Chris Frazier is a 28 year old 182cm shooting guard that hails from Heidelberg, Germany, but also has the American citizenship and finished his fifth professional season and second with the Rostock SeaWolves averaging 2,5ppg, in 6,8 minutes per game. Last season he helped them reach the Pro A averaging 9,9ppg,1,2rpg and 1,6apg. He started his basketball career at TV Schwetzingen (Germany-2.Regionalliga) before moving to the States to play at Dubuque (NCAA3) from 2010-2014 playing a total of 107 games and as a senior played 26 games averaging 13.7ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 43.8%, 3PT: 42.0%, FT: 88.0%. He came back to Germany in 2014 and played with the Otto Baskets Magdeburg (Germany-ProB) playing 20 games averaging 16.1ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.0%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: 80.6%. In the 2015-2016 season he made the jump to the BBL playing for the Crailsheim Merlins (Germany-BBL) playing 13 games averaging 2.3ppg. In the 2016-2017 season he played for the Artland Dragons (Germany-ProB) playing 25 games averaging 13.0ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 54.9%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 79.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the 2018-2019 season.

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

Hey Miles it’s nice to link up again. I am currently still in Rostock training and getting ready for whatever comes my way next season. The basketball life of course is always a blessing.

Congrats on a very successful season with the Rostock Seawolves. If you could describe the most special quality there is in the Rostock Seawolves culture what would it be?

Appreciate it. The quality that Rostock has more than any club that I’ve been apart of so far is that they really treat you like family here. If there is a problem it gets resolved ASAP.

The Rostock Seawolves played the Hamburg Towers tough, but lost 3-1 in the quarterfinals. How disappointing was this playoff series loss and do you feel like there was much more for the taking to have been successful than what the reality showed?

Hamburg beat us that’s that. We know and believe that we could have beaten Hamburg, they just had more experience in certain situations. At the end of the day they won fair and square!

In all three loses to the Hamburg Towers, Rostock was outrebounded and shot poorly from outside. What other factors contributed to not allowing you to get by this team?

It was nothing that they did that kept us from winning. It was all on us. Like you said shooting was a problem that series. If we make more shots we win those games. On the boards they just wanted it more than we did. Self inflicted

The club started up and down, but then had it’s best stretch from mid December to March winning 10 of 11 games. What was the team doing best there that allowed them to be so strong?

At that time we were playing our best defense. We went on a crazy run because we were just so aggressive on the floor. That just made certain teams uncomfortable.

You have seen a lot of arenas in your life, but there is only one Stadthalle Rostock. Describe a little why the atmosphere there made it so special to play there this season?

Our fans and the atmosphere is like no other in Germany. There might be a couple of Bundesliga teams that might be louder than our fans, but win or lose I’ve never seen the support that Seawolves fans give to the organization.

What do you feel was the club season highlight? Possibly sweeping Heidelberg or beating top team Chemnitz by 20 points?

To be honest I think it’s when we beat Hamburg in the playoffs. We might have lost that series, but I believe from that point on people will always have the Seawolves on their minds because this club is just getting started on building something special.

Let’s talk about your teammates. Yannick Anzuluni was back in Rostock for his second tour of duty and is one of those players that has had to climb the basketball ladder from the bottom. What made his game so special and was it easy to recognize that he lives and dies for the Seawolves?

Yannick is a special kind of talent. I say that because it seems half the time like he is not even trying, but at the end of that game has 28pts 9reb 4stls. Yannick will for sure go down as one of the best Seawolves player to come through here.

How much of a pleasure was it being teammates with Tony Hicks? What was your fondest memory with him and how much did you appreciate his playmaking?

Tony helped me in ways where I don’t even think he realizes it. Going up against players like him and Terrell Harris helped me find my old self in ways where I couldn’t have done it on my own. They both brought the best out of me every day in practice. Fondest memory too many he was our leader on the floor and took over when he needed too.

The club had three guys that averaged double figures in scoring including American Terrell Harris. How quickly did it take you to notice that there aren’t many more fierce competitors than him around?

Like I said above. Terrell brought out the best in me. We battled everyday and I can say that he hast brought my defensive level up to where it should be. He is easily top 3 shooting guard in the ProA .

How did you experience the development of German Tom Alte. He had played BBL, but had his Pro A break through with Rostock. What did you appreciate most about his game and can one define him as saying that he lives on the rim?


Tom is a talent that people need to watch out for. He is super athletic, he can score where ever. As soon as he finds that ‘dog’ in him and plays with an aggressive, but smart way, he will be a force to deal with. Great guy with a bright future.

Excluding Tom Alte, which other German player do you feel developed best from the German players?

Darian Cardenas. He is another young German talent that a lot of people overlook. He had a break through this season and I believe that he will only get better. Watch out for him in the near future!

Let’s talk about your game. After averaging 31 minutes and helping Rostock reach the Pro A, this season you averaged only 6,8 minutes. Was this the toughest season in your career?

I won’t lie. It was hard and head scratching. I know I could have helped the team more than I did, but I still appreciate the chance Rostock gave me. Coach gave me my chances and I took full advantage of every moment.

Did this season bring back memories to your BBL season with Crailsheim? You definitely deserved more minutes. What factors do you believe led to you not getting more minutes?

It reminded me a little bit of Crailsheim except in Crailsheim I broke my foot and it was hard to get into the rotation. This season I honestly don’t know why I didn’t receive more minutes. When I came in I actually did a lot for the minutes that I did play, but Coach had a different vision which required me to take a role that I had to accept and battled every day to get the guys ready.

How tough is it to develop in general when your getting less minutes. What positives can you take from the season concerning your game?

It was hard because I didn’t want to accept it and I battled every day to gain more minutes with little success. What I can say is that I am a way better defender now than I was last season thanks to Terrell.

In the summer of 2018 in our last interview you stated this would be a make or break season. How do you feel will you bounce back from your second Rostock season best?

I said that and I meant it, but the season didn’t break me. I saw and viewed the game differently this year and took a lot for myself to improve in the summer. I can’t remember the time where I’ve been this motivated to get started for the new season.

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

Toughest player I battled this season was Terrell Harris.

What is the next step for you? I can’t imagine that you will stay in Rostock? Would another Pro A team be a goal or possibly going to another country or would a top Pro B team with ambitious for the Pro A get your attention?

Haha a lot of people say they can’t imagine me staying here, but we will see how the future plays out. Everything is open for me. I would stay and prove that I belong, I’m open to any Pro A teams and Pro B teams that want to seriously do something. Wherever I can get a chance to prove myself all over again.

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?

My all around game and my body. I guess I’m to skinny to play in the Pro A so I guess it’s time to put on weight.

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

PG (Matt Reid) SG (Terrell Harris) SF (Shy Ely) PF (Greg Graves) C (Adam Chubb)

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?


If Luka does anything like his rookie season throughout his career he will easily be the 2nd best. There never be anybody better than Dirk.

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

Lebron James is the best all around player of all time, but he isn’t the GOAT if that makes sense. He was brave to say it, but he saw what happens this year.

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

Chuck is just mad that him And MJ aren’t friends anymore.

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

No. MJ would still Be the greatest athletes to ever play a sport.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Jurassic World

Thanks Chris for the chat.

Roland Nyama is a 25 year old 198cm forward from Frankfurt, Germany that has the German/Cameroonian citizenship and recently finished his second season with PS Karlsruhe averaging 8,5ppg, 3,3rpg and 1,3apg. Last season with PS Karlsruhe he averaged 6,5ppg and 2,2rpg. He started his basketball career with the FTG Frankfurt junior team. He then got further valuable basketball experience with Eintracht Frankfurt (2.Regionalliga) in 2008. He then continued to play with Eintracht Frankfurt (2.Regionalliga) from 2009-2011 while also playing for the Deutsche Bank Skyliners Frankfurt II (Germany-ProB) where he played 6 games in two years. In 2011, he came to the United States and played for the Holderness School. He came to Stony Brook in 2013 and in his first full season played 34 games averaging 7.5ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 42.2%, 3PT: 39.0%, FT: 69.2%. In his last season he played 32 games averaging 10,3ppg, 4,4rpg and 1,4apg He spoke to germanhoops.com after he finished the 2018-2019 season with PS Karlsruhe before joining his new team the Tigers Tuebingen.

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

Hi Miles thanks for having me again. I’m currently in the Stuttgart Area since the workout situation there is more favorable to me than in my hometown Frankfurt. I have been taking some time off of basketball to recharge but I’m keeping myself in shape with other forms of workout.

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 definitely. Time during Basketball season, at least after the preseason seems to be going a lot faster than one notices.

It was another special season for PS Karlsruhe. How do you believe did the special basketball culture grow in the last season after it’s amazing Pro A debut in 2017? 

After a rough start to this season, we turned people into believers. People that thought that last year was a fluke were proven wrong and we established ourselves as a force to be reckoned with in the league. Hopefully the Basketball support in that area will grow since there’s a lot of hidden talent there. 

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?

We definitely didn’t underachieve. After 10 games we were 2-8, went through a coaching change and still managed to reach the playoffs. It was a testament to our teams character and willingness to go through the grind. 

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?

At the end of the day, Chemnitz just made less mistakes and was never too impressed by our pressure. Throughout the majority of games we led only to relinquish that lead later on. Personally I could’ve been more aggressive on offense as I was struggling to find a rhythm all series. 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? 

Chemnitz had a counter for every action we were trying to take away. Also their off the ball movement is incredible. All in all they execute their gameplay with great precision and play as a complete unit. 

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? 

It was tough having to respect the entire core and prepare for them. But also, the system was what made them successful and the willingness to share the basketball. So we didn’t spend much time looking at individual clips but more on how their team concept works. 

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’? 

Good times. No coach kept telling us that we haven’t reached our goal yet and that we needed to respect every opponent. At first it was somewhat easier to win games since we didn’t have that much pressure and teams underestimated us. What that time taught us, though, was how to execute and grind out wins in the last minutes of games. 

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?

It was a rollercoaster of emotions. 2 key guys injured before the season started, 3 more guys signed, one of them had to go and then another Key German player injured. At one point we finished the game vs Nuremberg with 4 players. Heidelberg was a big win for us because it was a rivalry game but the biggest, in my opinion was away at Tuebingen in overtime where we basically secured our playoff spot in front of 5000 + fans. The crowd was amazing and the intensity of the game was elevated to another level because of that. It felt like the playoffs 

Let’s talk about your teammates. How special was it playing with Davonte Lacy? You have played with many pure scorers in your career, but where did his scoring ability rank with all the guys that you have played with in your career? 

Davonte is an incredible scorer because he gets to where he wants to go whenever he wants. He is deceptively quick and his high release makes it tough to bother his jump shot. Battling him in practice every day was fun. He’s probably up there with some of the best scorers I’ve played with. Another guy who comes to to mind when speaking of great (perimeter) scorers is Jarelle Reischel.

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

His confidence grew throughout the season. Everybody knew he could be special but he had to believe it himself. He’s quick, has a good pull up and is a very willing passer. I think he’s going have a great career moving forward.

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?

I mean I’ve know Filmore for 10 + years now from our Frankfurt days but in this season in particular I kind of adopted his confidence in his sho tmaking ability. Meaning it doesn’t matter if he’s 5-5 or 0-10 he’s still taking that shot with the same amount of confidence. 

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

Noah made the biggest stride. He was thrown into hot water by injuries and had to play more than we or even him expected but he did an excellent job and matured on the court but also off the court as a result. 

Let’s talk about your game. You averaged 8,5ppg, 3,3rpg and 1,3apg and shot 36% from outside in your second pro A season. How content were you with your season?

It was alright. The first part of the season I was playing very well but then I had to sit out a few games because of an injury and never really regained my form and as a result my stats dropped.

You improved your stats in your second Pro A season. How was it easier playing Pro A this season for you in comparison to last season? 

Basketball is pretty easy if you don’t overcomplicate it. My coaches (Mai and Rudez) did a great job putting me into positions on the court where I could be effective and use my strengths. Also being able to deal with the physicality a bit more helped. 

You improved your outside shooting last season shooting 37% and was solid this season at 36%. Last season you credited 8am shooting sessions and just continuing to shoot the ball. How do you feel did your shooting overall develop in your second season in the Pro A as you got more professional experience?

Reps and confidence. Also, it helped that coaches pin pointed where my shots should be going from during our film sessions and developed practice plans based on my in game shot selection. 

How do you feel did your overall game develop further in the Pro A this season? How did especially your defensive game develop in your second successful season with PS Karlsruhe? 

I want to get more precise in my decision making offensively especially in creating for others. Defensively I feel like I’m pretty good on the ball but off the ball I have to be more alert and sniff out actions. Just be a little bit more alert at all times. 

You had some personal big games against Phoenix Hagen scoring 17 points and hit Nurnberg for 15 points. What was your personal best game of the season?

I felt like the first home game vs Hamburg was my best game that season. We unfortunately lost but I felt that I had a groove going pretty early and the home crowd energized me as well. 

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

Shy Ely.

What is the next step for you? Are you content with being a solid German Pro A player or do you have ambition to possibly give another country and culture an opportunity?

I’m pretty happy with being in Germany for the time being. I would love to help a team move up to the BBL and then stay there with that same team.

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

Athleticism, ball handling, decision making and going try to gain some weight.

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

Richie Williams, Filmore Beck, Jarelle Reischel, Orlando Parker, Cyrus Tate.

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

Let Lebron be Lebron and Mike be Mike and enjoy greatness. 

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?

Luka will be a Hall of Famer when its all said and done. He represents modern basketball and plays the way it should be played.

What was the last movie that you saw?

I’m hoping to see Avengers End Game before this gets published. Besides that, The Movie US’

Thanks Roland for the chat.

is a 31 year old 204cm forward from Nassau, Bahamas that completed his second season in Germany and first with the Tigers Tuebingen. He was injured for most of the season and played only 8 games averaging 1,6ppg and 1,1rpg. Last season he played for the ROMERSTROM Gladiators Trier (Germany-ProA averaging 4,8ppg and 2,6rpg. He has played most of his professional career in Canada with teams Halifax Rainmen (Canada-NBL Canada), Island Storm (Canada-NBL Canada), and Windsor Express (Canada-NBL Canada). He also gained experience with teams Maitland Mustangs (Australia-WARATAH) and Francavilla Fontana (Italy-Serie C Silver). He played four years at Dalhousie University (Canada-CIS) and as a senior played 21 games averaging 14.6ppg, 6.4rpg, FGP: 49.4%, FT: 61.7%. He spoke to germanhoops.com at the end of the 2018-2019 season.

Robert thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and what is on your agenda in the next months

Hi Miles, thank you for reaching out. I am in Toronto right now and plan on being here for most of the off season. I will do a lot of training and continue to study some German language courses in the next few months.

Has the NCAA Madness taken your mind off not reaching the playoffs with the Tigers Tuebingen?

The tournament was crazy this year, but nothing can take my mind of off missing the playoffs.

The club wanted to get back to the easyCredit BBL. How did you experience this season in Tuebingen with the team and fans? Is the disappointment high that the BBL won’t be back next season for the team?

The team and the fans were both great in Tuebingen. The fans supported us through both the good and bad times this season. The club operated like a family and did a good job of taking care of the players. I know that Tuebingen would love to return to the BBL and I believe that they can make the ascent happen.

One can say it was a tale of two seasons for the Tigers Tuebingen. In 2018 things didn’t go well, but with the arrival of Georg Kampf in mid January the team was reborn. What was your summary of the season of Tuebingen?

This season was one of highs and lows. However we did not break and we kept fighting until the end. We started with a completely new team and with many players who did not have experience in this league. The club, coaches and players were all adjusting to how things work in the Pro A. We took some time to build chemistry and to get into a flow. Once the team figured everything out, our confidence rose in our ability to finish games and the we went on a big run at the end.

Before Georg Kampf came on board the club had a disappointing record of 7-11. What do you feel were the main reasons then for the club not being able to have more success?

We had a completely new team and not much experience in this league. We had to learn how to play together and learn what it took to win in this league. Building chemistry can be difficult, it takes time and sacrifice from the players. 

Ex head coach Aleksandar Nadjfeji was a legend in the BBL as a player and had had coaching experience as an assistant. Last season he had misfortune of not keeping Tuebingen in the BBL and this season he was let go. Is he one of those classic examples of a guy that is simply better suited to be an assistant than a head coach?

Coach Nadjfeji really knows the game. He has played basketball at a really high level for a long time. He has a lot of knowledge and has potential to be a great coach. I think he just needs more time to develop as a coach. Being a head coach is a big transition and there was a learning curb. Coach Nadjfeji was definitely growing as a head coach and was really finding his voice as the season progressed. Experience is an important thing and being a rookie coach definitely proved to be challenging. With more grooming and experience he can become an excellent head coach.

Head coach Georg Kampf is one of those coaches that is very hard nosed, won’t take crap form anyone and has his own way of getting his message across. How vital was his presence for the turnaround of the team?

Coach Kampf has been in this business a long time. He has been coaching for many years and has his own way of doing things. He did a good job getting everyone on the same page. He had us focused on playing to our strengths and being in better shape than our opponents. He helped us believe in ourselves at a time when moral was low.

What do you feel changed with the arrival of Georg Kampf? The team defended better, but also had games where they gave up many points and the offense seemed to score more.

We played bigger with Coach Kampf. We had been playing small ball before and we moved Elijah to the 3 and Enosh to the 4 position with Robertas at the 5. That helped with our defense. Also we did a lot of extra running and conditioning. Playing bigger and being in better shape than many other teams helped us a lot in games. 

Do you feel like if Georg Kampf had been brought in a month earlier that you would have made the playoffs or did the late season loses against PS Karlsruhe and the Artland Dragons cost you the season.

We were in position to make the playoffs. Those late season losses cost us our chance to make the playoffs. We had the opportunity to win both of those games. We were up and made costly mistakes in the final minutes of both the Artland and Karlsruhe games. A single possession can cost you the whole season. 

Obviously the Tigers Tuebingen want to get back to the BBL as soon as possible. Despite not having been able to accomplish it this season, what positives did the season bring the organization?

I feel like this season was a turning point for the club. The team had been struggling for a while in the BBL. This season we were able to find ourselves again and figure out how to build a winning product. We finished the season at 15-15, with a strong final push. The club is definitely moving in the right direction.

Let’s talk about your teammates. American Reed Timmer had a great rookie season. After being his teammate for a season, does he have the talent and if so is he ready for the BBL or is another season in the Pro A or a season in Austria more beneficial for his development?

Reed is a very talented scorer. He is a great shooter and he has the strength and body control to finish with contact at the rim. His understanding of the European game definitely improved a lot as the season progressed. If he can find the right situation he could definitely play in the BBL. 

How important was a guy like Elijah Allen for the club and you? How important was his good spirit and up beat mood to keep the team calm at all times?

Elijah was a great guy for the club and probably my closest friend on the team. He is a great team guy who is always looking to do the little things and play the game the right way. He was great for us at the 3 position and really prided himself on locking up the opposing teams best player. He helped the team function better both on and off the court. 

Even if the team didn’t make the playoffs, how did the young guys profit most from 30 year old veteran Tyler Laser? What player do you feel gained the most from his presence?

Tyler has a great work ethic. He always gets extra shots after practice and takes a lot of extra time to stretch and maintain his body. He would always push the younger players to get extra shots and take time to stretch. Rookie Reed Timmer gained the most from Tyler’s example. Reed was Tyler’s shooting partner for the season, and he witnessed first hand what it takes to stay in this business for a long time. 

German Besnik Bekteshi has been around for ages, but is only 26 years old. How did his game develop further and is he still a guy that could make more of an impact in the BBL down the road?

Besnik was a great guy for us this season. He is a smooth scorer and playmaker who always plays under control. He has a veterans presence on the court and I believe he could have more of an impact in the BBL if he was placed in the right situation for his game. 

German Enosh Wolf had a very strong season. One could say his break out season as a professional. How did you see the NCAA champion develop further this season and is he a late bloomer and still talented enough for another BBL run?

Enosh had a great season. He was given an opportunity to show his abilities and he displayed them with a lot of confidence. He is a smart player who has great touch and mobility for his size. He continued to improve as the season went on and he still has room to grow as a player. He definitely has enough talent to get another opportunity at the BBL. 

How raw is Nemanja Nadjfeji? You saw him play every day. Did the absence of his father affect him or is he still on a good way as he continues to develop as a player?

Nemanja has a lot of potential as a player. He has great vision, footwork and is a very crafty player. He continued to develop even after his father left the team. He needs to continue to work on his body to develop his strength and athleticism. If he keeps working he will be great player.

Let’s talk about your game. You came to Tuebingen and got inured early and couldn’t play until February. How tough was this period for you? Was this one of your tougher injuries in your career?

I have been lucky to never have a surgery or a serious injury in my career. So when I broke my left foot the week before the first game of the season I was devastated. It was really tough because I could not do anything to rehab it for a long time. I am a very active person who loves to move and do things. Not being able to do what I love for a long period of time was really difficult for me. This was definitely the toughest injury of my career.

What did you learn about yourself and the game of basketball when you were out?

Not playing and working your butt off to get healthy must have been an adjustment. I decided to work on the mental and tactical part of the game. I am an energy player who outworks others. But learning to work smarter and more efficiently was big for my growth this season. I watched a lot of film and got to see the game from the sideline for most of the season. I asked a lot of questions to the coaching staff and the other veterans to see things from their perspective. I definitively became a more intelligent and tactical player this season. Being so active I usually do not have to get in shape, because I typically stay in good shape. But after sitting out for most of the season I had to completely start from scratch. It was a lot of hard work but I was able to rebuild my body and get back into amazing shape.

You didn’t get many minutes. How disappointing was coming back and not playing? What do you feel were the main reasons for not getting the minutes? Did you and head coach Georg Kampf not see eye to eye?

It was really challenging to come back and not play much. I think that Coach Georg had already set his rotation by the time I had come back. The team was winning with the way that he had set things and I don’t think that he wanted to mess with that. 

So you see this as a lost year? Did you get anything positive out of the Tuebingen experience?
Even though I lost a season playing, there were many positive things that I took from this experience. I learned a lot about the game, watching practices and film. This team had so many great guys and we were able to develop some real cool friendships. Tuebingen is a beautiful city with amazing fans and a great organization. I really enjoyed the way the club treated us. There was a real family environment, which can be rare in professional sports.

You stated in our last interview that you’re a late bloomer and have been playing catch up your whole career. How did the Tuebingen experience affect you mentally?
I believe that the Tuebingen experience has made me tougher mentally. You put in the work and prepare yourself for success. But things do not always go your way. I was sidelined by an injury for most of this season, and when I returned to the court I was not able to get into the rotation. Many players would be devastated by a season like this, but I focused on the positives. Tough times happen, but how you react when things get tough determine your character.

Who was the toughest player that you battled this season in the Pro A?
I am not sure. There are a lot of good players in the league.

What is the next step for you? Will you be doing some soul searching this summer about your future? Maybe playing in another country might do some good for you?

I will continue to put in work and get ready for my next opportunity. I know that I am a great player and a great teammate. I have prepared myself and I know that I will get another opportunity. I love playing in Germany and learning more about my German heritage, but I am always open to new experiences. 

You have a long summer ahead of you. On what things will you be working on most in the basketball lab as you get ready for that next opportunity?
I will be working a lot on my body this summer. I plan on increasing my functional strength, mobility and movement patterns. I want to ensure that my body will be completely healthy and that it will perform at an even higher level. I will be faster, stronger and more athletic after this off season. That should help me to continue to finish, rebound and defend at a very high level. Offensively I will continue to work on my pick and roll finishes, developing my post moves from either block, and to master spacing and making shots after penetration. 

Please name your five all-time best teammates in college and pro’s
These are some guys that I enjoyed playing with and had really good relationships both on and off the court. Ritchie Kanza Mata, Jermaine Bucknor, Elijah Allen, Mark St. Fort and Jaraun Burrows.

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 is an extremely special talent. He definitely has a really advanced skill set and a veterans mindset at a really young age. He can definitely be one of the greatest European players to ever play in the NBA.

What was your reaction when you heard that Lebron James named himself the greatest of all-time?
I admire his confidence and self believe. However, I do not agree. I still do not think that he is greater than either Jordan or Kobe. Lebron needs to win a couple more Championships to be in the conversation. 

Charles Barkley recently proclaimed that Tom Brady Is more of a GOAT than Michael Jordan. Do you share his opinion?
That is difficult to know who is the greatest between Brady and Jordan. They are the GOAT’s of their respective sports.

Tom Brady won sixth Super Bowl. Where will he be if he wins a seventh next season?
Tom Brady is definitely the GOAT of the NFL. Another championship will only cement his legacy further.

What was the last movie that you saw?
I am a big superhero guy. I recently watched Captain Marvel, it was really enjoyable.

Thanks Robert for the chat.

                When May rolls around in Germany, the days are getting longer, the temperatures are getting warmer, there are longer visits at the outdoor cafes in the night and the basketball in the easyCredit BBL is getting heated up with the playoff battles between ambitious teams. With the weather a lot warmer, the arena´s get a lot hotter and everything is sizzling with competitive and exciting basketball. But what has been happening in the spring of 2019? The weather has been warm and the arena´s have had that summerly warm feeling, but the sizzle has been as nonexistent as the usual dominance of the Golden State Warriors in the NBA finals. Where Toronto Raptors and Kawhi Leonard have been the main attraction of the 2019 NBA playoffs so has the term Sweep in the 2019 easyCredit BBL playoffs. Where was that next Rickey Paulding buzzer beater or that brilliant Josh Mayo game winner or that rare quadruple double from Rashid Mahalbasic in the playoffs? Where was that game winner by Tyrese Rice or Nikolais Zisis?  Instead of seeing intense playoff battles going back and forth and games being decided in dramatic fashion, fans witnessed five sweeps out of six playoff series. In the last years there have been at least one five games series or even two or three, but none so far this playoffs. The 2019 BBL playoffs so far have been as unspectacular as France´s pathetic display in Turkey in a 2020 European Football qualifying game losing 2-0. The only refreshing and bright spot in the playoffs as well as the whole regular season was Rasta Vechta. The Cinderella story steered by head coach Pedro Calles wooed the whole league with their inspiring play and proving you can have success with a little budget. They faced off against Bamberg losing 4 tough games despite having a depleted lineup. Bamberg was the only team in this playoffs that was able to get a win while all other teams were swept in their playoff games. But maybe that spectacular series and ending will occur in the finals. The 2019 NBA playoffs saved it´s best for last as the Toronto Raptors totally surprised the Golden State Warriors and maybe now fans will get that spectacular five games series between FC Bayern Munich and Alba Berlin.

                FC Bayern Munich faced off against a very tired Rasta Vechta, but they never gave up. Despite having some of their injured guys back with Seth Hinrichs and Clint Chapman, FC Bayern Munich remained unscathed and easily sweep the Cinderella team. FC Bayern Munich knew exactly where to attack Rasta Vechta which was down low scoring 38 points and totally dominated the boards 33-15 in game one winning 98-88. Rasta Vechta did a good job using their strength shooting from outside nailing 17 three´s, but FC Bayern´s offensive attack was too balanced as four guys scored in double figures and Devin Booker and Vladimir Lucic combined for 45 points. In game two, Rasta Vechta couldn´t take advantage of their home court losing 89-71. The Bavarian squad dominated inside more than in game one scoring 48 points in the paint and stepped up their defense forcing Rasta Vechta to 24 turnovers. FC Bayern Munich had only three guys in double figures scoring, but their overall offense was better balanced and got solid input from everyone and got 42 points from the bench while Rasta Vechta got only 20 points. In game 3, Rasta Vechta played a solid first half, but FC Bayern Munich broke away in the second half winning easily 95-80. They dominated in the paint again and controlled the boards 28-24 while scoring 38 points inside. FC Bayern Munich got four guys to score in double figures led by captain Danilo Barthel and Vladimir Lucic with 17 points a piece. The Munich bench contributed 26 points and Rasta Vechta only 6 points. TJ Bray saved his best for last exploding for 38 points against his future team. It has been reported that TJ Bray has signed with FC Bayern Munich, but so far the club hasn´t made it official.

                Alba Berlin also had an easy time with the EWE Baskets Oldenburg winning two shoot outs on the road and buckling down on defense at home allowing only 68 points. In game one, Alba Berlin won 100-93 in Oldenburg. Even if the EWE Baskets Oldenburg shot well from the free throw line with 25/28, they allowed Alba Berlin to the line 44 times as they committed a miserable 31 fouls. Alba Berlin controlled the boards 31-24 and forced Oldenburg to 16 turnovers while only coughing up the ball 9 ties. Alba Berlin shot well from outside while keeping Oldenburg at 6/21 form downtown. Alba Berlin got a super performance from ex NBA player Peyton Siva with 26 points, while the big three of Oldenburg combined for 45 points. Mahalbasic and Cummings did their job scoring 21 points a piece, but Paulding was cold scoring only 3 points. In game two, Alba Berlin defended their home court and played brilliant defense winning 79-68. Alba Berlin didn´t only defend well, but had their offense rolling and sharing the ball great as they had six guys in double figures led by Rokas Giedraitis with 13 points. Alba Berlin also controlled the boards 37-30 snagging 13 offensive rebounds. The Oldenburg big three combined for 51 points, but little came from the rest getting only 5 points from the bench. Alba Berlin closed out the series on the road 100-93 dominating all important aspects. Alba Berlin shot 41,7% from outside while the EWE Baskets couldn´t hit much at 28%. Alba Berlin won the rebound duel 33-28 and coughed up less balls. Alba Berlin showcased four guys scoring in double figures and were led by another very potent Peyton Siva with 26 points. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg got 42 points combined from Mahalbasic and Cummings while Paulding only had 3 points, but got extended help from Franz Massenat and Nathan Boothe who combined for 34 points,, but once again had little input from the bench.

                The easyCredit 2019 BBL finals is a dream matchup and is the first back to back finals with the same two teams since the 2004 and 2005 finals which featured Frankfurt and Bamberg. FC Bayern Munich swept the season series winning 83-81 at home and winning 85-75 in Berlin. FC Bayern Munich didn´t play their best basketball in the 83-81 victory being outrebounded 36-19, but forced Alba Berlin to 17 turnovers. Derrick Williams had a super performance with 26 points while Rokas Giedraitis hit for 22 points. In the return game in Berlin, FC Bayern Munich continued to have problems rebounding losing 29-22, but defended the three line better forcing Alba Berlin to 5/23 shooting. This could be a long series if both teams can play up to their potential. Unlike like last season where FC Bayern Munich wasn´t the lethal three point shooting team, this season they have proved that they have the ultimate inside out game. They shot over 40% from outside this season and 61% from the two point area. Alba might have the bit more beauty in their game, but stats don´t lie, they don´t shoot as well as the Bavarian team this season. A big weakness with FC Bayern Munich is their rebounding, but if they are hitting on all cylinders then rebounding isn´t as vital, but if they have an off night then the rebounding woes could be costly. Alba Berlin cough up the ball a lot and are shaky at the free throw line which could bs costly in the last seconds. Alba Berlin are a very good defensive team and now have a real challenge and will need to be consistent. The X-factor for Alba Berlin has to be Luke Sikma. He had a weak 2018 finals and 2019 Eurocup final, but maybe three is a charm for him and Alba Berlin if he can have an MVP type series. FC Bayern Munich have the better offense and when defending well will beat Alba Berlin in a four or five game series. But if Alba Berlin can scare and steal game one, then it could be a very tight and exciting series.

Chris Miller  is a 25 year old 193cm guard from Brooklyn, New York that is playing his first season with Club de Baloncesto Cojute (El Salvador-Liga MB). He finished his second season recently with the VfB 1900 Giessen Pointers (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 26 games averaging 18.9ppg, 4.2rpg, 2.8apg, Steals-2 (2.8spg), FGP: 50.7%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 78.1%. He completed his rookie season in Germany with VfL Bensheim (2.Regionalliga). Before coming to Europe, he got semi-pro league experience in the states with the Jamestown jackals. He played college ball at Salem international University and graduated in 2015. He spoke to germanhoops.com recently about his season with the Giessen Pointers.

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

Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. At the moment I am in Cojutepeque El Salvador. Basketball life is treating me good. I finished a good season in Germany, played for a month in Dominican Republic, and now I am part of a playoff push in El Salvador.

After playing in Bensheim Germany as a rookie in 2016-2017 you played in El Salvador in the summer of 2017 and this summer your playing in El Salvador for Club De Baloncesto Cojute Cuscatlan. How do you feel is getting that extra professional experience more beneficial than remaining at home and working on your game in the lab?

Yes Cojute is a nice place with genuine people. I feel great to have any chance to continue my career. For Me personally, my goal is to play All year round like I am now. I get my work done anywhere I go, so I am not worried about that. I love to travel and play basketball so I will jump to the opportunities to do so as they come.

In your first game in El Salvador you scored 34 points, had 10 boards and 6 rebounds. How good does it feel being back in El Salvador? What do you enjoy most about playing in El Salvador?

My first game was a good experience. I am in a position to play Point Guard and lead this team to a decent seed in the playoffs. Hopefully I can continue to perform like the first game and better. I enjoy a lot of different things here. The fact to continue my professional career is a blessing. This league allows 3 Americans per team so I am able to make new friends and network. This is a third world country so things are very different but it gives me an opportunity to experience another culture. The people here are not too fortunate but are the first to help. Truly genuine people we can learn a lot from.

How is your game more mature now in El Salvador than it was two summers ago?

My game has grown tremendously since my last season here in 2017. I played 2 more years Professionally. I led my team to a championship and found out what it truly takes to win. I am very comfortable playing point guard now. Also I have added a lot more to my game that I am very eager to show!!

After a very strong season in the Regionalliga with the Giessen Pointers, what is your main goal as a player now? Obviously you want to win games, but are you working on certain parts of your game or playing it safe and showcasing your strengths to help you for that next contract in Europe?

My main goal as a player is to grow my brand of basketball. Where ever I go I want people to know who I am and that I am a legit professional. Many times I get overlooked because of the leagues I have played in, but I have been doing this consistently for 5 years now without an agent. I only know how to play hard. For me to play it cool will be an injustice to the team I am currently on. This for me is a summer season so I am waiting to hear where I will land in Europe in the fall.

Talk a bit about the LMB league in El Salvador. How do you rate it to the German Regionalliga and Regionalliga 2 and are there any other well known players balling with and against you at the moment? I believe Marcus Faison is a guy that is one of the better known guys.

LMB is growing and becoming a respectable league. I think it is more competitive than the Regionalliga leagues because of the number of Americans alone. This league is exciting. They embrace big numbers and showcasing skills. You have to bring it every game!!There are some well established players playing here this season. I am excited to match up with guys like Christopher Blake, Anthony Brown and Marcus Faison.

Let’s talk about your Regionalliga season with the Giessen Pointers. You helped the team move up from Regionalliga 2. In the Regionalliga the team finished in seventh place with a record of 11-15. What was your season summary of the team’s performance?

After winning our championship there was a coaching change and new players added. We were a completely different team and were spending the year trying to figure it all out. We had our good games and some bad games. In the beginning of the season we were projected to be last place. We finished 7 out of 14. Its not the best year but I will take it.

The team had it’s best stretch in December and January with a 5-2 record, but finished the season losing 7 of 9 games. Why was the team so up and down? What kind of experience was it learning some Balkan basketball from Airosius Martynas?

When Marty arrived his intensity brought a new energy to the team. Some of our guys were going through the motions of a long season some were banged up. Marty came in with a lot to prove. We started off hot and were in the range of 4th place. The end of the season was tough, we were all playing banged up and some key guys were hit with season ending injuries.

You also played some games with 40 year old German Felix Rotaru. Was he a guy that had to hear the daily jokes about his age or did every one have full respect for the veteran?

Felix has my 100% of my respect. I am still trying to find his fountain of youth. At times he moves as if he is the youngest guy in the gym. He still has the ability to impact the game both on offense and defense. He has seen 20 years of professional basketball. I will like to accomplish that as well so when he spoke this year I was listening closely.

Let’s talk about your game. You had no adjustment period coming from the Regionalliga 2 averaging 18,9ppg, 4,2rpg and 2,8apg. How content were you with your season?

I am not at all happy with my last year. To some people that is a great year with decent stats. Leading in 4 different categories and getting an Honorable mention. The league is good but I feel I could of dominated more. Now I know what this league is about and I have all summer to plot my revenge for that Honorable mention. So beware of what I do next year.

You had another very good season at a new level the Regionalliga. How do you feel did your leadership skills improve in the Regionalliga?

With each year I add to my career I work on my leadership skills. I am not the most experienced player but if I know something I will let it be known. I learned how to communicate with my teammates to get the best out of each of them. I take pride in leading by example. I put the work in and do all the things necessary to be a successful player. If the top guys on the team are pushing this kind of attitude the rest have to fall in line.

In the Regionalliga 2 you were moved to point guard because of injuries. How do you feel did your game in the Regionalliga benefit most from having that playmaking role two seasons ago?

Playing Point Guard is very difficult. You are forced to control so many aspects of the game. At first I did not know how to get everyone else involved while keeping a scoring mentality. With time and the help from my coach Dejan Kostic I learned the balance which made me a more complete player. It didn’t happen overnight but now I am very confident in my ability to lead a team as a Point Guard.

You have very high standards as a player and surely know on what things you can improve on, but how do you feel did your game develop further in the Regionalliga?

Each level brings requires more from you. This year I played against some stronger players. The league was very balanced so 1 loss could drop you from middle to last place. So there is little room for error. I take these experiences and pay attention to what I could improve on. I am constantly studying my game and looking for better ways to play.

Did you ever benefit from being able to practice with the Pro B or BBL team of Giessen? How did these work outs help you most?

I was able to sit in on a few BBL and participate in Pro B practices. It showed me the level needed to be successful in those leagues. I took notes of the workouts and took advice from the players. I know I can play at those levels. I am just patiently waiting my turn.

You had many very good games in the Regionalliga, but was your 33 point explosion in the 92-86 win over Mannheim your most memorable game?

The game against Mannheim was a great game scoring wise. Most people would say it was my best game this year but I do not think so. The game I am most impressed with was the game at home vs Fellbach. I played 25 mins had 21 points missed only 3 shots added on 6 assists 6 Rebounds and 3 steals. I was impressed with the fact of having a complete game in a great team win.

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

The best matchup I had this year was against Ricky Easterling. Ever since I started in Germany I have been compared to him because we have similar play styles, we are both lefties and around the same height. He has been a good friend/mentor to me during this journey. The game played was tough because we both knew what the other would want to do. It was my version of the first time Kobe and Mj matched up. I hit the game winner so I got the best of that matchup that day.
I am looking forward to more battles with him in the future.

What is the next step for you? One guy who had a similiar path like you is Elijah Allen who played two seasons with the Giessen Pointers before making the jump to the Pro B Lich and now has become a good Pro A player. Do you feel like pro B teams have you on the radar?

Along With Easterling. I looked to Elijah Allen for advice. He has helped me along the way. Our stories are very similar and I would like to get to that level and more in the future. As far as next season I do not know what will happen. I am waiting for a call to see where I will go next. I would love to play Pro B next year. All I know is where ever it is I will be ready.

You have played in Germany most of your career. Would you like to remain in Germany or could you imagine getting to know a new culture and style of play in Europe?

I enjoy playing in Germany It is like my second home. I am also open experiencing other cultures and playing in other countries. Either way is fine for me.

Ron Howard is a guy that you remain forever thankful for helping you get your first professional contract with Bensheim. How often do you think about having made the decision to join Howard Hoops when you had the opportunity and what may have happened had you not?

One of the best decisions I made was to trust in Ron Howard. He has been a true person with me since day 1. Anytime I need him he is there to answer. I often think back to that summer of 2016. I went to a bunch of combines and was losing hope. I finally decided to take one last shot and go to Ron’s tour and 4 years later we are here.

On what things will you continue to work on in the lab this summer as you prepare for that next basketball gig?

I will continue to work on my overall game. I would like to improve in every aspect. The biggest part to me is the mental. Everything else follows.

Do you feel like Luka Doncic could one day become one of the greatest Europeans to ever have played in the NBA?

Luka Doncic has a great game. He is a big guard who is skilled smart can shoot and defend. He has a long way to go before being named the greatest European player ever but if he continues to have years like this one. He will have a strong argument.

Kahwi Leonard had a great season with the Toronto Raptors. How do you rate him overall with the best players in the NBA? Some say he is the best at the moment?

Kawhi is having a great season and I am very impressed with his improvements. He is a great player but I still do not think he is on the same level as Kevin Durant. In my opinion he is the Most complete player and is impossible to guard.

What was the last movie that you saw?

The last movie I saw was The new Avengers. Great movie and I am a Die hard Marvel Fan. I will not spoil the movie and give details. All I can say is That I have all the infinity stones!!

Thanks Chris for the chat.

Dajuan Graf is a 26 year old 185cm guard from Charlotte, North Carolina that just completed his second professional season and first with the Kirchheim Knights averaging 12,8ppg,4,5rpg and 5,3apg Last season he played with KK Alkar Sinj (Croatia-Premijer Liga) playing 24 games: Score-5 (15.5ppg), 4.5rpg, 4.7apg, Steals-2 (2.0spg), FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 25.6%, FT: 72.5%. He began his basketball career at Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology. He then played at Florida Gulf Coast (NCAA) from 2012-2014 playing a total of 71 NCAA games and then finished at North Carolina Central (NCAA) playing there from 2015-2017 playing a total of 63 NCAA games and as a senior played 33 games averaging 14.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 5.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 39.5%, FT: 77.9%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after his season in Germany. 

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

Basketball is great, I’m entering my prime right now, so I feel like I’m getting better every day. Basketball Is my life, so basketball usually dictates how my days go and how much time I have to do anything else.

You played your second professional season and first in Germany with the Kirchheim Knights. The playoff chase was a tough one that the club couldn’t reach. How tough was it not making the playoffs?

Yeah, we set a goal for our team to make the playoffs. Although we didn’t make the playoffs, I learned a lot from my teammates and my coaches. So, I wouldn’t say the season was a failure I took it as a learning experience.

What is your season summary of the Kirchheim Knights. You had a team with immense talent. Do you feel like the team underachieved a bit?

Throughout the season we faced adversity which set us back. We had to deal with a lot of injuries and we had to recruit new players, so our chemistry was off. We defiantly didn’t do what we set out to do but it I wouldn’t say we underachieved.

At the start of the season the Kirchheim Knights had a good stretch having a 5 game winning streak, but then lost 7 of 9 games. What were the main factors for the team making this sudden turn?

I think we were on a high horse after winning 5 games in a row. Our confidence was high and once we started losing we couldn’t find our groove again. It was tough for us and had injuries during that time, so it set us back a little.

The club played ok at the end and were in pretty good position of making the playoffs, but then lost two crucial games to Phoenix Hagen and Artland.

Yeah with all the mistakes we made throughout the season, the Hagen and Trier lost hurt our playoff chances the most.

The Kirchheim Knights had the third best defense in the Pro A, but it seemed to let the team down in those two loses. Did your strength defense cost you the playoffs at the end?

I think we let down on our defense towards the middle of the season. Our mindsets changed, and we stopped focusing on our principals. Without effort on defense its hard to beat good teams and we found that out the hard way.

Let’s talk a bit about your teammates. How important was a guy like American Keith Rendleman who played his fourth season with Kirchheim? Was he one of those guys that showed you the ropes to everything you needed to know?

He was an important veteran because he’s been in Germany before and he could help us out finically in helping us manage our money.

How much of a pleasure was it playing with Rhondell Goodwin? How much easier did this prolific scorer make your game as a point guard?

Rohndell and I became close while in Germany, we were roommates and we became like brothers. We fed off each other during the games, once he was scoring the defenses had to focus on him, which freed me up to create plays for my teammates.

Did you sense that Goodwin has a chip on his shoulder after having to make his way up the basketball ladder from the NCAA 2?

He knows how to play the game of basketball and he’s a smart player. He knew coming into the season that it’s a process because he did come from a D2 school, but it didn’t make a difference for him because he knows the game of basketball.

You played together with many young German players. If you had to pick one player that made the biggest jump this season in their development who would you pick?

Kevin Wohlrath, I’m extremely proud of him, he made so much progress throughout the year. Also he plays extremely hard every practice, he’s going to be a great player in the future.

Let’s talk about your game. You‘re a a 185cm point guard that can fill the stat sheet at ease. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

Kemba Walker because he’s a smaller guard and no one in the NBA can guard him. His creation off the dribble is crazy but I would compare myself to kyrie Irving because of his knowledge of the game and his craftiness. 

You came from the first Croatian league and had no problems adjusting to the German Pro A. How would you compare the two leagues and which one was higher in talent and competition?

I enjoyed both leagues, I think the Croatian league was more physical and not as many fouls are called and in the German league its more schemes, and different defenses that your playing against every week. The Croatian league had more veteran type of guys that played in the NBA, and the German league its younger talent that are looking to make a name for themselves.

With the Kirchheim Knights you averaged 12,8ppg, 4,5rpg and 5,3apg. How content were you with your season?

I’m not really satisfied with the season I had just because I know I could have averaged more points and assists. But I also realize that we ran most plays to throw the ball in the post.

Your outside shooting continues to be up and down. Two seasons ago you were at 39% in the NCAA, last season 25% in Croatia and this season 33%. Is your shooting a constant work in progress?

Yeah, I’m working on my shooting every summer, but a lot of the time I’m shooting 3s off the dribble so that’s kind of the reason my shooting has been up and down.

You had very many good games with the Kirchheim Knights. What was your personal best games? Possibly the two wins over PS Karlsruhe?
Both Karlsruhe games, both artland games and Schalke were some of my best games that I can think of, but I know I had some other good games.

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

Devonte Lacy was one of the best players in the Pro A, I think he was probably my favorite player to go against.

On what area’s of your game will you be focusing on most this summer in the lab as you continue to improve in your game?

Shooting and getting stronger will be my focus. If I want to keep progressing, I know I must get better in both aspects of game.

What is the next step for you? You had a solid season in Germany. Could you imagine playing another season in Germany or would you prepared to give a new culture and league a chance?

Yes, I would love to play another season in Germany, I have family in Germany and I’m looking to get my German passport. But I don’t mind traveling the world and seeing other countries.

Last season as a rookie you played with KK Alkar Sinj (Croatia-Premijer Liga) playing 24 games: Score-5 (15.5ppg), 4.5rpg, 4.7apg, Steals-2 (2.0spg), FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 25.6%, FT: 72.5%. What was your wake up call to being a rookie in Europe where you knew that you were very far away from home?

Just the different culture, not being able to speak English to anyone and just the way of living in Europe. Being away from home with no family or friends is tough but it makes you mentally stronger.

How important was it having American LJ Booth as your teammate as a rookie? Did his presence make the cold and long winter more bearable or were you able to make some long lasting relationships with your Croatian teammates?

LJ is my boy. But it was important for both of us, nobody else in the town spoke English so me and LJ went everywhere together. And my all my teammates were great. I still follow them on Instagram so I can see that they’re still doing good.

You held your own against some very good Croatian teams like Cedevita that had 3 ex NBA players with Murphy, Johnson and Ukic. When you saw veteran players like them play, how confident did it make you that you can also make your way up the basketball ladder in the next years with your talent and continued hard work?

At first I didn’t even think some of those guys were in the NBA and once I realized I could play with these guys I gained a lot of confidence and I know if I keep working I can play in some of the top leagues In Europe and make big money.

You began your NCAA career at Florida Gulf Coast (NCAA): in 2012 and played two seasons there playing 71 games. What kind of experience was that for you and why did you leave after two seasons?

It was a roller coaster experience. My first months of college I hated it and I wanted to leave but once I found myself as a person and on the basketball court things became easier for me and I’m glad I went through those experiences.

At Florida Gulf Coast (NCAA) you had many teammates that would playing Europe and Germany. What memories do you have of German Alex Blessig who is on the way of helping lead his team Leverkusen to the Pro A? Do you keep tabs on your ex teammates?


Yeah we were trying to get Alex to come play for the Knights this year and he is a great person , he deserves the success that he is receiving.

What memories do you have of the NCAA Sweet 16 run in 2013 and losing to Florida? You played 9 minutes and against current Euroleague player Scottie Wilbekin.

I just remember everyone showing us love once we started winning and because we were the underdogs. But Scottie was an elite player, we couldn’t stop him, and I see why he is in the euro league now.

You then transferred to North Carolina Central (NCAA) and made a big jump in your stats from your junior to senior year. How do you feel did your game develop in those two years?

My first two years I was coming off the bench, and I didn’t have a big role of the team, so once I transferred so that I could start at point guard for at least two years. Coach Levelle Moton just believed in me which had a lot to do with my success. He put me in situations to use my strengths, and it shows in the increase in my stats.

As a senior you played 33 games averaging 14.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 5.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 39.5%, FT: 77.9%. You had some great memories there, but w was winning the MEAC tournament the best moment?

Going into my senior year I wanted the younger guys to experience the NCAA tournament, so being able to lead my team to the tournament was my best moment. I think everybody should have a chance to play in the NCAA tournament.

How did head coach Levelle Moton groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

I think he more so groomed me as a man, and just taught me things about life and taking those tips and advice it just translated to the basketball court.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Rashaun Madison?
Hahaha Rashaun couldn’t beat me. But that’s my guy, he grew up so much from the time he got to NCCU until the time he graduated.

Who is the toughest guy that you battled in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

Mason Plummlee. He is a 6’10 big man that can jump out the gym lol, he by far was one of the most dominating players I played against.

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

Nimrod Hillard, Benard Thompson, Sherwood Brown, Jordan Parks, Chase Fieler 

If you had to construct your very own NBA mount Rushmore which 4 heads would you pick?

Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Pete Maravich

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

Its tough to say because they both played in two different eras, but I feel like Jordan dominated the game more and he has 6 championship rings.

What was the last movie that you saw?

‘US’ it’s a Jordan Peele movie

Thanks Dajuan for the chat. 

One of the great things about watching Euroleague teams is that even long after you have noticed players like Nando de Colo, Sergio Rodriguez, Corey Higgins or a Kyle Hines of CSKA Moscow, there are still amazing players on that roster all the way to the 12^th man. It isn´t quite the same with Eurocup teams, but when you take the top teams, you will find a lot of the same and it isn´t any different with 2017 Eurocup winner Unicaja Malaga. When you observe that roster, two names that stand out right away are ex NBA players Brian Roberts and Kyle Wiljer, but it doesn´t end there. The list goes on with 2017 NBA Draft Pick French man Mathias Lessort and Serbian sharp shooter Dragon Milosavljevic or even 217cm 120 kilo monster Georgian Giorgi Shermadini who´s name on paper might not raise eyebrows right away, but when you see him dominating in the paint, then one might come up with the nickname King Kong. But wait a minute, Unicaja Malaga already have their King Kong, but he isn´t from Georgia and isn´t anywhere near 217cm. But moreover the Unicaja Malaga King Kong is only 199cm and weighs only 95 kilo´s. Instead of fighting against double and triple teams the way a Shermadini has to and dunk with authority, Unicaja´s king kong is from Poland and named Adam Waczynski who has a knack for hitting three´s with ease, the way a Damien Lillard has that intense killer mentality to shoot a in your face three for the win. The Polish sniper didn´t get the nickname because of his physic, but was born at a Malaga home game after he thanked a diehard fan for his supportive input by hitting his chest which resembled a boisterous King Kong in the jungle. But if one looks back at the career of Adam Waczynski, this innovative nickname might never have been created had he not left his native Poland. The Polish national player first made a name for himself playing many years with Trefl Sopot where he racked in 4 titles until making the jump to the Spanish ACB in 2014 where he has been ever since. He got his big break from Rio Natura Monbus Obradoiro CAB in 2014 where he played two seasons before moving to Malaga in 2016. “I had an opportunity from Obradoiro to play in the best league in Europe. I could of stayed in Poland and lived my life there as a star of many teams. But I chose a harder way. To compete with the best teams and try to reach even higher goals. It worked. Those two years gave me confidence and belief that I can play on this level. I was working with the coaching staff from Obradoiro on my technique and working on my off the ball screen shooting. It was really productive years for me and I will never forget it”, warned Adam Waczynski.

       He was born on October 15^th, 1989 in Torun, Poland and had his first playing experience with Wax Torun (3Liga) in 2004 while also visiting the youth teams of Prokom Trefl Sopot in 2005. He made a very nice development with the Sopot youth teams and already gained his first Euroleague experience in the 2007-2008 season as a teenager. He then got further important basketball grooming with Victoria Gornik Walbrzych (DBE) playing 25 games and averaging 9.8ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.6apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 41.0%, FT: 70.3% and a year later played with PBG Basket Poznan (PLK) where he became an important team leader in the Polish first division playing 23 games averaging 9.3ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 63.0%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 77.4%. He then made the jump to Trefl Sopot (PLK) in 2010 and would spend four years there winning four titles. He was able to improve his scoring average each season and really took off in his third season where his dangerous three pointer was observed in two competitions. He played 36 Polish league games averaging 13.9ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT-3(45.4%), FT: 79.7%; and played 6 EuroCup games averaging 10.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 47.1%, FT: 84.6%. These four years including his previous time with the youth teams probably were the most important years in his career that helped shape his game and allow him to move on to the Spanish ACB. “Sopot is like home for me. I moved there when I was 16, I met my wife, played at the highest level. So obviously I wanted to play as good as I could to give all the love back to the club that gave me all these things in my life. Every year was individually better for me. And a moment came that the best for me was to move out of the country to continue the career in a better league. For sure those years showed that I can compete in Spain. I just needed to prove this on the court playing against the best”, warned Adam Waczynski. He didn´t play international club competition in his last season with Sopot, but still put up solid stats as he played 45 games averaging 14.8ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 45.3%, FT: 81.7%. In his last four years there he played 164 Polish league games and scored in double figures in 101 games. Of course for him to have been able to win so many titles there, he had to have been able to have great teammates and will never forget them. “I played with many great players. Of course John Turek was one of them. Undersized big man with an amazing touch to score back to the basket and even score threes. Playing hard and running really fast. Hard to find a big man like him. I learned a lot from Lorinza Harrington ex-NBA player. Competitor from head to toes. He was always telling me to defend like it’s my last defense. To take that challenge and stop people from scoring. I always have it in my mind. Of course Polish players like Lukasz Koszarek or Filip Dylewicz – Polish superstars that I could watch every day in practice and getting advice helped also”, stressed Adam Waczynski.

     He made the jump to Europe´s best league ACB in 2014 and joined Rio Natura Monbus Obradoiro CAB (Spain-Liga ACB). Back in October 2014 a young Mateusz Ponitka was climbing the basketball ladder and playing in Belgium and in the last years has shone in the ACB and this season is playing in the VTB with Lokomotove Kuban and remembered feeling happy for his Polish national team teammate for reaching Spain. “Adam made a great choice. I am happy for him and his progression in life and basketball. He already has shown that Polish players are capable of playing there. It is great for Polish basketball to play in Spain. For me well you never know. Life is unpredictable. It doesn´t matter if its Spain or Russia, each player is chasing the dream. Where my way will go only time will tell”, warned Mateusz Ponitka. In his first season he played 34 games averaging 12.5ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 41.6%, FT: 84.0%. In his first season he scored in double figures in 19 games including a 27 point explosion against Bilbao and a 26 point effort against Laboral. He finished the season netting 20 points in a losing cause to FC Barcelona. In his second season he was able to up his scoring average from the previous season as he played 27 games with Rio Natura Monbus Obradoiro CAB (Spain-ACB) and was the leagues third top scorer averaging 14.6ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 42.0%, FT: 90.2%. He scored in double figures 17 times including achieving 30 points against Zaragoza and Andorra and had 28 points against Murcia. He credits his 30 point explosion against Andorra as one of his best games in his five years in Spain. “One of them for sure. I have many great moments in my head but this one was something special for sure. One of my few game winners in my career, need to stay in the head for a long time”, added Adam Waczynski. He also will always have great memories of his last season with them, because his scoring results helped him make the next step to Malaga. “Many teams because of this year knew my name. It was a big step forward. And being on the list in front of many great players from Real and Barca, you need to feel good”, stressed Adam Waczynski.

       The Polish national player has proven two things in his basketball career and that is that he is a modern day forward and that he is extremely versatile and that he has been relatively consistent in his career and has made his three point shooting one of his main weapons. He was a bit hesitant to trying to compare his game to an NBA player, but after some thought came up with a name.” I try to do my best not doing only 1 thing. I don’t want to be scouted easy,but trying to surprise the defender as many times I can. I don’t like to compare myself to anyone. Everyone is different. Maybe I could compare myself little bit to Otto Porter that I know from Marcin Gortat’s camps in Poland. I like how he’s playing, good shooter, playing also with the ball, team player and a humble person privately”, stressed Adam Waczynski. Sometimes being able to improve and excel at something is a lot easier than one might think at least according to Adam Waczynski. The polish sniper has shot 40% or better the last six years whereas before that he was shooting in the mid 30´s. “I think it was my mentality and healthy food that I put into my life. I started to watch everything besides basketball to step up on a higher level. It worked and I tried to stay like this and watch out for all the distractions. Also when you know that you are doing everything correctly makes you believe in yourself even stronger. And self confidence is really important for every shooter around the world”, warned Adam Waczynski. A great thing about his shooting success is that he won´t heave up 15 -20 shots a game like guys in Houston or Oklahoma City, but really does a superb job picking his spots and knowing what a perfect shot is in comparison to just a good shot. He is still hungry at age 29 to get better and better. “I try to improve my game with the ball and of course defense. Offense is a matter of repetitions. Playing with the ball and being active is more like a mental thing so I try to stay aggressive with the ball and also be a creator in our system”, stressed Adam Waczynski.

       In 2016 he made the next big jump in his basketball career and signed with Unicaja Malaga (Spain-Liga-ACB) and is in his third season there. He joined a team that was a totally different caliber from Rio Natura Monbus Obradoiro CAB in that Malaga had a lot bigger budget and a lot more talented players where scoring options rose shaving down his stats a bit. But which player wouldn´t be willing to have that happen  to win titles? In his first season he played 30 ACB games averaging 8.0ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 58.8%, 3PT: 43.9%, FT: 63.3%; and played 22 Eurocup games averaging 7.5ppg, 2.7rpg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 44.7%, FT: 66.7%. To win any title is difficult, but to win a title at the Eurocup level is always extremely tough and he also remembered his team being very tough that season and very special. “We were just competing to the end against everyone, we never surrendered. In the finals we missed our main big guy Dejan Musli – best 5 of the season. Alen Omic was disqualified in the 4th quarter and we played the whole 4th quarter small ball against guys like Dubljevic, Kravtsov, and Will Thomas. Really big guys. And we made it, started to make shots, defended good, made shots again, played hard and defended and suddenly we came back from -14 to +5. We never gave up and many of us sacrificed a lot for the team to win. This is what I will remember the most from this team”, stressed Adam Waczynski. Valencia gave Malaga a hard fight and one player that he never forgot as did no team in the easyCredit BBL the last two years is Luke Sikma a guy that really impressed the Polish national player. “He´s got basketball in his blood. He played many years in the ACB and I’m a type of player that is following other leagues and watching how the players are doing after leaving Spain. He is one of the guys who was making a difference. He can make a three, offensive rebound, play back to the basket. Having him in a team is for sure a great experience for all the players”, added Adam Waczynski. Last season with Unicaja Malaga he continued to display his consistency and had a very strong Euroleague season as he played 35 ACB games averaging 8.2ppg, 1.9rpg, FGP: 51.1%, 3PT: 42.4%, FT: 72.5%; and 27 Euroleague  games averaging 10.1ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 50.6%, 3PT: 49.5%, FT: 82.9%. His best Euroleague games were wins against Turkish teams where he netted 20 points against Efes and 18 points against Fenerbahce. Usually top teams change their rosters from season to season keeping a few pieces and adding new ones so having many teammates in your memories is something that not only a Adam Waczynski knows about, but many other players. He especially had fond memories of ex NBA player James Augustein who was one of those big men that he harmonized well with. “James is a great person and a great player. I learned a lot from him as a guard that needs great screens from the big guys. He was very good in switching the pace and the side of the ball finding the best solution and best angle of the screen to get us open. He is also a great passer and always looking to find somebody open. He should be the perfect example for younger players how a modern five man should play these days”, said Adam Waczynski.

       He lists NBA legends Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Lebron James And Wilt Chamberlain on his NBA Rushmore and completed his third season for Unicaja Malaga and fifth season in the ACB in Spain. Spain has easily become like a second home to him. ”It is almost like home. I really appreciate many things here in Spain. All my family speak Spanish so for sure it’s easier for us to live here. I like the culture, the weather. It’s only 4 hours by plane to go to Poland so our family comes to visit us many times during the season. It also makes us feel better. I’m happy to play in the ACB and in Euro competitions now with Unicaja. The level is really great and I feel like every year is a big experience for me as a basketball player. The fans are amazing and helping us to feel here like home”, stressed Adam Waczynski. As usual Unicaja Malaga made the playoffs, but were unable to follow up their 2017 Eurocup title and this season bowed out to German team Alba Berlin in the quarterfinals winning a thrilling 91-90 game to start the series, but then were unable to get the job done in crunch-time in game three allowing the German side into the semi-finals. A few months before the Alba Berlin series, he summed up why it´s always so difficult to compete against German teams. “German teams are always solid and ready to compete. They have amazing players – National team and the teams that I played against – always with a winning mentality that’s why it’s so difficult to win”, warned Adam Waczynski. He knew that for the club to make a surprise in the playoffs against a big fish, they will have needed contribution from everyone in many ways. “All our players are really on a high level and with great experience. The thing what will make us stronger is playing together and finding the best possible position. Because all of us can finish the plays with a basket. The most important is to share the ball and enjoy playing together to achieve great things as a team”, warned Adam Waczynski some months ago. Three players that will have to continue to shine on the court until the end are ex NBA players Brian Roberts, Kyle Wiltjer and top French big man Mathias Lessort. “Brian is a good creator, he will find players like a real PG. And he is not a type of player that you can leave alone on the 3 point line. He will shoot at a high percentage so it also makes us more open on the floor. I appreciate his basketball IQ, it’s already bringing us a lot of great things. Kyle is an amazing shooter who can score baskets in a row like a machine. You cannot leave him open and the defense is focused on him a lot. He can play back to the basket and make a fade away, plays hard on both ends. Mathias is like an energy bomb. He is always playing hard and with big effort. Gives us a lot of positive strength in the game and attracts a lot of attention under the basket because of his great dunking. All of them gives us a lot of great plays offensively”, warned Adam Waczynskia few months ago. Unfortunately for him and Unicaja, they bowed out against Valencia after having won the first game. They lost the deciding game three 79-76. In the ACB he averaged 6,3ppg, 1,9rpg and 1,1apg while shooting 35% from outside and in the Eurocup he averaged 8,3ppg,2,0rpg and 1,8apg and shot 44% from outside.

       He lists PG Kyle Fogg, SG Nemanja Nedovic, SF Jeff Brooks, PF Maxi Kleber and C Marcin Gortat as his best five teammates ever and also has had a stellar Polish national team career and experienced some great times. He got valuable early experience playing European championships with the Polish National U-18 and U-20 teams. In 2011, he played the first of four senior European championships with the first being in Lithuania where he played 4 games and saw limited time. However this being his first European championships wasn´t only memorable for being his first, but also for being able to battle against one exceptional player and later others. “I remember Eurobasket 2011 when I was playing against Luol Deng. I was 22 and it was my first big competition in my life. Luol was amazing the whole tournament and I was impressed. Lately the biggest impression on me was playing against Kyle Kuric and Will Clyburn. Kuric is a great shooter and a smart defender. Clyburn is a monster athlete and a great scorer. Also Bojan Bogdanovic is a great player, great athlete and can score in many different situations. It was hard to guard those guys”, stressed Adam Wacynski. He made his breakthrough at the 2014 European Championships qualifiers where he played 6 games averaging 14,0ppg, 3,5rpg and 3,2apg and shot an astronomical 53% from outside. He split against Germany, but will never forget the tight 68-67 win where he led all scorers with 19 points. “It was a very important win for us. First game of the qualifiers. Everybody knows how important is to win the first game to continue playing in the top of the group. We played amazing, with our home crowd – by the way in my hometown. It gave me a lot of energy. I think this is one of the best experiences in my national team career”, warned Adam Waczynski.

       That summer, he also played twice against current NBA player Macxi Kleber who only a few weeks later would become his teammate in Spain. Waczynski remembers those first battles against him and was impressed right away and knew then that big things would follow in the future like the NBA.” He is a great person and a great athlete. Taking care of his body every day. I was talking with my friends and my wife about Maxi when we were teammates. I really wished him the best after all his injuries that he’s been through. We said that year, that when he will stay healthy he will be in the NBA. Amazing dunks, running fast breaks, shooting threes. It was just a matter of time when he will be there. I follow him all the time, we stay in contact every season and I always keep my fingers crossed for him. The way he acts off the court and the way he plays deserves the best so I think people in the NBA will appreciate it and he will stay there for a long long time”, warned Adam Waczynski. All his hard work over the years paid off at the European championships in 2015(15.8ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.3apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 58.3%, 3PT: 46.4%, FT: 84.8%) and 2017(14.4ppg, 3.2rpg, 3.4apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 40.6%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 88.9%) as he demonstrated that he can play with the best in Europe. He continued his consistency at the last World Cup qualifying round helping Poland reach the world championships again ending their 52 year drought playing 8 games averaging 13.5ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 43.2%, 3PT: 52.3%, FT: 63.6%. He is thankful for Polish national team head coach Mike Taylor that he has continued to believe in his talent and helped make him a main contributor for the team. “He gave me a lot of confidence and the role in the national team makes me play even better. A lot of things depends on me and what I will do on the court. Mike has an amazing knowledge from the German league but most of all from the NBA. He was the guy who showed many of us the style of an NBA coach and NBA game. This is a great experience that you cannot buy anywhere”, warned Adam Waczynski. Not only has he proved that he can be a consistent and solid ACB player in Spain, but this summer, he is hungry to help Poland make history at the World Cup and continue to show that choosing the harder way has paid off instead of taking the easier route and having stayed in his native country to be a star.

Dorian Pinson is a 22 year old 196cm forward from Greenville, South Carolina that completed his rookie professional season with Pro A team Ebbecke White Wings averaging 12,2ppg, 6,2rpg, 3,5apg and 2,5spg and shot 38% from outside. Before going to Lincoln Memorial (NCAA2) he got various high school experience with Southside High School averaging 13.5ppg, 8.0rpg, 4.0apg, 3.0spg, played with the SC Raptors Elite (AAU) and finished at Legacy Charter High School averaging14.1ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.7apg, 2.3spg. He then played at Lincoln Memorial (NCAA2) from 2014-2018 playing a total of 103 games. He was able to score in double figures in his last three season there. In his senior year he played 34 games averaging 15.5ppg, 9.4rpg, 4.1apg, 2.0spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 58.9%, 3PT: 43.2%, FT: 63.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his rookie season in Germany.

Thanks Dorian for talking to germanhoops.comYou just finished your rookie season with the Ebbecke White Wings. How tough was it seeing the team finish in 15th place and just miss making the cut of staying in the Pro A? 

Very tough, I come from a history of winning, so it was very difficult to be a part of a losing season

If someone had told you in September 2018 that this club would land so low in the standings in March 2019 what would you have thought?

I wouldn’t have thought that from the roster and skill set we had that it would have played out that way 

A big problem for the team was it’s inconsistency. Obviously limiting points this season was a problem, but at the times the offense was just as bad. Near the end of the season where the team had to perform, it averaged only 57 points on offense. Was this more of a mental problem?

Yeah mentally it was struggle, especially when you’re trying hard to win games, but a lot of injuries and sickness, physical issues gave us the short hand all year long so the inconsistency was bound to come into play.

The Ebbecke White Wings had their moments like destroying playoff team Trier by 40 points, but then again had numerous games where it couldn’t reach 60 points. Did this team underachieve on offense?

Underachieved could be the word but it was more of a chemistry and trusting every player on the court to make the best play for the team 

The team allowed 82 points a game. Was one of the biggest problems getting everyone on the same page or why did the team have so many problems with giving up points?

Yeah everybody buying into our defensive plans and adjustments were a reason we allowed so many points, then again just guys trusting one another that another teammate will help them when they mess up 

Head coach Simon Cote got a lot of criticism, but overall the guy lives basketball and is a players coach. Do you feel like his work ethic and dedication get overlooked when the team is losing?

Definitely Simon Cote is a great guy and good coach, many people do not realize how shorthanded we were this year but he fought through and stayed by our side all year long. Have nothing but respect for Simon Cote

Let’s talk a little about your teammates. Luquon Choice was a player that continued to make steps in his second professional season. What did you learn to appreciate most about his game in the short time that you were there?

He comes in everyday with a positive mindset, gets extra work, encourages everybody to become better and is willing to do whatever it takes to win

You saw many talented German players this season on court and was teammates with Till Joscha-Joenke. He is a guy that has played in the BBL. What did you appreciate most about his game and is the BBL still on his agenda?

His energy and toughness during games and practices.

You battled against Jarekious Bradley every day. How important of a player was he for you with his experience and basketball skills?

Very important gave me a feel for higher level league play with physicality and just schemes overall

Let’s talk about your game. You averaged 12,2ppg, 6,2rpg, 3,5apg and 2,5spg. How content were you with your season? Are stats worth less when a team isn’t winning?

I feel as if I could’ve done more but I adjusted to what coaches want and their style of play, and I feel as if its more important to win than the stat chase 

On what parts of your game do you feel profited most in your rookie season?

Steals, ability to guard multiple positions, my shooting, rebounding, energy, playmaking

You have been filling the stat sheet for years ever since playing at Lincoln-Memorial (NCAA2). What did you learn to appreciate about your game knowing that you could continue to perform the way you did in school?

My energy & focus level, if I am ready to play mentally and physically I feel as if I can compete against anybody

You put up pretty consistent stats, but had some low scoring games at the end of the season against Kirchheim and Hamburg. Did you experience some fatigue during the long season?

Just couldn’t find a rhythm in those games, not fatigue just didn’t show up to play at a high level

You have always been a very fierce defender and in our last interview you stated ‘Disrupting teams offensive schemes are what I take most pride in on defense’. How tough was it defending this season when the team wasn’t on the same page?

Kind of tough but nothing I couldn’t adjust to, just knowing mentally when to try to disrupt teams schemes

You shot 38% from outside after shooting 42% your senior year. How did you witness the transition shooting from school to the pro’s? What was the toughest aspect to being able to continue to be a good shooter at the next level?

Stay confident in your shot, I work on it every day just about building a high level of confidence about making shots

What was your personal season highlight? Possibly your 21/12 game in the win over Heidelberg?

Yeah that or my defensive effort against Hagen at Hagen 

What is the next step for you? I can imagine you getting some offers from the German BBL. Would staying in Germany and playing in the BBL a high priority for you?

Yes definitely the BBL is on my list of leagues I’d like to play in

You have a long summer ahead of you. On what things will you be working on most in the basketball lab as you get ready for that next opportunity?

Ball handling, becoming more athletic, shooting, more flexibility, and take some time to reflect on everything that I need to improve on in mental and physical aspects

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

Luquon Choice
Emanuel Terry
Gerel Simmons
Paul Woodson
Trevon Shaw

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? 

He has the potential 

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

He has the right to say that, he has earned it

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

That’s debatable many people will agree some won’t 

Tom Brady won sixth Super Bowl. Where will he be if he wins a seventh next season?

New England next 2 or 3 years 

What was the last movie that you saw? 

Captain Marvel

Thanks Dorian for the chat.

Courtney Belger is a 29 year old 187cm guard from St Louis that completed his sixth professional season and third with FC Schalke 04 (Germany-ProA) averaging 15,0ppg, 4,3rpg and 5,0apg Last season with FC Schalke he played 25 games averaging 16.5ppg, 5.4rpg, 5.2apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 53.5%, 3PT: 22.4%, FT: 78.9%. In 2015-2016 he played with the Itzehoe Eagles (Germany-ProB) playing 24 games averaging 12.6ppg, 5.3rpg, 4.5apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 65.6% and Kalamunda Eastern Suns (Australia-SBL) playing 14 games averaging 21.1ppg, 6.3rpg, 4.1apg, Steals-4 (3.1spg), FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 22.4%, FT: 80.8%. He played his first two professional seasons with TV Ibbenbuehren (Germany-Regionalliga). He started his basketball career at Quincy (NCAA2) in 2008 where he played until 2012 playing a total of 113 NCAA 2 games. As a senior he played 27 games averaging 11.3ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.9apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 10.5%, FT: 72.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com at the end of the season.

Courtney thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Has the NCAA madness distracted you a bit from not reaching the Pro A playoffs?


Hey miles. I haven’t watched any march madness games. I’m not really in the mood to watch post season play unless it’s my lil bro Leon Friederici’s team.

After having a 9-21 record and knowing the talent that the team had. Do you feel like the club underachieved this season or was the many players coming and going and inexperience factors that would justify the team not underachieving?


In my opinion it’s no way to think that a 9-21 record is acceptable. I think we definitely underachieved and won’t take any excuses. Reasons are still excuses to me. I think we as whole needed to get closer and focus on trying to see the next game as a new opportunity. Instead we would have too much negative energy about what just happened the week before.

The team was up and down in the first months of the 2018-2019 season, but at least was winning games, but in 2019 the club won only 3 games, but lost 11 games. Why was winning so difficult in the second half of the season?

In the second half of the season we had a lot of players in and out of our practices. Instead of focusing on teams we were about to play, we were focusing on trying to teach the new guys our concepts and doing preseason drills. That was a tough time for us. The other problem I saw was that I allowed my body to break down over the season and started to play bad. I tried to start facilitating more during that time but we were at our best when I was aggressive and scoring. I let us down in my opinion in the second half and I can accept that. I’ll just learn from it and be better next year.

In basketball and many other sports you are always confronted about what could have been. You lost four very close games to Baunach, Trier, Rostock and Hanau. Was crunch-time a time this season a type of disease for the team in being able to make the right offensive plays and get stops?

Crunch time was very tough for us because we didn’t really have a direction on how we wanted to finish the game. It was normally just us playing and continuing with the flow of the game. When the game gets tight it’s up to everybody on the team to understand which actions and players we will use to create now. With our season going in lot’s of different directions it was hard for us to find that rhythm.

Despite not making the playoffs, the team was one of the top rebounding teams in the Pro A and had the seventh best defense in the league. The offense seemed not to score enough points this season. What do you believe was missing from the team offense that disallowed the team to score more points on a consistent basis?

I think what hindered us from scoring this season other than not making our three pointers was the fact that we didn’t pay attention to detail. When you are a slow down team who runs systems you have to be smart and see every opportunity that you get. The entire team has to see that. Our coach prefers the system game and not run and gun, so we needed to find ways to create the situations we wanted. I also think if we ran more in transition and let it get a little wild, we would have scored more. In order to do that we would need everybody to be committed to hitting the break hard and move with a level of energy like Hagen or Ehingen. They attacked transition breaks very aggressively.

Despite not making the Pro A playoffs, what positives do you feel could FC Schalke take from this season?


I think the fact that we always fought hard almost every game result wise and didn’t fall out the league is a positive for us. A lot of times teams can accept all these excuses and not compete anymore. We saw improvements as the season went on even though we were losing. We also knew that a loss was still a loss and nobody would feel sorry for us.

Despite losing some tight games, you also had some big wins against Ehingen and Trier. What do you believe was the team highlight this season?

I think the road win verse Trier or Artland was probably one of our biggest highlights of the season. Both wins were on the road and we fought hard down the stretch to seal the victory. I remember my teammate Austin playing maybe 6 minutes in Artland and being the life of the bench. He was invested and wanted to see the team do well. That’s important. It’s not always just about the five players playing on the court during a certain time. The energy in the room after those games were special.

Let’s talk about your teammates. Your teammate Shavar Newkirk said this about you. ‘Because of his experience I’m getting a lot of wisdom which will help me at game time. He has taken me under his wing like I’m his little brother. I can’t wait to war with him. I haven’t experienced game time with him yet, but what I’ve seen in practice is amazing. With his experience and my youth and me being a blur, I think we will make a dynamic duo’. What kind of experience was it being his teammate and how did you see his development this season?

It was a wonderful experience having a teammate like Shavar. He’s a competitor and pushed me to really become younger and meaner again haha. He was killing me in practices with his speed and anticipation. I had to work hard to take that away with just being mean and more physical. Loved practicing with var. The thing I liked the most about watching his development was how he started to get comfortable with interacting with the coaches. He understood that he might be doing something good and they want to see him do something great. That can be frustrating at first when you first come to a new team. The on the court stuff we don’t have to talk about. He was a guaranteed bucket.

German center Adam Touray made the next step in his career making the jump from the Pro B to the Pro A. How did you witness his development and do see him becoming an very good consistent Pro A player?

Adam made a huge step in his career this year. I have played against him since I was a rookie I think. I always knew he had great feet and was a work horse. After the first month I was amazed to find out that you can play through Adam in post up game too. His confidence grew as the season went on and he became more and more dominant. A lot of people don’t know that he played with a bad finger on his left hand and it didn’t really heal up until this last month. I think Adam’s next season with two healthy hands will be crazy. This season definitely was not a fluke.

You were also teammates with American Brandon Parrish. What did you appreciate most about his game and how did he improve his game?

Brandon was somebody we could put anywhere. He was very versatile in the fact that he could play the 2,3, or 4 for us. In Trier we played small ball with him on the 4 and in Hamburg when we almost beat them at their place. I think Brandon was more of a space the floor type of player before he got here. Towards the end of the season he was starting to put the ball on the floor more and look to attack that way. He also started to become a better transition finisher on the fast breaks.

German Bjoern Rowher who had been playing for years in the Ulm organization came to Schalke and made the most of his opportunity. Is he still a raw talent or has he reached his potential?

I think Bjoern still has a lot of upside left in his development. He got a lot stronger over the course of the year and more explosive. The most important thing is that he doesn’t think that he has everything figured out. He still wants to learn. For Bjoern he needs to see and understand things physically. Once he begins to learn something and see that it works he picks it up quickly and applies it.

Let’s talk about your game. After playing in the Regionalliga and three years in the Pro B, you made your debut in the Pro A. You waited a long time for this opportunity. What did you learn to appreciate the most about the Pro A?

What I appreciated the most about pro a is that there weren’t any asterisks in the league. What I mean by that is, if you play good in Pro a and you only have one move it’s okay. Everybody will say he’s a good player that’s Pro A. If you play the same in the other leagues, it doesn’t count or there is always a doubt factor in someone’s mind. In Pro A it was competitive and very respected competition. If I kill my opponent this game, he will come back stronger and kill me next game. That’s the type of competition I like. I enjoyed my first year a lot.

What was the biggest adjustment for you in the Pro A coming from the Pro B?

The biggest adjustment in Pro A for me was that the games are harder and seem longer. It’s 40 minutes but if I play 40 minutes, it feels like 50. You have to take care of your body and your diet. I don’t eat bad but I wasn’t eating enough. You also need to have a clear mind when you play in Pro A. My body broke down and then I left some doubt creep into my mind about how I wanted to play my own game. Once that happens it takes a lot of effort to overcome.

You averaged 15,0ppg, 4,4rpg and 4,9apg. How content were you with your season?

To finish the season the way I finished I’m disappointed honestly. If I look at the overall picture though I look at it a little differently. I’m happy to be an impact player in Pro A, because everybody in Germany said I couldn’t go to Pro A from second Regionalliga. They said especially with not shooting this and that. Raffi took a chance with and I’m glad he did because I know what I can do when I’m healthy. With not making the playoffs and letting some teams get the better of me, it sets the mood for a wonderful summer this offseason. I am very grateful for the added fire.

In our last interview you stated ‘I am really like the big brother on the team and try to communicate more. We have a lot of go to guys on the court which helps me to get in the lane and create advantages. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’m the guy that keeps the offense together though. We just see who’s going for us down the stretch and try to exploit that matchup’. Did anything change with your role in the Pro A?

I wouldn’t say much changed. I always had the role of trying to make something happen for us no matter what it would be. Towards the end of the season things just didn’t go my way all the time like the first three fourths of the season. We got help when Shavar came and we were able to allow him to try and bring us home down the stretch.

In our last interview you stated this about how your game developed last season in the Pro B. ‘I think I have a better feel for reads and rotations this year. I also think that I’m stronger mentally to step up when the team really needs someone to on offense or defense’. How did your game develop further in the Pro A this season?


I think my game developed further this season through trying to extend plays more and trusting in my own abilities. I learned that there are a lot more executions off of a pick and roll and that you need to play at your own pace. Pace is everything. You have to be able to change it and control other’s pace when you want to.

Last season you focused on on taking open shots, as finding gaps in the defense to be aggressive, and understanding when you have to just flat out step up and win the game in crunch time. I also tried to find players in spots that they are most successful. I believe I have done those things so far. What did you focus on most this season in the Pro A?

This season was different for me. I was at my best for the team when I was confident and aggressive. I had put in a lot of work and was having fun trusting the result of it. For majority of the year I just focused on being aggressive and putting pressure on the defense every time. I feel like I was comfortable enough to find out good solutions based off what actions I wanted to create.

In our last interview you stated. ‘ I think I will be hitting my prime soon for sure. My body seems to be aging backwards at the moment. My legs are feeling younger and I am constantly learning more about the game of basketball’. Did you hit it this season?

I was in my prime basketball wise. The game felt very easy. I was never really healthy yet the whole year. Now the year is ending and the problems I had with my legs are gone. I guess they didn’t want to cooperate for me to get an in game dunk this year. I’m excited to take what I learned this year through playing against a lot of different basketball minds into my next year. I’m confident that my arm and legs will feel about 24 next year to go along with the mental experience I have gained from this year in the pro a.

What was your highlight of the season? Possibly your 32/12 game in the win against the Hamburg Towers?

I think the 32/12 game has to be a highlight for me because of the mental exhaustion of that game and because I had so many assists. If you add the next game to that where in my opinion I didn’t play well enough but reached 12 assists again, I have to be happy with that weekend. Everybody was happy about the 32 points but my close friends were laughing about how I finally had back to back 12 assists games.

What is the next step for you? Will you remain in Schalke and continue to play for Raffi Wilder or possibly try something new in another country?

I’m not sure what the next step looks like. I’m getting older and feel confident to take the next step. I’m just hoping somebody will take a chance on me if I decide to finally leave Schalke. I would like a tryout in the BBL or another country in a good situation to help take care of my lady who I will finally see in a week.

You have a long summer ahead of you. On what things will you be working on most in the basketball lab as you get ready for that next opportunity?

This summer I will work on making sure my body is healthy and fresh for the preseason. Everybody thinks I have a problem shooting now and would expect me to say that because my numbers went down. I’ll do the same workouts as I did last summer when I was shooting and creating easily. I chose to keep playing and not worry about what my season would look like if I’m not at 100%. I think the team should always be above your own personal situations, and in order to put a team first I will be 100 percent at the start of the year.

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

I have more than 5 but these are the teammates I talk to probably every day

Quez Brown-Quincy University

Lester Ferguson, Charles Bronson-Itzehoe 2015-2016

Leon Friederici, Nic Sperber, Rj Slawson, Coheen kalondji, Shawn Gulley-schalke 2017-2018

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 think he could easily be one of the greatest. He has been built for this from a young age. He seems to be hungry and has that performance factor in him. When the lights come on he likes rise to the occasion.

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

I’m not a big LeBron fam. I’m a kobe guy so for me I was unimpressed by his remark. I like the confidence and that he tried to own that title. I am a fan of confident players. I do not like the fact that he looks for help or blames others. In this interview above I stated that we didn’t play good the second half of the year because I played bad. You have to accept responsibility sometimes.

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

Michael Jordan can do no wrong in my book. I didn’t even know he had ever missed a shot until I got older so Charles Barkley is wasting his time saying that.

Tom Brady won sixth Super Bowl. Where will he be if he wins a seventh next season?

I don’t think he needs to win a seventh. He is already on top of the football world.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Bird box.

Thanks Courtney for the chat.

 Terrell Harris is a 25 year old 190cm guard from Indiantown,Florida that completed his third professional season and first with the Rostock Seawolves averaging 13,6ppg, 3,7rpg and 3,4apg. Last season he played with the Svendborg Rabbits (Denmark-Ligaen) playing 24 games averaging 17.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.6apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 42.6%, FT: 71.6%. In his rookie season he played with the Iserlohn Kangaroos (Germany-ProB) averaging 18,1ppg, 4,3rpg and 1,8apg. He started his basketball career at Mars Hill (NCAA2) in 2011 and then moved to Georgia College in 2012. As a senior he played 29 games averaging 24.6ppg, 6.7rpg, 4.0apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 59.1%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 76.8%. He concluded his college basketball career winning the All-PeachBelt Player of the Year 2016. Harris spoke to germanhoops.com at the end of his season with Rostock. 

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

Miles, nice talking to you again. It’s been a while but I’m currently in Rostock at the moment. Just relaxing and reflecting on this past season. Basketball has been great for me. I’m blessed to have fun chasing my passion and getting paid to do so.

After being away for so long from the States what will be your first meal when you set foot back on American soil?

It’s been a while since I had a homeroom meal from my family. Some good seafood and soul food would be amazing for the first 2 weeks or so then I will get back to healthy habits that I have here for the most part.

Congrats on a very successful season with the Rostock Seawolves. If you could describe the most special quality there is in the Rostock Seawolves culture what would it be?

Thanks I really appreciate it. It’s been an up and down season for us especially for me mentally and physically but to make the playoffs and compete to the end with Hamburg. We also won a lot of games and I couldn’t ask for more, even though I thought we had the team to win it all. I’m proud to be a part of this organization. We fought to the end and that’s been the story of the season. We fought with what we had through all the injuries and etc.

The Rostock Seawolves played the Hamburg Towers tough, but lost 3-1 in the quarterfinals. How disappointing was this playoff series loss and do you feel like there was much more for the taking to have been successful than what the reality showed?

I wouldn’t say this series was disappointing at all. Do I think we could’ve went far and beat them Yes. But Hamburg was better than us this series and they proved it. Top to bottom they have the deepest team and most talent on their roster. We went there and lost game 1. Game 2 we made the necessary adjustmenst and tied the series back up. Game 3 and game 4 could have went either way. Tie game 58-58 going into the 4th Quater of game 3. We made some vital mistakes that they capatilized off. Same I’m game 4. We were up 3 or 4 points with 2 minutes to go. Another close game that we didn’t finish. They capitalized off every mistake with the veterans they had. It could have been a 3-1 series for us well but it didn’t end that way. Congrats to Hamburg, but I would say that was a tough series even though they beat us 1-3. It should’ve been a semifinal matchup but the points and for breakers made it a first round match up.

In all three loses to the Hamburg Towers, Rostock was outrebounded and shot poorly from outside. What other factors contributed to not allowing you to get by this team?

This series was very tough for both teams as a team we didn’t shoot the ball well but they also had games where they struggled. We shoot 46% from the field and they shot 45% from the field. This series was very physical and more of a defensive game from both teams a lot of free throws were shot. Kind of hard to get a rhythm from both sides at times. Hamburg has a very big team and they capitalized on our bigs due to a short rotation of our 4 man being out. Hamburg’s depth and height eventually wore us down at the end. They also had the experience and vets to capitalized when it counted the most.

The club started up and down, but then had it’s best stretch from mid December to March winning 10 of 11 games. What was the team doing best there that allowed them to be so strong?

Yes we started up and down in the beginning of the season. We knew we had the talent to be good and we just had to get out chemistry together. A lot of teams had their core players from last year. Our starting 5 and main role players never played with each other. So the chemistry in the beginning sucked. Once we figured it out a couple games before the Chemnitz Christmas game we were at our best.

You have seen a lot of arenas in your life, but there is only one Stadthalle Rostock. Describe a little why the atmosphere there made it so special to play there this season?

I have seen a lot of nice arenas your right but playing in the stadthalle was amazing. The fans here in Rostock are very demanding and passionate about their Seawolves basketball. I thank them every time we played because it was some games they helped us pulled through.

What do you feel was the club season highlight? Possibly sweeping Heidelberg or beating top team Chemnitz by 20 points?

I can’t really say what was this season highlight because we had many great moments. I like the transformation of this team from August to April to be honest. I guess you can say there was some high moments such as beating Chemnitz before the break by 20. We had them figured out I feel. We just matched up well against them. They are well coachedand have a great team as well. I wish them the best moving forward. As far as in beating Heidelberg twice I wouldn’t say that was a highlight of the season. We were supposed to beat them twice we were better all around. They have a good team as well good luck to them in the semifinals as well.

Let’s talk about your teammates. Yannick Anzuluni was back in Rostock for his second tour of duty and is one of those players that has had to climb the basketball ladder from the bottom. What made his game so special and was it easy to recognize that he lives and dies for the Seawolves?

Yannick is a very talented guy. He can score, pass, and rebound at 6 ft 8 which is crazy. It was a pleasure to play with him. We complimented each other very well. He shot a lot of 3s as you know, I shoot a lot of pull ups and we both could pass so having two wings who complimented each other as well as we did led to a lot of success for us on top of being unselfish because we could have easily averaged 16 or 17 points a game on another team but we wouldn’t had have the same success. We had to sacrifice points and shots for each other and we did it well.

How much of a pleasure was it being teammates with Tony Hicks? What was your fondest memory with him and how much did you appreciate his playmaking?

Same as for Tony. Now that I think about it we had the best guard combination in the entire league. Tony, Yannick, and myself led us in scoring around 14 points a game. Our scoring was balanced through the season which made us successful. Like I said before all of us had to sacrifice shots for each other in order for us to be successful. We struggled with it in the beginning but ultimately we figured it out and it showed. Tony is an amazing playmaker his speed and pace is unreal. Probably the best point guard in Pro A to be honest. He’s going to be special. I had to adjust to his game because he’s very aggressive at the point guard position but it brought the best output. He can also defend which made our combination work as well. All 3 guards games were completely different. Tony was more driver playmaker and defender, I pull up a lot more midrange along with playmaking and defending, and Yannick was more of a 3pt threat.

How did you experience the development of German Tom Alte. He had played BBL, but had his Pro A break through with Rostock. What did you appreciate most about his game and can one define him as saying that he lives on the rim?

Tom Alte is very fun to play with. He runs the lane, finish lobs and drop offs with dunks, blocks shots and he got me open a lot to pull up off pick and roll. He has so much potential. He will get back to the BBL soon for sure.

Excluding Tom Alte, which other German player do you feel developed best from the German players?


We had some good Germans as well. Martin, Mitch and Darien played very good for us. All of those guys could shoot which helped because Tony and I did a lot of planning and to kick it out knowing these guys could hit shots was great.

Let’s talk about your game. Last season you played with the Svendborg Rabbits (Denmark-Ligaen) playing 24 games averaging 17.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.6apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 42.6%, FT: 71.6%. How would you compare the two leagues? Is the Denmark Ligaen between German Pro A and Pro B or more like Pro B?

In Denmark I played with less talent and I was able to take more shoots. My team wasn’t as good though. This was the first team I played with other good players and talent from top to bottom. I Would take my role here avg almost 14ppg with talented players and a winning season with a playoff birth over average 17 points on an average team and getting swept first round easy on average 15 -17 points losing margin like we did in Denmark. As far as completion top to bottom Pro A is better. Bakken will win Pro A, Horsens will possibly win Pro A, Svendborg, Naevsted, Randers will compete for playoffs spot. But the other teams don’t stand a chance.

You had a very solid first Pro A season averaging 13,6ppg, 3,7rpg and 3,4apg. How content were you with your first pro A season in Germany?

There is always room for improvement but I gave it my all and I can live with that. We had a talented team. We were deep and we won a lot like I said before I would take my stats from this year over last year because I proved I can help lead a team to the playoffs and win a lot of games. Nobody likes to lose a lot. I could have easily did what some of the top scorers in the league did but I had other guys around me who needed the ball as well. Most of those guys were talented and they did score 16 17 a game but they didn’t even make the playoffs. I dont want to go out like that ever again.

Was it a big adjustment having more imports on the team then what you had in Iserlohn and Denmark? Did it make it easier playing the game you love, because you had more talent on the team than in previous years?

Actually playing with imports such as Tony and Yannick talent level made the game easier for me. All I had to do was defend the opposing team best player and score from the wing. We all had multiple 20 point games some of those games we all had 20 a piece in the same night. We complimented each other very well. It was a huge adjustment but we made it work.’m very efficient so I knew I could play with anyone.

You stated in our last interview that your game grew in Denmark. How do you feel did your game grow in the German Pro A?


I feel my game grew as in more playmaking defensively and offensively. I guarded the other team’s best perimeter player every game. I knew I can defend but this year I think I really showed that I can defend at a high level. Whenever I was the primary defender on a guard they usually didn’t get their average. Most of the top perimeters struggled against me from Andrew (Hamburg) avg 16 a game in the regular season, but in the playoffs only 9.5. Goodwin, Choice, Ziegenhagen, and etc had some of their worst scoring games against me. Offensively I showed again that I was very efficient. This was the most assists I ever average this season as well . I can always shoot the three and pull up at a good percentage. I should’ve got to the free throw line more and attempted more 3s for sure though.

Did you feel like general shot selection played a much bigger role this season than the previous two seasons? The interesting note is that in your first three professional season you attempted 56 three’s in a season twice and 54 three’s once.

This year shot selection had to be smarter for sure because of playing with other talented players as well. We tried to get the ball to the hot hand the best we could. So some games I didn’t shoot as much as I wanted but I was ok with that because we won alot. But coming into next year I will be more aggressive from the three. I always shot a good percentage just not as much because of settling for midrange shots

How tough is it watching your buddy Chris Carter get limited minutes in the German BBL. He has stayed very professional and accepted his role. Have you been a guy that has helped keep him positive when you talked to him?

I talk to Chris every week. So it’s tough to see him not playing much. But Vechta has something special going on at the moment so winning has to be put above pride and he’s done that. Every athlete wants to play so it’s tough but he’s been the best professional he can in his position. We will workout together this summer so we both have something to prove for next season.

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


This question is tough because a lot of players are talented. Most of the top scorers in my position didn’t defend as well so I wouldn’t say they were the toughest but my matchup against Tevonn Walker was a fun and a tough one. He defends, he can shoot, and play hard at all times. It was very fun competing agaisnt him.

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?

As of now I’m just reflecting on the season I had and enjoying family. I will talk to my agent Luca at Players Group and go from there when I get home. I did receive 2 offers including Rostock for next year already. We both know how this business work so we see where I end up. I wouldn’t mind playing in Gemany again also open to other countries as well. I am keeping all options open.

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?

I will work on a lot of things this summer my body being number 1. I want to get stronger and bigger for next season. Shooting from deep off the dribble will be vital for me next year just to have in my arsenal. I’m going to keep my midrange sharp and focus on dribbling so I can have the ball a string. Along with breaking down film.

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

I would pick Tony at the Of, myself at the 2, Yannick at the three, Michael Moore at the 4, and Moussa None at the 5. We would’ve won Pro A easy but you have to follow the rules with the imports.

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?


Yes it’s still early let him be great without any high expectations. I don’t like to putting expectations on players. Let him be himself and have fun playing the game.

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

He has a right to have an opinion. He’s one of the best to do it so I don’t care if he feels that way.

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

Tom Brady And MJ are Great in their own way. I don’t think you can label one person the GOAT. All of them had to deal with different things at different times so they are all the GOAT to me.

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

He already stands with the greates. He has nothing else to prove.

What was the last movie that you saw?

I have been so locked in with the playoffs I can’t even remember the last movie I saw.

Thanks Terrell for the chat.