Seeing An NAIA player playing at a high level overseas is about as rare as believing Kenrich Williams won´t be asked unending questions about being beaten on Lebron´s record breaking all-time scoring record NBA shot, but it happens. But mostly you see NAIA guys toiling in lower leagues around the globe dreaming and grinding daily to live the dream. But what about those NAIA guys that don´t reach Europe right away? There are numerous guys who take years to get overseas and one of those fortunate ballers has been Shawn Scott. The versatile player played his last college game in 2018 and from then until the fall 2021 had a huge open space in his basketball resume. He did stay active with basketball, but nothing really worth noting. He attended some eurobasket summer league camps, but nothing came of it despite feeling like he left a good impression. Life wasn´t easy balancing basketball and a 9-5 job. “I stayed in the gym and stayed ready because I knew at any time an opportunity could come. I also played in many Pro-Am leagues in Phoenix, Arizona, and played in a bunch of rec leagues. I also was working in a gym facility almost full-time, and at the same time worked for Amazon as well”, remembered Shawn Scott. In his mind he knew he could play, but the question was how he was going to get overseas? One has to wonder why it took him so long? Was it failed representation of just that typical NAIA stigma? “I think it’s just that the NAIA doesn’t get the respect that it deserves overseas and most agents and coaches will overlook most players just based off the level when there’s many players who have had much success in the first three leagues in Germany, so it definitely has been done more often than you think. For me, I think it was a mix of failed representation and the NAIA stigma because I feel like I had the accolades and the stats, but never was given the chance until late”, stressed Shawn Scott. Guys have given up going so many years without getting a real chance, but he never gave up. The trust on the process and belief in his own game rewarded him. “It was a very tough time for me, and even after a year of not having any opportunity, it definitely got me down and was very close to giving up but I knew I could never do that because I had put in too much work and I knew that eventually something would come. The support from my family and friends definitely helped a lot because no matter how long it took they still believed that I was overseas ready and they just told me to stay the course. It’s always been my dream to play overseas since college and for me, nothing was ever just given to me with basketball so I had to work extremely hard and be patient and it’s a blessing that it all came together and I was able to live out my dream”, warned Shawn Scott. Working at Amazon and playing in rec leagues never diminished his basketball dream and coming overseas as he finally could live the dream in Germany.

Shawn Scott who lists ex Austin Peay(NCAA) great John Murray as the toughest cover he ever faced on the floor was born January 30^th, 1996 in Jenks, Oklahoma. He received his first basketball experience at Jenks high school. He then opted to go to school at Southwestern Christian University(NAIA from 2015-2018 playing a total of 100 games. His fondest moment was reaching the NAIA tournament final. “That was a great run that we had that year and it’s a shame that I couldn’t finish my college basketball career a champion but I loved every moment of that trip and that run with some great teammates and great guys”, said Shawn Scott.  In his freshman year he averaged  8.7ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.0apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 46.6%, 3PT: 26.8%, FT: 68.2%. His game took off in his last 2 years as he averaged 16.3ppg, 6.1rpg, 4.1apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 59.2%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 69.2% as a junior and as a senior averaged 15.3ppg, 3.8rpg, 2.8apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 59.1%, FT: 76.9%. “I think playing in the NAIA showed me how to play with so much grit and play every game 100% and to play with no fear. At this level, nothing is ever given to you and you have to work 10 times harder to get playing time and every minute counts. I think this is where my defense started to take big strides, and it was always my job to guard the best players, and I took great pride in that”, stressed Shawn Scott. He scored in double figures in 51 of 67 games in his last 2 years and had some explosive games against Dallas Christian with 39 points and hit Mid America CH with 34 points. He also knows he couldn´t have attained all the success without the guidance and pushing of head coach David Bliss. “I’m so thankful for Coach Bliss, and the two years I had with him. He was such a great coach and I really believe that he made me into to the player that I started to become. When you have a coach like that, who has Division I experience and track record like his. for someone to believe in you like that it gave me so much confidence that I could do anything on the court and it was always my goal to never let him down and give him all I got, because he trusted me”, remembered Shawn Scott who remembers beating teammate Jahmari Gordon at 1-1, but losing in a dunk contest against him. In his 3 years in the NAIA he achieved All-SAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year -2017, 18, All-SAC Honorable Mention -2017, All-SAC Second Team -2018, and NCCAA D1 All-America Scholar-Athletes Team -2018.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and John Murry in Rhondorf, Germany in October 2019

The Oklahoma native who lists LeBron James, Jamal Crawford, Chris Paul and Magic Johnson on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore finally made the trek overseas in 2021-2022 playing for TVO Biggesee (Germany-2.Regionalliga) helping the club move up to the Regionalliga. Every American has that special wake up call finding out how much different the overseas life is compared to home. “I honestly think it was having to walk everywhere and use the transportation system because in the states all I did was drive a car and I think that was a wake up call that I was far from home and I was going to have to adjust to being overseas”, remembered Shawn Scott. This season in the Regionalliga with Biggersee he needed no adjustment period as he was averaging an overwhelming 31.2ppg, 10.4rpg, 6.1apg, 3.6spg, 2FGP: 56.2%, 3FGP: 30.4%, FT: 77.6%.. This was a massive jump from the kind of numbers he put up in the NAIA league. “I would say that the NAIA was a very tough league and much tougher than people think and I was fortunate to play against some very high talent that only made me a better player. I would also say that I have improved greatly in the past 5 years and still feel that I’m still improving and only just now entering my prime”, warned Shawn Scott. He scored in double figures in all 14 games including 30 points or more 9 times. He also had 9 double doubles and exploded for 42 points in a 95-90 win over Ibenburen. He also achieved an unbelievable quadruple double against Leverkusen that had many very talented guys on board including ex BBL players Viktor Frankl-Maus and Thomas Michel. It was embarrassing that I didn´t read the stat line far enough as I read only triple double, but he had 35 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 11 steals. “I know it could be quite unbelievable, but if you go back and look at the stats of that game, I finished with a quadruple double which I also couldn´t believe. This game meant a lot to me because it was probably the best game of my career and we were able to win the game in overtime as well against very talented players who were experienced so it made it that much sweeter”, expressed Shawn Scott.

Sometimes the path of professional players change from one day to the next and that is exactly what the basketball God had in store for Shawn Scott who lists Michael Williams, James Still, Marvin White, Bilal Atli, and Jamal Ray as his 5 best teammates of all-time. He decided to take another opportunity and signed with BG 2000 Berlin (Germany-Regionalliga). “My agent came with this offer to go to Berlin because they were serious about making the move to Pro B and said that they could use some extra help and we both thought that this could be very good for my future and so I decided that I will make the move and come here”, said Shawn Scott. Not only did the scenery change from Biggersee to Berlin, but his stats also did. He isn´t that overwhelming player now as he was in Biggersee, but for most guys winning takes priority over stacking the stat sheet. “ It’s definitely something I’m not use to as I was heavily relied on in Biggersee and it has been an adjustment but I think I just have to catch a rhythm and get more familiar with the team and it’s only been 3 games that I’ve played so far but I’m sure I’ll figure it out and be able to have some big games. But most importantly, we’re winning and that’s all I want to do and I haven’t exploded for big games that I’m capable of doing so I think it will just be much easier to win games once it all comes together”, warned Shawn Scott. There is a lot of incredible talent with BG 2000 Berlin like Marley Jean Louis who is a walking bucket and has played in the second league Pro A which is 2 steps above the Regionalliga. “First, Marley is a pure scorer and I think it’s dangerous that we are on the court together and I want to be able to take some stress off of him and get him easy open shots but I think we both can be explosive scorers at the same time so it’s something I’m not really worried about. We’ve only played three games together and I think it’s only a matter of time until we are both exploding for big games. It will be very scary for teams”, warned Shawn Scott. He has had a big battle for the Regionalliga scoring crown with American Ricardo Artis and has enjoyed every minute of it. “ I talked to Ricardo briefly and we both played in the same area in Oklahoma but I don’t see it as a challenge as much. I just think it’s two very good players who are trying to help their teams win by any means and if he happens to pass me then he deserves it. He’s a great player who also fills the stat sheet”, expressed Shawn Scott.  

The durable Mr everything who believes Lebron is the GOAT and the classic Coming to America movie should have been left alone is a 185cm guard that compares his game to rising NBA player Ja Morant. He is a crazy athlete that is a high flyer and doesn´t shy from going into the paint and challenging bigs.  His versatility may be his biggest strength, but he also possesses others. “I think I have the Westbrook mentality and always admired that he can literally do everything on the court and I think it only benefits to getting the win when you can be a point guard and rebound like big men and play defense and just do a bit of everything. I have a very high basketball IQ and I’m a very good passer. I think my speed with a ball in my hand is unmatched makes it hard for anyone to stay in front of me”, added Shawn Scott. But it isn´t just his offense that is breathtaking to observe, but also his passion for being a lock down defender. “Since Highschool it was always my job to guard the best players and I take pride in playing defense and not letting players have a normal scoring day. I’ve always been the same defender and still am and I’m getting stronger and it’s making it easier to guard bigger people. I just want to be that defender that everyone is worried to be guarded by because If you’re able to stop the best guy then it’s more likely that you’ll win”, warned Shawn Scott. He knows that his trek overseas has just begun, and that he still has a long journey up the basketball ladder and knows what he still needs to work on. “I think my outside shooting for sure. It’s the main thing I’m missing that will only make that much harder to guard and I’m trying to get better at that every day and I will get there 100%”, stressed Shawn Scott.  It will be interesting to see where the basketball journey of Shawn Scott will go in the next years. He had the patience in the States and now has his foot in the door overseas. He will always know what got him this far and what will get him further up the basketball ladder. “It’s definitely a blessing to be able to make it overseas after having to be patient and waiting so long because usually it’s not normal that you would have to wait three years after college to go overseas and it was quite the journey for me and I think it makes it that much sweeter that I made it and having success at the same time and never gave up and I think that should be every player who came from a low level’s mindset to never give up and to keep going until you make it”, stressed Shawn Scott. How often have we heard that famous phrase “never give up and keep going”? millions of times, but Shawn Scott is simply another example that preservation does pay off at sometime.