Roland Nyama Retires And Wants Fans To Remember Him As A Player That Did Nothing Half Way

Pic credit: Dieter Nuber

Back 10 years ago, it wasn´t sexy yet for Germans to play in the NCAA the way it is now in 2026 with NIL exploding with crazy salaries. Back then you had a little more than 2-3 handful of young Germans making the trek across the pond and playing in the NCAA as guys like Moritz Wagner, Maodo Lo, Christian Sengfelder and Gavin Schilling did. But there was also another young man from Frankfurt named Roland Nyama (198-PF-1993, college: Stony Brook) who wanted to experience the life in USA as he went to prep school at Holderness and then 4 years at Stony Brook. I remember learning about Nyama making the trip to March Madness after beating Vermont and Trae Bell-Haynes to get to the big dance. I just had to interview him and did before he drew Kentucky. “Reaching The NCAA tournament still feels like a big dream I have yet to wake up from. I’ve never witnessed a celebration like that and it was truly an incredible experience to be able to see something like that happen. That’s why I love college basketball“, stressed Roland Nyama in 2016. Stony Brook and him then played against Kentucky who were led by Jamaal Murray, Tyler Ulis and Isaiah Briscoe. Stony Brook lost by 28 points and Nyama only played 1 minute, but it was an experience that he will never forget and seeing a guy like Murray lead his team to victory was something that would motivate anyone.” It motivates me because those guys, those NBA guys are incredibly under control and very rarely get sped up by the defense. I’ve tried to add that to my game“, said Roland Nyama in 2016. The German returned to Germany in 2017 and began a 9 year pro career and recently retired at age 32. It was time to look back at a fruitful career that took him to 4 German Pro A teams. Hie memory for how many interviews we did in the last 10 years was exactly correct with 5. It was time for a 6th with a farewell interview.

Roland Nyama who lists Kris Dunn, TJ Williams and Maodo Lo as his toughest covers in the NCAA and Kevin Yebo, Victor Bailey, and Tyler Nelson as his toughest covers in the German Pro A was born on July 11, 1993 in Germany, but has Cameroonian roots. He began his basketball career in the Frankfurt Skyliners organization playing youth basketball as well as getting his first glimpse how it is with men playing for Regionalliga 2 team Eintracht Frankfurt and their Pro B squad Juniors. Those were some very formidable years in his development and did he have a special mentor then? “Actually, the entire Pro b team back then took great care of me. Starting with the import Willis Gardner to locals like Fabian Franke and Nico Anders. The guys on the first team like Titus Ivory or Derrick Allen were also great to be around as they were role models as to what a pro should look like on and off the court. I loved my time there because it gave me a little glimpse of what is to be expected as a pro and how much work was still needed to reach anything close to that level”, stated Roland Nyama. He had a very special memory with Mr infectious smile Justin Stallbohm who became a Limburg basketball lifer beating 2 future world champions. “Justin was a great teammate that always had his smile and swagger about him. My fondest memory was winning the U18 German cup against Dennis Schroeder and Daniel Theis with Justin guarding Theis in crucial moments of that game”, remembered Roland Nyama. He then crossed the pond and lived in USA for 6 years being at Holderness and Stony Brook. He went at a time when it wasn´t sexy yet really for an influx of Germans to do that. Now with Nil some Germans made millions. He went to Stony Brook and got an education and played basketball for no money and was simply a very enriching experience. “Playing at Stony Brook helped me become a little bit more mature and purposeful in the way I treat basketball, my body and the world outside of basketball”, said Roland Nyama. He made big strides in his game at Stony Brook and as a senior averaged 10.3ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 27.5%, FT: 68.4%. 9 years ago Nyama said this about his coach then Jeff Boals. “He did a great job looking at places on the court where I’d be the most effective. The plays he ran created miss matches so I’d have match ups that I could exploit. Besides that he always encouraged me and believed in me which I think was then biggest factor to success”. Recently he said this about coach Boals. “I’ve had the privilege to have been coached by mostly great coaches but what stood out with Coach Boals was his infectious energy and enthusiasm. Coach is one of the best humans I know and his love and passion for the game but him caring about his players is what made him a great coach much more than X’s and O’s”, warned Roland Nyama. He battled future NBA player Jamaal Murray in the NCAA and had a great teammate in Jameel Warney, but what player then had the biggest impact on him? “Ahmad Walker. He beat my behind every day in practice and let me know about it then afterwards gave me pointers on how to become better on the court and mentally. His younger brother Jordan greatly benefitted from that as he is currently having a very successful career playing basketball”, remembered Roland Nyama. He had many great games in the NCAA like against Maine or against LIU in New York in Madison Square Garden. How thrilling was it playing in MSG and was that a top 5 basketball experience in his life? “Yes for sure MSG was phenomenal. I’d rank it maybe number 4 on my all time list of basketball experiences with playing in Riga for the Olympic qualifiers being number one”, added Roland Nyama.

The ex forward that lists Richie Williams Dupree Mcbrayer Elias Valtonen Orlando Parker and Benedikt Maukner as his 5 best teammates of all-time then returned back to Germany in 2017 to begin a fruitful professional career and played his first 2 pro seasons with PS Karlsruhe averaging 6.5ppg, 2.2rpg, FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 85.4% and 8.5ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 44.2%, 3PT: 36.9%, FT: 68.0%. He was fortunate to join a very special club that had moved up from the Pro B and even made the playoffs twice and were an underdog type of team. “Well to start I had been thrown into cold water as my coaches and my veteran teammates trusted me a lot more than I was ready for. Richie William and Orlando Parker were constantly in my ear about playing with confidence since I have the skills. Players like Cyrus Tate and later Dominique Johnson brought physicality and toughness that I tried to emulate to the best of my abilities”, expressed Roland Nyama. The team had many special players and it is not weird that guys like Richie Williams and Orlando Parker are in his best teammates ranking of all-time had chips on their shoulders. Did that help him have that chip on his shoulder? Absolutely. Hungry and devoted to the sport. Those two were the best role models a rookie from college could have”, warned Roland Nyama. Another great teammate of his was undersized center Noah Kamdem. He was like an offensive lineman in football. Was he one of the best undersized rebounders you ever played with? “Noah’s athleticism was off the charts and so was his physical gift. For best rebounders that are undersized I would have to give that award to Stephan Fundic though”, said Roland Nyama. He then played 2 seasons with the Tigers Tujebingen averaging 7.7ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 43.9%, 3PT: 27.4%, FT: 87.3% and 10.0ppg, 2.2rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 39.5%, FT: 88.8%. This was during Covid. He became a very reliable scorer in his second season. “Well the key word in the second season was fun. The first season a lot of expectations were put on us to move up, we had internal turmoil and the coaching role after the unfortunate sacking of a great coach was inadequately managed. The second year with Danny Jannson and coach Husbo, we had a clear identity and fun in every practice session which paved the way for a lot of players from that year going on to have great international careers”, commented Roland Nyama. He also had great teammates there like Canadian Tanner Graham who played like Larry Bird and played for up and coming head coach Danny Jansson. Did some of Graham´s great IQ rub off on him and what did he appreciate most about Jansson´s coaching philosophy? “Of course Tanner was a very smart player but also very athletic which caught people by surprise. His very believable shot fake is something that I copied then later on. Jansson had a plan and a read for each situation and trusted players to execute said plan. When a coach gives you confidence and trust the game becomes a lot easier”, remembered Roland Nyama. He then gained further experience with another club and played a season with the Nuernberg Falcons BC (Germany-ProA) averaging 11.9ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 55.8%, 3PT: 44.8%, FT: 78.4%. Despite not making the playoffs, was this his best season as a player? “Stats don´t lie. Unfortunately we were sick with the COVID virus collectively during an important period of the season which derailed our season a bit. As a Player I didn’t feel like this was my best season as I could’ve played better. It was the year of my career where I enjoyed the best coaching I would say”, stated Roland Nyama.

The energetic player who names Dirk Nowitzki, Dennis Schroeder, Robin Benzing and Pascal Roller (Little biased but we move) on his personal German Mount Rushmore then closed out his pro career with the Giessen 46ers playing 4 seasons there. Did Giessen become like a second home to him? “As a Frankfurt kid you’re taught to not be particularly fond of Giessen but I started to love it here. The fans are great and my daughter and wife had a great time here. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it my second home but it’s definitely a city that will have a special place in my heart”, stressed Roland Nyama. In his first season Giessen beat Dresden in the playoffs, but lost to Vechta. It was tough losing to Vechta, because we knew we could’ve played a closer series if any of our starting big men were available. Enosch Wolf couldn’t play due to a clause in his contract and Stefan got hurt right before the playoffs”, added Roland Nyama. In his second season Giessen lost a tough series to his old team PS Karlsruhe. PS Karlsruhe had a very special team that season that went on to win the pro A title. Did they remind him a bit of the old teams that he was on? “They were gritty athletic and fearless. Karlsruhe usually recruits the underdogs and that mentality is what made Karlsruhe a tough opponent. They were well coached and had an answer to most problems that were put in front of them. Similar to when we swept a favorite to move up in Cologne back in 2018”, stated Roland Nyama. In his first 2 seasons in Giessen he averaged 21 and 20 minutes, but in his last 2 seasons averaged only 12 and 7 minutes. I finally was able to visit more games the last 2 seasons in hopes of seeing him play, but he hardly got minutes. It must have been tough accepting the dip in minutes which I never really comprehended. Did head coach Frenki lose faith in him? “At some point you need to put your ego to the side and try to help your team in practice, from the bench or even with the right fouls. It was a hard lesson but one that’ll definitely help moving forward. Well I didn’t either understand the less minutes, but looking back it makes somewhat sense. I’m a player that can give you 20 points and 5 assists on 7 shots but also 3 points on 15 shots with 3 turnovers. The ups and downs probably were too shaky for coach to play me as he was looking to move us up to the BBL with consistency. Consistency that he thought other players would deliver more than I do and I don’t fault him for that. Looking back it’s easier to say “well that didn’t work” but in those situations you have to make a decision and stand by it and that’s what he did. There aren’t any hard feelings, though”, stressed Roland Nyama.He also had experience playing for the Cameroonian National Team the last years. “My fondest memory was my first ever game vs DRC Congo and wearing the number 32 to honor my father who had died at age 32. As the national anthem was played I shed a tear knowing he’d be proud of me representing his country”, remembered Roland Nyama.

The ex Skyliner Junior who believes that Wemby if healthy could become a 7 foot something Kobe recently decided to retire at age 32 and played 9 pro seasons. This is a time where guys surely can retire, but others will play another 5 more years or longer. Did time fly by and could he still have continued playing? “Yes absolutely I still remember signing my first real contract in Karlsruhe like it was yesterday. It’s been a lot of fun so of course time flew bye. I thought I maybe had 4-6 more years in me physically, but the mental side and the business side of the sport that I once held so dear to me, kind of gave me a bad taste and therefore I decided to call it quits”, stated Roland Nyama. Did his less playing time the last 2 seasons play in your decision to retire now in 2026? “Absolutely. I thought I had much more in the tank but those aren’t decisions that are up to me. Maybe it was a sign to look at and for something else”, said Roland Nyama. What is the next step for him? Does he already have something lined up and will he stay connected to basketball in any way? “There are some things in the works that are more long term but short term I’m going to enjoy the odd weekend off and the ability to look at basketball from the view of a fan and I think that’s a beautiful thing”, commented Roland Nyama. He ended his pro career in Germany having played 285 Pro A games and 4 easyCredit BBL cup games. His favorite 3 Pro A games in his career were Artland against Tübingen in 2021, Karlsruhe against Hanau in 2018 and Nuremberg against Vechta in 2021. His answer to how he would like to fans remember him as a player were simple and direct. “As a player that did nothing halfway”, warned Roland Nyama. He was also very nice in leaving some farewell words for me and my work. “For one I have always appreciated the work you’ve put in to promote this sport in Germany. Secondly, I will always remember your tireless effort to not just make great stories but to have real relationships with the players. That humanity that you’ve shown is a fantastic trait”, warned Roland Nyama. Thanks Roland for the very kind words and it was a pleasure watching you play over the years. All the best for you in your life moving forward.

Ben Uzoma Knows That Being On The Same Page Was Instrumental For The ETB Miners Essen Winning The 2026 Pro B Title

Pic credit: shot by frogg

Ben Uzoma (210-C-1998) is a 27 year old 210cm center that recently completed his second season with the ETB Miners Essen (Pro B) averaging 7.8ppg, Reb-5 (8.6rpg), 1.4bpg, FGP: 55.8%, FT: 63.1%. He began his basketball career with Deutzer TV (Regionalliga). He then played 2 seasons and 37 games with the ART Giants Duesseldorf (ProB) averaging 2.8ppg, 3.1rpg and 2.4ppg, 2.4rpg. He then played 2 seasons with the Iserlohn Kangaroos (ProB) averaging 3.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.1bpg and 4.3ppg, 3.9rpg. He spoke to germanhoops.com after winning the 2026 Pro B title.

Thanks Ben for talking to germanhoops.com. Your 2026 Pro B champion. How good does it feel? Is this your personal biggest achievement as a player?

It feels very good. We worked very hard for it, so it makes it even more enjoyable knowing how much work we put in.

Essen lost game 1 by 36 points and won game 2 by 41 points. Many are saying this is the greatest comeback in German basketball. How special do you rate this massive comeback?

I don’t know about that, but for me personally it was special. You can’t write a better story than this.

You reached the Pro B final in 2022. Did you sometime have just a little doubt about when you would finally win that first chip?

Even back in 2022, I was enjoying the moment because it’s not something that happens every day to reach the finals. Of course I wanted to win at least once, but yes, there were definitely moments of doubt.

What was the team feeling after the horrible 107-71 loss at Orange Academy? How much soul searching did the team do the days following?

I think everyone dealt with it in their own way. But at the next practice everybody was locked in and I didn’t see anyone who had given up. Personally, I just focused on the next game. Not for a single second did I think there was no chance for us to win.

How key was head coach Lars Wendt? How did he help the team most in the days leading up to game 2?

Our coaches tried to keep us motivated, but I think we were all on the same page. We had our emotional high in the series against Coburg, so maybe we weren’t fully ready for Ulm. The coaches helped wake us up again.

How quickly did the team know that game 2 would see only half of Orange Academy as all the talented youth players wouldn´t play because they were attending the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin?

Personally, I didn’t care. It’s tough for them because they had some very talented guys missing who played really well in the first game. But it wasn’t in our hands. It’s unfortunate for Ulm because they deserved it as well. Still, I’m sure they’ll be fine and win trophies in the future, even on a higher level.

Any other team could have underestimated Orange Academy. Why didn´t Essen?

As I said before, they had a lot of talent, probably some of the best young players in Germany. Nobody should have underestimated them.

What was the focus of Essen going in? I mean did you have a plan how you would come back through out a 40 minute game so you would have more than 36 points?

Yes, the focus was to apply pressure and be as aggressive as possible. In the first game we played too slow and unfocused, so we wanted to do the complete opposite. It worked.

The team began well and led 53-32 at the break. Essen was playing well offensively, but still had to do more on the defensive end. What wasn´t functioning as well so far on the defensive end through the first 20 minutes?

When you pressure that much, you also risk giving up some easy baskets and that’s what happened. But that’s part of it. In the end, it was the right decision and it worked out.

What did head coach Lars Wendt give the team for advice at half-time?

Just keep going and don’t stop. We were either going to win with this game plan or lose with it.

In the third quarter Orange Academy actually played well for the first few minutes outscoring Essen, but then came a 14-0 run by Essen which changed the game.

Basketball is a game of runs. We had momentum and used it for as long as possible.

Essen was up with 32 points with 10 minutes to play. Essen was in the drivers seat. Which player at this moment was a big motivator with words?

To be honest, there wasn’t one specific player. From the players to the coaches to the staff, everybody was hyping each other up. As I said, we were all on the same page.

Essen began with a 10-2 run to lead 86-46. Now all Essen had to do was manage the lead to the buzzer. Essen then held Orange Academy minutes without scoring. Did you want it more than Orange Academy?

I wouldn’t say that because they gave everything they had and got good looks. In the end, they just couldn’t make them.

Essen outscored Orange Academy 41-21 in the last half. Was this the best defense the team played in the season?

Yes, I would say it was definitely up there.

Essen held their 2 best scorers Joel Cwik and Namouri Omog to 8/28 shooting and 25 points. How much of a focus was the defense on slowing them down?

I think they weren’t used to us pressuring them that much. Compared to Game 1, they had a much harder time bringing the ball up the court. That also takes a lot of energy when you’re playing more than 30 minutes.

Quarshawn Lane had an incredible 28/11/10 game. Did you sense going into the game that he could have a type of game of his life?

Q was great all season. He was the MVP for a reason. Even after Game 1, I knew he was going to be ready. He performed and led us to this incredible comeback.

What was your fondest moment in the final in Essen against Orange Academy?

Probably when we got the game sealing steal and layup at the end.

Thanks Ben for the chat.

Gabriel Jung Knows That The Incredible Team Dedication And Chemistry Were Vital For The ETB Miners Essen Winning The 2026 Pro B Title

pic credit: Fabian Heyn

Gabriel Jung (185-PG-2001) is a 25 year old 186cm guard that played the 2025-2026 season with the ETB Miners Essen (ProB) averaging 6.6ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 41.3%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 86.8% and helping the team win the 2026 Pro B title. He began his basketball career in the Phoenix Hagen organization playing NBBL and also with Regionalliga team Hagen-Haspe. He got his first Pro B experience with the VfL SparkassenStars Bochum (ProB) and also played with Regionalliga team Herten. He played with Regionalliga team BSV Wulfen from 2022-2025 playing a total of 82 games and averaged 12/3/3 stats in the 3 seasons. He spoke to germanhoops.com about the Pro B title season.

Thanks Gabriel for talking to germanhoops.com. Your 2026 Pro B champion. How good does it feel? Is this your personal biggest achievement as a player?

Definitely my biggest achievement as a player. Last time I came come this far I had a very limited role so to reach this goal and having a real impact on the court makes it much more satisfying.

Essen lost game 1 by 36 points and won game 2 by 41 points. Many are saying this is the greatest comeback in German basketball. How special do you rate this massive comeback?

It was massive especially on the mental side to not give up after the first game. I think many people where already satisfied by just getting the promotion and would have been fine with 2nd place. But the way we played the whole season I knew that no one on the team would be fine with the second place.

What was the team feeling after the horrible 107-71 loss at Orange Academy? How much soul searching did the team do the days following?

It was definitely a tough feeling getting dominated in that first game but we knew what we were capable of and just like after any other loss we just kept on working

How key was head coach Lars Wendt? How did he help the team most in the days leading up to game 2?

Headcoach Lars Wendt came up with our gameplan and we worked on it during the days leading to game 2 which ended up being successful and got us mentally ready for probably one of our biggest game

How quickly did the team know that game 2 would see only half of Orange Academy as all the talented youth players wouldn´t play because they were attending the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin?

We knew that there was the possibility of them being compromised by the NBBL Top 4 but we really knew when they showed up to the gym on Sunday

Any other team could have underestimated Orange Academy. Why didn´t Essen?

I think you can´t6 underestimate any team when you go into a game being down 36 points, we knew whatever squad would show up, we needed to play at our highest level

What was the focus of Essen going in? I mean did you have a plan how you would come back through out a 40 minute game so you would have more than 36 points?

It was the plan to create kind of a wild game, press a lot, run a lot and just come back quarter by quarter

The team began well and led 53-32 at the break. Essen was playing well offensively, but still had to do more on the defensive end. What wasn´t functioning as well so far on the defensive end through the first 20 minutes?

We gave up a couple of open layups when they beat our press and also got beat backdoor for easy buckets since we but a lot of pressure on the ball as well as off the ball, except for that I think we had a good first half defensively

What did head coach Lars Wendt give the team for advice at half-time?

We needed to stay patient and dont try to rush it. We were almost there but we knew and also didnt really expect to erase the lead at the end of the 3rd quarter. So just continuing step by step.

In the third quarter Orange Academy actually played well for the first few minutes outscoring Essen, but then came a 14-0 run by Essen which changed the game. You made drives and Ben Uzoma a big dunk. What was key in the run for Essen?

We started the 3rd quarter slowly which happend to us a couple of times during the season. But I think just hitting the switch, being more aggressive to the basket not necessarily settling for threes is what brought back the energy to the team and also to the crowd

Essen was up with 32 points with 10 minutes to play. Essen was in the drivers seat. Which player at this moment was a big motivator with words?

I think Marc Friederici was the one who found the right words in these kinds of situation during the whole season. He already played in the final the season before and has the experience to help the team

Essen began with a 10-2 run to lead 86-46. Now all Essen had to do was manage the lead to the buzzer. Essen then held Orange Academy minutes without scoring. Did you want it more than Orange Academy?

At that point in the season, having played already a lot of games and reaching the final both teams leave everything on the floor. I think it was also experience and having the crowd pushing you to go one step further was decisive.

Essen outscored Orange Academy 41-21 in the last half. Was this the best defense the team played in the season?

Yes, probably. Not even because we held them to 21 points, but also fighting every possession through every screen and for every ball

Essen held their 2 best scorers Joel Cwik and Namouri Omog to 8/28 shooting and 25 points. How much of a focus was the defense on slowing them down?

We had more of a team focused defense. At times we tried to take Cwik out of the game which worked more or less but we generally just tried to give nobody the space to feel comfortable.

Quarshawn Lane had an incredible 28/11/10 game. Did you sense going into the game that he could have a type of game of his life?

While Q had a big season anyways it was insane to see how he could just switch in to another gear in big moments so it was no surprise and i had no doubt he would deliver the way he did.

What was your fondest moment in the final in Essen against Orange Academy?

I couldn´t point out one moment it was just the whole gameday from the point of entering the gym, seeing the gym getting packed with a big crowd and having an incredible energy as a team

This was such a special season for the ETB Miners. Why was this team so special?

I think it just starts with the dedication everyone put in every single practice. While we did not have a certain target in mind we just worked hard every day to get better. And we had a great team chemistry which is really important

The team lost only 5 games during the regular season. Was their a game during the season where you then knew, we will win the whole thing?

No not really. Obviously as the season progesses your thinking about scenarios that could end up happening. But especially in the playoffs anything can happen so you got to stay humble and focused which we did

How vital was head coach Lars Wendt for the success? What was his biggest ability as a coach to be able to help bring success to the team?

The headcoach is always setting the tone from preseason on when the players are still getting to know each other which Lars did. And from there on he found a good balance of giving us strict instructions and just giving us the tools and letting the team create something on our own.

How special was it sharing the back court with Mychael Paulo? What part of his game will you always remember best?

Mychael was very vital for our team because he could create something out of nothing. And even though in some games he didn´t find the target from the beginning on, he could get hot really quick and start a run on his own.

How valuable was sniper guard Marc Friederici? What besides his scoring helped the team be successful?

As I said before Marc was very vocal during the whole season which, besides his game, made him very important for the team

How valuable were bigs Ben Uzoma and Niclas Sperber? What was each player´s biggest attribute for the success?

I mean Niclas was our captain and could share a lot of his experience with the younger guys. He his probably one of the most versatile players I played with and that was probably his biggest attribute. Whatever we needed from him, he could deliver.

With Ben it was just his pure strength and energy which gave us a mismatch in a lot of games on the big man position.

Which player was the most improved during the season?

I think Ben is the most improved player for us. From not having the summer he wanted to have due to injury and maybe having kind of a slow start, from there on he delivered every game with pure dominance.

Thanks Gabriel for the chat.

Versatile Jaedon LeDee Is A Rhythm Player That Should Continue His Explosive Game With The Kawasaki Brave Thunders

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Foto: Dmitrij Zibart | ZIBART.DE

That players get lost in the shuffle with a team isn´t any different for fans and others affiliated with basketball to lose track and memory of a player that once played for an organization. It wasn´t any different for Richard Williams who had a very short stay with the Frankfurt Skyliners in the 2014-2015 season. All in all he played only 9 games and stayed 5 months. His memory may be very minimal for people in Frankfurt, but not as a player overseas. He carved out a stellar and long career having played a total of 16 seasons including 9 seasons in Germany where he established himself as a top 3 point guard in the Pro A season in and season out. The 38 year old who had a great career at San Diego State University (NCAA) is still playing actively and played in Austria last season and currently was still content on continuing his overseas grind. The Frankfurt Skyliners hauled in American player Jaedon LeDee (206-F-1999, college: SDSU, agency: Slash Sports) for the 25-26 season who also had an incredible career like Williams at San Diego State University. Sometimes guys can remember guys who played at their school, but in the case of Ledee, he couldn´t remember about Williams´s history at his school. But then again, Ledee was only 6 years old when Williams was a freshman. It is somewhat unique that both have an association to each other. “I am not too familiar with that name, but once an Aztec always an Aztecs. It’s cool to have that connection. It sounds like he went to Germany and had an impact, which is what I am trying to do. I want to be able to put my imprint on things and be successful”, warned Jaedon LeDee during the summer of 2025. Ledee attempedt to carry the great SDSU tradition of players overseas with the Frankfurt Skyliners, but left during the season to play with the Liaoning Flying Leopards (China-CBA)

Jaedon LeDee who lists Michael Jordan as his GOAT was born on July 25th, 1999 in Houston. He began his basketball career at Kinkaid high school. He was an all-state selection from 2015-2019. He then began his NCAA career at Ohio State and played 26 games averaging 3.0ppg, 1.7rpg. He scored in double figures 3 times including 16 points against Purdue. Even if his NCAA career got off to a rocky start, he was able to gain positives from it. “You never forget your freshman year of college. I made friendships and bonds that will last me a lifetime. I didn’t play as much as I wanted to. There are certain things in life that you come across that can make you stronger, or you can fold. It is one of the experiences I have had that has helped strengthen my faith since I have already been through adversity. I try to find the positive in things. It helped make me stronger and helped me become a man”, warned Jaedon LeDee. His next stop was Texas Christian University in 2019 playing 2 seasons and a total of 53 games. He averaged 2.7ppg, 2.9rpg and 5.8ppg, 3.9rpg in his 2 seasons there. He had severe growing pains again there and just couldn´t find his game as he had to play center which wasn´t his natural position. “TCU was a unique spot as well. I was playing out of position with not as many minutes as I would have liked. It was another place I could have quit and thrown in the towel. I didn’t let it stop me, and I kept pushing. It was the second place I didn’t think I had the opportunity that I deserved. God is too good, and he put me there for a reason. A lot of things in life are mental, so I think those two experiences helped make me stronger”, stressed Jaedon LeDee who will never forget his 1-1 battles with teammate Nate Mansah. “Nate is my guy. I worked out with him this week in San Diego. We had two years of battling – my red-shirt year and the year we played together. I love him to death, and he is a great guy. Nate is a great defender. I like to pride myself on offensive scoring. I like to play defense as well, but Nate is a great defender. We both got better in our battles”, stressed Jaedon LeDee.

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The forward who lists Desmond Bane (TCU), Matthew Bradley (SDSU), Aguek Arop (SDSU), Kendrick Davis (AAU team in high school), and Nathan Mensah (SDSU) as his 5 best teammates of all-time then made another change and then finally 3 was a charm as he joined San Diego State University. His first season was like a Cinderella story as he helped the school reach the Final 4 and the final averaging 7.8ppg, 5.1rpg, FGP: 50.5%, FT: 71.9% in that season. The 2023 NCAA run was incredible. The back to back tight wins over Creighton and FAU were unforgettable. Did he know that Lamont Butler´s shot at the buzzer would go in and beat FAU? “The NCAA run was a great experience. We fought all the way back in that game. I made a few buckets prior to Lamont’s shot. It was one of those moments that was almost magical. Lamont came down and hit that shot. He had made that shot many times before in practice. It was an awesome feeling, and I’m glad we were able to experience that as a team. It’s once in a lifetime for a lot of people, so I am glad we all got to experience that together”, stated Jaedon LeDee. In his second season, he really propelled his game to a new level averaging 21.7ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 57.5%, 3PT: 43.2%, FT: 73.4%. Were these 2 years some of the best times in his life? “Reaching the NCAA finals was an amazing experience. It’s something most college players never get to, so I am very grateful for that. It was in Houston, where my family lives and where I grew up, which made it even more special. My last year at San Diego State was also great. It was the first time in college I felt I was able to showcase my game as a whole and be me. Basketball was going well, and I had a great season. I was happy with my role, and when basketball is going well, everything else seems to be good too”, remembered Jaedon LeDee. In his senior year he scored in double figures in all 35 games and had 11 double doubles. He scored 20 points or more in 23 games including great games against SJSU and Washington. Did he have a favorite game? “ I wouldn’t put any game over the next. I am a very nonchalant guy. I take the business approach to basketball – it’s just another day in the office. I try not to overthink or overanalyze what we do. I just know we have to perform and be professional”, warned Jaedon LeDee. His game made great strides in his 2 years in San Diego and is thankful for the instrumental support by head coach Brian Dutcher. “I think how we do things at SDSU is very professional. I’m not sure what things are like overseas yet, but Coach Dutch is huge on developing us as men. We will go in, but we won’t practice long. Everything is with intention. He believes that if you want to be great, you have to come in outside of practice and put in the hours. As a professional, you have all this time to do things outside of practice and in life. Success depends on whether you choose to come in and do your job outside of required practice times”, commented Jaedon LeDee. He picked up many awards his senior year including All-MWC First Team -2024, MWC All-Tournament Team -2024, NABC Division I All-Americans Second Team -2024, NABC Division I All-District 17 First Team -2024, Sporting News All-America Second Team -2024, USBWA All-America Honorable Mention -2024, ESPN.com All-America Breakout Star -2024, ESPN.com All-America Third Team -2024, Jersey Mike’s Naismith Player of the Year Semifinalist -2024, NCAA East Region All-Tournament Team -2024, and the John R. Wooden Award All-American Team -2024

The Texas native who lists his NBA Mount Rushmore with guys Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe Bryant played NBA Summer League with the Minnesota Timberwolves averaging 2.6ppg, 2.0rpg and then split his rookie season with the Iowa Wolves (NBA G League) averaging 6.8ppg, 5.3rpg, FGP: 53.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 82.8%, in Feb.’25 signed at Salt Lake City Stars (NBA G League) averaging 4.1ppg, 5.4rpg. Every player has their rookie wake up call and it wasn´t any different for him either. “The wake-up call for me that I was not at San Diego State anymore on the basketball side was opportunity. At a certain point, everyone can play and everyone is good. The biggest thing is opportunity – who gets it? G-League teams have guys who they have already drafted and are paying a lot of money. It’s not always who is better than who. I think I woke up to the business side of things the most this year. I try to control what I can control, and when I am on the court, I try to let my game do the talking for me”, warned Jaedon LeDee. He played for head coach Ernst Scott with Iowa. With him he had another Germany connection as Scott played with Trier back in the day. “Coach E was a great guy. He was a straight shooter as well. He was always honest and helped us be the best players we could be. In Summer League and Iowa, he tried to help us become better men and better players. I have nothing but love for Coach E”, said Jaedon LeDee. He averaged 17 minutes with Iowa and 12 minutes with Salt Lake City per game. It is always tough having to compete with everyone else and the minutes What did he do mentally and physically to give himself the best NBA chance on a daily basis? “I tried to control what I can control. Some things are out of my control. I know the coaches and organization has certain things they have to do. The only thing I have to do is come in every day and work. When my opportunity did come, I was able to produce. I am pretty sure that when I got a lot of minutes and a bigger opportunity, I had a double-double or almost a double-double each game. The only thing I can control is my attitude, my effort, and how I perform in my minutes while staying professional”, expressed Jaedon LeDee. Is the NBA still a realistic goal for him? “Of course. I am going with the flow now. Europe is where I am going now. Life cannot be predicted as much as we may want to as human beings. God is in change. I am just going to be the best I can be every day, let my talent, God, and all the work I have put in take me where it needs to take me. I just try to be the best person I can be”, warned Jaedon LeDee.

He began his second pro season and with German easyCredit BBL team Frankfurt Skyliners. Some players will stay in the G-League 2-3 years before heading overseas. But then some guys will come overseas quicker than others. “The main reason is opportunity. I gave it a year. It was my first year out of college. I am fortunate to have had many people who have played and continue to play professionally in the NBA and overseas in my life. I have been able to go off their guidance and listen to what they have said. I feel like going overseas presents a large opportunity for me. I didn’t have the biggest opportunity in the G-League, so I wanted to be somewhere where I could continue to develop, improve my game, and showcase my skills. I gave the NBA a year, and if it’s meant to be later, it’s meant to be”, added Jaedon LeDee. He was excited for a new challenge in Germany and heard only positive things. I’ve heard good things about Germany through my friends who have traveled there and a few people who have played basketball in Germany. I’ve heard great things, like how westernized it is and how it should be an easy transition from what I am used to in the US. With regards to basketball, I know there are a few German players in the NBA; they have had success in the Olympics as well. I’ve talked to a few guys who were on the Skyliners last year and others who have played in the BBL. Everyone says it’s a great league with good competition and a great place to be”, said Jaedon LeDee. He knew that the Skyliners would be an organization where he would know exactly what he could do to make an impact. “My agent brought the opportunity to me, and after I talked to the coach and another representative from the team, I felt I would have a chance to come and be me with minutes to play. I felt I would have the opportunity to come in and change things around. The role and opportunity were really important to me, especially coming from the G-League, where my opportunity was not consistent. I know the importance of opportunity, and if you get the opportunity, you have to make the best of it”, said Jaedon LeDee. He couldn´t of picked a better coach to work with than Klaus Perwas in his first season overseas. “The talks with the Coach went well. We had a great conversation about what my role would be and what I would bring to the team. He was very straightforward, and I really appreciated his honesty. I did not know he was a part of the German staff, which is pretty cool. I have only heard good things about him as a coach and I felt good about our conversation when we spoke”, added Jaedon LeDee,

So what kind of a player did the Frankfurt Skyliners get in Jaedon LeDee who didn´t watch Coming to America 2, because he didn´t like the age gap as Eddie Murphy was very young in the first Coming to America, so he thought it might be weird seeing him so much older in a similar role. One thing was for sure. He won´t be 1-dimensional, but moreover a guy like a Rasheed Moore who could have had versatility as his middle name. “I think my game is kind of unique. It’s one of the things I pride myself on. I am very versatile – I can dribble, I can shoot, I can pass, I can score, rebound, and defend – I can do it all. People I watched growing up were Julius Randal and Carmelo Anthony. I liked to watch them, because they were stronger and bigger guys who can do it all. They can score inside and outside and play make. My favorite player is Michael Jordan. I watched him a lot growing up too. I try to take pieces from each of their games and make it my own”, warned Jaedon LeDee. Coach Perwas described him as a physical player that has an unbelievable will to win. Was that will cultivated mostly at SDSU (NCAA) or did he already have that before that? “I have always been a competitor. The basis of any sport or anything in life is your will to compete and go hard. My family has instilled that in me at a young age. I played football growing up, and I hate losing. I never want to lose. I think that is where it comes from. I try to be the best I can be when I step foot on the court and be the best I can be off the court as well”, said Jaedon LeDee. His three pointer still seems to be a work in progress. He shot 43% in his last season at SDSU, but in the G-League under 30%. He went on to shoot 22% from outside with Frankfurt “My three-pointer is something I want to keep working on. I am a rhythm player – I score in bunches. I wouldn’t say I’m a straight-out three-point shooter. I like to mix it up. I drive, get to the rim, get offensive rebounds, and shoot the mid-range really well. Once I am in rhythm, that’s where, if I get a three, I’ll knock it down. When I was shooting in the high 40s at SDSU, my opportunity was so great that once I was in rhythm, I would knock them down. Any shot felt good. Once I get rolling, I will hit 7/10 threes once I get a feel for things. In the G-League, I was put in a role where I was not touching the ball much and playing off others. That was an adjustment. The teams I was on really only wanted three’s, which was a different role I had to adjust to. Going 5 minutes straight without touching the ball and then having to shoot a three is not the easiest job in the world”, stated Jaedon LeDee. But he planned not only making an impact on the offensive end, but also on the defensive end. “I always want to keep growing and getting better, but I think I am a very good defender. At SDSU, we switched 1 through 5. Pretty much every team I have been on has switched 1 through 5, keeping a body in front of a body, keeping a man in front of a man. If everyone can guard and guard every position, it makes a team every position. That is who I am on the defensive side – I can switch 1 through 5 and compete”, warned Jaedon LeDee. He continued to work very hard in the gym so he could be his best version when the season started. “My mindset is to leave no stone unturned. I like to work on everything in my game. There are things I put emphasis on, like getting a lot of reps on the three. I work on everything every day because you play different teams that have different scouts, and they give you different looks. If someone is one-dimensional, it’s easier to guard you. If you can do everything, how can they stop you? I work on post work, guard work, inside-outside – keeping everything tight”, stressed Jaedon LeDee. Unfortunately Ledee left the club for China instead of remaining with the Skyliners to finish the season. He averaged 17.8ppg, 9.5rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 72.9% and won some games for Frankfurt with his individual class. One has to wonder if the Skyliners would have made the playoffs with his services. They surely would have had a good chance winning some of the close games they lost in the last month. It wasn´t a classy move from him to go, but basketball is a business and sometimes a club will get the short end of the rod. The Skyliners surely learned from this experience as did LeDee. It will be interesting to see how LeDee´s career continues. He may have gotten the big bucks in the far east now, but will surely be back in Europe again soon to display his versatile game.

Jonathan Almstedt Was Thrilled To Win His First Pro Title But Even More Grateful That He Is Allowed To Play The Game Professionally

pic credit: Lukas Steppkes(@n1cecontent

Jonathan Almstedt (208-C-1999) is a 26 year old 208cm center that completed the 2025-2026 season with the ETB Miners Essen (ProB) averaging 8.0ppg, 5.1rpg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 57.6% and helped the team win the Pro B title. He has previous Pro A experience having played 3 seasons with the ROMERSTROM Gladiators Trier (ProA) playing a total of 89 games. Previously he played 2 seasons with SG DJK Saarlouis-Roden/BBF Dillingen (Regionalliga). In the 2023-2024 season he played with the Iserlohn Kangaroos (ProB) averaging 6.0ppg, 4.5rpg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 84.2% and in the 2024-2025 season played with the EN Baskets Schwelm (ProB) averaging 12.0ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 68.8%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 57.9%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after helping win the Pro B title

Thanks Jonathan for talking to germanhoops.com. Your 2026 Pro B champion. How good does it feel? Is this your personal biggest achievement as a player?

Thank you for having me. It feels great obviously and yes basketball wise this is my biggest achievement so far.

Essen lost game 1 by 36 points and won game 2 by 41 points. Many are saying this is the greatest comeback in German basketball. How special do you rate this massive comeback?

It was definitely a very special game. Was it the greatest comeback in German Basketball history? I don’t know…it was definitely a big one and I´m happy that I was on the winning site on this one. Now when I think of it, we once came back from a 20 deficit in just one quarter when I was in Trier against Leverkusen and that was also a special one.

Did you ever have doubts the last years of ever winning a title in your career?

There were phases when thoughts like that came up, but there was never the ultimate goal to win a title. For sure I had the wish to play in a successful team and be a contender for the championship and promotion. But like I said I never pictured myself winning a title or something like that, I’m just grateful that I’m able and allowed to play professionally and that we won it all this season is even better.

What was the team feeling after the horrible 107-71 loss at Orange Academy? How much soul searching did the team do the days following?

Well, what can I say…of course it was pretty quiet on the 7 hour bus ride back to Essen and everybody needed some time to process what just happened. But from the next day on, we all knew that it’s not over until it’s over and if they can do that at home we can do the same in our gym. So, all in all there wasn’t that much “soul searching”. There was nothing we could have changed, that’s why we focused on what we could to better keep the title in our gym.

How key was head coach Lars Wendt? How did he help the team most in the days leading up to game 2?

I mean what do you want to do if you lose by 36 in the first game. All he could do was fix the strategy and find some solutions to what went wrong and how we can put them under so much pressure that they might struggle as well. Besides that, he gave his best to keep the moral up and make us believe that we can still do it and I would say the result speaks for itself.

How quickly did the team know that game 2 would see only half of Orange Academy as all the talented youth players wouldn´t play because they were attending the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin?

To be honest we knew before game 1 that there is a chance that half of the team would play the NBBL Top4 in Berlin that weekend, but of course we didn’t know rather they would make it to the final or not. So that’s why we needed to wait until they played their semifinal and after that we knew that they might not come with their full roster. However, that didn’t influence how we prepared for the second game.

Any other team could have underestimated Orange Academy. Why didn´t Essen?

We never underestimated any team during the whole season, and I think that’s already the answer. The coaches did a great job preparing us for our opponents, it didn’t matter rather they were lower or higher placed in the table.

What was the focus of Essen going in? I mean did you have a plan how you would come back through out a 40 minute game so you would have more than 36 points?

Keep the pressure up, Fight and All Out until we have those 40 points. There is really nothing else you can do when you go into a Game with a 36 points deficit.

The team began well and led 53-32 at the break. Essen was playing well offensively, but still had to do more on the defensive end. What wasn´t functioning as well so far on the defensive end through the first 20 minutes?

Leading by twenty at halftime. That’s pretty much what you want if you must make up 40 points. Of course, we could have been a bit more consequent in defense and be up by a little more, but if you go all out for twenty minutes its normal that you have some minutes where the opponents get a little momentum.

What did head coach Lars Wendt give the team for advice at half-time?

To be honest I can´t say much about that, because our doc and I changed my cast (I had to wear one because I got myself a lymphangitis in between the two games) during the halftime (haha)

In the third quarter Orange Academy actually played well for the first few minutes outscoring Essen, but then came a 14-0 run by Essen which changed the game. You made drives and Ben Uzoma a big dunk. What was key in the run for Essen?

I can´t say much to that either. Because, like I said, I did not play due to my injury.
It just took us a couple minutes to get back to that intensity especially in defense. But after this short low I think the guys did a tremendous job by not letting them score in the paint and collect the rebounds to go and score quick on the other side of the court.

Essen was up with 32 points with 10 minutes to play. Essen was in the drivers seat. Which player at this moment was a big motivator with words?

I think Marc Friederici is our guy in those moments to speak up and make sure that we really keep going until the last second is played. He was our emotional Leader and on the other hand we have Nic Sperber with all of his experience and calmness, who knows how to stay cool in those situations to make the right decisions. Those two, that’s why they are our captains, are probably the perfect combination for those kinds of games.

Essen began with a 10-2 run to lead 86-46. Now all Essen had to do was manage the lead to the buzzer. Essen then held Orange Academy minutes without scoring. Did you want it more than Orange Academy?

I´m sure Ulm wanted it as much as we wanted it. But I think they were just out of gas at this point and kind of stunned by how we played them. Furthermore we didn’t want them now to take what we worked so hard for the last 35 minutes of this game and the whole season before that, as well at home in our gym and in front of our fans and families. We worked too hard to lose at that point.

Essen outscored Orange Academy 41-21 in the last half. Was this the best defense the team played in the season?

I don’t know if this was our best defense we played in the whole season, but it was a really good one and probably the most important one.

Essen held their 2 best scorers Joel Cwik and Namouri Omog to 8/28 shooting and 25 points. How much of a focus was the defense on slowing them down?

I´m not a big analyst of games I have to say, but yes in the end it was probably one of those keys to success to slow those two guys down and maybe let others create, who are not used to create for the team.

Quashawn Lane saved his best for last with a 28/11/10 game. Where would the Miners have been without him?

I don’t want to imagine that and the good thing it and I don’t have to. Q played a hell of a season and is/was the ultimate Teammate. Words can´t tell how much I and the team appreciated what he has done for us. That’s why he is the MVP and he deserves it. But I also have to tell that we had an amazing group this year all the way from the starting 5 to the bench and beyond. Everybody gave his all into the Team so that we were able to reach the ultimate goal. Nobody could have done that alone.

What was your fondest moment in Essen against Orange Academy?

Probably the celebrations on court after the game, when we all realized that we really did it.

Thanks Jonathan for the chat.

Mychael Paulo Believes That The ETB Miners Essen Were So Special Because Nobody Cared Who Shined But All Were Happy Seeing The Other Eat

pic credit: N1cecontent

Mychael Paulo (193-G-1998, college: McMaster, agency: 011 Sports) is a 28 year old 193cm guard from Canada that also has the Portuguese citizenship. He helped the ETB Miners Essen (Germany-ProB) win the pro B title averaging 12,8ppg, 4,4rpg, 2,6apg and 1,3spg. He began his basketball career at Father Henry Carr Secondary School and then played 2 seasons with Williston State College (JUCO) averaging 15.4ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.9apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 48.8%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 75.9% and 11.4ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 40.6%, 3PT: 28.1%, FT: 69.4%. he then played a season at Montana State University (NCAA) averaging 6.2ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 32.9%, FT: 60.0%. He then played at McMaster University (U Sports) averaging 13.3ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.4apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 31.2%, FT: 75.0% and 13.1ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 55.5%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 65.0%. He then began his pro career with the Telekom Baskets Bonn 2 team (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 24.6ppg, 4.2rpg, APG-4 (5.1), 2.5spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 75.5%. In the 2024-2025, he played with BG Hagen (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 19.0ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.3apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 59.2%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 81.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after helping win the 2026 Pro B title.

Thanks Mychael for talking to germanhoops.com. Your 2026 Pro B champion. How good does it feel? Is this your personal biggest achievement as a player?

It was a surreal feeling, words couldn’t describe how I felt during the moment. During my 3 year professional career this was definitely my biggest achievement as a player

Essen lost game 1 by 36 points and won game 2 by 41 points. Many are saying this is the greatest comeback in German basketball. How special do you rate this massive comeback?

I don’t know much about previous Pro B final games, but me personally I think it’s the greatest comeback ever. This game will be talked about for years to come and motivate teams.

What was the team feeling after the horrible 107-71 loss at Orange Academy? How much soul searching did the team do the days following?

A lot of soul searching was had in between game 1 & 2. We know we didn’t play our best game and got embarrassed and knew that couldn’t happen again.

How key was head coach Lars Wendt? How did he help the team most in the days leading up to game 2?

He helped keep us level headed and reassured us we can still win the championship, it won’t be easy but we can do it.

How quickly did the team know that game 2 would see only half of Orange Academy as all the talented youth players wouldn´t play because they were attending the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin?

We didn’t know until minutes leading up to the game, but our mindset/game plan was still the same no matter who was out there on the court playing

Any other team could have underestimated Orange Academy. Why didn´t Essen?

We understood that they were a really good team regardless of who was playing for them or they wouldn’t have been in the finals.

What was the focus of Essen going in? I mean did you have a plan how you would come back through out a 40 minute game so you would have more than 36 points?

The focus going into game 2 was try to win each quarter by 10 points. We also wanted to muck the game up by blitzing ball screens, full court pressing and trapping whenever we saw fit. Giving us as much possessions as possible

The team began well and led 53-32 at the break. Essen was playing well offensively, but still had to do more on the defensive end. What wasn´t functioning as well so far on the defensive end through the first 20 minutes?

In the first half we had a couple errors on our transition defense and not getting back plus we gave them some easy points at the free throw line not being disciplined.

What did head coach Lars Wendt give the team for advice at half-time?

He said we’re right where we need to be heading into the second. We just need to stop fouling which is giving them easy points at the free throw line and we need to do a better job getting back on defense because that was the only way they were scoring on us that game.

In the third quarter Orange Academy actually played well for the first few minutes outscoring Essen, but then came a 14-0 run by Essen which changed the game. You made drives and Ben Uzoma a big dunk. What was key in the run for Essen?

Just keeping our composure and understanding that basketball is a game of runs and that was theirs.

Essen was up with 32 points with 10 minutes to play. Essen was in the drivers seat. Which player at this moment was a big motivator with words?

Both our team captains, Marc Friederici and Niclas Sperber. They told us not to let up and keep our foots on their necks.

Essen began with a 10-2 run to lead 86-46. Now all Essen had to do was manage the lead to the buzzer. Essen then held Orange Academy minutes without scoring. Did you want it more than Orange Academy?

I believe we wanted it more than Orange Academy, during the game we sensed that they were just not trying to lose by more than 36 and we took advantage of that.

Essen outscored Orange Academy 41-21 in the last half. Was this the best defense the team played in the season?

This was one of the better defensive games we played together as a team but we had a couple of defensive outputs like this throughout the season.

Essen held their 2 best scorers Joel Cwik and Namouri Omogto 8/28 shooting and 25 points. How much of a focus was the defense on slowing them down?

Our defensive game plan is always to try and neutralize the opposing team’s best scorer or playmaker. So during the game 2 of the finals it was no different because we know if we minimize their touch’s it’s going to very hard for any team to beat us.

Quarshawn Lane had an incredible 28/11/10 game. Did you sense going into the game that he could have a type of game of his life?

The MVP did MVP things. Q has been giving us big games like this all season long.

What was your fondest moment in the final in Essen against Orange Academy?

The sounding buzzer after the game and celebrating the victory with my teammates and our amazing fans who showed up to support us.

This was such a special season for the ETB Miners. Why was this team so special?

I believe this team was so special because we didn’t care who shined, we were all happy to see the other person eat and enjoyed playing and hanging out with one another

Thanks Mychael for the chat.

Joe Wieskamp Is Forever Blessed For His Iowa Experience And Fran Mcaffery For Making Him The Player That He Is Today

One thing basketball fans rarely get to observe in Germany Live is NCAA basketball. Watching college basketball in the States is something very special and even more unique during March Madness. The NCAA recently got even more interesting and thrilling to watch with the addition of NIL which has made the potential of players joining with the crazy salaries extremely tempting. But to see a NCAA team play in Germany is very rare. It was late Summer in 2017 when the Iowa Hawkeyes did a European tour and played an exhibition game in Heidelberg, Germany to help support Basektball Aid against a special German team that was thrown together of BBL. Pro A and Pro B teams. I had had the great opportunity to call the game and conduct an interview days before with Iowa starting point guard Jordan Bohannon. After 40 minutes Iowa had destroyed the German team 99-65 that had had some interesting players play like BBL legend Alexander Nadjfeji and young German prospects at that time with Richard Freudenberg and Lukas Wank. There were a few guys from that Iowa team that I remembered like dominating big man then Luka Garza as well as future NBA player Tyler Cook. I also remember what kind of a clout head coach Fran Macaffery already had then. He would coach Iowa for 15 ´seasons reaching March Madness 7 times and reaching the NIT Sweet 16 3 times. Last season he coached Penn (NCAA) and won the Ivy League title. I will never forget that game. I saw young American prospects like Garza and Cook do their thing and saw a great NCAA team battle overseas. The only thing I missed in that game was Joe Wieskamp (198-G/F-1999, college: Iowa). He would come to Iowa the season after and have an extraordinary NCAA career and reach the NBA. For him, the whole Iowa experience was one that he will never forget especially playing for Fran Macaffery. “I became a versatile and confident/aggressive playing there. Playing for Fran was awesome. He was awesome to play for and truly helped me become the player I am today. He always had his players backs and put us in positions to be successful”, remembered Joe Wieskamp.

Joe Wieskamp who lists Luka Doncic in the NBA and Chris Duarte in the NCAA as his toughest covers was born on August 23, 1999 in Muscatine, Iowa. He showed already in middle school that he had talents in other sports like football and baseball, but in high school decided to focus fully on basketball. He played 4 years at Muscatine High School and had an incredible career there. He already averaged 18,0ppg as a freshman and upped his scoring average each season going from 21,0ppg to 30,0ppg to 33,0ppg. He finished his career there becoming the state of Iowa’s all-time high school leading scorer; school record holder in career points (2,376), points in a single-game (54), 3-pointers in a single-season (62), scoring average (26.1), and career rebounds (908). He was a HS first-team All-MAC selection in 2015, 16, 17, 18, HS MAC Player of the Year -2017
,HS Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year -2017, 18, and HS All-State First Team -2017, 18. He then played at the University of Iowa (NCAA) for 3 seasons and played twice at March madness losing to Tennessee and Oregon. “Playing in the NCAA was amazing and something that everyone at the college level dreams of. Special memories forever”, stressed Joe Wieskamp. He got to play with current NBA player Luka Garza and witnessed him transform into a real beast in his last 2 seasons “Luka is an extremely hard worker and I’m so happy for him with all that he’s accomplished”, said Joe Wieskamp. He played a total of 97 NCAA games and scored in double figures in 72 games. He exploded with 30 points against Nebraska and had 26 points against Rutgers. He was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team -2019, USBWA All-District VI Team -2020, 21, All-Big Ten Third Team -2020
NABC Division I All-District 7 Second Team -2020, Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Finalist -2021
and All-Big Ten Second Team -2021.

The forward who lists Doug McDermott, Pascal Siakam, Dejounte Murray, OG Anonuby, and Luka Garza as his 5 best teammates of all-time was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 2021 at #41 and then played NBA Summer League with the Spurs averaging 10.4ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 66.7%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 80.0%. He scored 17 points in a tough 106-105 win over Charlotte in Las Vegas. He then played his rookie season with the Spurs playing 29 games averaging 2,1ppg and also split time with the Austin Spurs (NBA G League) averaging 15.2ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 85.3%. He scored in double figures in 23/27 games and scored 30 points against Salt Lake City. He will never forget his NBA wake up call to being in the NBA. “Playing in the NBA was a dream come true and I’m so grateful for the experience. It was definitely an adjustment. Guarding Luka Doncic and the top star was a pretty cool experience”, remembered Joe Wieskamp. He made his NBA debut against the Sacramento Kings and played 3 minutes and hit one three and shot 100% in the game. Three point shooting is a massive staple in his game so making that first trey will never be forgotten. “Hitting my first NBA 3 is something I’ll remember forever. It was truly something very special”, stated Joe Wieskamp. It is no surprise that a guy like ultra veteran Doug McDermott is in his personal list of 5 best teammates of all-time. “Doug was awesome. Someone I really looked up to and was able to learn a ton under”, said Joe Wieskamp. In NBA 29 games as a rookie, he averaged double figures minutes only 7 times and when he played 20 plus minutes showed his game well. One of the tough things in the NBA are the fluctuations of minutes for players. “It was one of the toughest things that I struggled with. Going from always being a main guy on the teams I played for, to being 16-17th man. I learned that it’s a business at the end of the day and you have to perform at your best consistently to stay”, added Joe Wieskamp.

· The versatile player that lists LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird on his NBA Mount Rushmore played 9 NBA games with the Toronto Raptors in his second pro season and also split time with the Raptors 905 Mississauga (NBA G League) averaging 13.4ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 62.5%, and played also with the Wisconsin Herd (NBA G League) averaging 16.6ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 60.7%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 74.3%. In the G-League he scored in double figures in 23 of 28 games including 30 points against Windy City. With the Raptors he played for Serbian head coach Darko Rajakovic. “It was a good experience. He brought good energy and knowledge”, said Joe Wieskamp. In his third pro season he played with the Texas Legends (NBA G League) averaging 9.3ppg, 4.5rpg, FGP: 61.3%, 3PT: 28.8%, FT: 71.8%, and in Feb.’24 signed with the Maine Celtics (NBA G League) averaging 14.5ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 62.9%, 3PT: 40.4%, FT: 60.0%. He exploded for 36 points in the G-League against Birmingham, but didn´t get a NBA call up. “I felt like I was close to a call up towards the end of the season but unfortunately never happened. I was proud of how I continued to fight and finish the season strong”, commented Joe Wieskamp. After 3 seasons in the NBA/G-League, he decided to come overseas and played with the South East Melbourne Phoenix (Australia-NBL) averaging 11.1ppg, 5.0rpg, FGP: 55.9%, 3PT: 31.5%, FT: 66.7%. It was a solid rookie season overseas where he lost a 3 game playoff series against Illawarra. “The NBL was amazing. The lifestyle there and all that you can do off the court makes it really appealing to play there. We lived right by the beach which was awesome“, remembered Joe Wieskamp. He scored in double figures in 21 games including netting 25 points against Illawarra.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Joe Wieskamp in Frankfurt, Germany 2025

The Iowa native found a new challenge in Germany in the 2025-2026 season playing for Science City Jena who had moved up from the Pro A. “Playing in Germany was a good experience overall. European basketball is different than the US and Australia, so it was a bit of an adjustment but I feel like I’ve grown and gotten better as the season went on”, said Joe Wieskamp. Off the court he took advantage of all the countries near Germany and hasn´t regretted anything. “Jena was definitely a culture shock at first, but the longer I’ve been here the more I’ve gotten used to it. The cool thing about basketball is all the places you get to experience. We went to Austria and Italy during the FIBA breaks which we really enjoyed”, added Joe Wieskamp. It was a tough season for Jena as they finished the season losing 7 of 9 games, but they achieved their goal. “Our main goal was to remain in the BBL and we were able to do that”, stressed Joe Wieskamp. Jena finished in 16th place with 2 more wins than Braunschweig and 3 wins more than Heidelberg who moved down. He had a very solid first season in the easyCredit BBL averaging 16,1ppg and 7,7rpg. He displayed certain valuable parts of his game in the BBL and also knows what still needs to be done to improve his game. ”Shooting, attacking the hoop, and rebounding are the main things I showed this season. I want to continue to grow in becoming more physical and a better overall defender”, expressed Joe Wieskamp. He scored in double figures in 29 games including scoring 32 points against Rostock and 28 points against Oldenburg. After 2 years away from the NBA, is there still a side door open for him to return? “That’s the goal at the end of the day, but I’m just focused on playing at the highest level possible”, warned Joe Wieskamp. Europe continues to be his focus now as he signed a three year deal to ball with 2026 easyCredit BBL champion cteam Alba Berlin. After his potent season in Jena, I´m sure that he will be an instrumental player for Alba Berlin in the 2026-2027 season.

Richard Schmitt(Alba Berlin) Wants To Continue To Improve Every Day And Get The Best Version Of Himself

Pic credit: Florian Ulbrich

Richard Schmitt (203-F-2007) is a 19 year old 203cm forward playing in the Alba Berlin organization and this season played for Pro B team Lok Bernau averaging 4/1/1 an din the NBBL averaged 11,6ppg, 3,6rpg, 1,4apg and 1,1apg. he also played a easyCredit BBL game for Alba Berlin. Last season with Lok Bernau he averaged 2.6ppg, 1.4rpg, and also played with the Alba Berlin NBBL team averaging 9.2ppg, 3.0rpg, FGP: 60.3%, 3PT: 26.7%, FT: 80.6%:He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

Thanks Richard for talking to germanhoops.com Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 205cm forward. If you had to compare your game to a NBA or Euroleague player who would best make the description?

Maybe a modern forward who can play multiple positions and impact the game in different ways. I don’t have a good comparison.

You’re a guy that can fill the stat sheet well. How big is versatility in your game?

It’s very important. The more things I can do on the court, the more valuable I can be for my team.

Your known as a very good three point shooter, but under 30% in the Pro B and NBBL. What steps are you making in your shooting preparation most daily to continue to improve your shooting?

I work on my shot every day. A lot of repetitions, focusing on technique and consistency with different drills to get better and more consistent.

Talk a little about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?

I would say I’m an aggressive defender, who brings energy and can guard multiple positions. I still want to become more consistent and smarter defensively.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?

I work on my shooting, ball handling and decision making, but also off the court a lot on my body.

You were already a fixture on the NBBL team as a 16 year old. How valuable was it for you already playing against the best competition at a very young age?

It was extremely valuable for my development, because I learned early how to compete at a high level

Last season you lost to Ulm at the NBBL top 4. What will you always remember from that tough loss?

It was a very tough loss, but also a big motivation for the future.

You played ANGT last season averaging 6.0ppg,6.5rpg, FGP: 25.0%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 80.0%. What memories do you still have playing against great youth teams like FC Barcelona?

Playing against top youth teams and prospects I would say. Also, how different the level of basketball can be in my age in Europe. This is something I learned a lot from.

This season you made the jump to Alba Berlin playing a BBL and BCL game, What was the biggest adjustment that you had to make playing against grown men?

In my opinion it’s the physicality and the speed of the game. It’s so much higher and you have to make decisions so much faster.

You scored your first pro field goal against BCL team Sabah. How cool was that and what will you always remember from that basket and game?

It was a special moment that I will always remember.

How valuable has the experience been practicing with BBL team Alba Berlin. What has impressed you most about Pedro Calles?

He is a very detail oriented and demanding coach. You learn a lot from him every day.

You also have gotten good minutes in Bernau for Dan Oppland that has a very deep team. How do you feel has your game grown further this season under Oppland?

I feel like I improved a lot, especially in my understanding of the game and also how to deal with different situations on the court.

What is your goal as a player? Is there anything else on your bucket list besides reaching the highest level possible?

Just improving every day to reach the highest possible level and getting the best version of myself.

Who Is the toughest player that you ever battled in your life that reached the NBA or Euroleague?

I don’t really know. I have played against a lot of talented players, so it’s hard to pick just one.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I have had a lot of great teammates in jena, where I played before and I have also great teammates here in Berlin. It’s really difficult to name only five.

Please name your NBA, Euro (players from Europe non german) and German Mount Rushmore of your favorite 4 players of all-time?

NBA: Micheal Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant
Euro: Vezenkov, Diamantidis, Navarro, Spannoulis
German: Dirk Nowitzki, Detlef Schrempf, Franz Wagner, Dennis Schroeder

Who is your Goat?

LeBron James

Thanks Richard for the chat.

E 2 Type Player Ontario Chapman Is Working 2-3 Jobs While Grinding In The Gym To Achieve The Pro Dream

Ontario Chapman (193-F) is a 193cm guard who is seeking the professional career overseas. He has experience having played in the States at Anoka Ramsey Community College, Presentation College, Texas A & M Texarkana and William Penn. He took part at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine and spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Mustafa for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. How excited are you to taking part and showing your talent?


I am extremely excited to participate in the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. Basketball is always better when you’re surrounded by other Pro/Future Pros. Being surrounded by other high-level players increases one’s hunger to compete.

How did you find about the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you?
I found out about the offer through my professional trainer Ron Howard. I believe this was perfect for me specifically due to the recommendation from Ron. Trusting my trainers’ judgement and being physically and mentally in the right place at the right time sealed the deal for me. Knowing that this combine gives me the opportunity to showcase myself against high-level competition.

What is your impression of the man in charge Ron Howard? Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs?
Not only is Ron my trainer, he was also my Coach at Anoka Ramsey CC. Ron is also like a big brother/ mentor to me. I am more than aware of his track record both as a player and the guy behind the scenes pushing and advocating for guys like myself. Ron has had a major hand in my development as a player.

What do you appreciate most about Ron Howards character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career?
I appreciate most that he has practiced what he continuously preaches. Not only has he actually been in the field, but he has things to show for it. His drive as a trainer is contagious to any player who really wants it.

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 195cm wing. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?
Even at 195cm, my game is comparable to Lebron James with the all around aggressive game and skill to go along with it.

What are your biggest strengths on the offensive end and do you have a hidden strength in your game that doesn’t always get noticed right away?

Offensively, my biggest strength is my ability to attack the basket and always be able to get a paint touch. A hidden strength of mine that isn’t always noticed right away is my passing ability and my overall all round basketball IQ.

Talk about your shooting. Your three pointer is still one in progress. Where do you see it currently and what steps do you still need to do to be an even more consistent shooter?
Currently, I do believe that I am a 3 point threat to defenses. I am a volume that, if I am hitting shots behind the arc early then it could be a long day for defense. I am consistently working on my 3 point game to become a complete threat. I believe the only steps that need to be taken are consistency within my confidence and more reps in the gym, there’s always more work to be put in.

Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school and where do you see your playmaking at the moment?
My game has grown tremendously since high-school. I was never the most talented but I always knew hard work, when you lack the talent that others have, you have to make it up through your effort. I was once known as a rebounding slasher and now that I’ve transformed into a 3 level scorer, it makes myself and my playmaking ability a threat. I am an E2 type player, meaning I excel at engaging 2 defenders and putting pressure on the opposing team. This has led to being able playmake for others with no issue.

Talk about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?
I take pride in defense, on ball and off ball I like to disrupt the defense. On the ball, I am a very physical but disciplined defender, I am not afraid to make someone uncomfortable. Off the ball, I communicate, I use my length and athleticism to jump passing lanes and I play team defense.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?
I am always working on ball-handling and shooting. These are two things that I believe are currently in a good place, but areas one could never be complacent about.

You finished school in 2024, but didn’t find a pro season the last 2 seasons. How tough has the grind been for you?
The grind has been extremely tough. There’s been times I struggled with motivation, but there was never a time that I wanted anything easy. I had a short stint in the TBL, with a team in New Jersey but a few things led to me going home after pre-season, things outside of basketball and out of my control. I have played in pro combines, G league tryouts and realized that I am a Pro and I do belong. Patience is one of my strongest qualities and the road being so tough has made me a man. I enjoy the grind and the journey because the reward will mean so much more, I’ve yet to come across anyone who is willing to outwork me for it.3

How big is the chip on your shoulder? You played at 5 schools and are still seeking that pro job? What keeps you going?

The chip on my shoulder is huge. I have always been one to do whatever it takes for me to be on the court. I don’t know how to quit, I don’t know how to give up, I don’t know how to just go through the motions. That chip on my shoulder is a reminder that I have been a lot of places and played with a lot of people. One thing they will all tell you is once upon a time I wasn’t a pro, but the amount of work I have put in while no one was watching has made me into one.
Have you had a 9-5 job to help ends meet. If yes what have you been doing and how tough is it doing that grinding in the gym at night?
I did not come from much, everything I have and everything I’ve done I had to earn. Since graduating college I have always had 2-3 jobs at a time while also still making time to hit the weight room and the basketball court. I am active and doing something 7x a week to increase my game. While also working 7 days a week. Right now I am currently a County Case Manager for waived clients with disabilities and I also work as a Recreation leader at a community center, both jobs full time work. There are times I even work as an Instacart shopper during my spare time. Regardless of my work schedule, I make time every day to work on my game on the court and in the weight room.

You played a season at The Crown College (NCAA3) playing 5 games averaging 1.6ppg, 2.2rpg. That was almost 10 years ago. What memories do you have of that time?

This was a very confusing time for me. I was a young boy coming out of high school with a lot of NAIA and Juco offers. Outside of coaches, I didn’t have much guidance and help on where to go. All I knew was that people were familiar with the NCAA name, no matter what the level was so I made a last minute decision to attend Crown. Regardless of it being a D3 school, Crown taught me that there are hoopers everywhere amongst all levels and from all around the world. Crown also taught me how to navigate college politics, while being willing to accept when one’s game needs more work . Crown college taught me at a very young age about accountability.

You then played a season at Texas A&M University-Texarkana (NAIA) playing 3 games averaging 2.0ppg, 2.7rpg. How tough was this time? It was during Covid. How do you remember this time? What were the biggest challenges then?

Texas A&M was one of the best programs I have ever been a part of and I learned a lot in my short time under Coach Ryan Wall. I transferred into A&M and second semester and I do believe that had I started the season with the team, my productivity and performance would have been a lot different. I also believe that had I returned to A&M, my college career would have gone a lot different and I would have possibly already been a Pro by now. Being that this was during Covid, all we had was basketball and that’s all we did, the system was meant for winners, the staff were meant for breeding winners, the culture was for winners. Nothing was easy at A&M but everything was worth it. The only challenges I had was trying to find my place after transferring in when the team already had an identity.

You played 1 season at Anoka-Ramsey Community College (JUCO) averaging 12.9ppg, 7.1rpg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 33.8%, FT: 61.8%. What kind of a player did you become in JUCO under Ron Larson?
That season at Anoka Ramsey was my best Collegiate season specifically because of the confidence I had gained that summer prior. Going from laying under Ryan Wall, to playing under Coach Larson and Coach Howard was the perfect recipe. I am a 6’4 Guard, who’s been forced to play the forward and center position since I started playing basketball. At Anoka Ramsey, I wasn’t put into a box. I was a part of a system that allowed me to show the work that I had been consistently put in. I was surrounded by a group of guys that trusted me and respected my game and it showed. The coaches also respected my work ethic and trusted me to be an important piece to that squad. I was supposed to play under Ron Larson the year prior but I chose to go to Texas due to Anoka Ramsey not having a season during Covid, the summer before 2021-2022 season at Anoka, I told Larson I wouldn’t be returning to Texas and instead I was coming back to MN. Ron’s excitement at the news told me everything that I needed to know.

Every guy that I have interviewed that played Juco have said that it was a tough grind, but one he wouldn’t have traded the world for. How was it for you?
Juco was exactly that. Every teammate and every opponent knew that Juco was survival of the fittest. Every individual in Juco knows that time and work is sensitive and every day matters. Juco was an extremely tough environment on and off the court but it was extremely beneficial towards character development. It wasn’t one I would trade for anything, Juco brings that dog out of you.

You then played a season with Presentation College (NAIA) averaging 7.3ppg, 4.0rpg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 72.7%. What was the NAIA like and what kind of a role did you have there?
The NAIA is a lot tougher than most like to give it credit for. After my season at Anoka Ramsey. I ruptured my Patellar tendon in my left knee, suffering the worst possible injury one could do to the knee. The recovery process was one of the hardest mentally, physically and emotionally that any basketball player should have to go through. There was a point where many people believed basketball would be done for me forever, at the peak of my Collegiate career. I only played less than half of the games at Presentation as it took quite a while to get medically clearer. Looking back, I feel as if I was in a rush to return to basketball and I returned to play too early. My role at Presentation was to give the team energy. Outside of pushing my teammates all season long, since I wasn’t completely healthy I do not believe that I had a defined role.

You then played at William Penn University (NAIA) averaging 5.1ppg, 4.8rpg, FGP: 56.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 58.2%. How did Jon Henry give you that last push as a player in your development?
Although I did not have the role that I wanted at William Penn and the season did not go as planned, William Penn turned me into a Pro. The culture, the mentality, the play style and the teachings of William Penn basketball under Coach John Henry is what anybody chasing the Pros should experience. Henry didn’t accept short cuts, he didn’t accept excuses, he didn’t accept the loser mentality. Offensively and Defensively, William Penn is a school where any player who loves the game of basketball, loves to win, loves championships and loves to compete is going to walk away with the mindset of becoming a Pro. Coach Henry breeds pros, plain and simple. After leaving William Penn. I didn’t play my normal position during the season, but physically and mentally I was in one of the best positions to seek pro basketball that I could have ever been in. I graduated from William Penn with a killer mentality.

Who won a 1-1 in practice, you or Jason Priah?
Shout out to my guy JP, but that goes to me, slaughterhouse.

What is your biggest dream as a pro player?
To win a Championship at the highest level. I’ve tasted individual awards, I’ve tasted playoff experiences, I’ve even tasted championship games, but I have never completed the mission. My goal is to not only be a pro, but to be a champion as a pro.

Who is the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA?
Jericho Sims, I went to Community of Peace Academy and he went to Cristo Rey Jesuit, both charter schools. Jericho is a talented freak of nature standing at 6’10 and extremely mobile. For someone only 6 ‘4 and at the time in High-school I was 6’ 1, very tough cover.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
This is tough because I played with so many great teammates but I will make this list based on who were certified killers.

Isaiah Cabrera
Kobe Powell
Keegan Oyugi
Edward Milton
Kemba Bell
Honorable Mention ( D’andre Caster, Bryant Jefferson, Davonte Craven)

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time?

1.Lebron James
2.Derrick Rose
3.Carmelo Anthony
4.Michael Jordan

Who is your GOAT?
LEBRON KING JAMES

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone?

I don’t think I was able to watch more than 10 minutes of the movie.

Thanks Ontario for the chat.

Greg Thornton Is So Much More Than Just A 3 & D Player But One That Will Help In Every Category

Dan Thornton is a 180cm guard that has gathered valuable experience at Tennessee Wesleyan University and Tennessee Southern. He spoke togermanhoops.com before playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine.

Thanks Dan for talking to germanhoops.com. You’re playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. How excited are you to taking part and showing your talent?

I’m very excited to be invited and allowed to participate in the upcoming Las Vegas Overseas Combine. I’m looking forward to showing my talent and what I can do on the floor.

How did you find out about the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you?

I was looking for a lot of opportunities this summer, whether it was going overseas or finding a great place to showcase my talent. I wanted to play in front of people who could help put me in a better position basketball-wise, and I felt like this was the right opportunity because of Coach Howard’s background and everything he has accomplished.

What is your impression of the man in charge, Ron Howard? Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs?

I think Coach Howard is a great guy. I appreciate him working with me to help get me here. At first, I wasn’t fully aware of his track record of helping players get overseas jobs, but we’ve had conversations about it. I’ve had some financial burdens in the past that kept me from pursuing certain opportunities, but now I’m focused on maintaining good relationships and taking advantage of every opportunity. Coach Howard has been great to work with.

What do you appreciate most about Ron Howard’s character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career?

I think Coach Howard’s ability to find diamonds in the rough and put them in positions where they can showcase their talent is amazing. He gives players an opportunity to prove themselves.

You played at Tennessee Wesleyan University and at the University of Tennessee Southern. Do you have any previous pro experience?

My closest experience to professional basketball would probably be playing semi-pro before college. It was an eye-opener to the next level. I haven’t played professionally yet, but it’s something I’ve been chasing for a long time. College was a great experience, and now I’m ready to take my game to the next level.

You finished school in 2024. How do you make a living? Do you have a 9-to-5 job and grind on your game at night?

After I finished school, I tried a few different career paths. I enjoyed coaching, but now I mainly work in logistics. I wanted something that wouldn’t put too much wear and tear on my body because I still want to play professionally. Working in logistics allows me to continue training, improving my game, and keeping my body prepared.

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 188 cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player, who would it be?

If I had to compare my game to an NBA player, I’d say Collin Sexton. I also enjoy watching Josh Hart and Davion Mitchell. I like smaller guards who play hard, compete every possession, and impact the game in multiple ways.

You’re a guard who can really fill the stat sheet. How important is versatility in your game?

Versatility is everything in my game. I’ve never wanted to limit myself to being just a 3-and-D player or someone who only fills one role. I want to help my team in every category, whether it shows up in the box score or not.

Talk about your shooting. Where do you see it currently, and what steps do you still need to take to become a very consistent shooter?

I work on my shooting a lot. It’s one of the biggest areas I want to showcase. My goal is to become a 40% three-point shooter. That comes from confidence, repetition, proper mechanics, and keeping the same routine every day.

Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school, and where do you see your playmaking today?

My playmaking really grew around my sophomore and junior years. One of my assistant coaches made me the captain of our development team. I had to learn how to create opportunities for teammates and put them in positions to succeed. That experience helped me understand the game at a much higher level.

Talk about your defensive game. What kind of defender are you right now, and what kind of defender do you still want to become?

Defense is something I take a lot of pride in. I love guarding the other team’s best player. I don’t care if I score zero pointsas long as I make the big stop, get a block, take a charge, or make the right rotation, I feel like I’ve done my job. I believe I can guard positions one through four, and I still have a lot of room to grow defensively.

What areas of your game are you working on the most right now?

Right now I’m focused on finishing through contact, playing off two feet, making smarter decisions, getting to the free-throw line more consistently, and becoming a better communicator on the court.

Talk a little about your time at Tennessee Wesleyan University and the University of Tennessee Southern. What was your fondest moment?

I had a great experience at both schools. At Tennessee Southern, I spent about four years there, growing from a redshirt player into a team captain. That experience taught me a lot about leadership and the game. At Tennessee Wesleyan, I felt like I became a spark for the team. Some of my favorite memories were making big shots and being someone my teammates could rely on.

How key was head coach Dugan Lyne in your early basketball development?

I loved working with Coach Dugan Lyne and the coaching staff. Before I transferred to Tennessee Wesleyan, Coach Lyne challenged me to become a more confident catch-and-shoot player and a more aggressive scorer. That advice changed my mindset and helped me elevate my game.

What is your biggest dream as a pro player?

My biggest dream is to win a championship. Whether it’s a championship ring or lifting a trophy, that’s the ultimate goal and would be the perfect reward for all the hard work I’ve put into this game.

Who is the toughest player you’ve ever faced that reached the NBA?

The toughest player I’ve ever played against was Terry Taylor. We played in pickup runs, and he was an incredibly aggressive scorer. You could immediately tell he was an NBA-level player.

Please name your five best teammates of all time.

Adarion Hudson, Kendall Wright, CJ Greer, Kaveion Hancock, and Darren Jenkins.

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore.

Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Stephen Curry.

Who is your GOAT?

My GOAT is Allen Iverson. Right behind him is Kobe Bryant.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming to America? Should they have left it alone?

I haven’t seen the sequel. I’m not really a big movie guy, but from the reviews I’ve heard, it wasn’t as good as the original. Sometimes it’s best to leave a classic alone.