Jordan Talbert is a 25 year old 198cm forward from Little Rock, Arkansas that will be playing his third professional season and first with the PS Karlsruhe Lions. He came to Germany as a rookie in 2014 and played with the Giants TSV 1861 Noerdlingen (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 26 games: 21.6ppg, 9.6rpg, 3.2apg, 2.0spg, Blocks-4(1.5bpg), FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 28.9%, FT: 78.4%. He played his college career at Missouri SO(NCAA2) from 2010-2014 and as a senior played 31 games averaging 11.7ppg, 7.4rpg, 2.9apg, 1.1spg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 70.1%. Last season with Nordlingen he tore up the Pro B averaging 17.5ppg, Reb-1(11.0rpg), 2.4apg, 1.7spg, Blocks-5(1.5bpg), FGP: 48.5%, 3PT: 27.5%, FT: 73.4%. He spoke to German Hoops about his new adventure with PS Karlsruhe.

 

 

Jordan thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

No problem, my summer was great and fulfilling. I really enjoyed my time back in the states with family and friends. At the moment I’m in Karlsruhe preparing for the upcoming season.

Congrats on signing with PS Karlsruhe. How was the summer transfer period for you? You signed rather late. Did you have a good share of offers that made your decision making tougher?

 No the decision was fairly easy for me. And to my knowledge I didn’t have many offers to choose from but I’m happy that PS Karlsruhe had enough interest in me to bring me in.

There were some of your colleagues from last season like Elijah Allen and Julian Scott that made thr jump to the Pro A. I would have thought that you would be a sure shot. Did you have Pro A offers that just didn´t fit your situation?

No I didn’t have any pro A offers. I guess I wasn’t what any of the teams were looking for or they found better options than me which is understandable. I’m very happy for those guys that were able to make the transition and wish them much success.

Last season with Nordlingen you averaged 17,5ppg and led the league with 11rpg. Is Jordan Talbert a Pro A caliber player playing in the Pro B at this point?

I really don’t know what caliber player I am. I know that I’m a competitor that’s going to give 100% each game and at each practice to be the best player I can be. Anything other than that is out of my control, and anything that’s out of my control are things that I don’t worry about.

What were the main reasons for joining PS Karlsruhe? What sold you on their program most?

The club is up and coming, and very hungry from what I can tell. Me already being a very motivated and driven player it’s like adding fuel to a fire when everyone else around you is just as ambitious and prepared to put in the necessary work. I’ve felt right at home from the first day.

After two seasons with the Giants Nordlingen what is your personal goal this season?

Perhaps the most logical helping PS Karlsruhe move up to the Pro A? My personal goal is to win as many games as possible. I like to not have any expectations going in but we have a lot potential and I plan on doing everything in my power to make sure we maximize it.

The club just moved up from the Regionaliga and are very focused to keep their winning ways alive. The club has hauled in many German players. Do you see having the same type of role as last season in Nordlingen were you were the main scoring option?

It’s still very early to determine each players role from game to game. I think that’s apart of team chemistry building. My intent is to come in and do whatever is needed for us to win rebounding, defense, or scoring.

The club has talented forwards with German Bill Borekambi and Croatian Dino Jakolis. Will not necessarily having to carry that’ scoring load like in Karlsruhe like you did in Nordlingen be welcoming to you?

We definitely have talented guys here that are able to do a lot of things. In Nordlingen much of the season and for most of the playoffs we only had a 7 or 8 man rotation. So playing 35+ minutes a night and doing all the things I had to last season for us to have a chance won’t be necessary. But if coach asks that of me I will be prepared to deliver at any moments notice.

How excited are you to be playing in a city that has another team with BG Karlsruhe? In New York they call the Yankees-Mets series the subway series and in Karlsruhe they could call it the cross town series.

Being from another country I was definitely unfamiliar with the rivalry but just in week I think everyone has caught me up on the history. Personally I’m looking forward to it. Those games are always the best games because it means just a little bit more to everyone which raises the competition level. The energy for that game is building day by day and I know that we’re going to come prepared to battle that day.

You had a very strong season last season in Nordlingen. How did you keep the hunger alive this summer and keep working on parts of your game that you aren´t happy with?

 Motivation has never been a problem for me. My ambitions and work ethic are the only reasons I’m still playing right now. I wasn’t happy at all with my shooting percentages last season and with how my body felt towards the end of the season. So I really focused on things I could do to improve in those areas.

How did a summer work out session look like for Jordan Talbert on and off the court?

My day would start at 4AM with a good healthy breakfast and meditation. I would make it to gym at 5 and stay until 8 with some weight lifting and shooting. Then from 6PM to 830PM I was strictly on the court working on my craft. Off the court I had a strict diet. Cut out chocolate in particular which has always been an Achilles heel of mine. I would do this 5 times a week which now has me in the best shape of my life I believe.

Are you catching the 2016 Summer Olympics. What events besides Basketball do you enjoy watching?

 Yes I’m definitely keeping up with the Olympics. I enjoy track and field, swimming, gymnastics, and women’s soccer. I just love watching people compete. As an athlete I know how much this moment means to them and what’s not to love about watching someone put their heart and soul on the line for any event. It’s inspiring.

Is Australia a dark horse for a medal? They beat France by 21 points in the opening game and have a pretty motivated team with 4 NBA players?

When it comes to basketball I’m not sure nor do I care who the silver and bronze go to as long as USA brings home the gold.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Batman Dark Knight Rises

Thanks Jordan for the chat.