Shawn Huff
PositionSmall forward
Height1.98 m
Weight kg95
Birth dateMay 5, 1984 (age 42)
Birth placeHelsinki, Finland
NationalityFinnish / American
High schoolMäkelänrinne (Helsinki, Finland)
CollegeValparaiso (2004–2008)
Draft year2008
Career start2000
Career end2022
Years 12000–2001
Team 1Torpan Pojat
Years 22001–2004
Team 2Espoon Honka
Years 32008–2009
Team 3Maroussi
Years 42009–2011
Team 4Kavala
Years 52011–2012
Team 5Fulgor Libertas Forlì
Years 62012–2013
Team 6Vanoli Cremona
Years 72013
Team 7Orlandina
Years 82013–2016
Team 8Riesen Ludwigsburg
Years 92016–2017
Team 9ESSM Le Portel
Years 102017–2019
Team 10Skyliners Frankfurt
Years 112019–2022
Team 11Helsinki Seagulls
Highlights

Shawn Christopher Huff (born May 5, 1984) is a Finnish politician and a former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Valparaiso from 2004–2008. Shawn Huff played for Finland national basketball team, serving as the team captain.

College career

Huff played college basketball at Valparaiso University from the 2004 to 2008. Huff played as a true freshman, but did not become a full-time starter until his junior season where he started all 31 games, and then as a senior where he started all 36 games.

Professional career

Huff went undrafted in the 2008 NBA draft and went on to play internationally. Signed with the MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg team on September 20, 2013 and recently played for them since till the end of the 2015–16 season.

On January 5, 2017, Huff signed with the German team Fraport Skyliners.[1]

Shawn Huff retired from professional basketball after the EuroBasket 2022.[2]

Outside basketball

In the 2021 Finnish municipal elections, Huff became a member of the Helsinki city council for Green League. Huff was a candidate in the 2023 Finnish parliamentary election, but was not elected.[3]

Personal life

Huff is the son of African-American professional basketball player Leon Huff who played college basketball at Drake University and professionally in Finland.[4] Leon Huff, was named to Drake's All-Decade team for the 1970s. Once Leon Huff was done playing basketball he managed some professional basketball teams in Finland. Leon Huff had three children including Dawn Huff (born 1972), Shawn Huff (born 1984), and Michael Huff (born 1987). His Finnish mother is named Kristina.[4] Through his sister, Dawn, who married Stacy Elliott, he is the uncle of Ezekiel Elliott, who was a running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL).[5]

Shawn and his father Leon are part of the 2023 Finnish documentary movie Suomeen juurtuneet (Home and Away), directed by Arto Halonen.[6][7]

Huff has two children with Finnish high jumper Tilda Huff (), to whom he was married until 2025.[8] Tilda's sister Ida is married to Finnish basketball player Gerald Lee.[9]

Huff is a vegetarian.[10] He participated in the 16th season of Tanssii tähtien kanssa (Finnish version of Strictly Come Dancing) in 2023.[11]

Career statistics

EuroCup

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09 | style="text-align:left;"| Maroussi | 12 || 0 || 9.3 || .450 || .357 || .750|| .6 || .4 || .2 || .0 || 2.2 || 1.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2015–16 | style="text-align:left;"| Riesen Ludwigsburg | 16 || 1 || 17.4 || .429 || .409 || .750 || 2.9 || .2 || .4 || .1 || 8.1 || 6.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19 | style="text-align:left;"| Skyliners Frankfurt | 15 || 7 || 23.4 || .367 || .308 || .706 || 3.5 || 1.1 || .6 || .4|| 5.7 || 6.0 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:left;"| Career | | 43 || 8 || 17.3 || .407 || 0.364 || 0.730 || 2.4 || .6 || .4 || .2 || 5.6 || 4.9

National team

TeamTournamentPos.GPPPGRPGAPG
FinlandEuroBasket 20119th
8
9.0
3.6
0.9
EuroBasket 20139th
8
8.8
4.8
1.0
2014 FIBA World Cup22nd
5
10.8
3.4
0.0
EuroBasket 201516th
6
8.5
2.7
1.0
EuroBasket 201711th
6
5.3
5.5
0.8
EuroBasket 20227th
7
4.9
2.3
1.0

References

  1. ^ "Fraport Skyliner Sign Shawn Huff". January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  2. ^ "End of the road for Finland’s icons Koponen and Huff". Eurohoops. 2022-09-14. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  3. ^ Äänestystulokset: Shawn Huff, MTV Oy/ mtvuutiset.fi
  4. ^ Kurko, Antti (23 June 2022). "Shawn Huffin oli vaikea löytää samaistumisen kohteita 90-luvun Suomesta – Nyt hän on esikuva, ja ottaa roolinsa vakavasti" [It was hard for Shawn Huff to find role models in 1990s Finland – now he's a role model himself and takes that role seriously] (in Finnish). Voima. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  5. ^ "Ezekiel Elliott's Iowa mom: OSU star played sick, hurt". The Des Mois Register. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  6. ^ Shawn Huffin isästä ei ole tullut suomalaista edes 40 vuodessa – nyt kaksikko puhuu rasismista ja ulkopuolisuudesta tuoreessa dokumentissa, Yle, 20 August 2023
  7. ^ Suomeen juurtuneet, Episodi, 31 August 2023
  8. ^ Myllymäki, Iiro (8 August 2025). "Shawn Huff: Avioero" [Shawn Huff: Divorce] (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  9. ^ Juuti, Mikko (8 September 2017). "IS esittelee Susijengin tähtipelaajien puolisot: Huippusopimuksen lohkaissut laituri seurustelee Gladiaattorit-kaunottaren kanssa!" [IS introduces the partners of the Finnish basketball team's star players: the forward who landed a top contract is dating a Gladiaattorit beauty!] (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  10. ^ Ex-maajoukkuekoripalloilija Shawn Huff: ”Politiikkaan lähteminen oli harkittu riski”, etlehti.fi, 8 November 2023
  11. ^ Helsingin Jakomäessä kasvanut Shawn Huff: ”Olin koulun ainoa ruskea lapsi ja se vaikutti oman identiteetin löytämiseen”, apu.fi, 29 October 2023