The basketball offseason is already in full swing and sometimes a simple dream can lead to some healthy, but speculative thinking about what could happen down the road of basketball. Or as Eddie Murphy loved saying in his popular 90´s talk show “Things that make you go hmmmmmmmm”. In the NBA the speculation buzz in the off season at times seems like a circus with no ending as this summer people will be talking about the possibility of Kemba Walker being in Boston Celtics and Kyrie Irving being in Brooklyn and if the Los Angeles Lakers deal for Anthony Davis will pan out. In European basketball, the off season basketball transaction speculation is already buzzing just as much as the tabloids have been in the states about ex Baseball muscle man Jose Canseco looking for publicity and tattling on other ex MLB muscle man Alex Rodriguez and Jennefer Lopez. Many will wonder will CSKA Moscow continue to keep their amazing roster intact for added titles next season, where will basketball legend Rick Pitino land next and who will be the next wave of NBA players to press their luck in Europe. In the German basketball scene there is speculation as well, but maybe not as wide spread as in other European countries like Greece or Turkey, but it is alive. One will be wondering if Alba Berlin can rebound from their disappointing 2019 final sweep loss to FC Bayern Munich and will Franz Wagner remain or go to the NCAA. Some will wonder how the roster of Brose Bamberg will develop and if Paris Lee can replace Tyrese Rice and in Munich there will always be names thrown into the speculation talk the way as there will always be talk about if Tom Brady will be capable of winning another Super Bowl. I will refrain from making any more Munich predictions after going 0/2 the last two summers with Kyle Kuric in 2017 and Philip Scrubb in 2018. Back in March 2019 for some reason I dreamt that Pedro Calles was head coach of the Fraport Skyliners, but then I woke up. I wrote this article back in March and couldn´t bring it since the Skyliners coaching spot was unresolved, but finally some light came into the picture. The club named Skyliners Pro B coach Sebastian Gleim head coach who has made a name as an excellent coach in the youth area who has helped develop guys like Isaac Bonga, Niklas Kiel and teenagers Len Schoormann and Maxi Begue. It is official now that Gordon Herbert will coach this season and next season in Canada but also be with the Fraport Skyliners in 2020-2021. Herbert is associate head coach for the World Cup this summer assisting 2019 NBA champion Nick Nurse and in his second year will be head coach for the 2021 Fiba Americas Cup qualifiers while also coaching Frankfurt again. “I´m real excited about combining the associate head coach and head coach job with Canada. Canada has a lot of potential. It is a great opportunity for me to learn from Nick Nurse and grow as a coach”, stressed Gordon Herbert. With the head coaching job resolved in Frankfurt, it still is interesting to wonder what would happen if Pedro Calles coached in Frankfurt one day. Calles will coach in Vechta again, but surely would have looked good as well coaching in Frankfurt.

Before talking about what kind of head coach could bring success to the Fraport Skyliners, one can´t forget the accomplishments that Canadian Gordon Herbert has given the organization. The club has three titles in their 20 year existence and two of them with the 2004 BBL title and 2016 Fiba Europe Cup were produced by the guidance of Herbert. He could of won a third title in 2010 had the club had a few more bounces and breaks go their way in the deciding fifth game in Bamberg. Herbert has coached 11 seasons in Frankfurt starting in 2001 to 2004. He returned in 2010 in April to take over for Turk Murat Didin and led the team to the BBL final and returned back in 2013 after a short stay with Alba Berlin. His record has been almost immaculate as he led the team to eight playoff appearances and a lot of joy over the years with titles and bringing in unforgettable players and helping develop Johannes Voigtmann and Danilo Barthel into Euroleague players and Isaac Bonga into an NBA player. Who knows, but his protogee Elijath Clarance from last season is a player where the sky is the limit and could be that next Euroleague or NBA player. One of the biggest strengths of the 1984 Olympian has been making very good teams with limited resources in the money department. He has shown time in and time out to have that fascinating ability of being able to get the most out of his players and knowing how to develop and motivating them to make the next step. Of course one can´t forget his faithful side kick Klaus Perwas who has been a huge help with his unrelentless work with the young German talents and making them better each season. Another big strength of Herbert has been having the ability of finding the right impact players to help the team be successful. His ability to find those players is similar to a magician never failing to present the right surprise from his pockets. Already early in his career, he knew that an unknown Tyrone Ellis who played in the NAIA would be the right fit or the athletic beast Chris Williams could do more than just dunk in Australia where he found the American trying to be noticed by European teams. In his second go around he brought in risk player Dashaun Wood who had been out a whole season due to injury, but returned to an MVP season. He also brought in a Justin Cobbs that turned the season from worse to good in 2014-2015 and in 2015 found an unproven Jordan Theodore who had never had winning success as a professional, but came to Frankfurt and led the team to a title in 2016. But Herbert told me a secret last week that he can´t take the credit alone for having the right feeling and elite scouting ability for getting these players. But the talent runs in the family as current assistant coach Daniel Herbert has been vital for these players coming to Frankfurt. “In 2010, I was offered Kyle Hines, but I thought he was too small and chose Joe Dabbert. Three weeks later Hines was signed by Chris Fleming in Bamberg In Berlin I was offered Marcus Slaughter, but thought he was too skinny and took Torin Francis. My son watched Wood and Theodore on film and watched Shavon Shields and Taj Webster at Portsmouth. He has a good eye for talent”, stressed Gordon Herbert. Only the number 11 hangs high in the Fraport arena as fans will never forget the accomplishments of 2005 European silver medalist Pascal Roller, but if Gordon Herbert had a number, then his would be hanging next to his ex player someday. Herbert is without a doubt the greatest coach the Fraport Skyliners have had in their 20 year existence Thank you Gordon Herbert for many great memories and everyone is thrilled that he will return back to Frankfurt in 2020.

                So why could Pedro Calles be the perfect candidate to coach in Frankfurt had their been an opening for him? Before we began to observe the interesting parallel´s between him and Gordon Herbert rise early in their career´s after their first success one has to look at what Pedro Calles has achieved in Vechta. What makes this story so amazing is that Calles not only came from Spain, a country that doesn´t send Germany much in terms of basketball talent, but rather yummy fruit in winter so there will be added vitamins in the cold and a few less germs and sick kids going to school. Over the years seeing Spanish faces in the German easyCredit BBL has been rare. Last season Pro B team VFL Sparkassen Bochum introduced two interesting players who had played in the Spanish fourth divisions EBA and Alba Berlin pulled a Gordon Herbert in terms of pulling out the right ace from their sleeve by bringing in head coach Aito who has totally turned around the organization into a massive winning culture that believes in developing it´s young German´s and displaying breathtaking team basketball and helped make Joschiko Saibu into probably the most improved BBL player ever. Pedro Calles has been in Germany since 2012, but if someone was in a closet before this season would never have noticed. I follow German basketball closely and remember seeing Pedro Calles for the first time in the 2012-2013 season when he was an athletic coach for the Artland Dragons. I remember being fascinated seeing a Spanish face at a German basketball game. I was also amazed how young he looked. He seemed like he could still have been a university student, but back in 2013 he had already turned 30 and had somewhere been blessed by being touched by the fountain of youth. Six years later, he hasn´t aged much and possibly is a cousin or relative of actor Mario Lopez who actually is 10 years older than Calles and at age 45 and found the same fountain of youth. Calles remained in Germany and after moving up to assistant coach with Artland and getting two years of experience in the German basketball shark tank then quietly found a new home in Vechta in 2015 and worked diligently and successfully as an assistant coach for Andreas Wagner and Doug Spradley. He took over late in the 2017-2018 season for Spradley leading Vechta to the Pro A title and last season was the master mind behind the Vechta Cinderella story. With the club´s success and his rise, one could already say now and the rest is history. He led the club to a semi-final appearance beating Brose Bamberg and then being swept by FC Bayern Munich. Rasta Vechta has given the name over performance a new name and the biggest reason for the success isn´t the players, but head coach Pedro Calles. It would be interesting how other coaches would have faired with this roster, but not everyone would have been able to lead the club to this success. Calles is a very special coach just the way Gordon Herbert is. Herbert has been very aware of the success of Calles and observed his work last season closely. “He was the man behind the Cinderella season. I think there were three things key to their success. He got the players to play hard and together. He also got them to understand their roles. They played aggressive on the defensive end and always played with great tempo. It is tough to say how he would do in Frankfurt if he ever got the chance. Let us see how he does in his second season with Rasta Vechta”, stressed Gordon Herbert.

It seems the Spaniard is living a charmed life, because everyone is enchanted by his basketball mind, character and success. It didn´t take new Vechta player Tyrone Nash long before being infected by the unbelievable success of his coach. “For being a ‘young’ coach and with this being his first head coaching position, his intensity, passion and knowledge of the game is remarkable to me as a player. He pushes each of us to get the best out of each individual player. As long as we play hard, he gives us the freedom to play our game. As players, we really appreciate that”, stressed ex Notre Dame(NCAA) forward Tyrone Nash. Rasta Vechta started off slow losing it´s first three games and the early season warning signs that the club didn´t have the abilities to play with competitive BBL teams came about, but then as suddenly as the New England Patriots rebounded from being back 28-3 in Super Bowl LI to win 34-28 in one of sports greatest comebacks of all-time, it went bang bang bang for Vechta as they reeled off 15 wins in 17 games as a new German basketball Cinderella story was born. The club scored 87 points per game and belong to the top five defenses in the BBL. They like to play a press, but also annoy the ball handler with a sudden double team surprise and then have the rest of the players sneak into the passing lanes. That was a massive recipe for defensive success this season. There are teams in the easyCredit BBL that will never beat a FC Bayern Munich or Alba Berlin, but what new team in the BBL can say they beat Alba Berlin, FC Bayern Munich and Brose Bamberg in one season?. Vechta did this and surely had some people giving that Mccauley Culkin expression. The success in Vechta was a huge surprise for many and the fact that they beat these three top teams in one season is an unbelievable feat. Not too mention winning in Freak City was an unheard thing to do only a few years ago under Chris Fleming and even now not an easy task. Rasta Vechta were the feel good story of the BBL season and as always when you ask his players about the biggest reason for the success, the name Pedro Calles is always mentioned. “Pedro has been the biggest reason for the success of this club. From his ability to capture his players, to his coaching philosophy, to the way he approaches the game, he is the ultimate professional. Our guys love playing for him and as you can see, we play extremely hard under his leadership. It’s been cool to watch him grow as a head coach this season. I’m glad we are able to be apart it with him”, warned ex Tiger Tuebingen guard Josh Young. But then again those that are very close to the organization don´t see the success as a big surprise.”  I don’t think anyone who knows Pedro is surprised that he has been successful thus far. He has been the reason for all of it. His coaching philosophy and principles are what make this team go. Pedro is passionate about basketball and wants the best for each one of us. He makes the game fun and challenges us to improve every day. It’s easy to play for a coach like that“, stressed Rasta Vechta guard Seth Hinrichs.

                When looking at the current position that Pedro Calles has one has to mention a Gordon Herbert. There are a lot of parallel´s that the two basketball coaches share. After getting his first real coaching experience with Tapiolan Honka (Finland) in the 90´s, Herbert then made the next step with Oberwart (Austria) achieving coach of the year in 2000. He made the next jump with DJK S. Oliver Wurzburg (Germany) in 2000 and had his first taste of success in the BBL. There he was able to help develop young Germans like Demond Greene, Robert Garrett and Marvin Willoughby In 2001 he made his next step to the Fraport Skyliners and in a matter of three years won the organizations second title in only five years. Even if Herbert had more coaching experience and was older than a Calles is now, the way the Canadian jumped to a bigger club Frankfurt is similar to Calles´s situation. No matter what happens next for the Spaniard, he will be ready for that next step. Calles has a two year contract with Rasta Vechta and will coach one more year there, but what will happen then? Another parallel in Herbert´s and Calles coaching ways is that character stands above everything else. The best example is Chris Carter. He belonged for years as a top guard in the Pro A, but didn´t get the amount of minutes he could have in the BBL. Despite this, he was always in attack mode for more minutes, but at the same time was the utmost professional about his relationship to his coach. “It has been a tough adjustment for me when I look at last year to this year in terms of playing time but to me this first BBL season is a marathon, not a sprint. I am a person who works hard every day and I will not stop working. Things have been going in the right direction for me over the last 6 weeks so I am just trying to keep building on that day by day. Well I haven’t accepted my role. I am working every day to improve my minutes and show everyone that I belong here. I try to work on having a strong mentality and let my work ethic build my confidence. He is a great coach and I have a lot of respect for the way he handles himself and the team. He wants to bring the best out of you day in and day out. You can tell that he takes his job seriously because he is the first one in and last one out which is what you want to see from your head coach. I hope we keep winning and he gets COY because it will be well deserved”, stressed Rasta Vechta guard Chris Carter during last season. Another parallel is that both coaches have had a big desire to develop young German players. Herbert has proven that with players like Johannes Voigtmann, Danilo Barthel, Isaac Bonga and Niklas Kiel. In Vechta Calles has loved to give minutes to Philipp Herkenhof and Luc Van Slooten. Especially Herkenhof is on a fine way to becoming a very good BBL player and his future surely is in the German national team. Herkenhof could be the next Danilo Barthel.

            Another parallel is that both coaches believe in producing a strong defense and then getting out on the fast break leading to easy points. Rasta Vechta have had to display an aggressive defense day in and day out, because they don´t have the needed length and size to bang down low. Character has already been mentioned and a very important aspect in the philosophies of both coaches. Herbert has demonstrated time in and time out by bringing in good character players and Calles showed this season that he has the same ability. He showed his strong confidence in his players. So often one can witness after a team wins a title and moves up not having the classy side and keeping and rewarding the players, but releasing them and finding new possibly stronger and more experienced players. That wasn´t the case with Calles. He kept Josh Young, Chris Carter, Seth Hinrichs and German Robin Christen. For many other coaches a huge risk as only one of the four had BBL experience and that was many years ago with Josh Young. He believed in them and they came through big time no matter how many minutes they got or not as the most important thing wasn´t their ego, but team. The two biggest Calles pick ups were TJ Bray and Austin Hollins. Hollins had a solid first BBL season with Giessen, but who would have guessed that he would take off so much in his second season? Calles had the right feeling and it paid off. I wonder what Giessen was thinking about not keeping Hollins? Possibly the biggest signing in the BBL and biggest surprise was TJ Bray. Nobody except for Calles and John Patrick would have believed that he would take off and have such an amazing season. He was a candidate for MVP. This also shows another parallel in both Herbert and Calles as both understand not only how to scout properly with a limited budget, but also how to build a potent team despite limited resources.

            Pedro Calles will continue to have numerous offers in the future not only in Germany, but also from other countries. You can be sure that many Spanish teams will already have asked Aito where this Calles guy came from. Calles is on the radar of many teams. Calles will continue to go up the basketball ladder in the next years the same way Gordon Herbert did. For years there was that special Canadian/Finish flair in the Fraport arena and in the BCM, but having that youthful Spanish flair could also be a refreshing new thing in the Fraport arena. But then again I only dreamt that Pedro Calles was the head coach of the Fraport Skyliners which in reality was just a harmless dream and nothing more. Calles won´t be in Frankfurt this season, but now Sebastian Gleim will have one of many special challenges next season against Vechta and Calles. In Frankfurt eyes won´t be on Calles this season, but on Gleim in his first BBL season. Gordon Herbert will also have him under his wing and is confident that he will adjust well in his new job. “Sebastian is in a real good situation in Frankfurt. There is a real good infrastructure and basketball culture there. The Frankfurt organization is fantastic and with Klaus Perwas he has one of the best assistants in the league. He has a great group of young Germans and he is highly organized and motivated. I feel very confident in him moving forward”, warned Gordon Herbert. Pedro Calles is still head coach of Rasta Vechta. I´m sure Rasta Vechta fans won´t mind if I have another dream of Pedro Calles next summer dreaming he will remain head coach there. My dream most likely will be outlasted by reality, but at least Calles will give fans in Vechta fond memories for a long time.

Carlton Guyton is a 28 year old 193cm guard from Richton Park, Illinois that finished his seventh professional season with the Hamburg Towers (Germany-ProA) helping them move up to the easyCredit BBL playing 21 games averaging 8.7ppg, 2.2rpg, 3.0apg, FGP: 47.9%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 74.3%. He has played most of his career in Germany playing with the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig (BBL), two seasons with Gotha (Pro A) and a season with Team Ehingen (Pro A). he also has gathered experience in the G-League, Sweden with the White Eagles Stockholm (Sweden-Basketligan), UCC Assigeco Piacenza (Italy-Serie A2) and Rethymno Cretan Kings (Greece-A1). He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball. 

Carlton thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you at the moment?

No problem at all, thank you! I’m currently back home. As far as basketball life goes, I can’t complain at all. I’m in the lab grinding. 

Congrats on winning the Pro A title with the Hamburg Towers. How blessed do you feel now having made the right step and going there during the middle of the season? 

Thank you! I’m extremely blessed to have joined the Towers. Couldn’t ask for a better group of guys, coaches, and management . 

How quickly did you know that you had arrived in a special place in Hamburg? From the top with Marvin Willoughby and head coach Mike Taylor going all the way down the ladder with your teammates, fans and city how special was the basketball culture with the Hamburg Towers?

I knew from day one that Hamburg was a great place. I was already familiar with the great fans after playing there previously. It’s really a great atmosphere to play in, some of the best fans in Germany. They really come out and support every night!

The Hamburg Towers played an unforgettable and exciting final series with Nurnberg. After losing the first game by three points, you won the deciding game by five points and title. How intense was the whole atmosphere leading between games?

It was very intense leading up to that game. I have to take my hat off to Nurnberg, they played an incredible season & were well coached. But we knew what was at stake and we had to get it done. We didn’t want to lose the championship at home in front of our fans! 

What kind of self confidence and mentality did the team have going into the last game? How sure were you that you would win the title as a club? 

You can never be 100% sure. You just have to go out there and give it your all on every possession. But I believe everyone was confident and knew we had leave it all out on the court. 

The Hamburg Towers were very tough in the final game and never allowed Nurnberg over the hump in the fourth quarter. What was key for winning the game?

I’ll have to credit it to our defense & guys stepping up making plays. Like I said we knew it wouldn’t be easy just had to fight to until the very end. 

The Nurnberg Falcons played an amazing and unforgettable season. Nobody had them on the list to move up to the easyCredit BBL. What did you appreciate most about their play?

I really appreciate their versatility! They were a well balanced team with young talent and vets. I really felt like they knew their identity as a team. 

Let’s talk about the Hamburg Towers season. You came at the start of 2019 and right away lost three of five games. If someone had told you then that the club would win the Pro A title four months later what would you have thought? 

As crazy as it may sound, yes! It’s all about how you finish! Our goal was to win the title and in January we weren’t playing our best basketball. 

From then on the club had two three game winning streaks and two two game losing streaks. Why was the club a bit up and down in the last months? 

We lost a couple close ones and we weren’t at full strength! We were really short handed those couple of months. 

The Hamburg Towers lost the last two regular season games to Chemnitz and Tuebingen. With what kind of mind set did the club go into the playoffs. Did Mike Taylor do anything special or different that got the team mentally ready for tough series against Rostock and Chemnitz? 

Going into to the playoffs it’s a new season. Every team has a fresh start 0-0, so our goal was to get six wins. Mike and Benka did a great job of having us prepared for the playoffs. I wouldn’t say we did anything different. 

How big was the spectacular game four 98-96 win over Chemnitz? Was that the turning point of the playoffs which helped the team make the last push to the title? 

That game was huge for us, it kept our season and goals alive. I think winning at Chemnitz may have been the turning point to finally realize we could win it all. 

What did you appreciate most about having the opportunity to strap on the Hamburg Towers jersey? Was there one experience in your time that you will for always hold on tight to?

The family atmosphere! I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys! No egos! Everyone had one ultimate goal! 

How special was it playing for Mike Taylor. Was he a coach that gave even when it looked most bleak could get some positively to any difficult situation? How key was his unbelievable emotion that he gives during tough times?

Mike is the most positive and encouraging coach I’ve ever played for. It’s a special thing to have a coach like him, seriously. You don’t come across many coaches that are positive ALL the time and in any situation. During the tough times you know Mike 100% belief in everyone he puts out on the court.

Let’s talk about your teammates. How special was it playing with American Andrew Barham? How key was it having him on board for the success and what could you learn from him this season most? 

Drew is one of the best shooters I’ve ever played with, he can really fill it up. Having him on the court is another guy you can’t help off, in return it opened the court up for me. I feel like I learned more things off the court from Drew that I’ll carry with me the rest of my life. 

How challenging was it having the day to day battles with Tevonn Walker? How key was it having another sniper on the floor for your game? 

T is one of the best defenders I’ve come across. Battling him every day in practice only made me better. He was huge for us the entire year. He’s a guy you know you can count on to bring in 110% every night. 

You had some physical big men with Germans Freese and Raffington, but describe a bit how important the versatility of Beau Beech was and how his presence on the floor made a huge difference?Beau!!!!! I call him point forward lol. Having him on the court made it easier for me and all of the guards. A big that can stretch the floor the way he can, rebound, and rise to the occasion when we need him most. 

How did you see the development of young German Justus Hollatz? What kind of interactions did you have with him and how did you help him best with his game? 

When I first got to Hamburg he was out so I didn’t really get to see him play. Then when he returned to the court I was hurt lol. So my first real interaction with him was during the playoffs . I told him to be confident and play your game. 

Let’s talk about your game. You have had a rise up the basketball ladder in recent years moving from the Pro A to BBL with Braunschweig, then had a strong season in Italy, but this season had misfortune in Greece, but had a happy ending in Hamburg. Despite winning the Pro A title, how do you rate this season in terms of making strides. Do you see the Pro A season just as another valuable experience and not a step back considering you made your mark in the BBL two years ago? 

I wouldn’t consider it a step back at all. I knew when signing to Hamburg there would be a little criticism about going back to the ProA. But I think it was a great decision. I was able to play under a great coach, with great teammates and fans. I was also able to build relationships that will last a lifetime. 

You played 21 games averaging 8,7ppg, 2,8rpg and 3,0apg and shot 39% from outside. How content were you with your season?

Never content! I can always improve and be better. But If I can walk away with a championship every season I’m satisfied! Winning is the only thing that matters to me, not my personal stats. 

Your minutes were up and down as was your scoring. How tough was this season for you mentally and was it tough getting used to your role? 

I wouldn’t say it was tough, just had to adjust to a new situation. But that’s expected when joining a new team in the middle of the season. I know everyone is used to me scoring and playing a lot of minutes, but my role was different on this team. The ultimate goal is to win, no matter how it’s done. 

Despite the up and down minutes how do you feel did you develop further with the Hamburg Towers? How vital was the team’s season success for your game?

I was able to develop as a leader and as a point guard. This year was my first time playing point guard primarily. 

You have been a very consistent three pointer shooter your whole career. Is there any other ways in the last years that you have been able to make strides with your shot that didn’t only involve reps and shot selection? 

I would say confidence. Confidence is key! You’re going to have bad shooting nights or may experience a slump. Remain confident & believe in yourself. 

What was your personal favorite game with the Hamburg Towers? Your 29 points in the game four win against Rostock or your 28 points in the game five win over Chemnitz?

The game against Chemnitz for sure. Simply because that was for all the marbles. It was for everything we worked all season for. Plus it was on the road in front of a hostile crowd.

What is the next step for you? Could you imagine remaining in Hamburg or would you consider going to a new country and culture? 

I have no clue at the moment. I would love to stay in Hamburg, but who knows.

On what things will you continue to work on in the lab this summer as you continue to improve as a player? 

This summer I’ll focus on my body! Then fine tune everything else!

Please list your all-time best starting five of teammates 

Hahaha you’re trying to get me killed I see. That’s too tough to decide, I’ve played with some great guys. 

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the Pro A this season? 

Played against a lot of great players this past season. But one that stands out the most would have to be Malte. Simply because he can get hot at any moment and run off 2 or 3 three pointers. He also did a great job of drawing fouls. 

Please name your personal NBA Rushmore old or new?

In no particular order MJ, LeBron, Magic, Kobe, & its tough to pick a last one lol. Maybe I’ll go with Shaq 

What is your personal opinion about the never ending debate of who is the greatest Michael Jordan or Lebron James? 

I think it’s great for conversation, but in the end it’s a tough debate. They have two different games and played in two different era’s. But I’m personally going with Big Mike! 

What was the last movie that you saw?

Toy Story 4!

Thanks Carlton for the chat.

 Kevin Franceschi is a 25 year old 190cm guard from Argenteuil, France that completed his second professional basketball season and first in Germany with Pro B team BBC Coburg averaging 15,3ppg, 4,4rpg and 2,4apg. Last season as a rookie he played with BEHAPPY2 – CB Myrtia (Spain-LEB Silver) playing 30 games averaging 9.8ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 49.2%, 3PT: 31.1%, FT: 62.2%. In the states he played with three schools with Weatherford JC (JUCO) playing 9 games averaging 5.6ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 37.5%, 3PT: 10.5%, FT: 22.2%, UMKC (NCAA) playing 25 games averaging 2.6ppg and with Oklah.Baptist (NCAA2) playing 22 games averaging 13.9ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 38.9%, 3PT: 21.5%, FT: 82.7%. He spoke to germanhoops.com at the end of the season in Germany.

Kevin thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you at the moment?

A pleasure again. I’m back in France, enjoying the family for a few days before taking off to the states. Working out, life is good.

What was the first eatery you visited when you returned home after being in Germany for 7 months?

My mum’s kitchen, ahah. Always the same when I get back home after a while, my mum takes good care of me. Morrocan food.

After playing your first season in Germany for BBC Coburg what did you learn to appreciate the most about the German culture and it’s basketball?

I really love Germany. People were great there, they love sports. German basketball was great also, a lot of intensity, People are just very professional overall there. I want to thank Matt Haufer again for the opportunity to come to Germany!

It was a tough season for BBC Coburg, but it was saved and remained in the Pro B. If someone had told you at the beginning of September that BBC Coburg would have to fight at the end of the season in the Playdowns what would you have thought?

I always aim for the playoffs and winning, so no I didn’t expect that. Our season was tough, we didn’t make the playoffs by one win, and we lost to Erfurt by 1 point twice. I know for a fact that once in the playoffs we could’ve made a push. But that’s how you learn unfortunately.

Please give your summary of the season. It had three parts. The team began slowly losing 5 of it’s first 6 games, but then won 7 of 9 games only to close out the season losing 5 of 6 games and just missing the playoffs.

Yes you said it right, roller coaster. Bad start, great pace in the middle and bad finish. Everybody was aware of that at the end of the season. We had a change of dynamic when our big man left (Jason Penn) and Chase Adams came. Unfortunately we couldn’t play both together so Jason left.

Talk a little about how much fun it was playing basketball in the middle of the season where you won 7 of 9 games. T seemed like everything was working. You were scoring many points, allowing less points and even won two games in crunch-time.

Very fun. When you win life is great overall, players are happy, and the club/fans as well. We were rolling and went from bottom of the league to top 4. In game feeling was great, everybody was rolling and playing to their roles.

After the huge exciting 85-82 game against the wiha Panthers Schwenningen, the club folded losing 5 of it’s last six games. Was the team mentally tired or physically drained?

Big win against a top team in Germany yes. I personally think the team relaxed, we also had injuries and key players missed games, especially inside. So yes some players were mentally/physically tired I think. We had a team to beat anybody on any given night, we didn’t take care of the opportunity.

How satisfying was it closing out the season with a 4-2 record in the playdowns? Why do you feel could the team be more successful in this phase than at the end of the regular season?

It was great, we knew we could dominate that part of the season, and we couldn’t stay on the thought that we missed the playoffs, etc… and focus on these games.
As far as our postseason success, I think we realized we owe it to the club too, we can’t relax because there’s no real ‘reward’ in the playdowns, especially after game 2 when we secured the Pro B spot.

You had some big wins against Cologne 101-100 or 83-78 against the ScanPlus Baskets, but was the 85-82 win against the wiha Panthers the most memorable?

Probably yes, I think we’re the only team to beat them at their place with Leverkusen in 2 years. ScanPlus was also a huge win, tough game to win and it came down to crunch time on those 2 games. Loved it

What positives do you feel could the club get out of this season that will help them in their quest for success next season?

We had a better season than the previous season. We showed the potential of the club, fans were always behind us. Next season will be an even better season for BBC Coburg I believe.

Let’s talk about your teammates. How much of a joy was it playing with American Chase Adams? Did you discuss about your chips on your shoulders and who’s was bigger?

Chase Adams will finish in my mount rushmore of teammates when I’m done playing basketball. He was a big brother for me this year. We pushed each other every day, trash talking every practice. Coach put us on opposite teams 80% of the time. And yes we always inspired each other, he had a long route as well and was doubted, so we relate a lot. I was blessed to have 2 great point guards with Yasin Turan as well.

Would the team have been a playoff team had he have been there from the start of the season?

Probably yes, it’s hard to tell. But he definitely pushed the team to another height when he came.

How much of a pleasure was it being teammates with talented German Chris Wolf? Did you soak up some of his expertise shooting skills to add to yours?

I loved Chris Wolf, I clicked with him since day 1. Always plays hard and can do multiple things. Positive guy, everybody loved him there. And we battled on 3 point contests yes!

Talk a bit about the German veterans energy guys Dino Dizdarevic and Steffen Walde. How important where their presence for the success and what did you appreciate most about their games?

Dino and Steffen were great this year. It’s always good to have German players that can be effective and perform on a nightly basis around you, especially in their country. Steffen was a big voice of the team, always vocal and energetic/physical. They both were big pieces of the team.

You had a majority of older German guys in comparison to the younger guys, but what German player do you feel developed the most this season?

I would say Max Von der Wippel. He worked hard every day, in scenes and behind the scenes. And it showed. He became our main Option in the low post, rarely missed around the rim. Loved him as a teammate.

Let’s talk about your game. In our last interview you stressed that ‘I expect a lot about myself this season, I’m playing with a big chip on my shoulder, I worked really hard this summer. I am not thinking about any personal awards now, I’m just going to bring maximum intensity and give my team the best chances to compete in the playoffs’. Did you set to high expectations for yourself?

I don’t think so, like I said I don’t set stats in my head before the season started. I played hard all year and gave the club 100% every night. I could’ve have had a better season for sure, but I learned so much this year.

In your first season in Germany you averaged 15,2ppg, 4,4rpg and 2,4apg. How content were you with your season?

My season was okay, could’ve done better, but overall I think I put my mark in Germany. Time to watch film now and improve and learned on my mistakes this year.

A big strength in your game is your attitude. How do you feel did this grow and develop having experienced more pains than joys as a team?

I grew more mature this year yes, I always kept the same attitude. I love the game so it’s a joy every time I touch a basketball. Chase and his wife made me pick up Yoga this year, a big plus that I added in my game, mentally and physically.

You also stated in our last interview that ‘My composure and state of mind during the game, gets noticed after the season starts, it’s hard to get me out of my rail while I’m focused’. Do you feel like that composure was noticed a bit more in the playdowns?

I think it was noticed since the first day. I don’t know how the opponents felt about it but I always kept my cool I think, ups or downs. Play-downs stats were better because I learned from my regular season mistakes.

What was your personal favorite moment with your game this season? I can imagine your 39 point explosion with 9 three’s at home against Rhondorf?

Yes I think that game will go down as one of my best since I picked up a basketball. Great feeling and the win at home. I’ll always keep that game up my sleeves. 

Was that the most you ever scored in a game in your life and did you feel invincible throughout the game?

My official career high is 44 back in France. I was in the zone yes, the rim felt huge and my teammates were finding me. I would’ve have had 50 that day with a few more shots I feel like.

How do you feel did you develop further this season as a player. Do you ever wonder if having began later with basketball can have an effect how you continue to grow as a player?

I developed a lot, especially defensively. I showed my skillset this year and the work put in all year around. Starting basketball later than a majority of players wasn’t a disadvantage I think, I became hungry early, maybe earlier than others.

What is the next step for you? Could you imagine remaining in Germany or would you like to give a new country and culture and basketball style a chance?

Yes I would come back to Germany, depending on what’s on the table. ‘Go where you’re celebrated and not tolerated’. The plan is to move up to a tougher league. I’m open to other countries too.

On what things will you be working on this summer to continue to keep improving as a player and keep moving up the basketball ladder?

Skills wise, a lot of repetitions in the gym. Simple moves repeted x number of times every day. Physically, my mobility, and my single leg power. I have to dunk more and use one foot jumps more next season. Just become stronger overall and more flexible.

If you had to pick your personal favorite starting five of teammates over the years which players would you chose?

Very good question: 
Pg: Chase Adams
Shooting Guard : Steven Green
Wing: Joey Flannery
Power forward: Matthew Don / Tonko Vuko
Center: Timotis Kuckailis 

It’s still so early, but when all is said and done could Luka Doncic be one of the greatest Europeans that ever played in the NBA?

I believe so yes, if he stays healthy no doubt he will, maybe the greatest. Amazing player. Europe made a lot of all time greats that we should be proud of.

What was your reaction when you heard that Lebron James named himself the greatest of all-time?

He’s one of the all time great but I didn’t agree as THE greatest. I take MJ as first. Lebron still has time in front of him. It’s also hard to compare eras.

Charles Barkley recently proclaimed that Tom Brady Is more of a GOAT than Michael Jordan. Do you share his opinion?

Different sport, both greatest of all time in their own sports. And top athletes in history of sports. Tom Brady is unreal.

If Tom Brady does win a seventh Super Bowl where will he stand with the greatest athletes of all-time?

Good question, in Football I believe he already is, it’s hard to hate the guy when you can relate to his work ethic. He is a work horse. 40+ years old still doing it on top of the game.

What was the last movie that you saw?

My last move was Safe House with Denzel Washington

Thanks Kevin for the chat.

Junior Searcy is a 23 year old 193cm guard that was born in Ludwigsburg, Germany, but grew up in the States in Florida. He will begin his professional rookie season in Germany with the wiha Panthers. He played 6 NCAA games with N.Arizona (NCAA) and then played three seasons at Saint Leo (NCAA2) playing a total of 73 games. In his sophomore season he played 19 games averaging 7.6ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 50.6%, 3PT: 25.8%, FT: 70.5%. In his junior season he played 30 games averaging 12.2ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 47.6%, 3PT: 30.5%, FT: 69.9%. In his senior year he played 24 games averaging 10.6ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 63.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball 

Junior thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

I am currently in Tampa, Florida and the summer has been great! Currently just working at my job and working out on the court and the weight room every day.

Congrats on signing with the wiha Panthers in Germany. How did you experience your first transfer period? You signed very early. Did you have a good share of offers or was the Panthers the first deal that you had and jumped for it?
I had a few people contact my agent and me but I signed with the wiha Panthers because I felt like they were the best fit for me. I also believe that coach Alen will help me become the player I want to be. 

You were born in Ludwigsburg, Germany and have a German mother. What do you know in general about the country Germany and it’s basketball?
The culture in Germany is very different compared to here in Florida the people, the food, everything in general is very different. The one thing I do know is that the Germans do love their athletics especially when it comes to futbol and basketball. The basketball style overseas is played at a very different pace and the players have a very high IQ.

Did you live most of your life in the States? With a German passport, you could have a successful and long career in Germany. Do you know the language German and if not will you attempt to learn it this season?

Yes I have been in the States for a long time. When I first moved to the States I moved to North Carolina and then I made my way down to Florida. I don’t speak German well at all but I can understand it pretty well but I for sure want to learn throughout the season.

What were the main reasons for signing with the wiha Panthers? Head coach Alen Velcic is really high on your abilities?

Coach Alen believes I have a lot of potential to become a special player and has faith that I will be able to bring something to the table when I come to play for the team. I have a lot of trust in Coach Alen and trust played a major part in my decision.

Head coach Alen Velcic loves your athleticism and believes that you could be a real steal. Have you had a chip on your shoulders the last years playing NCAA 2 ball at St Leo’s?

Yes, I would say I have a chip on my shoulder but I don’t mean that in an arrogant way. When I say I play with a chip on my shoulder I say that because I feel like I have so much to prove to everyone, and a lot I have to prove to myself as well.

Let’s talk about your game. If you had to describe your game to an NBA player who would fit the description best?

I believe Paul George would be the best description of the way I play.

Your athleticism is amazing and you’re a very prolific dunker. Have you had any dunk role models over the years and what has been your favorite dunk that you have had at St Leo?

My role model when it came dunks and basketball in general has always been Vince Carter. I have two dunks that have always really stood out while I playing for Saint Leo, one of them was me dunking on my teammate Pape during a Green/White scrimmage and the other was an alley oop pass I caught from Kyran during our game against Florida Southern University.

You have improved your three point shooting each season in the last three. You shot 38% last season. How have you seen the development of your shot and with what feelings are you going into your professional career concerning the potential of your shot?

I feel like I have always been able to shoot the ball pretty well but it was just a matter of me being willing to take the shots. I did not shoot a lot at the beginning of my career but as time went on I started to shoot the ball with more confidence like I used to like when I was in high school. When I did that, my numbers improved. I feel like I will shoot the ball well as long as I keep working on it and stay confident in my shot.

You’re a great offensive player, but let’s talk about your defensive qualities. Do you feel like you can be that impact player as a professional not only on the offensive end?

I feel like I will have an impact on the defensive end. I can block shots and I can jump passing lanes to get out and run in the open court. I like to play both ends of the floor so the same effort I play with on offense you will see on defense.

One of your favorite athletes is Jamal Crawford. How did his game influence your game in helping you become the player that you are today?

He helped me understand to play freely and just enjoy playing the game that you love.

You’re a guy that can do many things on the court, but what do you feel is a hidden strength that doesn’t always get noticed right away on the court?

I love to get my teammates involved but sometimes my passing capabilities aren’t noticed. 

On what things will you be working on most this summer on your game so you will come to Germany best prepared to begin your rookie season?

I will be working on my ball handling and shooting off the dribble to help me get ready to play my rookie season in Germany.

You began your college career at N Arizona, but that lasted only 6 games. What kind of experience was that for you and what positives could you get out of that year?


It was a good experience because I learned a lot for the little time I was there and the positives I got out of it was seeing and playing against some of the best players in the country so that really showed me what I needed to work on to take my game to the next level.

You lost 91-52 to top school Gonzaga as a freshman. What memories do you have of that game playing 7 minutes and scoring 2 points. How much better are you now as a player than when you were playing them then? 

I remember being on the floor and Gonzaga had the biggest lineup I have every played against. I feel like it’s a big difference. My confidence is much higher and my IQ is higher as well so I have been able to better my games a lot throughout the years.

You played against some future NBA players against Gonzaga. When you look back, which player impressed you the most then?

Domantas Sabonis impressed me big time because he scored about 38 points on us and didn’t take very many shots at all and was just so efficient when we played them.

You then moved to St Leo’s. Talk a little about your career there. You didn’t win much, but how do you feel were you able to develop further there as a player?

Since we didn’t win as much as I would have liked to it always kept me hungry and made me want to get better and better. I never lost hope and just played hard every game and tried to give us the best chance to win. It made me always work on my game.

You had some great games against Le Moyne scoring 26 points and had 25 points against Florida Tech. Was one of these your most memorable games or did you have another?

Even though those were some good games I had, it was not the most memorable. The most memorable was our game against Florida southern 3 years ago and we were down by 5 with about 15 seconds left and then Marcus Dewberry came up big time and won us the game in those last few seconds.

How did head coach Vince Alexander groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

He really helped me take my work ethic to another level and always reminded me even when things get tough to love the process.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Kyran Mcclure?

Kyran and I would go at it every practice and we went toe to toe he would win and I would win so it went back and forth all year its really hard to say. I think I won more at the end of the day though.

Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in your life that is in the NBA no?

Dwayne Bacon was a scoring machine so he was the toughest player I ever had to face

Please name your personal NBA Rushmore. Please pick 4 NBA heads that you feel make the perfect NBA Rushmore.

Kevin Durant, Shaq, Kobe, and MJ

What is your personal opinion of the never ending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Lebron or Jordan?

I feel like Jordan is the best player in the world and I’m honestly putting Kevin Durant ahead of Lebron so this really has never been a debate to me.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Avengers End Game!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Junior for the chat.

Coonor Wood is a 25 year old 193cm guard from Guelph, Ontario that completed his second professional season and first in Germany with the Uni Baskets Paderborn averaging 12,7ppg, 2,6rpg and 2,9apg while shooting 43,3% from outside. He played his rookie season with Niagara River Lions (NBL Canada) playing 44 games averaging 9.2ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 74.2%. He played at Carleton University (CIS) from 2012-2017 playing a total of 124 CIS games. In his senior season he played 23 games averaging 17.4ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 48.3%, FT: 79.5%. He won 5 CIS titles and 2 OUA titles. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the end of the Pro A season in Germany.

Thanks Connor for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and has the NCAA Madness helped keep your mind off not reaching the playoffs with the Uni Baskets Paderborn?

I am in Quimper France finishing their season with them. Yea that and playing here has helped me keep my mind off that.

You played your rookie season in Germany with the Uni Baskets Paderborn. Talk a little about the experiences you made and what the positives were in first season as a professional?

My season was a great experience. I was welcomed warmly by the organization and the fans. While living in a new city far away it was very helpful. The positives were seeing and learning how the game differs overseas, as well as getting in to playing here to learn further on what I can work on to get better moving forward.

There was a short span at the end of January where the club won two of three games against Trier and Hanau. But then the club went on a seven game losing streak. What do you feel went wrong in that time?


I felt like we had some bad lapses on defense and some bad shot selection at times. we had a lot of close games through the year with a good chance to win and couldn’t pull enough of them out in the end which really hurt us.

A big problem this season for the Uni Baskets was the inability to get stops. The team gave up 84 points per game. Playing good hard defense has to do with passion and effort. What were the biggest problem this season in not being able to defend better?

Defensively I think effort and communication were things that the team needed to do better for us to get more stops.

Do you feel like the club was able to take some kind of positives out of the season? Will the win in Rostock and sweeping playoff team Trier be some of the more memorable moments?

I think so we showed the true potential of the team in some games. Everybody there thought we were a better team than we let the record show. We had to many bad games and close losses for the team we had so I think we we’re still happy with the team we had through the year.

Let’s talk about your teammates. How did it feel playing among so many rookies like Matt Klinewski, Darnell Foreman and Grant Benzinger. One could of called you the fab four. Did the inexperience have an effect on the club success?

It was good to play with them all of them talented in their own right. I think we did make some inexperienced plays during the season but I also think that we we’re experienced enough to be better than those mistakes.

Another guy that had a very solid rookie season was Grant Benzinger. How bitter was it seeing him go down for the season prior to the seven game losing streak? What did you appreciate mostly about his game and did he tell any stories about his baseball dad?

Yea it was tough seeing Grant go down. He was having a great season and brought a lot of energy to the team pushing us to do better. He was obviously having a great season. It is always hard to see a good teammate get hurt. I appreciate his hustle most of all he’s always the first guy to dive for a loose ball.

What kind of experience was it battling Grant Benzinger on a daily basis. How do you feel did he benefit from you and vice versa?

It was good. I feel like we both challenged each other to be better making each other work to get stops in practice and that leading to us being confident together on the floor.

What kind of an experience was it playing for German coach Uli Nachster? Was it very much different to what you were used to playing for American coaches at the NCAA level?

It was a good experience always interesting to see things from a new coaches perspective how that want to cover things and where they see the best options on offense. I was in the CIS but yes very different when compared to the pro level.

Coming from the NCAA what was the biggest adjustment that you had to make to playing professional ball overseas?

I think the adjustment of having a very new team each year and trying to find the best way to get the team in the roles that will help be the most successful. In university you have multiple years to do so and can get a very good culture around the team of team success where as I think that’s harder in pro ball with so many changes each year.

Let’s talk about your game. As a rookie you averaged 12,8ppg, 2,6rpg and 2,8apg while shooting 43,7% from outside. How content were you with your rookie season?

I think I had some good games in my rookie year but overal I started slow with not getting looks early and then I think I finished the season pretty poorly as well so I think I could’ve had a better season but just more reason to keep working on getting better.

You shot very well from outside at 43,7%. How confident and excited are you to be able to fire away in your third professional season?

I’m definitely confident in my shot and I’m always excited to take good looks.

How do you feel did your game progress further in Germany? Your three pointer stands out, but how do you feel did your driving and finding your teammates improve at a new level?

I think my drive and kick has gotten better with the differences in spacing having to work harder to find the open man even if it’s not for an assist but to get the ball in the right spots.

Having played in Canada and now Germany, do you feel like you could go back and visit Dave Smart and he would recognize that your basketball IQ has risen with having played at the European level?

I don’t think so. Dave Smart is always looking at what you can improve on so he’ll point out a lot of things that I can still learn or do better, instead of compliments.

On what things will you be working on most this summer as you prepare for your third professional season and will you change anything up on your work out sessions?

Definitely want to work on my ball handling and finishing around the rim more this offseason I think those are two things that would help push my game forward.

What is the next step for you? Could you imagine returning back to Germany or are you ready to explore another part of the world and showcase your basketball talent?

I’m ready to go wherever the best opportunity is whether it be back in Germany or else where. I want to play basketball at the best level I can so I can keep improving.

Please name your five all-time best teammates in college and pro’s

I can’t name a top 5 but all my teammates at Carleton were incredible wouldn’t have changed any of them. Still close to a lot of them and always great to play with.

It’s still so early, but when all is said and done could Luka Doncic be one of the greatest Europeans that ever played in the NBA? 

Luka has had an amazing rookie season not looking like a rookie at all so I think the sky’s the limit definitely has the potential to be

What was your reaction when you heard that Lebron James named himself the greatest of all-time? 

I think that it makes sense. When your that good and trying to win you have to think of yourself as the best. I’m sure lots of guys think they are the best that’s to competitive nature that pushes them to try and prove they are better by winning. I personally still think Michael Jordan is the best ever but it is so hard to compare generations. A lot of great players I’ve never seen.

Charles Barkley recently proclaimed that Tom Brady Is more of a GOAT than Michael Jordan. Do you share his opinion?

I can’t speak much to football but I think most people know Tom Brady is something very special in that game.

What was the last movie that you saw? 

Last movie I saw was Centurion

Thanks Connor for the chat.

Deandre Lansdowne is a 30 year old 187cm guard from Albuquerque, Mexico that completed his second season in the easyCRedit BBL and second with the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig. In his first season he averaged 14.7ppg, 4.1rpg, 3.3apg, Steals-3 (1.7spg), FGP: 47.2%, 3PT: 38.4%, FT: 72.8% and last season upped his stats averaging 18,6ppg,3,4rpg and 3,6apg. In 2016-2017 he played with the Hamburg Towers averaging 12,3ppg, 5,0rpg and 2,3apg. He started his career in Germany in 2015-2016 in the Pro B where he played with Hertener Loewen Basketball (Germany-Pro B) playing 27 games: Score-2 (22.9ppg), 8.1rpg, 3.6apg, Steals-5 (2.6spg), FGP: 61.5%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 66.5%. He played college ball at Fort Lewis (NCAA2) and as a senior played 32 games averaging 15.3ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.1apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 47.2%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: 50.7%. He then gained his first professional experience with Pioneros de Delicias (Mexico-Chihuahua Vive) before continuing career in Germany. He spoke to German Hoops after the sweep loss against FC Bayern Munich.

Deandre thanks for talking to eurobasket.com. Where are you at the moment and how is your summer going?

I am in Phoenix right now, just celebrating my 30th birthday with some friends. Summer is going great so far. Recharging the batters before the off-season will start. 

What was/is the first eatery that you will visit after setting foot back in the states again?

The first was Dion’s Pizza, and then Chic-Oil-a 

Congrats on your amazing and inspiring season 2 with the Baskets Lowen Braunschweig. If you could sum the the team’s and your season up in 2 sentences how would you describe it?

Amazing, and full of great moments and growth. It was proof with a lot of hard work and determination anything is possible. 

What kind of experience was it battling FC Bayern Munich in the playoffs. You played only in two games and only 6 minutes in game two. How tough was going out like this after a great regular season?

Its always a great experience, that’s high level European basketball. It was very tough, I was looking forward to a great battle. My team went to war, and I couldn’t join them, in my first playoffs, just a bummer. 

How proud are you of the team giving a great effort in game three and really making life tough for FC Bayern Munich? Do you feel like the guys grew a bit in that last season game?

I was extremely proud. But I always knew how good each and one of my teammates were, and they showed that. I think they did tremendously. 

Let’s talk about the season. After a tough start, the team then won 9 of 10 games including beating Alba Berlin. Were the Basketball Lowen at their best in this phase?

We were at our best, yes. I think defensively we were really locked in. We were able to have great balance between getting the ball inside to Scott and shooting from outside. Making our 3s really made that strategy easy to execute. 

It has been many months ago, but how do you remember the amazing 83-79 win over Alba Berlin most? Was this one of the biggest wins in your professional career?

It was very good for our team, but it felt it meant even more to the fans and the city of Braunschweig. We always believed we were a tough team to beat especially at home. I’ve never ranked wins, it was just another mark in the win column for us/me. 

Then the team went 6-11 as there was fear of not reaching the playoffs. Despite putting up consistent stats, how did this down period effect you mentally as a playmaker? Knowing you were putting up good stats, but the team wasn’t winning?

Never changed, kept working, but looked a bit more at film to see maybe what was consistently not working, and how I can hopefully get my teammates better shots. I never focus (ed) on individual stats, especially if the team is losing, that means you could be doing something slightly wrong that could be affecting the team as a whole. 

On the last weekend, you guys stepped it up beating Frankfurt and Bayreuth. What do you believe was key for the club being able to really erase everything and just concentrate and win 2 dam games that surely many didn’t expect would happen?

I actually think we were expected to win because we were one of the best teams all year at home, and we were a higher ranked team, so I’m not sure why there was much of a doubt in our locker room. But I think we dug a little deeper and matched both teams physicality and energy throughout the whole game. 

How much of a joy was it playing with coaches Frank Menz and Steven Clauss. Please describe how each guy helped you in some way to help your game progress in the two years?

Frank gave me this opportunity! He was one of few who believed in me. Frank really made me confident and comfortable from day one. He’s a more defensive minded coach, so he helped me just with some defensive things that I would need to be a great two-way shooting guard that I want to be. Steve was much different from Frank, he was helping me offensively and we could always go over things seen in film to make things easier or needed fixing. 

Let’s talk about your teammates. You played two years with center Scott Eatherton. How did you see his development from your first day in 2017 to the last game in 2019?

Huge! He is a phenomenal player, and made ALL of us look good! I also think with the new coach (Strobl ) you’ll see even more improvement. 

It wasn’t an easy season for Brayon Blake, but he did have his moments. What did you learn to appreciate about his game and what kind of advice did you give him when he was having down periods?

BJ is one of a kind. I thought it was an up and down season for him, but you also must consider he’s a rookie playing on the wing. His potential is huge! I always told him to not over stress about things, and to not get to high when things are good. He’s a great player, whose emotions drive him. When he can control when to use the different emotions, when he needs them, he’ll be a nightmare. 

An important role player was Shaquille Hines. How did you see his development and is he ready to make the next step forward next season?

Huge development, he is the perfect team ‘glue guy’. He did everything! And most games he was undersized. He battled on the boards, he made the shots, he ran the floor, and he had quite a few monster blocks. He never demanded anything, and was a great role player, and I think can fit anywhere. 

German Christian Sengfelder had a very strong rookie season and really broke out in the playoffs against FC Bayern Munich. What did you see in his game that shows that his NCAA career really helped in his development in the States to make him a very solid 4 man in the BBL?

In my opinion national player of the year! I never watched him coming from college, or his role in the tram. But just from his development in Braunschweig his progress was huge, and it’s shows because of his hard work, dedication and willingness to just grow as a player. He was the first one there everyday, working on every part of his game. And it showed, especially in the playoffs, that he has a great inside and outside game, and he’s only going to get better! That’s the scary part! 

Let’s talk about your game. You improved your scoring from last season averaging 18,6ppg, 3,4rpg and 3,6apg. How content were you with your season?

I’m content because we succeed my main goal: lead this team to the playoffs. Individually it was okay, still lots I want to work on and be better at. I don’t look at my stats, I look at how I can help a team win and how consistent I can be. 

You continue to work hard every day to be the best that you can. When you look back at your first season to Braunschweig to this, what do you feel were the main reasons for you being an even more explosive scorer despite playing one less minute?
The coaches put me in the position, had the confidence to run an offense partly around me, and then my teammates executing (great screens, passes, play calls) , they all made it easier for me to be a threat offensively. 

A big reason for your success is that you stay consistent with your work after bad, good and great games. How do you mentally stay strong and not get into bad habits and reflect too much after a great game and not get into bad habits but just stay focused with your daily work?

Good game: never be shocked at doing what you ask, want & work for every day. Bad games: it’s part of the game, doesn’t mean you’re taking steps backwards. Through all times: continue to still work on your game, watch film to understand more about your game, give 100% on the court, and always be a fun, positive, team first teammate. 

You also improved your scoring, but if you look back over all the games you played and hard work you put in, how do you feel did your game overall grow in your second BBL season?

It grew a lot. I really narrowed down on details and had to find other ways to score, or what was uncomfortable in my first season. I think I handled the physically and defensive minded players much better. Also I think I was a better pick and roll passer from last season.

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the BBL this season?

Defensively James from Bonn/Ulm & Jason Clark from Frankfurt. Offensively m, Bartolo is DOY for a reason. 

After two seasons in Braunschweig, you now deserve a pay raise. You could really play anywhere in the BBL. Teams I could imagine you with are teams like Ulm, Ludwigsburg and Bonn, but even in Frankfurt. I also feel you could play in other countries in top leagues. If you had a preference where would you like to play?

ANYWHERE! I’m open to any country, any team. My dream is Euroleague, so I hope it’s another step closer to that.

On what aspects of your game will you be working on most this off season with your trainers?
Pick and roll reads, Ball handling, and my shot ( floater, pull up 2s & 3s). I really want to transition into an ideal combo guard. 

A lot of people have been having the audacity of saying that Kawhi Leonard is the best player in the world. How do you see that debate?

I have him 3rd. What he’s doing is amazing, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen from Lebron James a few times. And he’s just not on the level Kevin Durant is. But he’s putting his name in the argument which is just the beginning. 

Some have been saying that Steph Curry is better than Allen Iverson was. Can one really compare these two players in a fair way?

Two game changing guards. I remember as a kid I wanted to be AI, I think most kids did. And now all the kids want to be Curry. I think they both are generation changing players. 

What was the last movie that you saw?
X-Men: The Dark Phoenix
Thanks Deander for the chat

It´s mid-June in Germany with beautiful weather all around and with German football taking a little break before the seasons kicks up in August, the professional German basketball leagues are on vacation while the clubs are seeking the right pieces for the new rosters for the upcoming season. But some players aren´t on vacation yet, but sweating and training hard for various international competitions this summer. The German men´s national team will be battling in the World Cup while the German U-20 team will be facing interesting competition at the European championships in Tel Aviv. Team Germany is preparing for a 4 nations tournament in preparation for the Euro championships with an 18 man roster which will be trimmed down to 12 for the European championships.  The team is having breakfast together at Kienbaum in Berlin where they are preparing for the European championships and as guys walk in for their first meal of the day, one could witness an array of massive talent like 2017 NBBL champion Nelson Weidemann of FC Bayern Munich, rising Vechta star Philipp Herkenhoff who had a massive BBL playoff series against Bamberg, 2019 NBBL title and MVP winner Bruno Vrcic and top point guard Bjarne Kraushaar. But wait a minute another guy walks in and it looks like Richard Freudenberg. But it isn´t the 2015 NBBL MVP of the Fraport Skyliners as he would tower over most with his 205cm, but this young man is only 198cm, but has the blond hair and has that similar parting of the hair like the ex St Johns(NCAA) forward Freudenberg. The guy sure looks German with so fine features and actually is, but he actually grew up in the United States in Lincoln, Nebraska. His name is Sam Griesel and out of nowhere was selected to join the U-20 national team in training camp with the opportunity to make the final 12 man roster for the 2019 U-20 European championships in Israel. His opportunity to play for the German U-20 national team didn´t come overnight, but was a process that took about two years. “Two years ago when I started to get recruited from colleges, the coaches found out that my dad was German. Coaches told me that it would be to my advantage to get a German passport which could make my chances of playing overseas easier. Then my Italian trainer who had a 10 year professional basketball career in Europe knew a German agent and he got in contact with the German basketball federation. They then watched me play in the NCAA tournament and now I´m here”, stressed Sam Griesel. He is that Nebraska kid with that German connection.

                He is a 19 year old 198cm small forward that was born and bred in Lincoln, Nebraska. You would think that a town like Lincoln is small enough to make special basketball connections, but so far the kid hasn´t met retired player Andrew Drevo who hails from the same town and had a long career overseas with a long tenure in Germany. So how does a country kid from Nebraska have that German connection? Simple his dad is German and his mom is American. His dad came over to the States when he was 25 and met his mother and made Sam. The 19 year old didn´t find his love for basketball right away, but like so many young kids in the States was fascinated by soccer a sport that is so loved and popular among the young. But when he was around 11 or 12 years old, his attention shifted to basketball. He first got noticed in high school when he played for Lincoln East High School. But that didn´t happen right away, but moreover when his junior season came around. “I didn´t think that I would go anywhere with basketball before my junior season. But then I grew five inches and had my breakout year as a junior”, stressed Sam Griesel. In his senior year, he made another step as he led his team to a record 24 wins and a trip to the Class A state tournament. In his final season he averaged 17,1ppg, 6,1rpg,2,3apg and 1,6spg. He earned first team in Super State honors and finished as the sixth all-time scorer in school history. His next step was making the right choice for college. During his senior year in high school, he had committed early to South Dakota, but then decided not to go after head coach Craig Smith left for Utah State. The American had already visited North Dakota State and then decided to go there. When looking back, he never regretted making that decision. “I loved North Dakota State from the first visit. I really like the environment there and I´m looking forward to this season. We should be really good again”, added Sam Griesel.

            One of the fun things I like to do is when I´m covering some player is too see what former players at that school have played in Germany. North Dakota State have produced some great talent over the years. Actually the list isn´t long as only three players have done so. The first was Michael Tveidt who played at NDSU from 2006-2011 winning the Summit Title in 2009 played for Phoenix Hagen. The second and most known player was Taylor Braun who played at NDSU from 2009-2014 winning the Summit League title in 2014 played for ratiopharm Ulm and the last and most recent was Dexter Werner who played at NDSU from 2012-2017 winning the Summit League title in 2014 and 2015 played his rookie season with Lok Bernau. Griesel talks fondly about Taylor Braun as the achievements that he did there is common knowledge. “He is a role model for me. Coach brought him up to see us many times. I also have seen Dexter around campus. I look up to these guys as they embody what NDSU is all about. They show that it is possible for guys from a mid major school to have success overseas”, said Sam Griesel. In his freshman season he played 24 games averaging 6.1ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 58.1%. But despite finishing the season strong, it didn´t start off so well. He got injured after four games and sat out two and a half months missing 10 games. When he came back, he became the starter after the second game back. “As I started games, my confidence really grew. I got better used to the pace and let things come to me. I had my best game of the season in the conference semi-finals against W Illinois scoring 20 points”, expressed Sam Griesel. NDSU then proceeded to beat Omaha 73-63 and win the Summit League tournament. “I will never forget the whole experience and then having the chance to play in the NCAA tournament. I always had dreamed of playing in March Madness”, said Sam Griesel. After beating North Carolina Central 78-74 and contributing 10 points and 6 boards in 28 minutes in the first round, then it was time for the big showdown against powerhouse school Duke who were sporting two of the best players last season with Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett and a legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski the winningest coach of all-time in division one. The game was held in Colonial Life Arena in South Carolina and had 18,000 crazy fans as bedlam was on the menu. Oh and a little side note the date was March 22^nd, the 19^th birthday of Sam. “It was a cool birthday present being able to play Duke. Williamson and Barrett are legit. Williamson is a freak of nature with his size. Barrett is a skilled, big physical guard. They will do well in the NBA and have special careers. Playing Duke was a cool experience and shaking coach K´s hand was very special”, added Sam Griesel.  He finished with 4 points and 3 rebounds in 24 minutes in his last NCAA game losing to Duke 85-62.

            He still will have three more years to continue to develop his game at NDSU. When he was growing up and starting to get interested more for basketball, he started looking for those role models and players he could study. His favorite player was Derrick Rose and even when the ex Chicago Bull was having problems, he continued to look up to him. He compares his game to a Nicholas Batum of France and a Paul George. Especially with the ex Indiana Pacer George he sees many similarities especially with the frame and height. Two of his biggest strengths on the court is keeping his teammates involved and annoying opponents on defense, but he has other assets in his game as well. “My versatility is important. I can play the positions 1-4. I thought I did a good job as a freshman attacking the rim and being a slasher on the wing”, stated Sam Griesel. Making the transition from high school to the NCAA rank isn´t an easy one especially the crazy athleticism that is abundant. His shot is also something that is still a work in progress as he shot only 37% from the field and 25% from outside as a freshman. When his shot wasn´t falling, he then used his driving to the rim which continued to up his confidence when it wasn´t raining from the parking lot. It will be interesting to see if his offensive role will increase more in his sophomore campaign.

            Back to German soil. That is where Sam Griesel is at the moment. Actually in Berlin at Kienbaum where many of the German national basketball teams get ready before commencing big tournaments. This is his sixth time in Germany and his grand parents from his father´s side still live there. It surely wasn´t easy going to a foreign country and getting to know many new hungry German basketball players, but he took it in stride. “I came to Germany having no idea what to expect. I came here with an open mind and went with the flow”, added Sam Griesel. The transition from the NCAA game to the European game has been a test and he has been impressed with the skill level of his German teammates. “The game is faster here than in college. The guys are more physical here due to being able to play against grown men. I feel that I have been able to incorporate the physicality and speed into my game. I have been able to play fast and still be under control. My teammates are a lot better skill wise than I thought. I always thought that Germany was a soccer country, but that is a stereotype. I really have been impressed by how good the players are”, added Sam Griesel. He has been lucky that the pace of the game has fit his style. He really has been able to profit from playing fast, because he enjoys getting out on transition. With so much talent around him, it hasn´t been difficult to have certain players standout. “I have been impressed with my roommate Nils Hassfuerter. He has played for many of the German youth national teams and has helped me a lot with translating things. I also have been impressed with Isaiah Ihnen. He has a lot of potential. It will be interesting to see what he can do further down the road”, said Sam Griesel.

            This weekend he will be able to showcase his talent at a tournament in Italy facing off against Greece, Slovenia and Italy where he will see close up how they operate. 18 players were supposed to have been at the workouts in Kienbaum, but only 14 were there. A few may follow as Joshua Obiesie was in the states at NBA workouts as he had good chances of being drafted, but in the end wasn´t selected. Also Alba Berlin guard Jonas Mattisek is expected to arrive soon. Only 12 players will make the trip to Tel Aviv for the European Championships. It would be something if he could make the 12 man roster and continue his stay in Europe and continue to gather added useful experience on the court and seeing new cultures. He is optimistic about his chances of making the final roster. “I feel confident about my chances. I feel like I have shown what I can do on the offensive and defensive ends of the court. I´m taking this experience day by day and grinding it out and playing as hard as I can”, warned Sam Griesel. He has stiff competition from a few guys like Bruno Vrcic, Isaiah Ihnen and Quirin Emanga with whom he has been working out the most with in the last week. His game in his freshman year was helped by head coach David Richman at NDSU and in the last week, he has had to take orders from German coach Alan Ibrahimagic and has needed no real adjustment period as they seem to be similar in what they do. “Both make their jokes, but can also get intense on the court yelling and having that competitive spirit. Both told me to trust my game and play with confidence. That is the best version of yourself”, added Sam Griesel. It will be interesting to see how the American with the German passport continues to faire with the German U-20 national team and most importantly will he make the 12 man roster. “I want to get the most of this experience meeting new people and having fun. But at the same time competing at a high level and playing hard”, warned Sam Griesel. Even if he doesn´t make the 12 man roster, he still won. He will come home and still be that Nebraska kid with the German connection and be able to tell his NDSU teammates some amazing stories that will last a life time.

 is a 28 year old 211cm center from Fredricksburg, Virginia that also ahs the German citizenship. He played two years at Palm Beach CC (JUCO) and then finished at Oregon (NCAA) where he played a total of 66 games and helped the team reach the Sweet 16 in 2014. He turned professional in 2014 and played his first three pro seasons in Germany for the MLP Academics and the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven. Two seasons ago he played in the Czech Republic and France. Last season he split time with Dzukija Alytus (Lithuania-LKL) playing 12 games averaging 7.0ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.0apg, 2FGP: 50.7%, FT: 46.7%, in Dec.’18 moved to Chemidor Tehran (Iran-Superleague) playing 4 games averaging 9.0ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 51.9%, FT: 50.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

Waverly thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been so far? 

Hey summer has been good working out and spending time with family. 

You have been away from playing in Germany for two years having gathered further experience in the Czech Republic, France, Lithuania and Iran. Has time flown by in this time and have you missed the German culture and easyCredit BBL?

Yea playing in Germany was a good experience especially because I have family who still lives in the Frankfurt area it’s always good to be close to family.

I can imagine that you would love to return to Germany to the BBL should the right situation arise. You played a very solid second season with Bremerhaven and then left. Did you feel then it was time for a change to get more experience and improve your game so you could return back to the BBL possibly now?

Yes I would consider coming back to the BBL if it was the right situation definitely and I wanted to see something different. 

Let’s talk about last season. For the second season in a row you split time with two teams. Sometimes the constant switching of teams gives future teams the idea that the player was a problem while other teams think that that player is a desired player because he can always get jobs. How challenging were the last two seasons in terms of so much moving around and always getting adjusted to a new situation? 

It wasn’t difficult at all. I can adjust to any situation. Also I didn’t have any problems with my first team this year. It was good experience playing in the LKL against teams like Zalgris but I had a lucrative offer in Iran so that was also a good experience. 

You began last season with Dzukija Alytus (Lithuania-LKL) playing 12 games averaging 7.0ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.0apg, 2FGP: 50.7%, FT: 46.7%. What kind of experience was it playing there and what example can you give where you clearly noticed just how popular basketball is in that country?

Basketball is very serious in Lithuania a lot of tough practices a lot of film really good fans it was a short but also good opportunity.

You had a very strong game against top Euroleague team Zalgiris netting 13 points and getting 5 rebounds and against ex NBA players like Brandon Davies, Nate Wolters and top French player Leo Westermann. How vital are performances like this against top competition for your confidence on days where nothing is going right?

I always have confidence so it wasn’t overly happy because that’s why you play basketball is to compete and for me stats don’t matter. It’s about getting the win and doing anything the coach wants and expects from you.

You then had a very short stay with Chemidor Tehran (Iran-Superleague) playing 4WABA games averaging 9.0ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 51.9%, FT: 50.0%. Could you pick up anything from the culture and how was it for a Westerner like you to live in Iran?

I actually played the whole season in Iran. The waba tourment was a fiba tournament for the top west Asian teams and we won the championship so that was good. 

You had one crazy lopsided win in Iran 123-49. With all the basketball you have seen in your life, is this a game that you will remember forever? Do you ever remember winning by so many points in your career? 

Yea that was blowout sometimes that’s how it goes.

You finished the 2017-2018 season with Hermine Nantes Atlantique (France-ProB) playing 22 games averaging10.4ppg, Reb-3 (7.7rpg), Blocks-3 (1.2bpg), FGP: 45.0%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 64.0%. You finished the season strong in France. What kind of experience was it playing here and what was your season highlight? Possibly your 30 point explosion against Quimper?

France was really nice. Nantes was a beautiful city and very professional club. I enjoyed my time there. That was a good game for me most importantly we won.

You played three seasons in Germany from 2014-2017 in Heidelberg and Bremerhaven. You had a super first season in Germany with the MLP Academics Heidelberg (Germany-ProA) playing 33 games averaging 11.1ppg, 6.1rpg, Blocks-1 (1.9bpg), FGP: 46.9%, FT: 63.6%. What memories do you have of that season and how enjoyable was it playing and living in Heidelberg? 

My first year was good. I loved living in that very beautiful city and I was close to my family so they were able to visit me a lot.

How do you remember head coach Frenky Ignjatovic? He led the team last season into the semi-finals and continues to do good work there. How did he help your game in your rookie season in Germany?

Yes he is a very good players coach lets you play your game. He has confidence in his players which is why they are having a good season. 

You were teammates in Bremerhaven with ex NBA player Tyus Thomas who also didn’t meet the expectations. What interesting story can you tell about him where one could see that he once played in the NBA?

Unfortunately Tyrus was hurt so it was tough for him to get back to his regular self but that’s my guy I learned a lot from him on and off the court. 

In your second season with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (Germany-BBL) you played 32 games averaging 8.0ppg, 4.0rpg, FGP: 49.0%, FT: 59.6%. How important was head coach Sebastain Machowski. Did he bring back joy to playing basketball again? 

Yes and no because you can’t let someone bring joy to basketball. You have self motivation but I like him as a coach. He was also a players coach because he was a player himself and had really good plays. 

You had good games in the last two seasons. How do you feel has your game developed in the last two years and how are you a better player now from your last game in Germany with Bremerhaven?

Just from experience. I got outside my comfort zone and played in different leagues so I’m comfortable in every league and can adjust to any situation.

Let’s talk a little about your game. You’re a 211cm center that can do damage in the zone. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit that description? 

Tyson chandler 

On what things are you working on to keep getting better as a player? On what things are you working on most this summer so you will be best prepared for the next opportunity? 

Just staying in game shape and taking care of my body and eating better. 

What is the next step for you? Is a return to Germany very high on your wish list? 

As of right now I have no idea but I would go to the BBL if it was the right situation because it’s a good place to play and again and some of my family is there. 

Please name the best player that you battled against in the NCAA that made it to the NBA? 

That’s a tough one I have no idea.

Please list your five all-time best teammates in no particular order? 

Brandyn curry Quincy Diggs Brad Tinsely Kyle Fogg Jerry Smith.

If you had to chose 4 heads to fill the NBA Rushmore which four guys old or new would you pick? 

Lebron Shaq Kobe Tim Duncan.

Thanks Waverly for the chat.

Davonte Lacy is a 26 year old 193cm guard from Tacoma, Washington that finished his third professional season and first with German Pro A team PS Karlsruhe averaging 16,8ppg, 3,4rpg and 4,1apg. Last season he played with Ehingen averaging 18,5ppg, 2,8rpg,5,2apg and 1,5spg. In his a rookie he played with UBC Magnofit Gussing Knights (Austria-A Bundesliga) playing 11 FIBA Europe Cupgames averaging 7.4ppg, 2.4rpg, 3.1apg, 1.0spg, 2FGP: 37.8%, 3FGP: 20.0%, FT: 80.6%; and 21 Austrian A Bundesliga games averaging 10.9ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.4apg, 2FGP: 49.4%, 3FGP: 32.9%, FT: 80.2%, left in Feb.’16, later that month moved to BC Hallmann Vienna (Austria-A Bundesliga) playing 15 games averaging 5.9ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 66.7%. He started his basketball career with Washington St. (NCAA) in 2011 playing a total of 110 NCAA games. His best season was his junior season where he played 23 games: averaging 19.4ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.4apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 39%, FT: 83.5%. In his senior year he played 31 games averaging 16.9ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 49.2%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 77.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the end of the 2018-2019 season.

Thanks Davonte for talking to germanhops.com Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you at the moment?

Thanks for talking to me again, I am currently in Karlsrhue still. Going to head home in the next couple of days. Basketball has been treating me well these last couple months. 

It’s been a year since our last interview. Has basketball time flown by in this time for you as you are approaching your third professional season?

Yea the time always seems to fly by when preparing for a season. Was excited to come back to Germany and compete. 

It was another special season for PS Karlsruhe. When you came in last summer, did you sense that special basketball culture that has grown in the past few years as the club has moved from the Regionalliga up to the Pro A?

Yes of course, I had came once the season already started but upon my arrival you can understand why they moved up over the last couple years. The fans and the front office are very knowledgeable and professional. 

Last season the club reached the Pro A semi-finals playing a hard fought 4 game series against eventual Pro A champion Rasta Vechta, but this season the club reached only the quarterfinals. Considering the expectations that the club had did the team underachieve?

I don’t think we underachieved, we battled through some tough injuries and a lot of changes. I think we made the best out of some unfortunate circumstances. 

This season PS Karlsruhe was swept by top Pro A team Chemnitz. What is your summary to the Chemnitz series? Do you feel like you could have done more as a team to have had more of a chance?

Chemnitz is a great team, they share the ball well and have a high overall team IQ. We could have learned from our mistakes better. The effort was there we just had to be more cerebral to make an upset. 

It came to down to defense. In the regular season the club allowed 79 points per game, but in the playoffs against Chemnitz 87 points. What made it so tough playing them in this series?

They ran their sets and executed at a very high level. They had players make the right plays/ reads correctly over and over again. There is a reason they are the favorite to win the league. 

How tough was it the game to game scouting? You never really could key in on 1-3 players, because they were a club that really had 7-8 guys that could light up the score board in any given game?

Very tough to scout a team that has so many weapons offensively and are very unselfish so anyone could have a breakout game on any given night. 

There was a great stretch in November, December and January where the team won 10 of 11 games. This was the best time of the season where the club was playing it’s best basketball. Did the team instill that ‘We are invincible feeling’?

We were pretty confident around that time then dealing with two key injuries at the end of that time who were both unfortunately German as well hurt us in terms of not only lack of players but rotation guys with the 2 Germans on the court rule. 

Please sum up the team season for the club. What were the team highlights of the season and what made it special playing for this team? Was the win against Heidelberg at the end of the season one of the biggest wins of the season?

One key highlight was what you just referenced the winning 10/11 games at one point 8 in a row. We had things going good and everyone was playing well. Heidelberg was a key win because it ultimately clinched the playoffs for us. 

Let’s talk about your teammates. How special was it playing with American Orlando Parker? He is one of those great stories of a guy coming up the basketball ladder from the bottom. What did you appreciate most about him on the court?

It was Great to play with OP, he’s one of those guys that plays the right way and you can count on him to bring his energy and effort every night. He’s going to continue to climb that basketball ladder and prove himself against better and better competition. 

How did you see the development of Kahron Ross? He had an up and down rookie season. How did his game improve form the first day of training camp to game three against Chemnitz?

I didn’t get the chance to see him his first day of training camp but as I got here to the end of the season he has grown so much in terms of leading a team and learning how to be a pro. He always loved to work and compete if he continues that I believe he has a bright future in this game. 

German Filmore Beck is a bonafide veteran that can when he wants to shoot out the lights. Is there anything that you could soak up from his game that was able to help you in parts of your game?

One thing I can for sure take away from Fil was his resounding confidence and the idea that you should always believe in yourself and you can compete with anybody. 

You had many German players on the team like Pluskota, Nyama and Johnson. Of these three which player do you feel made the biggest stride?

I think DJ made the biggest stride in my eyes because he was in a shooting slump once I got here but overcame that and had some great games down the stretch and hitting some huge shots along the way. 

Let’s talk about your game. You had a prosperous third professional season averaging 16,8ppg, 3,4rpg and 4,1apg. Your scoring and assists were down a bit, but you also played three les minutes, but upped your three point shooting from 37% to 41%. How content were you in general with your season?

I’m ok with how the season went for me personally, I still feel I can improve on many things this summer that will help me a lot down the road. But winning and staying healthy doing so are always the main goals. 

In our last interview you stated that ‘Well ever since I became a professional I have focused on being more of a playmaker, making my teammates better, and setting them up to succeed’. How was your role different with PS Karlsruhe in comparison to Ehingen or were they similar?

I think my roles were similar coach Rudez trusted me and put me in positions to not only score but to make plays for my teammates similar to how my coach last year did. 

In our last interview you also stated this about your defense. ‘I think I can make majors strides. I believe this is the weakest part of my game and I think to make the jump to a higher level my defense will have to improve’. PS Karlsruhe defended better than Ehingen did when you were there. How do you feel did your defense improve this season?

I do think I improved in this aspect and showed that I can be a great defending at times both on the ball and off, but still needs improvement and will be a main focus this summer. 

You have always been a scorer and in Ehingen made major strides taking what the defense gave you. On what other things did you focus on this season to keep that scorer mentality strong and be successful?

This year I wanted to just be more efficient, I wanted to be a part of the 50-40-90 during the regular season but unfortunately I came short on the Free Throw Percentage. 

How good did it feel like shooting over 40% from downtown something you never did leading back to your time at Washington State. How do you approach the future with your three point shooting? Now you have to follow this season up keeping consistency. How much of a challenge will that be for you?

I changed some little mechanics dating back to my coach last year in Ehingen and had a lot more focus on some finer details along with just overall shot selection. The challenge will just be continuing to do the changes that made me a better shooter over a longer period of time. 

You had many great games this season including the 33 point explosion against Rostock or the 35 point explosion against Tuebingen. Was one of these games your personal best? Possibly the Tuebingen game since you really filled the stat sheet.

Those were both fun, but the Tuebingen game was my favorite because we had to win if we wanted to make the playoffs, they had a great atmosphere, and they played really well as well. It was high level basketball and those are the best games to be apart of. 

After two very strong seasons in the Pro A and seeing BBL games, you must have thoughts every now and then about what it would feel like competing against players of that level. What do you feel is still missing from your game or is it just a matter of getting lucky and getting an opportunity?

I know I can not only compete at the level but be successful at it. I will put myself up against any import in Germany regardless of the league, I just believe in myself and the work I put into the game. I do still have some deficiencies in my game but I’m working and limiting those this summer. I think it’s about situation and having a coaching staff and General Manger that believe in you as much as you believe in yourself then the opportunity will come. 

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the Pro A this season?

Shy Ely was really good this year at being efficient and really active with out the ball. 

What is the next step for you? PS Karlsruhe fans want to keep you, but I’m sure top Pro A teams or BBL teams will be calling or could you imagine giving another country and culture a shot?

I will give anywhere another shot that is the right situation for growth in my career I want to play and compete against the best and will be looking for an opportunity to do so. 

On what things will you be continuing to work on in the lab this summer as you continue to improve your game?

Every aspect needs to get better and more fine tuned but my main focus will be strengthening my hips and quicker feet for defensive purposes, working on a tighter handle, and just being in great overall shape. 

How did you follow your ex team Ehingen this season? I can imagine that you are proud of how their season went?

Of Course they had a really good team and season this year. They played hard and earned everything they got, the city and the fans deserved to have a season like that. 

If you had to pick your personal favorite starting five of teammates over the years which players would you chose?

PG – Kahron Ross 
SG – Bradford Burgess
SF – Jason Dietrich 
PF – Orlando Parker 
C – Cyrus Tate 

(Big Lineup lol) 

What is your personal opinion about the never ending debate of who is the greatest between Michael Jordan and Lebron James?

-There’s never going to be a definitive answer I think we should stop comparing and just start appreciating their games and how they influenced their respective generations. 

What is your early opinion where Luka Doncic will end one day in the NBA? Could he be one of the greatest Europeans that ever played in the NBA when all is said and done?

He has a chance to be, it is all set up for him to succeed it’s all about what he does now if he can win and stay healthy in the NBA. 

What was the last movie that you saw?

Us… Great Movie. 

Thanks Davonte for the chat

One unfortunately doesn´t see a lot of basketball books being released in Germany, but when one does, basketball fans grab the opportunity and get it. Ofcourse over the years there have been some informative books about Dirk Nowitzki as well as other gems like the fascinating book Backspin by new Basketball Lowen Braunschweig head coach Pete Strobl. Recently a series of books have been popping up in basketball Germany concerning the easyCredit BBL teams. 111 reasons to love your team. Clubs like FC Bayern Munich, Brose Bamberg and medi Bayreuth have released books concerning their franchise history and in September the next book will be released concerning the interesting 20 year history of the Fraport Skyliners. Of ourse cult club Alba Berlin also came out with an amazing book written by journalist and team expert Benjamin Moser. germanhoops.com sat down with Moser and talked about his book, his love for Alba Berlin and the 2019 BBL finals.

Benjamin thanks for talking to germanhoops.com For all those that don´t know about you could you please talk a little about what you have done in the German basketball world.

I started playing basketball as a kid in Berlin after Germany won its first and only international title at the euro ’93 . There has been a strong basketball movement after Barcelona 92, the Euro 93 and the rise of Streetball.  Playing for local clubs in Berlin on a competitive level as a youth player I faced many players that made it to the pros and to international honor, like Mithat Demirel, Misan Haldin or Jan Jagla. At the time while I played there was no JBBL or NBBL and it was hard for me to adapt to men´s basketball. I played one season in Bavaria at VSC Donauwörth and afterwards I never played on a competitive base regularly again. Since I was looking for an opportunity to stay connected to my beloved game I did a internship at a local newspaper and helped establish a blog about ALBA Berlin. At alba-inside.org you will find everything you need to know about ALBA Berlin.

You recently wrote a book concerning the history of Alba Berlin. Talk a little about how it came about and how challenging it was gathering information about a club so rich in history.

Before I got the offer to write a book about ALBA Berlin I did an internship at the sports editorial of a local newspaper. So I was able to attend training sessions, games and press conferences and of course I could interview players. It was a really cool experience interviewing Bryce Taylor or Derek Allen and I caught interest in blogging about ALBA Berlin. So me and my friend Marvin founded alba-inside.  Later we added Roy W. to the team who turned out to be a mastermind at blogging and he runs the page today as a true ALBA Berlin Expert.

By recommendation a literacy agent contacted me and told me about the possibility of writing a book about ALBA Berlin. And after some time, I said yes. It wasn’t that easy to find every information I wanted to have because a lot of ALBA Berlin Moments happened before the age of the internet and streaming services. So I had to search the archives of our local newspapers and very quick you would notice how media changed since the 1990’s. When ALBA Berlin played in the FIBA Euroleague newspapers would write about the game the next day or they would just publish the result. So sometimes I had to lower my expectations and try to gather information from multiple sources. A little bit sad to see was that nearly no information about ALBA Berlins predecessor DTV Charlottenburg is available online. I tried my best to still gather some information about the club as well.

Other teams in the easyCredit BBL have released books about their history like FC Bayern Munich, Brose Bamberg and medi Bayreuth. In a few months the Fraport Skyliners will do the same. Do you feel like this project will continue and a majority of the other BBL clubs will follow and release books?

I think it’s important that the history of basketball in Germany is told. I also believe it’s a great opportunity for fans to own a book about their club. It’s anther step forward to establish basketball as a sport in Germany besides football. On the other hand I believe it’s still a small market and besides the few German heavyweights in basketball it might be hard to gain interest for books about smaller clubs. But in the end it’s the decision of the publisher if they believe further books are worth a deal.

Your obviously an expert about Alba Berlin. They have reached the 2019 BBL final. They haven´t faired so well in the last few finals. Do you think that there is a curse on Alba Berlin?

At the first looks it seems that there is a final´s curse on our colors but I believe in a different approach. To really understand the situation you have to go back to the season 2016/17 before Coach Aito arrived. ALBA Berlin were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second time in two years after finishing the regular season in 6^th place also for the second time. The team had not been to a final since 2014. Since Ojeda took over as the director of sports and the addition of Aito the club took a huge step towards national and international relevance again. Financially the club wasn’t able to compete with Bamberg or Munich for some time and the supporters are thankful for what has happened in the last two years. Despite the Cup Final against Bamberg, ALBA Berlin faced strong competition in Munich (Cup Final 2018/ League Final 2018) and Valenica (Eurocup 2019) and was never the favorite to win the titles. It’s a step by step approach to win a national or international title again and it might not happen. The supporters are very aware of that. ALBA Berlins task is to develop talent, which they are doing very well in recent years, besides acquiring veteran imports, like Luke Sikma or Peyton Siva. Next season the club is back on Europe’s biggest stage, the Euroleague, and again we’ll have to see how ALBA Berlin can built a balanced squad with the chance to compete for a title, which doesn´t mean they will ever be the favorite to do so, playing in the same league as Munich. So I don’t think we are cursed, I think we couldn’t overcome the financial reality in the recent series.

What is your summary of the Alba Berlin season leading up to the finals? They played a great Eurocup season, but fell short and didn´t win the cup. If they lose another final to FC Bayern Munich, will this be classified as a lost season?

It has been a great season so far. We’re able to witness some of the best basketball being playing in Europe. ALBA Berlins Basketball is a display of team sport and no matter the final outcome of the series it will be remembered as a great season. Sure, it wasn’t great losing the cup final in Bamberg but that will be forgotten by the end of the season, if it’s not already. A great Eurocup campaign with a final appearance which is way harder to do than to reach the German cup final will survive in the memories of the supporters and perhaps ALBA Berlin will be kings of Germany at the end of the season again. If not, so what!?  You can wish to win against Bayern Munich but you can’t expect it and the team secured a starting spot for the Euroleague next season. So it won’t be considered as a losing season. And remember Luke Sikma just signed a 4-Year-Contract extension. So maybe this season is just the beginning of something special.

What kind of series can we await? Alba Berlin has a stronger roster than last season and FC Bayern Munich have improved their offense as well. Is this a series that will go 5 games?

I guess we saw it in the first game that ALBA Berlin is fully capable of winning the series against Bayern Munich who still should be considered as the heavy favorites to lift the trophy. With the back against the wall in Game 2 ALBA Berlin needs to focus on maintaining their pace, to execute their early offense and to improve at the free throw Line. For ALBA Berlin it was the right thing to do not to focus on the officiating after Game 1 and to move on. I expect a clean fought Game 2 and an ALBA Berlin win this time. Then everything is possible despite ALBA Berlin never won a playoff series against Bayern Munich and has to win at least one game on the road.

I think that Luka Sikma could be the X-factor. He was a no show in the 2018 BBL final and didn´t have a good Eurocup final. How confident are you that Sikma will have a good series?

As far as being a dominant scorer against Bayern Munich Luke Sikma has a hard time as he needs to find ways to get past Barthel who’s physicality he hardly matches. On the other hand he is still the head of the team even if he’s not scoring 20 points. If ALBA manages to get open looks for Luke Sikma and he gets going from outside, I agree he could be the X-factor. I believe Sikma will play a solid series but I believe the spotlight will be on Peyton Siva. Siva is way harder to defend for Munich then preventing Sikma to score and Munich´s guard struggle to match Sivas athleticism. 

Talk about the development of ex NBA player Peyton Siva. He really has fought against injuries in his three years, but his game seems to be getting better. How have you seen his get better this season?

Peyton Siva is the key player on ALBA Berlins Squad, at least one of the two key players. Luke Sikma won the MVP last year while Siva battling injuries but ALBA Berlin needs both of them to perform to win close games.

While Sikma is the Head of the team, Siva is the Heart and Soul of ALBA Berlin. You could argue who’s the boss on the squad but they get along pretty well. Siva played a wonderful Eurocup Season and really established himself as a threat from outside while also being able to attack the basket at will. Siva has the ability to switch between being a field general and true Point Guard and taking over a game as a shooter himself. You could see these qualities in Game 1 of the Finals. Sometimes one will say he has to control his temper on defense to not getting into foul trouble. On the other hand Siva can be a clutch player on the defensive side of the ball which sometimes comes with the risk of committing a foul. One thing is for sure, he’s not the one to back down.

The only thing stopping him from being ready for the next level maybe his size. I hope he returns to ALBA Berlin for another season or on a long-term deal like Luke Sikma but I wouldn’t be surprised if Siva returns to the big League or a European Heavyweight in the Euroleague. Everything else will be beyond his level.   

What is your prediction for the 2019 BBL finals and how will Alba Berlin get by FC Bayern Munich?

I strongly believe Bayern Munich is the heavy favorite, as I said before, but I could see a change of momentum after Game 2 and ALBA Berlin winning the series in 5 Games. How this could be done? ALBA needs to stay out of foul trouble. You could see the difference in ALBAs game in Munich with Nnoko and Siva getting in foul trouble. Nnoko is a force under the rim and Bayern needs to work hard on the glass to keep him from rebounding. As long as Nnoko can stay on the field he is a huge challenge for Munich´s big men. Also ALBA Berlin needs to keep its pace on offense. Locked On Set play possessions ALBA can hardly win against a physical Munich team. Also if Sikma starts to find ways to score on Barthel it can decide the series but I don’t have great hope this will happen.

Please list your top three favorite Alba Berlin moments from your book?

Every Alba Fan remembers or heard about the game against Olympiakos Piräus in 1996 at the Max-Schmelling-Halle. I was lucky to be there and witness history. ALBA Berlin defeated the European Heavyweight in the very last seconds of the game and turned the place into a mad house. One of the greatest games I have ever seen live.

While I wrote the book I realized how good Henrik Rödl has been as a player. This guy had success at every stage of his career beginning with his high school days in North Carolina. I tried to cover his career and I think it’s a interesting read especially for the younger fans getting to know the legend a bit.

Besides other great ALBA Berlin Moments, like defeating a great Bologna Team with Dominique Wilkins or winning the Korac Cup in 1995, I decided to tell the readers about DTV Charlottenburg, the predecessor of ALBA Berlin. It was important to me that the story was told how the great history of ALBA Berlin really started.

 What was the last movie that you saw?

Actually at the moment I prefer to watch shows on Netflix so it’s the second season of “The Rain”

Thanks Benjamin for the chat.