Terrell Harris is a 23 year old 190cm guard from Indiantown,Florida that is playing his rookie season in Germany with the : Iserlohn Kangaroos (Germany-ProB). He started his basketball career at Mars Hill (NCAA2) in 2011 and then moved to Georgia College in 2012. As a senior he played 29 games averaging 24.6ppg, 6.7rpg, 4.0apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 59.1%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 76.8%. He concluded his college basketball career winning the All-PeachBelt Player of the Year 2016. Harris spoke to German Hoops after the 84-74 victory against Stahnsdorf.

 

Terrell thanks for talking to German Hoops. Congrats on the big 84-74 victory against Stahnsdorf. How good did it feel to get back on the winning track after the bitter loss last weekend against Bochum?

Hey Miles nice to talk to you again like always. Thank you on the victory, it feels good to win any game in this league. In all we are better than our performance against Stahnsdorf. I know personally I did not play up to my potential and overall we did not play up to our potential as a team, but we are learning.

Both teams got their offense going in the first quarter, but lost some steam in the second quarter. Did the defensive principles of both teams take better control in the second quarter?

Yes the defensive pressure picked up on both sides of the ball. Both teams kind of went into a slump the second quarter. Which we have to do a better job at. I am confident we will fix that because that starts with me

Was your two buckets and Kone´s massive dunk in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter the needed energy and deciding push that took Iserlohn to keeping the momentum and not letting Stahnsdorf come back?

My two buckets and Kone’s dunk were important to keep us ahead but our defense allowed those two buckets. We can be a terrific defensive team when we pressure, rebound, and get out into transition. Thomas and Panicked provided key buckets as well to help us stay ahead and seal the win.

Iserlohn has played pretty good defense this season, but was the win against Stahnsdorf where you gave up 74 points and forced the team to 25 turnovers one of the better defensive efforts of the season?

Our defense has been picking up lately. We have the potential to be the best defensive team in the league once we start to finish possessions off with getting rebounds. We will have been working on drills in practice so hopefully we can translate what over to the games.

Iserlohn is currently 4-2. How well have you felt a need for redemption this season for their early playoff loss last season as the #1 team when you see the Germans from last year with their focus this season?

We have played a total of six games and we are 4-2. As a team we are not satisfied with that because with the talent level we have, we should be 6-0. We are not 6-0 at the moment, we are what our record indicate. No need to live in the past from last year or the previous games. You can only learn from it and get better.

The team is currently averaging 79 points a game. Does this club have the depth and power to be consistent and average 80 points a game this season?

Yes I believe we can average more than 80 points. We have the depth to play with anyone in this league. We are still figuring each other out a little but it’s early on. Once we cut out the mental mistakes and gel completely, the sky is the limit for this team.

How much fun has it been playing with Mousa Kone. He has been a beast averaging double double stats in points and rebounds. Where would the team be now had he not been on the team?

Mousa Kone is by far the best big man I played with by far. I mean at 6’9 he can do everything from defending, blocking shots, rebounding, and scoring. Mousa is very athletic and quick on his feet. He’s definitely one of the top players in the league. He makes all of us better, we will be in trouble if we didn’t have Mousa.

How valuable has German Thomas Reuter been this season for the team. Do you see him netting many more three´s this season in games when you think about his work and shooting you see him put in each practice?

Thomas Reuter is also another vital player to our team. Most 4’s can´t guard him because he can shoot the ball from 3 like no other. Which is important because he opens up driving lanes for other guards such as Ruben, Joshua, and myself.

How much talent and upside does point guard Soren Fritze have? He has played in the BBL and is just waiting to explode as a player.

Soren has a lot of talent and skills. He can handle the ball very well along with his shooting ability. His IQ for the game is extremely high for a young kid. He will definitely have a good year for us.

Let´s talk about your game. Your leading the team in scoring and tearing up the Pro B. You have had no problems adjusting as a rookie. What has been your secret to being able to preform so well right away consistently as a rookie?

Miles, I have huge expectations for myself along with management and the coaching staff. I really wouldn’t consider what I am doing is tearing up the league. On a grading scale I would give myself a B-. At times I have shown flashes of being one of the top players in the league. I also had times where I have been inconsistent, especially in the two losses on the road. I just have to up my level of play because when I am at my best we are a tough team to beat. I am confident I will up my level of play.

As a senior at Georgia Coll. (NCAA2) you were averaging 37 minutes and as a rookie with iserlohn it´s 29 minutes. Do you notice the less 8 minutes this season that you aren´t playing or does that not really stand out when your playing much anyway?

As senior in college I had to play a lot of minutes for us to have a chance at winning so it was no doubt I was going to play 38-40 minutes a games. Here in Iserlohn we have a deep team with better players. So playing 38 minutes would not be possible. I mean, I can definitely feel the 8 minute difference.

Do you see the Pro B being a little more competitive than the NCAA 2 or is there no difference at all in the overall level of play?

Yes Pro ball at this level is definitely more competitive than NCAA 2 in my eyes. The IQ of the game is much higher, the guards are much more skilled, guys can shoot deeper with ease, the game is much faster. In NCAA2 we didn’t play the pick and roll as we do here which I am still adjusting to. Guys are much taller too. Overall the game is better.

How happy have you been with your rookie season. On what things are you working on. Are your 2,2 turnovers per game a big issue for you?

I haven’t been satisfied with my rookie season, like I said before I am my biggest critic. I have high expectations for myself so I’m always looking to improve. I need to improve on my decision making coming out of the pick and roll along with my pick and roll defense. I have the athleticism to rebound better from the 2 position and to become a lock down defender on the perimeter. Also being more consistent on the offensive end. This team needs me to explode offensively every night, two turnovers is way too much for me. Which is another thing I have to improve at. It will come, I just have to lock in and practice better habits.

What kind pf player do you still seeing yourself become as a rookie as the season continues to move on?

I see myself as becoming an unstoppable scorer along with being a defensive stopper. I just have to do the small things that great players do on a consistent basis. I will get there quickly. This season is going to be a long one so I just have to take it one day at a time. I can’t look ahead three weeks from now or three months from now, I can only control the present. Just have to maximize my talents in skill everyday

What have you been able to appreciate the most about Germany in the first few months here?

When I came here I did not know what to expect. I have been all across the United States with basketball but never out the country. When I arrived to Iserlohn I did not know what to expect but the people here has been accepting and encouraging from day 1. My teammates, coaches, and Michael along with other people who works for our club has made this transition smooth. I was lucky to get signed by a first class organization my first professional season.

You live in a very beautiful area and are near many big cities like Cologne and Dortmund as well as countries like Holland and Belgium. What kind of exploring have you been able to do so far?

Once I arrived we went right into training camp. During training camp we stayed the weekend in Luxembourg which is a beautiful country. I have been to Dusseldorf and Dortmund but I did not get the chance to actually explore the city. So hopefully when the season ends I get a chance to travel around Germany and the rest of Europe.

Kevin Garnett has retired. Where do you rank him in the all-time best power forwards that ever played in the NBA?

Kevin Garnett made me gate him after that whopping they put in my Lakers in 08 but we got revenge in 2010. In all I have so much respect for his game and passion for the game of basketball. He played 21 years of professional basketball,that alone speaks for itself. I hate ranking players because it takes away from their greatness but he has to be in the top 4 of power forwards all time.

What was the last movie that you saw?

The last movie I saw was the lion king. One of my favorite movies ever. I don’t care how old I get, I will always watch the Lion King.

Thanks Terrell for the chat.