Current NBA guys exploding for 50 plus points like Luka, Lebron , Devin or Steph is no surprise but that happening overseas is very rare as in many leagues defense is actually played. You won’t see that kind of dominance in the 2 top leagues Euroleague and ACB, but you will see absurb point totals in lower leagues where defense isn’t stressed as much. Especially in the German Regionalliga, you will see a handful of Americans putting up points and demonstrate their walking bucket talent. In the 2022-2023 season, the Regionalliga has boasted a number of guys putting up crazy point totals like Shawn Scott, Terry Winn and Jeremy Ingram not to mention Mr Regionalliga legend Rickey Easterling who has been doing it for 10 plus years. Another talented baller to add to that list is Ricardo Artis II (198-F/G-1993, college: Wiley) who has had no problem hitting teams for 42 points, 37 points twice and 35 points while never scoring less than 21 points. He is another one of the many Cinderella stories rampant in the Regionalliga as in a way he is playing his rookie season overseas as it took him 5 years to break in over here as he had been playing semi-pro basketball in the States. He takes nothing for granted and has an idea why his arrival in Germany took so long. ‘I’m completely grateful for the opportunity. It’s been a goal of mine outside of my NBA dreams. I don’t think you could find anyone with more heart, passion and drive for this game. I give it all I got don’t matter the circumstances. I honestly don’t know but my representation definitely could’ve been better. I’ve always been a guy that stood out in a crowd of greats. I never knew what it took to get where I am today or how to do it. I just knew that somehow, someway I would get here. I never stop believing in myself’, stressed Ricardo Artis II. One also can’t forget that when you play in the NAIA, you aren’t always taken seriously and there is that stigma that makes clubs look the other way. A question I love asking pro ballers when they are dominating a league does it feel like a man playing among kids. Interestingly enough, having this feeling is nothing new for him. ‘Truth is, I always felt like a man among kids. That’s how I play and that’s the confidence I keep to remain dominant. It’s great that my scoring numbers look like that because I’m a player that focuses on doing everything and not just scoring on the court’, warned Ricardo Artis II. He is that special player that has always had that man among kids feeling. Allowing him to dominate

Ricardo Artis II who lists Royce O’Neale, Taeshawn Thomas, Kenrich Williams, Taquan Zimmerman, Bruce Massey, Perry Jones, and Tyler Hansbrough as his toughest foes on the floor was born on July 23, 1993 in Austin, Texas. The basketball career of the American has been an unending grind and struggle and it started early when he was 20 years old when he played JUCO. Often a guy will play at a JUCO school and then after 1-2 years make the jump to a NCAA school. But he didn’t do that. He had to experience the JUCO life at 3 schools. It began at with Eastfield College (JUCO) where he right away was an impact player averaging 15.7ppg, 9.6rpg, 1.9apg, 2.3spg, 1.4bpg. He reached the Elite 8 and was a Region 3 champion and reached the all-national tournament team. His journey then continued at McLennan Community College (JUCO) where he averaged 12.9ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 69.9%. His last JUCO tour of duty continued and ended at North Lake College (JUCO). For most guys that played JUCO, it was an incredibly tough experience, but for most one of the best if not the best thing they ever did to prepare them for their professional journey and it wasn’t any different for him ‘I struggled a lot. It took me a while to grow up and to find a coach who believed in me. I’ve had skills and talents since high school. I could always play. I just had to figure out a way to put it all together. Each of those Juco colleges were learning tools. On and off the court. I learned a lot about myself and who I really am. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Everywhere I been has created what I am today. I endure it all’, stressed Ricardo Artis II. His struggle then continued as he wasn’t rewarded with an NCAA gig, but played in the NAIA for Wiley College. Playing at Wiley paved the road to becoming a professional even if it did take him longer to get overseas than other guys. ‘Wiley was great. I set records and it was historic season we had. It helped me grow a lot. It was a tough season for me off the court that last year. I grew more as a person off the court than on the court. But it was successful year for sure and it also helped me grow a lot as a player’, stated Ricardo Artis II. He averaged 16.0ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 55.0%, 3PT: 31.7%, FT: 74.8% and one of his best games was surely his 34/20 explosion in the victory against Southwestern, but the game he remembers most was the 61-59 loss against Hope International in his last NAIA game. ‘I took a buzzer beater half court shot to win the game with secs on the clock when I should have gave it to my PG Cory Jones because he had a knack for hitting half court shots’, added Ricardo Artis II. At Wiley he scored in double figures in 27 of 33 games and scored 20 points or more 10 times including hitting Southwest for 34 points and 31 points against LSU-Shreveport. An important individual in his year at Wiley was head coach Jameus Hartsfield who showed him the correct way. ‘Jameus to me was a great mental coach for me. I feel like he kept me balanced and it transitioned to my spirit out there on the courts. I thank him for that. But who prepared me the best was my high school coach Billy White Jr. I can’t thank him enough for the player and man I am today. He was like a dad/coach to me. I’m Forever grateful for them both’, warned Ricardo Artis II. He left Wiley having racked in All-RRAC First Team , RRAC All-Tournament Team and All-NAIA D1 Honorable Mention -2017.

After Wiley the athletic player who lists Cory Jones, Chuck Guy, Myron Taylor, Bruce Massey and TJ Maston as his 5 best teammates of all-time opted to chase the professional dream. It is very tough to come overseas coming form the NAIA, but it has been done, but the chances are minimal. Most of the time, it is connections and great fortune for NAIA guys to come overseas. Year after year passed and he continued to dream of the overseas gig while playing in various semi-pro leagues in the States including the UBL, ABA, PBA and TBL. Often guys will give up after a few years, but not him. He stuck out the grind for 5 years. ‘I actually wanted to give up many of times. It’s been so tough. Believing in yourself when nobody else does hurts. It hurt me continuously over and over again. Especially as a father. At times, It felt like I was chasing something that I would never reach’, warned Ricardo Artis II. What makes the semi-pro grind even more difficult is that he is up against hundred’s of guys chasing the same dream and he can’t be 24/7 working on his craft in the gym, because he has to live from something besides the marginal money from semi-pro teams. ‘I worked 9-5 jobs continuously throughout my years. My toughest moments came from working those jobs because I knew where my heart wanted to be. But I had to do what I had to do for my family. Juggling it all was tough and a struggle’, remembered Ricardo Artis II. He had many great games, but scoring a bunch or winning a title wasn’t his fondest memory of his 5 year run on the semi-pro tour. ‘My nicest memory was actually one of my worst when I broke my hand. It showed me how it could all end that day without the correct health and body. My mind body and spirit is important for me’, expressed Ricardo Artis II.

The scoring machine who lists Kobe, Jordan, Lebron, Magic, and Shaq on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore finally found himself on a flight across the Atlantic to Germany in 2022 as he signed a contract in Germany’s fourth division Regionalliga with Hagen-Haspe. The Regionalliga is no glamour league, but he has been used to playing in lower leagues his whole life. ‘This league isn’t anywhere near where I pictured I would have to start with the talent I have but I’ve always took advantage of opportunities that are given to me so in this case it’s no different. The love and support I get here is amazing’, commented Ricardo Artis II. For many Americans, the first thing they suffer when landing in Europe is the culture shock. It hasn’t ben any different for him as he has to handle the German language and also witnessing the starring of people because of his height, hair and American style. But that hasn’t affected his overwhelming play on the court as he is currently averaging 29,4ppg, 11,7rpg, 3,1apg and 3,6spg in 36 minutes of work per game. The double double monster has been battling all season with American Shawn Scott another former NAIA player who took 3 years to get overseas for the scoring title. ‘That’s my game. I’ve been a consistent double double man since my college days. The battle with Shawn Scott is fun. He is a great player. He actually left to a different team so I think I am far ahead from the next person on the scoring title now that he’s gone. I wish him the best’, said Ricardo Artis II. Americans always get a special respect from German players simply because their Americans and come from where basketball was invented. ‘The respect from my teammates have improved me to being the leader that I am today. They allow me to lead them the way I lead a group. I have a lot of passion for this game and you can see it in my play on the court. They’ve noticed it and adapted great to my leadership. They’ve treated me well and they’ve been playing great basketball’, stressed Ricardo Artis II. He has scored in double figures in every game and scored more than 20 points in all games and scored 30 points or more in 10 games. He has registered 16 double doubles and hammered Leverkusen 2 for 42 points. He also had other top games against Ibbenburen with 37 points and hit Wulfen for 35 points. He also had a monster game against Koln DTV with 32 points and 21 boards. Could he reach 30 rebounds one day? ‘I actually knew I was going to have a 20 point rebound game sometime in between the season. It’s just something I’ve always done in a season since college. The most I got was 25 in college in my juco years. 30 rebounds though? I never thought about that but since you mentioned it I will add it to my bucket list of goals. We’ll see’, warned Ricardo Artis II.

The Texas native who has Jordan and Lebron 1-2 in the Goat debate is a 198cm swing man that believes his game doesn’t resemble just one player, but a mixture of Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and Jimmy Butler. Obviously his scoring and rebounding really standout, but he fills the stat sheet at ease and his game has so much more to offer than just double doubles. Being that 2 way player will help him climb the basketball ladder more than just being the hero with double doubles. ‘Defending is one of my best traits. I don’t like when I’m scored on and I think that’s what makes me great. The more you try to score on me and do score on me, will only make me play defense tougher. That’s always kept me successful as a defensive player. I’m averaging nearly around 4 steals a game on the season. That goes unnoticed. I guard the best player don’t matter the position 1-5. I think I should be in the talk of defensive player of the year as well as player of the year. I take a lot of pride on that side so hopefully that doesn’t remain unnoticed due to my scoring and rebounding. I’m also a great passer’, warned Ricardo Artis II. Certain aspects of his shooting game continue to be a work in progress like his three point shooting and free throw shooting. ‘The different gyms have been keeping me on my toes with my 3 point shooting. But that’s no excuse. I think I shoot better at home I don’t know the statistics on that. But it’s something that can be fixed. Sometimes they fall, sometimes they don’t. Shooters shoot and that’s what I will continue to do. I want to become a 90%+ free throw shooter I feel as if I can reach that level. I could be really dominant due to the amount of times I get fouled from my aggressive play. I think I’m at around 80%. I need to be better’, warned Ricardo Artis II. It will be interesting to see where the basketball journey of Ricardo Artis II will go in the next years. He should continue to move up the basketball ladder, because he can ball at higher levels than the Regionalliga. All he needs is a chance. Maybe one day one will Ricardo Artis II and Shawn Scott going head to head again down the road in a higher league. They both are living the Cinderella story and are still a long way away from midnight.