Worthy de Jong (194-G-88) is a 33 year old 194cm guard form Holland playing his 11th season for Zorg and Zekerheid Leiden (BNXT League). In between he played one season for SO Maritime Boulogne (France-ProB). He has won 7 titles in Holland and also been a member of the Dutch national team. He recently spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

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

I’m pretty good, it’s been a while now.. and I’m starting to think about my future after basketball.

It has been more than 5 years since we last talked via an interview. Has time flown by for you?

It really blew by!

You were in Holland during the Pandemic. How have you experienced COVID and what were the most challenging things you had to cope with?

One of the most challenging things were the first couple of months of lockdown where basketball was only practice and no more games..

With everything that you witnessed during COVID off the court how do you feel did you get stronger as a man?

It gave me time to reflect about other things then basketball and it gave me time to do some more photography.

Your playing your 11th season for Zorg and Zekerheid Leiden. You are like the Quantez Robertson of the BNXT league as he is in his 13th season with the Fraport Skyliners. Is there a good chance you will end your career there one day?

Hahah most likely. But you never know

Last season you won the Dutch league title for the second time after 2013. What was it like winning again after 8 seasons? What was special about this team?

It was definitely a long time since we had one but it felt amazing! Being part of this group of guys last season showed was great. A real family and memories for a long time! I think we had a great mix of people that balanced us out really good!

This is a fairly new team with 6 new players. How confident are you that Zorg and Zekerheid Leiden have the potential to win a title this season?

Potential is definitely there, so it’s all about getting the pieces to fit at the right time.

You last played against a German team Fraport Skyliners 6 years ago. Now you played against a German team again with medi Bayreuth. What memories do you have of playing Frankfurt?

What I remember is that I had a pretty good game I think and Jordan Theodore who played there .

You continue to put up very consistent stats in Holland. How would you say has your game continued to grow in the last years?

I think it matured, and I found a way to adapt and adjust my game around the players that come in every season.

It seems like you have had to take on the role of a facilitator more in the last few years. Is passing and playmaking apart of your game that sems to have been a bit underappreciated?

Like I mentioned earlier I think I just try to adapt to what a team needs and try to do that .

You continue to be an aggressive and nasty defender. Does defending become more challenging as you get older as the young guys seem to get more athletic?

Haven’t ran into that problem yet. As you get older you learn to read the game to benefit yours so we will see.

You will be turning 34 early next year. On what parts of your game are you working on most now as you continue to be a vital player on the team?

My shot definitely is something I need to get more consistent.

You only played one season outside of Holland with 2017 SO Maritime Boulogne (France-ProB) averaging 9.7ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.0apg, Steals-5 (1.8spg), FGP: 47.7%, 3PT: 31.4%, FT: 67.1%. What memories do you have of this season? How would you compare the Pro B to the Dutch league?

Probably how athletic it is.

You had the great opportunity to be teammates with veteran Teddy Gipson. What was it like sharing the back court with him and your battles in practice?

That was like a dream come through, growing up and watching him play in Amsterdam really inspired me to become a basketball player

5 years ago we spoke about the Dutch national team. Then you stated it was on the rise. What is the state of Dutch basketball in 2021?

It’s definitely on the way up. We need to stay focused and approach it as an infinite game. think long term and take every bit of progress we make

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Mohamed Kherrazi Monta McGhee Seamus Boxley Arvin Slagter Teddy Gipson. But there are so much more! Jessey, Floris, Emmanuel and Have a place for them all.

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads

MJ Shaq LeBron

Did you see the sequel to Coming To America? Shouldn’t they just have left it alone?

Definitely should’ve left it alone!Thanks Worthy for the chat.