After I finished reading “Teamplayer”, a biography about legendary american head-coach Pat Elzie, I was looking for some new basketball-related books. Unfortunately there are just a handful of german basketball biographies available and I thought that I already had read all of them. But when I scrolled through some related books on amazon I found something I had missed: Dirk Bauermann “Mission Erfolg. Meine Vision, mein Plan, mein Weg” [engl. translation: Dirk Bauermann ‘Mission success. My vision, my plan, my way].
Somewhere in the back of my mind I was aware of the fact that Bauermann had released a book, but I was never that interested in reading it. I saw excerpts of the text and simply felt that it was probably written on advice from a public relations office.
Published in 2012, it is still available on hardcover for 20 Euros. Obviously the book did not sell very well as it never even made it to a paperback version. And at first glance, one may wonder why. Dirk Bauermann is the most successful and most famous German basketball coach. I would even say that when it comes to basketball personalities recognized by the average sports fan in Germany he is right behind Dirk Nowitzki and Dennis Schröder. Nine BBL-championships and seven cup-titles with Leverkusen and Bamberg are on his résumé and at the EuroBasket 2005, he led Germany to an unforgettable and sensational silver medal. But Bauermann’s reputation suffered a lot after his last successful run with Bamberg. He could not fulfill the high expectations of Bayern Munich and was fired by the club in September 2012 – just seven months after the release of the book.
Ever since Bauermann has worked in different places (Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Iran), but never found a new home and was not really successful. Somehow the former head-coach of the German national team was off the radar. Whenever a BBL-club was looking for a new head-coach and some names came up, it seemed like no one was thinking about him. The way his teams had played in the past and his whole coaching philosphy did not seem well suited for the modern BBL basketball. Whatever he was doing in the middle-east as head-coach of the Iranian national team, no one seemed to miss him around the league.
The publisher of his book must have thought the same as there is a really cheap e-book version for just 1,49 €. Of course I had to give it a try.
Month: January 2017
Larry Gordon (SC Rasta Vechta) Derrick Allen Gives Me Hope As A Basketball Player
Larry Gordon is a 29 year old 196cm forward that is back in Germany having signed with SC Rasta Vechta. He started the season with Sonic Boom KT (Korea-KBL) playing 19 games averaging 14.9ppg, 6.2rpg, 2.1apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 51.3%, 3FGP: 35.6%, FT: 82.1%. Last season he played with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven playing 33 games averaging 10.1ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 57.8%, 3PT: 42.6%, FT: 84.3%. The American played a total of 101 games for Phoenix Hagen from 2012-2015 leading them into the playoffs once He played at Cal Poly Pomona (NCAA2) from 2005 to 2009 playing a total of 116 NCAA2 games. In his senior year, he played 33 games: 15.7ppg, 10.4rpg, 2.0apg, 1.7apg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 75.7%. He was a CCAA Player of the Year and NCAA D2 Finalist in 2009. In 2009-2010, he came to Europe as a rookie and played for Landstede Basketbal Zwolle (Holland-Eredivisie) playing 36 games and averaging 14.0ppg, 8.1rpg, 1.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 33.7%, FT: 75.8%. He played for ECE Bulls Kapfenberg (Austria-A Bundesliga) from 2010-2012 before coming to Phoenix Hagen in 2012. Larry Gordon has been a regular for German Hoops as he gave his 40th interview for the website.
Larry thanks for talking to German Hoops Welcome back to Germany. When I say 36/22 do you have any idea what I am referring to?
I have no idea!
Well let me clear up the math lesson and tell you that 36 stands for the minutes you played in a 75-67 win in Vecta 3 years ago where you led the team with 22 points. What do you remember about the breathtaking atmosphere in the Rasta Dome?
It’s small and loud, with a great fan base.
How excited are you to be playing in Vechta? How big is this challenge for you coming and trying to get Vechta back to winning ways?
I’m very excited, I’m back in Germany which is like a second home for me. This will be a very big challenge for me given the situation but nothing I haven’t experienced before.
Jevohn Shepherd (Proximus Spirou Charleroi) I Feel I Am Approaching My Prime Still Learning And Adding Things To My Game
Jevohn Shepherd is a 30 year old 196cm forward from Toronto, Canada playing his seventh professional season and first with Proximus Spirou Charleroi (Belgium-Euromillions League). He started his basketball career with Michigan in 2005 where he played until 2009 playing a total of 115 NCAA games. He started his professional basketball career in 2010 with the Halifax Rainmen (PBL): 11 games: 8.5ppg, 2.5rpg, FGP-1(71.4%), 3PT: 18.8%, FT: 63.2%. In the 2010-2011 season he moved to Europe to Germany to play with the GiroLive-Ballers Osnabrueck (Germany-ProA) 20 games: Score-2(20.2ppg), 6.1rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 52.3%, 3PT: 28.4%, FT: 70.9%, in March’11 moved to Deutsche Bank Skyliners Frankfurt (Germany-1.Bundesliga): 15 games: 4.7ppg, 2.1rpg. In the 2011-2012 season he moved to Zorg and Zekerheid Leiden (Holland-Eredivisie) playing EuroChallenge: 11 games: 8.5ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 37.9%, 3PT: 24.0%, FT: 76.5%; Dutch League: 34 games: 13.0ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 18.8%, FT: 74.1%. In the 2012-2013 season he went to CS Municipal Bucuresti (Romania-Division A): 33 games: Score-4(18.7ppg), 4.2rpg, 2.2apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 58.1%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 75.7%. In the 2013-2014 season he played for Paffoni Omegna (Italy-Lega Due Silver) playing 33 games: 18.5ppg, 6.1rpg, 2.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 56.6%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 79.5%. In the 2014-2015 season he played for Sigma Barcellona (Italy-A2 Gold) playing 27 games: 17.6ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 73.0%. Last season he started with Openjobmetis Varese (Italy-Serie A): 5 games: 5.8ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.6apg, 2FGP: 33.3%, 3FGP: 22.2%, FT: 83.3%; FIBA Europe Cup: 2 games: 3.0ppg, 1.5rpg, 1.0spg, in Dec.’15 moved to Consultinvest VL Pesaro (Italy-Serie A) 19 games: 9.4ppg, 4.3rpg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 27.0%, FT: 72.0%. German Hoops spoke to Shepherd before a Basketball champions League game in Ludwigsburg.
Jevohn Welcome back to Germany. You are in Ludwigsburg now playing here for the first time with Proximus Spirou Charleroi (Belgium-Euromillions League. Did you make any new years basketball resolutions that could come into effect in Ludwigsburg?
Danke Schön., No real resolutions other than continuing to improve into the new year.
It seems like ages since you last played for the then Deutsche Bank Skyliners. Since then you have played three years in Italy, in Romania and Holland. Have you been back to Germany over the years besides when you played Eurochallenge against Oldenburg and BG Goettingen?
It does feel like years as I started my professional career in Germany. Unfortunately I have not been back to visit but have very fond memories of my time in Germany as well as some of the great people I met while there.
Tony Meier (CEZ Basketball Nymburk) Poland Was The Turning Point In My Career Where I Realized I Could Make This A Long Term Profession
Tony Meier is a 26 year od 206cm forward from Wildwood, Missouri playing his third professional season and first with CEZ Basketball Nymburk (Czech Republic-NBL). He started his basketball career in 2008 with Wisc.-Milwaukee (NCAA) where he played until 2012 playing a total of 118 NCAA games and as a senior played 27 games averaging 11.0ppg, 4.9rpg, FGP: 60.4%, 3PT: 40.3%, FT: 68.1%. He started his professional basketball career in 2013 with Frankston Blues (Australia-SEABL): 3 games: 18.7ppg, 5.0rpg, 2FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 23.1%, FT: 75.0%. He then came to Europe and played the 2013-2014 season with Vitoria, SC / M.Couto Alves Guimaraes (Portugal-LPB) playing 33 games averaging 14.8ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 60.6%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT: 82.0%. In the 2014-2015 season he played for Polpharma Starogard Gdanski (Poland-TBL) playing 30 games averaging 14.1ppg, 6.2rpg, FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 42.3%, FT: 82.0%. He spoke to German Hoops before the Champions League game against the Fraport Skyliners.
Tony thanks for talking to German Hoops. 2017 is here and have you made any basketball new years resolutions?
Thanks so much for talking with me as well. The new year is definitely an exciting time and I was fortunate enough to have a pretty decent holiday break this season but our team had a great start to the year and finished strong right before the break as well so I just hope to keep that momentum going and do everything we can to make it a great full season.
You are playing your first season with CEZ Basketball Nymburk (Czech Republic-NBL). You are playing for the best basketball team in the Czech Republic. What is the best example that shows you that this is the countries most prestigious team?
I am definitely lucky and grateful to be a part of an organization of this caliber. From the first day I arrived here in Nymburk the management and staff has been nothing short of professional. Walking into the gym and seeing all the championship banners on the wall from the past 13 seasons made me feel proud to be here and it’s just exciting to be a part of. Our fans are great and each and every opponent in the Czech league shows up to play their best game of the season against us, which I take as a compliment and a welcome challenge.
DJ Bennett (Mitteldeutscher BC) Our Commitment To Each Other And Our High Work Ethic Has Separated Us From Other Teams
DJ Bennett is a 203cm forward from Chicago, Illinois that is playing his second professional season and first with the Mitteldeutscher BC. As a rookie he played with the BSW Sixers Sandersdorf (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 18 games averaging 15.3ppg, 8.7ppg, 2.3bpg, FGP: 66.9%, FT: 67.9%. He started his basketball career with Indian Hills CC (JUCO) and moved to Oklahoma (NCAA) in 2013 where he stayed two years playing a total of 61 NCAA games and reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2015. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.
This was your second time in Germany and you once again took in the pre Christmas time. You spent last season in the small Sandersdorf and this season in Weissenfels. What have you learned to appreciate about this time of year in Germany?
Being in this part of Germany much like Sandersdorf I’ve learned to appreciate the fans, they always go out of their way to keep showing is support and having small events for us for the holidays, the fans are definitely a big part of this teams success.
Basketball life is very good in Weissenfels as the Mitteldeutscher BC is dominating the league at 15-1. Is everything perfect in MBC country?
I am grateful to be part of such a great team but it’s a long way from perfect, we always have small things that we can do better and we compete every day in practice to make sure we are ready for whoever we face next, I think what separated us from others teams is our commitment to each other and our high work ethic.
German Hoops 