Malik Mueller is an 19 year old 188cm guard that was born in Frankfurt, Germany. He spent  a part of his life in Miami, but grew up in the rhein-main region. He is a guard with enormous potential. Has shot, court vision and personality. He could became a top player very soon. He started his basketball career at TV Langen and played for EOSC Offenbach before moving to  SG Urspringschule/Schelklingen in 2007. He moved up to rdgas Ehingen/Urspringschule (ProB) in that same season. In 2010, he took part at the well known Jordan Brand Classic Game and was named MVP. He played at the World Championships U17 in Hamburg (Germany) -10: 8 games: 6.9ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 26.9%, FT: 46.2%. Last season he played for Erdgas Ehingen/Urspringschule (ProA): 18 games: 5.5ppg, 1.2rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 25.5%, FT: 52.2%, also a license to play with SG Urspringschule/Schelklingen (2.Regionalliga, starting five): 7 games: 13.4ppg. This past summer, he took part at the European Championships U18 in Lithuania -12: 9 games: 8.3ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 36.5%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 71.4%. He spoke to German Hoops during the regular season with eurobasket.com.

What exactly is your role in the team?

I am a player that brings energy from the bench giving the starting point guard a rest.

Erdgas Ehingen has five Americans. You grew up in Miami, Florida in very young years. Are you able to build up special relationships with the Americans?

The Americans  are all very open and very nice guys. I don´t have a better relationship with one player than with the other. They have a good relationship to all the players on the team.

Your teammate American Virgil Matthews has stated only positive things about you and pushes you in practice. What have you learned from him in the last years.

I have learned very much from him in the last years. He pushes me evry hard in practice and really makes life difficult for me on the court. The most important thing that I have learned from him is to control the tempo something I had no idea how to do before I switched to being  appoint guard.

What is a strength in your game that doesn´t always get noticed right away?

I think a strength that doesn´t always get noticed is my ability to be a leader on the court. I like to keep the team together in hard situations and give tips.

What do you still need to improve in your game?

I can get better in all phases of my game. The most important thing is improving my defense, showing more court vision and presence.

Your teammate Jake Anderson played at Northern Iowa and Iowa State and has had experience in the D-league. He is a super rebounder for his height. Has he explained his rebounding secret to you?

No, but he really has amazed me how well he rebounds for his size and he is a little shorter than me. He fights for every ball at the rim.

Erdgas Ehingen head coach Ralph Junge is known for being able to develop young German players well. What is the most important thing that you have learned from him?

I came to Ehingen as a 13 year old and had mostly played the sport as a hobby before coming here. I learned everything I need to know about the basics of the game. I learned how to understand the game.

You lived for a time in Miami, Florida because you had an American dad. What memories do you have from Miami?

I only have memories from the end of my time there spending lots of time with my relatives and playing basketball.

You grew up in the Frankfurt area. Were you a Frankfurt Skyliner fan?

I went to games, but not every weekend since I had games on the weekends. I did like the team and my favorite player was Jimmy Mckinney.

Who were your NBA idols as a kid?

My number one idol was Michael Jordan. When I was very young, I liked Allan Iverson. I had a big poster of him in my room. Now my favorite player is Dwayne Wade.

How easy was your decision to go to Erdgas Ehingen in 2007?

It wasn´t difficult. I always knew that I wanted to play basketball. In Offenbach, I could only practice three times a week and in Ehingen the gym is always open. I had to make the choice of giving up the city life for the country life, but I was ready to do it because I just wanted to play basketball.

In 2010, you played at the Jordan Brand Classic where all the best basketball talents meet. You were named MVP. How often do you look back on this event?

It was a great experience for me. Back then I thought more about it, but now less because I am looking ahead now to the future and try to meet those goals. The Jordan Brand Classic was a nice thing, but now I need to concentrate on the future.

You met Michael Jordan. What question would you have liked to ask him that you couldn´t then?

I would have liked to have asked him how he was able to come back after winning the first three titles and then winning another three after his baseball experience. It is amazing how he can stay so humble and still had so much passion after having success. Often players that have success then disappear.

How have you seen your own development as a player since the Jordan Brand Classic in 2010?

My development didn´t go so well the season after that as I was a bit preoccupied with the hype and didn´t really know how to deal with it. However I was able to come back and have a good season last season.  I think that I have been able to make the jump from NBBL to the PRO A. I made the transition well from a combo guard to a point guard.

Who were the best players that you have played against in international games so far in your career?

Albert Homs and Guillermo Hernan Gomez from Spain and American Dwayne Otis.

Do you think that your ex teammate Kevin Bright will make the breakthrough in the NCAA with Vanderbilt?

I was positively surprised how well he played in his first NCAA game. I think if he works hard in every practice , then he will make his breakthrough.

Would you like to play in the NCAA?

Yes I do. I am preparing my next steps on what schools I would like to look at. I want to play for a team that always plays against the best schools.

What is your biggest basketball dream?

My basketball dream is like it should be for any person and that is to play in the NBA.

What were the most free throws that you have made in a row without missing?

I have made 48 of 50.

What was your most crazy shot that you have ever made in a game?

That was a long time ago when I was very young playing in Offenbach. I made a wild three pointer to win the game against Giessen. I wasn´t a very good three point shooter.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Looper with Bruce Wills. I like action movies and this is a very good one.

Thanks Malik for the chat.