Jermel Kennedy is a 27 year old 201cm forward from Toronto Canada that is currently playing with the Worcester Wolves (United Kingdom-BBL). Last season he played with Last season he played for Cocinas.com CB Clavijo Logrono (Spain-LEB Gold) playing 30 games averaging 5.6ppg, 3.1rpg, FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 16.0%, FT: 75.4%. Two seasons ago he played for AB Contern (Luxembourg-Total League), in Oct.’14 signed at Porvoon Tarmo (Finland-1st Division) playing 28 games averaging 18.0ppg, 9.3rpg, 2.7apg, Steals-2(2.3spg), FGP: 58.4%, 3PT: 24.7%, FT: 72.9%. He played his rookie season in the German Pro B with TV Langen in 2013-2014 where he played 24 games averaging 16.5ppg, 7.2rpg, 2.0apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 58.4%, 3PT: 23.3%, FT: 78.1%. He started his basketball career in 2008 with Iowa Central Community College (NJCAA) playing 26 games: 4.3ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP:47.3%, FT: 57.1%. In 2009-2010, he played for Volunteer State Community College (NJCAA) playing  27 games: 11.7ppg, 8.2rpg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 26.0%, FT: 83.0%. He finished his college basketball career at Lander in 2012 playing two seasons there and as a senior played  27 games: 11.0ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.2spg, FGP: 66.1%, FT: 70.5%. In 2013 he was drafted by Moncton Miracles (NBL Canada,1rd(6). He spoke to German Hoops before the game against London.

 

Jermel thanks for talking to German Hoops. It´s been a while since we last spoke in the summer of 2015. Since then you played in the Spain Leb Gold and now playing for the Worcester Wolves in the BBL in England. It may not be the BBL in Germany, but how blessed are you to be playing in this league?

Hey Miles appreciate you having me. I’m just grateful to be here and continue to do what I love that’s all its about Miles.

This will be your first Easter weekend in the UK plus you will be playing against the London Lions. What kind of Easter weekend on and off the court are you anticipating?

I’m expecting an eventful weekend hopefully taking care of business and keeping our win streak alive would be great. My sister is also visiting so I got a few things planned for her to see this weekend.

Currently the Worcester Wolves are one of the hottest team in the UK BBL having a 10 game winning streak. How good basketball life for you at the moment?

You know it’s going great we haven’t lost in over a month and things seem to be going very well for us. I feel like we have figured it out guys understand their roles a bit better this half of the season.

What has been the biggest reason for the turnaround of the Worcester Wolves in the last 2 months? It seems like offensively the team has had no off nights or major slip ups?

I believe it’s our selfless play that we have taken more serious this part of the season the ball is moving more now and guys are getting more comfortable with sharing the ball more and understanding that it will come back to them.

You aren´t the main scoring option like in Langen or Finland, but third in scoring and second in rebounding. How has this role of being an important player, but not the most important player helped your game?

You know you can’t be batman everywhere you play lol. I don’t mind not being the main focus recognizing that and adjusting to that fact has come from experience. I just try to do my job as coach wants me to.

You are averaging 13,3ppg, 7,3rpg and 3,3apg in 35 minutes and really filling up the tat sheet and showing your versatility. How content have you been with your season?

I think I’m playing pretty solid I’m content with my performance thus far. Winning comes first I’m not worried about the numbers. My whole game has always been being versatile and showing my presence in different aspects on the floor and I believe I have achieved that this season.

 

Has it been much of a transition coming from the Spanish Leb Gold league? Which league the leb Gold or BBL in the UK is the better level and has the more skilled players?

There wasn’t much of a transition here we just have a bit more freedom compared to the system heavy basketball in Spain. It’s hard to say what’s better the styles are very different.

You are filling up the stat sheet and really doing much in 35 minutes time, but do you at times feel like you could be doing more in the scoring department?

I believe I could score a bit more but I believe for us to be more successful the role I’ve taken makes everyone on the floors job a bit easier which spreads out the workload.

Your shot selection is great. Your shooting 59% from the two point line and 41% from outside showing you haven´t been rushing shots or just firing away. Has this patience and shot selection IQ come with experience or did you change something up this season?

My main goal every game and every possession is to make the correct basketball play. One thing my experience has taught me especially my time in Spain is that you’re not going to get a volume of shots shooting 15-20 shots in other leagues is unrealistic so I am trying to maintain this habit and it has been working out well. You have to be able to work with 5-10 shots a game maybe. So I try to take good shots when they are available also trying to be efficient as possible.

 

How much of a joy has it been playing with fellow Canadian Maurice Walker. Has your friendship grown over the course of the season and what do you enjoy most about his game?

It’s been great playing with Mo he’s really a competitor and he’s easy to play with. He’s a really good teammate. My favourite part about his game is his ability to get position around the rim and finish relatively easy. He understands where he needs to be and when and how to finish very well

He must be playing with a chip on his shoulder after having a solid 11 and 6 senior year and playing NBA Summer League seems to have been of most radars as a professional. You are also a guy that continues to work yourself up the professional basketball ladder. Have you guys had some special conversations over the course of the season about your dreams and where you want to be headed in the next years?

He plays with a certain fire I can’t deny that and we’ve been mainly focusing on finishing this season so we haven’t gotten to those conversations yet

After two strong seasons in lower leagues in Finlad and Uruguay, you played last season in the strongest league yet in Spain with Cocinas.com CB Clavijo Logrono (Spain-LEB Gold) where you averaged 5.6ppg, 3.1rpg, FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 16.0%, FT: 75.4%. When you look back at the season do you feel as if you could have honestly have been more of an impact player in this league?

I feel like I can be an impact anywhere I play unfortunately that situation was a bit different and I didn’t get the chance to display what I’m capable of which I hold myself 100% accountable of.

What kind of learning experience was your time in Spain last season. How do you feel did your game progress there that has helped you make the next step in England?

I definitely took a lot of positives from that experience. Basketball there is very tactical so I got to see the ins and outs of team breakdowns, player breakdowns in a different perspective. I see the floor much better now and much of that has to do with understanding what to look for.

Does the 2013-2014 season with TV Langen seem like a very very distant experience or can you still remember how you dominated there?

Playing in Germany still feels like yesterday to me but when I really think about it, it was quite a long time ago, time really flies on you.

 

You have been in many countries, but could you imagine coming back to Germany? You have the game for the Pro A, but has your game developed further for the German BBL?

I can see myself playing in Germany again if the opportunity presents itself and looks like something to pursue I’m all for it. Like I said previously I can make an impact anywhere I play so the German BBL I feel equally as confident about.

Your ex teammate Martnis Woody seems to have retired and is back home in South Carolina. When you look back at your rookie season, how did he help you most as a rookie that you didn´t release back in 2014 or possibly 2015, but now as a seasoned veteran in 2017 have come aware of?

Woody did a good job of explaining to me how to manage my expectations of things and not letting everything get to me. He knew that everything isn’t going to be how you want it and he took most things like a grain of salt. I understand that more now when I observe other first year Pros and they take minuscule things to serious not realizing there’s going to be 7-8 months of this.

What are your summer plans? Will you visit some place that you have never been to?

I am not to sure my summer’s tend to be very unpredictable I can say I’ll be at home in Canada and my social media might have me somewhere else you might need to check up on me about that one later Miles haha

What will be on the summer training agenda list and be the biggest priority for you to work on and improve?

My emphasis this summer will be putting on some more size. This is probably the lightest I’ve been and I think I can add some more weight and see how I manage and also gain some more strength in the process I think I can be more effective this way

What is your current opinion on Boston Celtic Isaiah Thomas? Is he a bona fide NBA top 5 guard at the moment or do the Celts need to make a huge run in the playoffs to solidify that?

I think he’s great he’s definitely showed that you can’t take him lightly regardless of size and the playoffs would only further confirm this

Recently Devin Booker hit the Boston Celtics with 70 points. Is he a guy that you would have predicted him doing this or did it surprise you more?

I don’t think anyone could have predicted that but he’s has a great skill set and huge potential he’s going to be a household name in a few years

How special was the run of South Carolina at the 2017 NCAA tournament? Do you feel like this was the story of March Madness 2017`?

To be honest I didn’t watch any college basketball this season the time difference makes that difficult

Now that the 2017 NCAA tournament is history, what do you concentrate most on? Are the NBA playoffs and MLB seasons something that you will follow?

I will be following the NBA playoffs most likely in curious to see how things play out since everyone has their predictions

Is Lonzo Ball the real thing? Do you feel like he will be able to develop further despite the antics of his father on social media?

 Lonzo is very talented I don’t let his dad’s words cloud my judgement hopefully everyone feels the same

There has been criticism of Russell Westbrook to be focusing more on rebounding to help inflate his stats and possibilities of getting triple doubles instead of focusing on his defensive assignments. Do you feel that this is a fair assessment to the player Russell Westbrook?

I believe his team understands that they’re more successful when he gets a triple double so they do aid him a bit I think but if it makes them more successful I don’t see any problem with it

What was the last movie that you saw?

John Wick 2.

Thanks Jermel for the Chat.