Cory Remekun is a 25 year old 203cm forward from Mesquite, Texas playing his fourth professional season and first with Helios Suns Domzale (Slovenia-Liga NovaKBM). Last season he played with  Rogaska Crystal (Slovenia-Telemach League, starting five): 26 games: 11.6ppg, Reb-5(7.8rpg), Blocks-1(1.3bpg), FGP: 65.0%, FT: 64.6%. He started his basketball career in 2009 with St.Louis (NCAA) playing  a total of 133 NCAA games and as a senior played  33 games averaging 4.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.1bpg. He started his professional basketball career in 2013 with the Dragons Rhoendorf (Germany-ProB) playing 25 games averaging 13.4ppg, 8.1rpg, 1.4apg, 1.0spg, Blocks-1(2.6bpg), FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 74.2%. In the 2014-2015 season he played for AE Nea Kifisia Dimoulas Athens (Greece-A1): 10 games: 2.0ppg, 1.3rpg: 9 games: 2.2ppg, 1.4rpg, in Feb.’15 agreed terms with HKK Siroki Primorka (Bosnia-Division I): 21 games: 7.5ppg, Reb-1(8.2rpg), 1.0apg, Blocks-1(2.0bpg), FGP: 56.6%, FT: 49.2%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Thanks Cory for talking to German Hoops. It Christmas time and how is the holiday season different in Slovenia the last two years in comparison to the way it was in Germany, Greece and Bosnia where you played many years ago.

No problem, it’s real nice in the capital around this time of the year. I like the atmosphere, it’s pretty similar to some of the cities in Germany during Christmas time.

Welcome back to Germany. As a rookie you played for the Dragons Rhoendorf (Germany-ProB) playing 25 games averaging 13.4ppg, 8.1rpg, 1.4apg, 1.0spg, Blocks-1(2.6bpg), FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 74.2%. When you think of that experience, what is the first thing comes to mind when hearing the phrase Dragons Rhondorf?

Great organization and fans. They really look after you there. I really appreciated my teammates and coaches helping me adjust to Europe.

Helios Suns Domzale recently lost in Greece to Aris. Their arena is supposed to be one of the toughest to play in. What kind of experience was it playing there and how difficult was it to hear your teammates on the court?

It’s always cool to play against teams with a history like theirs. Yeah it was pretty difficult to hear in there.

I recently asked Dee Bost how much of a reality his own NBA dream still is and he just smiled and said, he has put in on the back burner and concentrating on a good career in Europe. You saw him play twice now. Does he have NBA game in your opinion?

He was hurt the first game we played against them but I can definitely see him on a team. There are a lot of talented guys over here.

You last lost to Monaco 63-59 and also had lost to them by four points earlier in the season. Had you won those two games as well as the crunch time game to Frankfurt you would have 4 wins now and basketball life would be a lot better looking. Why can´t this team win in crunch-time?

 Man it’s hard to say. We just got to get over the hump. That’s ball though, few plays here and there and it’s W for us.

How much better of a team are Helios Suns Domzale than what their Champions League record shows?

I think we are a really good team. Like I said I few plays go our way and we have a better record in the league.

The team is fifth in points allowed at 67, but 51st in points scored at 58. Is the team offensively just too limited or do you feel the club could score more? What is missing to be able to score more consistently?

 Yeah I feel we can score a lot more. I don’t really know we just got to out and play our game.

The next game is against the Fraport Skyliners who beat you 61-56 earlier in the season in another crunch-time loss. What do you remember most about this loss?

I remember the game being close throughout the game but in the end they got it.

Helios Suns rebounded better than Frankfurt and had less turnovers. What will be key to stealing a win in Frankfurt?

 Playing solid defense and getting good offensive looks.

Quantez Robertson is one of the identity figures of the German easyCredet BBL. He is just a pest on defense. Can you think of many more annoying players than him on the defensive end?

Nah I can’t say I can. He’s usually always in the right spot defensively.

Last season you played for Rogaska Crystal (Slovenia-Telemach League) where you averaged 27 minutes, but this season your averaging 19 minutes in both competitions. Has it been a big adjustment playing less minutes?

 It’s something you have to get used to at first but you learn to make the most of your minutes to help the team win.

What kind of role do you have this season? How is it different from last season?

Defend, make smart plays on offense, and rebound. It’s pretty much the same for the most part.

How important has it been for your development as a player to play in the Basketball Champions League this season? How do you feel has your game been able to mature better?

 I think it’s a great experience for me. We are playing against some really good teams. I feel like I’m getting better with each game.

Last season you played with talented rookie Dee Davis who averaged 6,1apg as a senior at Xavier(NCAA) What do you remember being the most amazing thing that he did on the court?

Dee is really good in transition and had some great scoring games in Rogaska. He had a clutch game winner last season too.

Two seasons ago you had a tough second season with AE Nea Kifisia Dimoulas Athens (Greece-A1): 10 games: 2.0ppg, 1.3rpg: 9 games: 2.2ppg, 1.4rpg, in Feb.’15 agreed terms with HKK Siroki Primorka (Bosnia-Division I): 21 games: 7.5ppg, Reb-1(8.2rpg), 1.0apg, Blocks-1(2.0bpg), FGP: 56.6%, FT: 49.2%. What got you mentally through this season?

 I had to keep pushing. Everything doesn’t always go your way. I knew if I kept working hard everything would work out.

In Greece you played a few months with Patrick Ewing jr. What memories do you have him of a player on and off the court?

He’s a really good player. He would always give me tips to help my game. Off the court I always hung out with him and Cade Davis. Really good dudes. I let them get a few wins on Madden and 2k sometimes lol

Ewing seems to have retired. Did he ever tell some stories from his dad?

 Yeah he’s coaching back at Georgetown now. Yeah it was cool to hear some of those stories.

You then went to Bosnia and led the league in rebounding. How vital was this experience for your mental health after the Greece experience?

It was great for me to get on the court again and get my feet back under me. We made it to the finals too but ended up losing.

As a rookie you played in Germany for Rhondorf. What was your wake up call to be a rookie in Germany where you knew that you were very far away from home?

Probably just realizing everyone was speaking a different language. I was the only American on my team too.

You played twice against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors losing both games. Do you remember the first professional game against Frankfurt in Rhondorf? In that game a relatively unknown Johannes Voigtmann played who is now a Euroleague player. You remember him in the zone doing work?

 Yeah I remember that game, I remember my teammates telling me that they had a promising young center.

You played at St Louis(NCAA) from 2009-2013. You didn´t have a huge role there, but when did you know that you could become a professional player?

 My senior year one of my assistant coaches Danny Brown sat down with me and asked what I wanted to do with my life. From there we got in the gym almost every day. I still train with him in the summers now.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Cody Ellis?

 I don’t think me and Cody played but that would be a good game. Two different types of players.

How did head coach Rick Majerus groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

He really taught the game well to all his players. You had to be there completely mentally in practice, film and games. He was a great basketball mind.

You played two seasons with current BBL player Dwayne Evans. He is playing at a high level now, but do you see him being able to climb the basketball ladder even more in the future?

 Yeah I do, he has the tools necessary to do it. He can play multiple positions and defend.

If you had to construct your own NBA Rushmore, which 4 heads would you choose?

 Jordan, Kobe, Kareem and Magic

Lebron finally brought an NBA title to the Cavs. Where does he stand at the moment in the never ending debate with where he stands as the best of all-time?

 If he gets a couple more rings I’ll put him on my Rushmore. He’s a monster no doubt though.

Where do you rank Kevin Garnett with the best power forwards that ever played the game?

I would say #2 behind Duncan but I’m bias to Dirk too. I got to watch him a lot when I was younger.

Klay Thompson recently hit 60 points in 29 minutes touching the ball for only 90 seconds. Where does this performance rank with you?

It’s one of the better performances but I didn’t actually watch the game. It’s crazy though.

One always talks about Lebron and Curry, but one has to mention Russell Westbrook. He is averaging triple double stats at the moment. Is he stat wise the best player in the world right now?

Stat wise he is the best right now.

What was your most memorable Christmas experience in Dallas when you were a kid?

Just being around my family, we would all get together and hang out all day.

What was the last movie that you saw?

 I watched Interstellar again.

Thanks Cory for the chat.