreans, the association has also been accused of discriminating against ethnic Koreans.  The status of ethnic Koreans has been a point of contention since the initiation of the ethnic draft.  If ethnic Koreans are also Korean citizens and are not considered "foreign players", why do different rules apply?  Such regulations single out ethnic Koreans and defeat the concept of equal access to the League.

The 2012 KBL Pre-Draft Tryout and draft for "Ethnic Korean Players" will be held on May 7, 2012 in South Korea.  Basketball players who are interested in becoming eligible to play in the KBL must apply by April 25, 2012 (Korea Time).  More information is available on the Korean Basketball League website.

Selected Sources:
* Korean Basketball League, "Rules & Procedures".
* The Korea Times, "KBL Accused of Discrimination", January 9, 2012.
* The Korea Herald, "Half Korean Brothers Get Citizenship", July 21, 2011.
* HalfKorean.com: An online community for mixed-race Koreans, "KBL Ethnic Draft Feature".

Asians & Football

After spending some time thinking about Asians in the game of basketball in the US, I thought – what about football?  It can be stated that – just as there are very few players of Asian descent who have played the game of basketball – the same can be said of professional football.  In fact, most would assume there are no Asian football players.  While the game of baseball is popular in Asia, and it's not unusual for players from China or Japan to play Major League Baseball, football remains an extremely American game, and Asian football players remain few and far between.

Dayton Triangles - 1920s

The 1st Asian professional football player was Walter Achiu, of Chinese and Hawaiian ancestry.  He was one of the first minorities to play in any major American professional sports league.  He played pro football for the now defunct Dayton Triangles in 1927 – 20 years before Jackie Robinson's debut in Major League Baseball in 1947!

Roman Gabriel

After Achiu, Roman Gabriel (half Filipino/half Irish) was drafted in 1962.  He was the 1st Asian American to start as an NFL quarterback.  Then there wasn't another Asian football player until Eugene Yon Chong (Korean) was drafted in 1992.

The majority of professional football players of Asian descent have been of mixed heritage, and surprise, surprise, most of them were blasian.  There have been  9 blasian pro football players, including 2 sets of brothers.

Hines Ward

The most well-known blasian football player is Hines Ward.  Born in Seoul, South Korea to an African American father and Korean mother, Young He Kim (김영희).  Ward was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1998.  He gained worldwide fame when he was named MVP in Super Bowl XL (2006), becoming the 1st Korean American and 2nd foreign born player to earn the award.

For the first time since he left the country as a 1-year-old, Ward returned to South Korea in 2006.  He traveled the country, speaking out against biracial discrimination.  In order to support reform regarding multiracial Korean children, he created the Hines Ward Helping Hands Korea Foundation.

In 2009, President Barack Obama established the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to improve the health, education, and economic status of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.  Ward was appointed as a member of the Commission.

After 14 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ward retired from the NFL in March 2012.  A 4-time Pro Bowl selection, Ward finished his Steelers career with 1,000 catches, 12,083 yards, and 85 receiving touchdowns.  He helped Pittsburgh to 3 AFC championships and 2 Super Bowl wins.

Johnnie James Morton, Jr. and Chad Akio Morton are the sons of Johnnie Sr. (African American) and Katsuko (Japanese).

Johnnie Morton

Johnnie was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 1994 NFL Draft and played for the team until 2001.  He went on to play for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2002 to 2004 and ended his football career with the San Francisco 49ers in 2005.  

Chad played for the New Orleans Saints in 2000, the New York Jets from 2001 to 2002, the Washington Redskins from 2003 to 2004, and the New York Giants from 2005 to 2006.  He was released by the Giants in 2007.

Wesly Mallard

Wesly Mallard is half Korean and half African American.
As a child, he attended Seoul American High School in Seoul, South Korea.
Mallard was drafted by the New York Giants in 2002 and remained with the team until 2004.  He played for the New England Patriots in 2005, Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2005 to 2006, Denver Broncos in 2007, and Seattle Seahawks in 2008.

Will Demps

Will and Marcus Demps are the sons of William Sr. (African American) and Kye (Korean).

Will was signed by the Baltimore Ravens in 2002 and played for the team until 2005.  He went on to the New York Giants in 2006 and played for the Houston Texans from 2007 to 2008.

Marcus was signed by the Detroit Lions in May 2006 but was released with a knee injury in September of the same year.

Patrick Chung

Patrick Chung was born to a Chinese-Jamaican father and an Afro-Jamaican mother.  He is of 1/4 Han Chinese ancestry.  Chung was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2009.

Marcus Freeman

Marcus Freeman, a Korean-African American, was drafted in the 2009 draft by the Chicago Bears.  He was waived on September 4.  Freeman was signed to the Buffalo Bills practice squad on September 22.  He was released in October.  On November 4, he signed with the Houston Texans.  Freeman retired due to an enlarged heart condition in May 2010.  He is now a quality control assistant coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Emmanuel Moody

Emmanuel Moody's is the son of an African American father and a Korean mother, Young Sun Chang.  In July 2011, Moody signed with the Buffalo Bills.  He was released in August.




UPDATED
Thursday, March 22, 2012

Asians & Basketball

"I feel like Asians in general don't get the respect that we may deserve whether it comes to sports, basketball, or whatever it might be." – Jeremy Shu-How Lin

As the sports world marvels at the standout performance on the basketball court of Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks, I wondered if there had been players of Asian descent hidden within the ranks of the NBA, specifically blasians, who would easily blend into the predominantly African American sports league. There is no doubt that Lin very likely experienced racial profiling. An Asian in the NBA is a rare find, and stereotypes about athletic prowess based on race do flourish in the testosterone-filled world of sports, but what about half-Asian players? They were probably able to move beyond those limitations by fitting into the monoracial ideals held in sports and acquire a career in the NBA.

Wataru Misaka

Wataru Misaka (Japanese) became both the 1st Asian and the 1st non-Caucasian person to play for the Basketball Association of America (now known as the National Basketball Association), when he played for the New York Knicks during the 1947–48 season.  Misaka broke the color barrier in basketball as Jackie Robinson was doing the same in baseball.  After Misaka was cut in 1948, there wasn't another Asian player until 2 blasian players came along in the 1970s and 1980s – Corey Gaines and Raymond Townsend.

Corey Gaines

Corey Yasuto (泰斗) Gaines was born to a half-Japanese mother and an African American father. In 5 seasons, he played for 4 different NBA – the New Jersey Nets (1988–89), Philadelphia 76ers (1989–90, 1994–95), Denver Nuggets (1990–91), and New York Knicks (1993–94). Gaines also played basketball in Israel and Europe, as well as for the Japanese Basketball League's Japan Energy (1997–98). He became the head coach of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury in 2007 and led the team to their second WNBA championship. He has been the general manager of the Mercury since 2011. When discussing the Mercury's raising funds for victims of the 2010 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Gaines said, "I've been connected with Japan since 1997. That was the first time I went to Japan to play.... I stayed at a Japanese house with a host family in Tokyo. I didn't speak Japanese. They didn't speak English. I was young, but I kept going to Japan ever since."

Raymond Townsend

Raymond Townsend's mother was the former Virginia Marella, a Filipina from Balayan, Batangas, while his father, Ray Sr., was African American. He was selected in the 1978 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. He retired from the NBA in 1982 as a member of the Indiana Pacers. He was the first Filipino-American to play in the NBA. He also played in Italy during the 1984–85 season. In 2008, Townsend returned to NBA courts as a packager of Filipino heritage events.  He was honored as the 2009 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year for the Pilipino Alumni Association of UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles).

In a January 2011 Wall Street Journal article, Raymond Townsend is quoted as saying, "When I played, people thought I was just one of the lighter-skinned NBA players with an Afro. No one knew I was Filipino." 

There's my answer.

Selected Sources:
* Palo Alto Online, "First Person: A Conversation with Jeremy Lin", December 15, 2011.
* The Arizona Republic, "Phoenix Mercury's Corey Gaines proves to be player's coach", May 23, 2011.
* The Wall Street Journal, "NBA Game Promises to Be a Turkey? Call In the Turks - or the Filipinos", January 19, 2011.