Will Cherry (185-PG-1991, college: Montana) is a 32 year old 185cm point guard from Oakland, California playing his ninth professional season and third in Germany and first with the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. He previously also played with Alba Berlin and the Fraport Skyliners. Overseas he also garnered experience suiting up for teams like B.C. Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL), Gaziantep Basketbol (Turkey-BSL), KK Cedevita Zagreb (Croatia-Premijer Liga), Olympiacos S.F.P. Piraeus (Greece-A1) and Hapoel Yossi Avrahami Eilat (Israel-Winner League). He also played briefly in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers and played in the G-League with Santa Cruz. He began his basketball career at / McClymonds High School and then played at the University of Montan (NCAA) from 2009-2013. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his ex teammate Lebron James becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Lebron James has beaten Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s NBA all-time scoring record. Did you stay up to watch history? No I didn’t, I was asleep. I didn’t get a chance to witness it live, but I saw all the highlights when I woke up.
How does one put this record into perspective best? It stood almost 40 years?
It’s a testament to him being able to have such a long career and break the record despite never being labeled as a scorer. He has been consistent his whole career and been doing things at his age consistently that no one has ever done. He is the ultimate professional. He was dubbed the chosen one coming out of high school and carried it on his shoulders until today.
He scored 38 points in 26 minutes. Was it another normal day at the office? No I don’t think so. I saw all the pictures of when he arrived. He came in black. It was all business for him. He was going to make it happen that night in front of family.
How much is that ball going to be worth? I have no idea, but I know that he has it. He will probably have it in his trophy case.
Russell Westbrook made the pass. Do you think that in 20 years the pass could be remembered more than his triple doubles? Russ’s legacy is already cemented. Before he was traded he was a leading candidate for best sixth man award. He has had growing pains with the Lakers. It is a big adjustment playing with someone like Lebron that has the ball so much in his hands. He averaged triple double stats for multiple years and he has done things no other man has done. He will be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
His record breaking basket was a step back over Kenrich Williams. Is that the kind of shot you expected knowing the kind of player he is? Or would you have expected a dunk for the spectacular finish?
I don’t know. Many thought he would take the Kareem sky hook shot in his honor. He just took the best shot he could. I didn’t know what shot he would take, but I know that the shot will always be remembered in history.
There obviously is a lot of respect for Kareem, by the basketball world, but what would have happened on social media if Lebron had gotten the record with a sky hook shot? Social Media would have blown up. Fans wanted to see a spectacular shot that would have set the world on fire.
Kareem is such a gentleman. You didn’t grow up with him, but what does his legacy mean to younger guys? Can they even understand what that guy did? I think that if young guys know their history then they can know about his greatness. He took the game to another level with the show time Lakers with Magic Johnson. The Show time Lakers epic battles with Boston saved basketball at that time. Without him a guy like Jordan wouldn’t have been able to take it to another level. Kareem was at the forefront and is one of the most historic figures in basketball. He is the reason why the record didn’t get broken for almost 40 years.
Lebron will have more than 40,000 points when it’s all over. Back in 1984 people said it would never be broken? Will this record be broken? I think his record will be broken. I think with the way the game has changed, it can be broken in the future. There are so many more possessions and way more three pointers.
If Luka Doncic continues to play to 40 stays fit and becomes a physical specimen like Lebron, could he dethrone him? Yeh, but still I feel it’s impossible. He will never be a physical specimen. If he is able to play that long, he could break it just by how much of a scorer he is.
Does this record finally give Lebron the GOAT status over Michael Jordan?
Not to me. I think it’s a longevity award. Lebron played so long and has been in the league since he is 18. I feel like if Jordan had played as long or come to the league sooner, then he would of beaten the record a long time ago.
What is your favorite Lebron moment that you witnessed live or on TV? My favorite moment was when I watched him on Tv when he beat the Pistons in the playoffs and scored something like 25 points in a row. He took game over. I was already a Lebron fan before that, but what he did was wild. I also loved when he dunked on Jason Terry.
Miles Weber (185-PG-1996, college: Harris-Stowe St.) is a 27 year old 185cm guard from Illinois that is a professional basketball player and has 3 years of experience. He has played In Mexico, Gutamala, Moldova and El Salvador. He began his career at the IMG Prep academy and played at 4 schools at Chicago State University (NCAA),Western Kentucky University (NCAA), Southern Arkansas University Tech (JUCO), and Harris-Stowe State University (NAIA). He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Miles for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?
Currently I am in France, just came out here to train with my guy Tremaine Dalton and take a little off season vacation. Basketball has been treating me great. It’s extremely hard to get established overseas or even in Central America as an underdog. I’ve always had a big chip on my shoulder and that’s what’s carried me this far.
My earliest memory of a nagging phrase was always ‘I can see for Miles and miles’. What was your nagging phrase that you heard enough of concerning your name?
Miles of smiles, my mom used to always call me that ever since I was little.
You turned professional in 2020. You didn’t do too badly got jobs mostly in Central America despite hardly playing in college. Do you sometimes wonder where you might be today had Covid not surfaced?
Without Covid, the whole pro transition might have been a little easier for me. However I’m glad it did, I do believe that everything happens for a reason.
You began your pro career in Mexico with Kolbri Usila (Mexico-Ciprodebaco):32.4ppg, 5.7rpg, 7.2apg. You really dominated there. What memories do you have of that league? How competitive was that league?
I remember coming off a 17 hour day off traveling, arriving in Usila getting a quick meal then resting until the game. I didn’t know what to expect, I came off the bench and scored 39 points, had 7 assists, and 6 boards in my first pro game while shooting 6/9 from the three. I was both nervous and excited coming into that game. I actually told my good friend who plays in Germany now Brandon Cataldo that I was going to score 30 in my first game. It was a great experience to get my feet wet in pro basketball. The whole city of Usila became family to me and I still talk to them up to this day!
You then played with Lakoch (Mexico-Alejandro Cordova League) averaging 15.6ppg, 5.3apg, 3.8rpg. You weren’t quite as explosive there stat wise. Did you have a different role?
Yes, well the league was a little different we played 10 minute quarters with a rolling clock so it was a little more difficult to put up as big of stats. I also wasn’t as ball dominant with this team, we had a local who was also a skilled guard so I had to share the ball, and shots with him as well.
You then played with Veterinaria Chiluca, Escuintla, Guatamala: XVII Copa Golondrina: 22.3ppg, 10.8apg, 6.4rpg, 2.8spg. Here you really filled the stat sheet. Did it feel like you were a man playing with boys? Yes it did, I felt like I could do anything out there. The other teams would foul me nonstop though to try and stop me. Sometimes the referees would call it, most of the time they wouldn’t. You know how that goes!
This year you played at the Moldovan Cup Chisinau (Moldova) averaging 28.4ppg, 5.6apg, 6rpg, 2.4spg. You got the MVP award. It was your first taste of overseas basketball. How vital was this performance for your self-confidence?
This was my first time in Europe playing, I was playing for coach Harry Savaya who is well known in the coaching world for a reason. I enjoyed playing for him, he taught me a lot and helped me grow as a player. This performance definitely helped with my confidence because I had put up big numbers in 2 countries prior but both in Central America. To produce good stats and win in Europe was a blessing for me.
You last played for MC El Brasil Santa Ana (El Salvador-Liga MB) averaging 28/8/3 stats. You continue to put up huge stats. How was the game, talent and competitive nature there compared to Mexico? The game out there was fast, it was a little different than the other countries I played in. The whistle definitely wasn’t that friendly but that’s common being an American playing in a different country. The talent was good and it was competitive. My team was struggling prior to my arrival but I still came regardless of that and did my best to help us grow and win in every which way!
You played at IMG Prep Academy in Florida. What memories do you have of that time. How did that school prepare you best at that time?
It got me ready for college and the pro level. I gained 15 pounds of muscle while there so they definitely developed my game on and off the court. My recruitment also picked up pretty heavily when I transferred there. There were also a lot of NBA and Euroleague guys while I was there so I got to watch how they train and meet talk to some of them. We played against a lot of of JUCOs and other top preps all over. My team was very talented, we were ranked #8 in the country at one point and several of us went right D1 about 8-9 guys.
Then you had huge misfortune during the years from 2016-2020 as you were with 4 schools Chicago State University (NCAA), Western Kentucky University (NCAA), Southern Arkansas University Tech (JUCO) and Harris-Stowe State University. You only played at 1 school. Please talk about these tough 4 years? Were you a walking wounded player?
Yes I wish I could go back and do it differently, but everything does happen for a reason. I did unfortunately deal with a few injuries here and there. I had to deal with some deaths, and illnesses within the family during those years. I dealt with coaching changes as well, which put me in difficult situations. From the outside looking in, my college career was a mess but not everyone knows what all I had to deal with outside of basketball and school.
How do you remember your year at Western Kentucky? I interviewed your ex teammate Darius Thomspon. How did you see his growth in his senior year? If someone had told you then that he would be a Euroleague player in his fifth pro season what would you have said?
My time at WKU was great, I was around a lot of good players and learned from them as well as competed with them. Darius had a great senior year when he came from Virginia and took over right away. I would’ve believed it for sure if someone told me he would become a euro league player someday. I enjoyed being under Coach Shammond Williams, he took me in and was like a father figure to me during my time there. He also played a big role in my recruitment and me coming to Western Kentucky.
Darius Thompson said this about head coach Rick Stansbury. ‘He opened my mind to never back down and always be in attack mode. He always forced me to be aggressive’ How did you remember coach?
He would tell me similar things, to be aggressive, attack, and left my presence be felt. He also kept me disciplined on and off the court. Coach Shammond, I would say taught me the most though during my time there, both basketball wise and mentally.
You did play a season at Southern Arkansas University Tech (JUCO). Every guy I have interviewed that played JUCO says that JUCO was tough, but an experience they wouldn’t have traded the world for. How was it for you?
Yes Juco was tough but if I could go back I wouldn’t change a thing. It really helped bring out more of that dog and killer mentality in me. We had a very strong team and it helped me improve and grow as a player. It was a lot different than being at a D1 university though, I found that out very quick. The JUCO struggle is real.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced on the court that reached the NBA?
Jonathan Isaac, he was actually one of my former teammates. I enjoyed playing with him and against him in practice. We played together at IMG – he was a basically a 6’10 guard who could do almost everything. I knew he was league bound back then.
Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 185cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the bill? This is a tough one, I’ve been told I resemble a few players: Steve Nash, Damon Stoudamire, Mike Bibby, and Jason Williams. The first 3 I think because of my vision, shooting, passing , attacking the rim while still being a smaller guard. I think the Jwill comparison is also common because of my creativity as a player.
Talk a little about your game. You have been described s a 3 level scorer and can fill the stat sheet?
Yes I like to score the ball, and can at all 3 levels however I will do whatever it takes for my team to win. Whatever the coach and organization wants me to do, I will do! I can adapt and change my play style whenever. I am a pass first point guard but I will score if I have my defender beat or have an open shot.
Talk a little about how defined your three point shooting is? Can it be a weapon in your game?
Yes I am a sniper, if you leave me open you might as well run back on defense because it’s good. It is definitely a strong weapon in my arsenal.
What kind of defender are you right now and what kind of defender do you still want to become?
I take pride in my defense, I like to challenge myself and usually guard the best player or the strongest guard the opposing team has. I like to make the offensive player I am guarding uncomfortable so he isn’t able to play his game. I am still improving as a defender as well as in all other aspects of my game. Defense is the most important thing so I will never let up defensively.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can can continue to climb the basketball ladder?
I am always tightening up my handle and getting up lots of reps with my floaters, mid ranges, and threes. Right now mostly I am just in the weight room trying to get bigger , stronger, faster, and more athletic. I know how physical of a game it is over there in Germany, Israel, and most of Europe as well so I need to be ready for that.
Give a few sentences why you could help any team right now overseas?
I am a high IQ player that brings a lot to the table both offensively and defensively. I am a work horse, the first one in the gym and the last one to leave the gym. I am also a high character individual who takes pride in giving back to the community and helping others. I will settle for nothing less than a championship, I am winner and that is my #1 goal coming to an organization. I am very easy to get along with and look forward to being lifelong friends with my future teammates.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Chase Berry, Lamonte Bearden, Fred Sims Jr, D’mitrik Trice, and Trayvon Palmer- Im leaving out a lot more of course as I have played with a lot of very talented players and good guys but these are a few that came to my mind that I enjoyed playing with and learning from.
Please list your NBA Mount Rushmore?
Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, and Lebron James.
Who is your GOAT?
Michael Jordan 100%, being born in Chicago how can’t you say he isn’t the GOAT !
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone?
No I have not actually, I need to check it out sometime soon and then I’ll be able to give you an answer on that!
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Stanley Whittaker in Frankfurt in 2023
No matter what you do, parents will almost always be proud of their kids no matter what. Even through tough times most parents will stick by you even if it isn’t easy. But it isn’t only his parents that Stanley Whittaker (183-PG-1994, college: Keiser) has made proud through his basketball career starting at Nueva Esperanza Academy, but also has made 3 other people happy. He definitely has made himself proud. He has withstood all odds and pretty much lived a basketball Cinderella story going from JUCO all the way to the easyCredit BBL in 6 years. There haven’t been many Americans that can say they have gone a path like this and it isn’t over yet. It is far from over as the 28 year old hasn’t approached his prime yet. Second he has made me happy in that he has allowed me to be close to his journey since November 2020. Back then he was in Austria and still far away from the easyCredit BBL. I had my first contact with him as my Cancer struggle had just started. Now more than 2,5 years later and 38 interviews and my cancer removed, our basketball/media relationship is still growing and going strong. I thank him for that and am proud how he continues to grind and is never satisfied with his game and always wants to keep getting better and continue to climb the latter. And the third is legendary head coach Rollie Massimino who was his mentor at Keiser (NAIA)and a guy he will always have in his heart. He passed away a little more than six months after their last game together in the NAIA. In 2020, he had these thoughtful words for the 1985 NCAA champion with Villanova. ‘Having the opportunity to be coached by coach Rollie Massimino was a blessing. He helped my game so much, he taught me so much about the mental aspect of the game. I was able to think the game at a much higher level with coach Mass. Being cerebral is the biggest impact coach Mass had on me especially in my transitioning into becoming a professional. But most importantly, the impact he had on me off the court is what I cherish the most. He instilled so many real life lessons in me, helped me out in so many ways, he was much more than just a coach to me! And I am forever grateful and thankful for coach Mass’, stressed Stanley Whittaker. The legendary coach told him to remain in school and get his degree and he did that. He most likely looked down on him from heaven then and was proud. One has to wonder what coach Massimino is thinking in 2023 after seeing the incredible leaps he has made as a professional. ‘I think, I hope and I’m sure coach Mass is looking down on me smiling. I wouldn’t be the player I am today without him. He helped me in so many ways both on and off the court. Truly miss him dearly! #MASSSTRENGTH forever’, warned Stanley Whittaker. One can only wonder how much fun Rollie Massimino is having in heaven observing the rise of Stanley Whittaker in overseas basketball?
The overseas grind of Stanley Whittaker who couldn’t answer the question if Steph Curry is the best point guard of all-time over Magic Johnson was never easy, but he continued to make solid steps each season and just stayed consistent. After a less than thrilling rookie season in Lithuania, things picked up for him in his second season as he broke out in Austria with UBSC Raiffeisen Graz (Austria-BSL) averaging 21.5ppg, 6.3rpg, Assists-2 (8.0apg), Steals-1 (2.6spg), FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 78.4%. He still had to pay his dues in his third season as the easyCredfit BBL still wasn’t in the plan, so he proved his worth in Germany’s second division with PS Karlsruhe Lions (Germany-ProA) leading the league in scoring averaging 22.3ppg, 5.1rpg, Assists-3 (6.6apg), 1.4spg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 43.0%, FT: 84.6%. He led the team into the playoffs and racked up Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro A Player of the Year -2022, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro A First Team -2022, and Eurobasket.com German 2.Bundesliga Pro A All-Imports Team -2022. So in his fourth pro season, all his hard work and belief on his game paid off and he was rewarded reaching the easyCredit BBL playing with the Wurzburg Baskets They were one of the big surprise teams, but just couldn’t hold their consistency in the last weeks just missing the playoffs. After the thrilling 86-85 win over Crailsheim on April 15th, everything looked rosy. But then the Wurzburg season took a 180 degree dip. Two close loses to Oldenburg and Ludwigsburg followed and then a heartbreaking loss in Frankfurt. At the end, it was 5 loses in a row to finish the season and no playoffs. If someone had told him that that would be the outcome after April 15th, he wouldn’t have believed it. ‘I would’ve chuckled at that statement and told that someone, I highly doubt it. This was a very tough phase and way to end the season. I wouldn’t say the loses against Oldenburg and Ludwigsburg in particular hurt us mentally as a team because we played some solid basketball throughout the entire game but just couldn’t close. The loss in Frankfurt hurt. But we knew we still had to go out to compete and try to win the last one on our home floor because we still had a chance at the playoffs. And looking back now, we were one win away! Collectively we just didn’t play our best basketball when we needed to. Not sure what it was besides that. We don’t want to make excuses for ourselves, we had an opportunity having the head up matchup or tiebreaker with everyone that was under us fighting for the playoffs. In retrospect, all we had to do was to win one out of our last five and we came up short’, remembered Stanley Whittaker.
A big problem was that at a lot of times, the club only got consistent scoring from their guard duo of Whittaker and Cameron Hunt. Either teams would key in on them or let them go wild and keep everyone else in check. ‘I mean teams were deeper than we were, had more bodies to throw at Cam and I to try and wear us down being so that the ball would be in our hands’, said Stanley Whittaker. But all in all, one has to say the season was a success even if it failed to reach the playoffs. The club was on line to reach the playoffs for the majority of season something not many would have believed in September 2022. ‘Some positives of the season was the chemistry and camaraderie of our group. Guys worked hard individually and as a team. As a team we learned, and I think we showed true fight and determination the entire season’, added Stanley Whittaker. The team celebrated big wins over Oldenburg and swept playoff team Chemnitz and boarder line playoff team Rostock twice. ‘The team highlight was just the preparation before the actual games. The time, focus, effort and energy we put into practice and preparing, that’s the work that isn’t seen but without it results wouldn’t be possible’, stated Stanley Whittaker. A big credit for the success of the team was head coach Sasa Filipovski, a guy who made good with the resources he had to work with. ‘Coach Sasa loves the game, he has a specific passion and drive for his craft as a coach. He puts the time in, he’s very experienced and he knows the game of basketball. But also our assistant coach Dejan and our coach Pako. They’re experienced and knowledge collectively helped us as a tea’, expressed Stanley Whittaker. It is no secret that Cameron Hunt and him the nucleus of the team were. Their combined story of being 2 ex NAIA guys becoming a top 5 top guard duo in the easyCredit BBL is fascinating and one you seldom encounter in high leagues overseas. ‘The respect and understanding of who we are and what we can do was important. We both were two highly competitive guys that just wanted to do our parts to help try and win ball games! Of course with time, things get better but we had a certain level of respect for each other and how we worked! Just knowing we are NAIA guys and understanding how difficult it is for guys like us to get a thorough opportunity, the respect is there initially. Then, overtime when you see each other’s habits and how determined one is to contribute and battle that’s just grows the respect. We went to ‘war’ together, so that’s bond will always be appreciated’, commented Stanley Whittaker.
The Philadelphia native who would like to see Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat win the 2023 NBA championship continues to stay true to his word that he never blows up about his play. In my eyes he had an incredible season in a top 5 league in Europe averaging 18,0ppg, 3,3rpg, 5,1apg and 1,4spg while shooting 40% from outside, but he saw it differently from his stand point and only saw himself as solid. It also isn’t a secret that the scoring player established himself as a top 5 guard in the easyCredit BBL. He keeps learning from every new experience that he samples. ‘I learned to continue to trust God, trust the work and the studying I’ve done throughout my time playing this game. It’s not about proving anyone wrong although I may have but just really focusing on being as productive as I can’, expressed Stanley Whittaker. He not only demonstrated his productivity, but also his consistency scoring in double figures in 32 of 34 games. He scored 20 points or more 15 times including a 37 point explosion against Bamberg and 24 points against Chemnitz and Alba Berlin and 23 points against Hamburg, BG Goettingen, and Rostock. He had always been a solid three point shooter in school, but since his season in Austria has become that feared 40% shooter from the parking lot. Now he wants to become an elite three point shooter. ‘I think maybe increasing my volume will help. Not shooting crazy and just jacking them up but within the flow, be more ready off the catch and things of that nature. I’ll get there’, warned Stanley Whittaker. He also made steps on his defensive game. ‘ Just understanding more was pivotal for me. Little hacks and habits to continue to build upon, getting in better shape as well’, added Stanley Whittaker. He knows that in order to make another step up the basketball ladder, he will have to continue to grin in the lab and work on all facets of the game and his body. The question now is where will his journey go to from here? I could imagine him getting a chance with a playoff team like an Oldenburg or Ulm or move away from Germany and go to Italy, Spain or France. As usual, he isn’t sprouting any ideas yet so early in the off season process. ‘I’ll take the time in the summer and spend time with my family, get my mind away from the game for a few. But whatever the next step is for me, I’ll be ready and I’ll give my best and try to help a team win at a high level’, warned Stanley Whittaker in May 2023. A few weeks later, his new destination was announced with Italian Serie A club Sassari. One thing is for sure Rollie Massimino will surely never lose that smile from heaven as he continues to watch his former pupil continue to get better and climb the basketball ladder. I will be prepared as usual for the next interview which will be #39.
Christopher Miller (192-G-1993, college: Salem) a 29 year old 193cm guard from Brooklyn, New York who is playing his eighth professional season and first with GoldCoast Wallabies NLB (2nd League). He played 3 seasons with the Giessen Pointers (Germany-RegionalligaThis season for Bensheim he averaged 19,5ppg, 3,8rpg, 2,0apg and 1,5spg. He has had experience in countries like El Salvador and Bosnia. He recently played for the South Shore Monarchs (TBL) playing 8 games averaging 22.4ppg, 5.6rpg, 4.3apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 83.3%. He began his basketball career at Clinton Community College and also played two years at Salem University (NCAA2). He spoke to germanhoops.com about Lebron James becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Lebron James has beaten Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s NBA all-time scoring record. Did you stay up to watch history? I did not get to but I am happy to have been alive to see such an accomplishment.
How does one put this record into perspective best? It stood almost 40 years?
This record was looked at to be unbeatable. So for me to see all the greats fall short for 40 years and them to see one man not only beat it but set the bar higher just wow. This is a testament to Lebron’s true greatness.
He scored 38 points in 26 minutes. Was it another normal day at the office?
This season he is averaging around that much so I would say just another day in the office for sure.
How much is that ball going to be worth? If anyone gets their hands on that ball it would maybe be worth Billions but I’m sure it will be in his trophy case.
Russell Westbrook made the pass. Do you think that in 20 years the pass could be remembered more than his triple doubles?
I don’t think so because it wasn’t an assist but I feel bad for the guy who he scored on because this clip will be played over and over again.
His record breaking basket was a step back over Kenrich Williams. Is that the kind of shot you expected knowing the kind of player he is? Or would you have expected a dunk for the spectacular finish?
I feel bad for Williams. Honestly as I said before this will be attached to his name forever. I wanted to see him attempt a sky hook . I thought that would be funny but however delivered it was stamped .
There obviously is a lot of respect for Kareem, by the basketball world, but what would have happened on social media if Lebron had gotten the record with a sky hook shot? The world would of went crazy this is something I wanted to see for sure.
Kareem is such a gentleman. You didn’t grow up with him, but what does his legacy mean to younger guys? Can they even understand what that guy did? Looking back he was a great man activist and athlete and he is from NYC . His legacy lives on and we appreciate his greatness.
Lebron will have more than 40,000 points when it’s all over. Back in 1984 people said it would never be broken? Will this record be broken? With the way scoring is amplified and the 3 ball is used, it’s not impossible but it will be a very tough task!!!
If Luka Doncic continues to play to 40 stays fit and becomes a physical specimen like Lebron, could he dethrone him? I think Luka is the only one who can catch this record but he has to do this for 20 years straight. Lets see what happens.
Does this record finally give Lebron the GOAT status over Michael Jordan? Stats wise Yes I believe it’s hard to argue with a guy who has been great for 20 years with no sign of slowing down.
What is your favorite Lebron moment that you witnessed live or on TV? When he destroyed the Pistons in the playoffs I think he scored 30 straight and couldn’t be stopped.
Even if guys have been in the NBA and then departed, they never really lose faith of returning back one day. I mean if you have been in the NBA before why not return. That is exactly the kind of mindset Haywood Highsmith (6’6”-F-1996, college: Wheeling) had during his only season overseas in 2020-2021 when he was in Germany balling for up and coming team the Hakro Merlins Crailsheim. The best example of a guy starting in the NBA, coming overseas and returning to the big show was PJ Tucker. He had less than a marvelous rookie season with Toronto where he played only 17 games and found himself overseas the next season. He would actually have to spend 5 seasons in Europe in countries like Israel, Ukraine, Greece and Italy, but saved his best for his last season in Germany with Bamberg where he won the double and was the second best scorer in the BBL. He returned back to the NBA in 2012-2013 and one could say the rest is history as he has stayed for 11 seasons.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and PJ Tucker at the 2012 BBL allstar game in Ludwigsburg, Germany
Highsmith didn’t have to wait that long as he joined the Miami Heat in 2021 and has been with them for the last 2 seasons reaching the NBA final in 2023. He remembers having conversations with guys like Trae Bell-Haynes and Jeremy Jones about reaching the big show and if someone had told him in March 2021 when he was living in tiny Crailsheim that he would be a NBA finalist 2 years later he actually would of believed it. ‘I remember Germany well, but it seems like a long time ago. I always knew what I was capable of achieving. I just always continued to work hard. I was in the NBA before and Germany was just a stepping stone to get back. I always knew I could get back’, warned Haywood Highsmith. Even if he didn’t have a great season in Germany averaging 7.9ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.4apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 59.4%, 3PT: 27.6%, FT: 65.1%, his time with the Merlins did wonders for his game. ‘The Euro game is different with so much attention to detail and not so much iso ball. I have to give a lot of credit to Merlins coach Tuomas Iisalo. He is a great mind and would be hard on you. He made sure that you played hard and did all you could to win. The coaching staff pushed me in ways that I didn’t know I could play like that. The time in Germany made me more mentally locked in and forced me to get better. I really appreciate getting a second chance in the NBA’, stressed Haywood Highsmith.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Trae Bell-Haynes in Frankfurt in 2021
So for the ex Wheeling Jesuit University (NCAA2) great the plan after his first Europe season was to remain overseas, but with the NBA always being an option. On July 27, 2001 he signed with Italian Seria A team Vanoli Cremonia with an NBA exit option. He was coming off an injury that he had sustained in Germany and just continued to work hard to get healthy. The Europe job seemed logical, but the Basketball God had other ideas. An Exibit 10 offer came from his ex team Philadelphia 76ers and he decided to withdraw from his Italy offer and headed home. ‘I was just trying to control what I could control. Going home and taking the 76ers offer turned out to be the best decision in my life’, said Haywood Highsmith. Even if he was signed and then waived, he never forgot that they had given him his first opportunity in the NBA. ‘It was cool returning back. They knew what I could do and had given me my first shot. There will always be love for them. I appreciate them always for letting me earn my way back’, commented Haywood Highsmith. He signed to play with their G-League team Delaware and had his third tour of duty with them. As usual he was a central figure on the team and averaged 28 minutes averaging 13.3ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.1apg, 1.1spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 61.6%, 3PT: 39.1%, FT: 69.7%. His stats were similar to his first two seasons, but his three was falling more consistently. His role was the same as the first 2 times, but this time something had changed with his game. ‘I continued to be that versatile player that could defend, shoot and rebound. You know doing a little of everything for my team. The major difference this time to the first two times was that I took more advantage of the opportunity. I was playing better at both ends of the court and was a leader’, expressed Haywood Highsmith. After playing 12 G-League games including having a 30point explosion against South Bay, he signed a 10 day contract on December 30th with the Miami Heat.
So after more than 30 months away from the NBA, the guard who lists Shake Milton as one of his best teammates of all-time was back at the big show suiting up in Houston for a game. It was a memorable game as he contributed 9 points in 15 minutes in a 120-110 victory. ‘That we won is really all that mattered. I first tried to make an impact on defense and then my teammates found me on offense. It was important fitting in with the team as best I could’, remembered Haywood Highsmith. It was also a great feeling being reunited with NBA superstar Jimmy Butler again. ‘I have known Jimmy since my rookie season with the 76ers when I was in the G-League. He was the same guy in Miami. He always wants to win at all costs. It doesn’t matter what he is doing like playing cards or whatever, he always wants to win. He is the ultimate competitor. He is one of the toughest guys I have met on the court. And he continues to get better. It is an amazing feeling to see his growth. He showed last season that he can take his team all the way to the final. I’m very proud of him and look up to him’, stressed Haywood Highsmith. He would sign a second 10 day contract and after that was rewarded with a 3 year deal. ‘It was a great feeling for me. I’m really happy that they saw a gem in me’, stated Haywood Highsmith. He had many young teammates, but also one veteran who was back in the NBA like him after being overseas with Mario Chalmers. ‘Mario is one of the legends of the winning team that had Lebron, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. He is a great veteran and still had some gas in his tank. He has a great mind to listen to because he has a lot wisdom. It was great that he got the call back so late in his career. He is a savage guy’, warned Haywood Highsmith. He finished his second NBA season playing 27 games averaging 1,9ppg and 1,1rpg. He scored in double figures once netting 16 points in a loss against Orlando.
The flashy shooter who names Jordan, Lebron, Kobe, Bird and Magic on his personal own NBA Rushmore wanted to show that his second NBA season was no fluke and came to the 2022 NBA Summer League ready to battle. He didn’t disappoint as he averaged 13.7ppg, 6.0rpg, 2.3apg, 1.7spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 83.3%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 90.0%. He enjoyed playing the game plus having the insane atmosphere of the city off the court. ‘I came to Vegas to focus as best I could and how I could help the team best and be a good leader. I showcased what I can do and showed Pat Riley that I can hoop and have fun at the same time. I got a lot more minutes and had the green light. I was one of the older guys and showed I deserved a bigger role’, stated Haywood Highsmith. In his second season with the Miami Heat, he made a drastic turn in games and minutes played per game. His games total went from 29 to 72 and he played 9 minutes more than the previous season. In his first 6 games, he played only a total of 32 minutes, but in his seventh game played 42 minutes scoring 12 points and hauled down 14 boards in a tough 107-106 loss to Washinton. ‘I started off slow, but then picked up my game bringing more toughness to the court. I often had to guard the other team’s best player. I had assignments guarding Durant, Giannis and Jayson Tatum. I wanted to be that great 3 and D player and get the 50/50 balls. I wanted to be that PJ Tucker in a sense, but at the same time also be myself’, warned Haywood Highsmith. He then played 9 games in a row where he never played less than 20 minutes and also had 38 and 34 minute games. But there were also times where he didn’t play much or had to accept a DNP. He had 28 games where he played less than 10 minutes. ‘It’s tough. You want to be as consistent as possible in the minutes you get. You have to always be ready and can only control what you can control. The most important thing for me was being able to make an impact and be a leader’, remembered Haywood Highsmith. He played against superstars every night so after a while it was nothing special. He battled against Luka Doncic and doesn’t consider him a top 3 player yet and watched Lebron from the bench. ‘Luka is one of the young superstars in the league and has been a pro since he was a teenager. He is an all around great player. At the moment he is top 10 in the world. Lebron is cool. I’m not going to be a fan boy if I saw him on the court. I would say good game to him if I was on the court’, said Haywood Highsmith.
The ex Hakro Merlins guard who believes that it could be tough for a young American team winning the World Cup Gold, but thinks they can then went into the post season with little expectations. But after 13 games, the Miami Heat suddenly found themselves in the NBA final. The Heat began sweeping the favorite Milwaukee Bucks, but in his eyes this wasn’t an upset. ‘We didn’t see it as an upset, because we were a very good team. Of course it’s not normal for an 8th seed to win a series like that, but we matched up well and we always knew we could beat them. We had that next team mentality that helped us’, added Haywood Highsmith. Then came the exciting series against the Boston Celtics. The Heat took a rapid 3-0 lead, but it seemed like Boston was destined to be the first team ever to win 4-3 after being down 0-3. Boston took it one game at a time and tied the series 3-3 going back into their living room with the momentum. But Boston destructed and fell apart losing the must win game. He played 4 times against Boston and had to try to slow down Jayson Tatum. ‘He is a great player that is a 3 level scorer. He is the future of the NBA and a future top 3 player. It’s not easy to control him, because he has so many offensive weapons. You have to try to contest his shot as much as possible’, warned Haywood Highsmith. In the final they ran out of gas against Denver. One could sense that this was a really tough loss for him, because he seriously had difficulty finding a clear answer to why they lost the series. ‘We played well, but they just played better than us. They made a good run’, said Haywood Highsmith. He chipped in with some fine offensive performances including netting 18 points against Boston and 15 against Denver, but had to accept losing the games. ‘It’s tough not really being able to enjoy the good personal games when you lose. The object is to win. I will always take a win over individual play. But it was still cool to score well against those teams. It showed that I’m good enough to play against these teams. I’m proud of myself’, stated Haywood Highsmith.
He finished his third NBA season averaging 4,1ppg and 2,9 rpg and scored in double figures in 10 games. He was very proud how the team played having a bunch of undrafted guys and how he could make new strides in his game under head coach Erik Spoelstra. ‘We showed last season that we had to do it the hard way. We were successful with very good communication and paid very close attention to every little detail. We were always locked in. We understood that we could always win with our defense even when we were in the mud. I feel like I did a better job paying attention to detail and being able to play smooth in our offense. Coach pushed me to the little things well and get more out of me. Physically I was stronger and in the best shape of my life. I have to give a lot of credit to the Heat organization for helping me in so many areas. We are a perfect fit’, warned Haywood Highsmith. Now he will return back for a third season with the Miami Heat who will want to show that last season was no fluke. The American has a clear path of what he wants to see himself achieving in 2023-2024. ‘I want to get more minutes. I also want to keep improving and be a consistent 3 and D player. I want to be a difference maker and just be myself’, warned Haywood Highsmith. It will be interesting to see what strides his game will make next. He proved in his first 2 seasons that his fine play was rewarded with more minutes as his role rose. There is no reason why this won’t continue to happen in year 3 in Miami.
JJ Culver (193-G-1997, college: WBU) is a 25 year old 193cm guard that just completed his second professional season and first in Germany with Rasta Vechta helping the Pro B team reach the Pro A while averaging 13.1ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.8apg, 2.3spg, FGP: 58.1%, 3PT: 28.3%, FT: 74.5%. He also played 5 Pro games for Rasta Vechta. He played his rookie season with Ereliai Mazeikiai (Lithuania-NKL) averaging 1.7ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.3apg, in Nov.’21 moved to BC Silute (Lithuania-NKL) averaging 7.1ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 60.7%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 71.4%. He began his basketball career with Coronado High School and then played 4 years at Wayland Baptist University (NAIA) playing a total of 126 NAIA games and was able to improve hiss coring each season and as a senior averaged 23.1ppg, 6.4rpg, 3.2apg, 2.7spg, FGP: 46.2%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 76.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com and gave a recap of the season in Germany.
Congrats JJ on a great second pro season in Germany with Rasta Vechta. How do you feel physically this season compared to your rookie season? This season you played with 2 teams at the same time. This season there was a lot more strain on my body physically. It was a very long season.
You and Rasta Vechta 2 lost a tough final series to top pro B team EPG Baskets Koblenz. From the scores it seemed like you had no chance. Was it really like that? I think we definitely had a chance. You have to give credit to them though. They came out hot and with a lot of energy.
Was the overall experience that Koblenz had just to much for Vechta that boasted 6 NBBL (U-19) players. What was the difference in the series besides energy? Koblenz being more experienced did play a factor in them winning. We do have a lot of young guys that are really talented. And I’m proud of how our team fought.
Was the exciting playoff series against Wolmirstedt in a way Vechta’s hidden final? Talk a little about the series and what you personally will never forget? I can imagine game 3 was your personal best game? I’ll personally never forgot how we knew the stakes of this game and we stuck together and got the job done. I did play well that game but I have to give my teammates and coaches credit. My teammates played well also and our coaches did a great job preparing us for this game as well as every game of the season.
What do you personally take form the whole Vechta season on and off the court?
I take from this season just how well we stuck together. Through wins and loses we stuck together. There wasn’t any toxicity or egos. We just wanted to try our best to be coachable and win. It was a beautiful thing to be a part of.
If someone had told you in September 2022 that the Vechta pro teams would reach 2 finals and 2 youth teams the Top 4 what would you have said?
It might sound crazy but I actually believed that the pro b team would make the finals. Also I believed the pro a team would too. But for the whole organization, even the other teams to do so well was very surprising!
How special was the winning culture of Rasta Vechta. Is this something that just helps rub off on players? The winning culture was very special as I have talked about. It was a beautiful thing. I definitely think it rubbed off on everyone.
You played with so many young German players. Did it sometimes feel like you were back in college? How do you feel did your role as a mentor at times grow within the season? It for sure at times felt like I was back in college because I was with so many young players. And my role as a mentor didn’t change too much. I just gave advice when I saw someone needed it.
We once already talked about the importance of Johan Grunloh, but please talk a bit about Killian Brockhof, Kaya Bayram and Noah Jannen and the effect they had on the team and you? All those young guys were amazing. It’s still crazy to me how good they are being so young. And they had a huge effect on the team. They would play and practice with NBBl, pro b, and pro a, and they still would perform. It was very inspirational!
U-16 player Moritz Gruss saw pro B minutes. How talented is this kid? What steps did you see in his game? I loved Moritz. He was very talented and confident. He took big steps when it comes to defense.
Who was the team MVP I’d say the teams MVP would be Leon Okpara. We called him Cologne’s finest. He was very talented and made huge improvements through the year. His energy was so loving and contagious. He made everyone better, had a great attitude, and I could go on and on. Truly a special person! It was an honor to be his friend and just his teammate.
Which player was the most improved for you?
I’d say Killian was the most improved. Especially in the playoffs. His defense picked up. He started to rebound a lot better. His communication was great. He’s would knock down shots and so much more.
Hendrik Grun belongs to the biggest young German coaches. Talk a little about what he does that gets teams successful and in developing young players. What is his secret and how did he help your game the most?
Hendrick pushes his players very hard to be the best players they can be. He knows how to get the best out of you. Also he prepared us so well for games. Also his speeches were legendary. They’d make us feel like we could do anything.
Let’s talk about your game. You averaged 13,4ppf, 5,4rpg, 2,8apg and 2,2 spg. How would you rate your Pro B season in Germany? I’d rate it as pretty good. A lot of room for improvement though.
You had some tough playoff games, but also some explosive ones. Were you dealing a bit with fatigue at the end of the season? Mabe a little. It was a long season. But I enjoyed it.
It was your second season in a row where you didn’t have the overwhelming stats like you had in the NAIA. What kind of player did you become this season in terms of the winning and great teammates that you had? I think I just became the kind of player that would do anything thing my team needed for us to win. That’s what it’s all about. And my teammates did the same thing.
You also played 5 pro A games. What kind of an experience was that for you? Is that a level you feel like given the minutes you could excel at? The experience was great. I definitely think I can play at the pro a level without a doubt. I’m trying to be the best player I can be and go as far as I can go.
What was it like again playing for your NAIA coach Ty Harrellson? Was he any different now as a coach than at Wayland Baptist? How did you grow again under him?
It was amazing playing under Ty. He gave me advice on what he would see in my pro B games and coached me well in my pro a games, no matter how many minutes I played. I love Coach Harrelson and he’s done so much for me and my career that I don’t have the words for how grateful I am for him.
Your three pointer continues to be a work in progress? How important is it for you to keep working on your 3 level scoring? It is a work in progress and I just have to keep practicing to be an even greater 3 point shooter. I always believe in myself and am going to continue to do so.
What is the next step for you? Could you imagine staying in Germany? Vechta seems like a very enticing place? My next step is to continue playing basketball and trying to go as high as I can go and be the best person and basketball player I can be. All glory to God!
What was your fondest moment in Vechta off the court? How much like a second home did it become for you?
Celebrating with my teammates after our big accomplishments were my finest memories. It felt very much like a second home to me.
Who was the toughest player that you battled in the Pro B this season? Harrison Cleary was for sure the toughest player I battled against. Very talented. Learned a lot from my battles with him.
A question I love to ask Americans after a season is what will be your first meal at home? I can imagine your favorite dish from your mom? My first meal will be Chick-fil-A! And my mom’s pork chops are my favorite dish.
Who will win the NBA finals Miami of Denver? Denver will win in my opinion but I want Jimmy Butler to win.
Chase Adams (176-SG-1988, college: Pittsburgh) is a 34 year old 176cm guard that is played his 11th professional season and first with the Dresden Titans. Over his career, he has spent the whole time overseas in Germany and has played with teams like Dortmund, Jena, Bochum, Paderborn, Hanau, Coburg, Rostock, and Trier having amassed more than 150 Pro A games. He began his basketball career at Mount St Joseph High school and then played 3 years at Centenary College, Louisiana and finished at Pittsburgh (NCAA). He spoke to germanhoops.com about Lebron James becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Lebron James has beaten Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s NBA all-time scoring record. Did you stay up to watch history?
I had every intention to watch that incredible moment in NBA history but I couldn’t cut it.
How does one put this record into perspective best? It stood almost 40 years?
We can’t run with the narrative he’s not a scorer over 38k points in 20 seasons, the closest amongst active players is over 10k behind (KD). Unprecedented Greatness for such a scrutinized athlete, we won’t appreciate him truly until he’s removed from the game.
He scored 38 points in 26 minutes. Was it another normal day at the office?
Amazing to witness his ability to adapt and deepen his scoring versatility, that’s not normal though.
How much is that ball going to be worth?
If it is up for sale, at least a quarter million, I seen someone selling sand from the beach Tom Brady was sitting on.
Russell Westbrook made the pass. Do you think that in 20 years the pass could be remembered more than his triple doubles?
Him averaging triple doubles over several seasons is more memorable.
His record breaking basket was a step back over Kenrich Williams. Is that the kind of shot you expected knowing the kind of player he is? Or would you have expected a dunk for the spectacular finish?
A stepback seems fitting, he’s hit a lot of clutch shots like that.
There obviously is a lot of respect for Kareem, by the basketball world, but what would have happened on social media if Lebron had gotten the record with a sky hook shot?
Pure Comedy! There would be a million memes running for days and analyst like Skip Bayless would deem it distasteful.
Kareem is such a gentleman. You didn’t grow up with him, but what does his legacy mean to younger guys? Can they even understand what that guy did?
I doubt the younger generations understand, let alone care. Each era has special players and moments that define the game we love today, my hope is one day they do their research to appreciate all the legends that came before.
Lebron will have more than 40,000 points when it’s all over. Back in 1984 people said it would never be broken? Will this record be broken?
When they start changing the rules in 50 years of course.
If Luka Doncic continues to play to 40 stays fit and becomes a physical specimen like Lebron, could he dethrone him?
Thats hard to fathom Luka gaining a physique and athleticism like LeBron. Even if he’s healthy for that long, his passion & desire has to be at a high level. LeBron still operates like he has that chip on his shoulder.
Does this record finally give Lebron the GOAT status over Michael Jordan?
I’ll wait till he officially hangs it up, there’s still more history to be written.
What is your favorite Lebron moment that you witnessed live or on TV?
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Alani Moore in the CGM arena in Koblenz
Alani Moore II (178-PG-1998, college: Temple) is a 25 year old 178cm guard from Rockville, Maryland that played his second professional season and first with the EPG Baskets Koblenz helping them win the pro B title and move up to the Pro A averaging 33 games: 15.3ppg, 3.9rpg, 5.5apg, Steals-2 (2.8spg), FGP: 46.9%, 3PT-2 (44.4%), FT: 84.8%. Last season he played with Sanaat Mes Rafsanjan (Iran-Superleague) playing 16 games averaging 18.8ppg, 4.0rpg, Assists-3 (4.7apg), Steals-4 (2.3spg), FGP: 44.7%, 3PT: 36.9%, FT: 76.9%. He began his pro career with the Houston Push (TBL) averaging 12.5ppg, 2.6rpg, 5.2apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 86.1%. He began his basketball career at the Montrose Christian school and also played at Friendship Collegiate Academy. He then played at temple (NCAA) from 2016-2020 playing a total of 122 NCAA games and as a senior averaged 8.4ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.6apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 28.3%, 3PT: 39.8%, FT: 86.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the season.
Congrats Alani on winning the Pro B title. Was this your biggest achievement in your career? You did win the TBL title with the Shreveport Mavericks. Thanks and it was definitely one of my biggest achievements. Anytime winning a championship with a team after a hard and long season is an achievement.
How was the celebrating after the game. When did you get to sleep? Do the Germans know how to party properly? I barely got any sleep the night after the game. And of course, especially my teammates.
After a tough playoff series against Schwelm and the Lowen, is it fair to say that the team played it’s best basketball of the season against the Sixers and Vechta? Yes, I think everybody was clicking together and figured out that we had to bring it all together to show ourselves how good we can be.
The EPG Baskets Koblenz stepped up their game a tad against Vechta 2. Would be unfair to say that Vechta was fatigued going into the series? They had a lot going on, a very young and talented team. Certain circumstances just caused some fatigue which is unfortunate.
JJ Culver said energy was a big difference in the second final in Koblenz. You also easily won in Vechta. What do you feel was the difference in the final series? I think the difference was our defense and intensity. We played hard and aggressive from the beginning of the game which carried over throughout.
The team went 31-3. Is this the best team you have ever played with in your career?
Besides AAU years ago, this is for sure one of the best teams I’ve played on.
The team had high expectations form the start and the pressure kept building throughout the season. How visable was that winning mentality from day 1?
The coach gave us confidence and encouraged us that we need to maintain that ‘winning’ mentality throughout.
How key was the mastermind of the success Pat Elzie? What one theme will you remember always hearing from him from day 1 until the end?
He was very key to our success. His understanding of each player and bringing out the best in players. A theme I will remember is that he brings out 150% of each player when they play.
Let’s talk a bit about your teammates. Talk a little how special your bond was to Marvin Heckel. He called you and him the Lillard and McCullum duo. But please tell me who is who? Are you Lillard or McCullum? The bond with Marvin is special, we correspond with each well on the court. I would say I’m Lillard because I shoot more threes and Marvin is like McCollum because of his mid range.
How key was Dominique Johnson? He was like the team’s hidden captain. Seriously how important was his constant support for the team throughout the season? He is a guy every guy wants as a teammate and hates as an opponent?
DJ was for a key piece to our success. When people weren’t ready to play/practice, DJ would boost the energy of everybody and make sure we were ready. We were up 15 vs Vechta 1st game and he was still loudly encouraging us to not play lazy and play harder. DJ also can be a big bro, whenever you need to talk or just get something off your mind/chest, he’s always available.
After 3 years in Koblenz Brian Butler will go. What will you always remember most about his game? It seems like his last dunk may have been one of his greatest in his career and he has had many. What a way to leavr Koblenz. I will remember his turnaround shot and free throws. We worked on those all year and made improvements. And of course his dunks, like come on, it’s Brian Butler.
Thomas Klein always said Moses Poelking was the best center in the Pro B. What steps did you see him make during the course of the season?
I think Moses started the season not knowing his role but then progressed and started becoming more and more effective doing a little bit of everything. He helped us big time on defense when others made mistakes, Moses was always there to help out.
Please give your 2 cents about the 3 role players Moritz Huebner, Niclas Sperber and Leo Saffer and their worth to the success?
These three guys gave us big minutes when we needed them. They stepped up when the coach called their number and filled the role they needed to play.
Who was the Team unsung hero and most improved player?
I would say Leon is the unsung hero. There were games where we would struggle to score and he would just catch fire and pull us through. I would say Moses is most improved.
Let’s talk about your game. Congrats on winning Eurobasket.Com player of the year. If someone had told you in September you would win an achievement like that what would you have thought?
Thank you so much. I didn’t know until I saw this. But it’s just hard work and dedication. Not really worried about the awards but just to produce and win. Much appreciated though!
You averaged 15/4/5/2 stats. How would you summarize your first pro season in Germany?
It was a great season for me, I learned a lot and also was helping my game by just adjusting to the different styles of basketball.
You demonstrated your versatility. You showed quickly how easy you could harmonize with Marvin Heckel. How vital was playing with him for you being able to show your versatility?
When there are two different threats attacking, it’s hard to stop us. Some days he’s hot, so we feed him. And vice versa, if I’m hot, they feed me. Love playing with Marvin.
You have never shot the ball better than you have in the last year. Talk a little about the development of your three from the TBL throughout your pro B season.
I just went to the gym. Coach makes us shoot a lot of shots in practice. That benefits all of us.
You had many great games this season. What do you feel was your personal favorite?
our home game vs Sandersdorf. Even though karthause was small, I liked the environment. I also think i played a good game.
Who was the toughest player that you battled in the Pro B this season?
The Sandersdorf guard.
A question I love to ask Americans after a season is what will be your first meal at home? I can imagine your favorite dish from your mom?
TJ Crockett (185-G-1999, college: Lindenwood) is a 23 year old 185cm guard from St Louis that is going into his third pro season and second in Germany and first with the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig. Last season he split time with Antalya Gunesi (Turkey-TBL) playing 10 games averaging 17.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.6apg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 46.3%, 3FGP: 23.5%, FT: 88.5%, and in Dec.’22 moved to the VfL SparkassenStars Bochum (Germany-ProA) playing 22 games: Score-1 (18.5ppg), 3.4rpg, 3.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 35.9%, FT: 88.7%. He played his rookie season with CB Prat Juventud (Spain-LEB Gold) playing 30 games averaging 14.1ppg, 2.4rpg, 2.6apg, Steals-5 (1.3spg), FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 30.2%, FT: 75.0%. He began his basketball career with University City high school and then played at Lindenwood University from 2017-2021 playing a total of 106 games. His game took off in his last 2 seasons as he averaged 21.3ppg, 4.9rpg, 2.6apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 48.7%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 89.1% and as a senior averaged 27.5ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.4apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 47.7%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 87.7%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks TJ for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you? Hey as of now I am in St. Louis, Missouri and life is great for me.
Congrats on signing with the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig. You stated that you have followed Dennis Schroeder’s career since he came to Atlanta. Did you get to talk to him during negotiations?
I have not talked with Dennis but that would be great if one day I get the opportunity to. I would like to know more in depth of his career and basically what keeps him going.
Does the fact that Dennis Schroeder is your boss give you extra motivation to want to not just have a good season but an incredible one?
Playing for Dennis, definitely gives me motivation and not just because of Dennis I want to play well and have a good season. Every year I prepare myself with my family and trainer to have a great season. I want to definitely showcase winning and showcase my ability at the highest level.
You led the German pro A in scoring and the logical choice was a step up to the BBL. How confident are you that you will be able to make the next step in a top 5 league in Europe?
I am very confident that I can continue improving myself and proving others wrong about me at the next level now here in Germany. I’ve been working with my Trainer and I feel next season, I will make another statement that I belong here in the BBL.
What do you believe do you have to focus on most with your game this summer in the lab so you will be best prepared for the BBL? The most important thing I have been focusing on this summer, is being more consistent behind the arc and making great reads as well as foot work to help with my explosiveness.
Let’s talk about your game. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would bets fit the description? If I had to pick who I am similar to in the NBA, I would say Joe Johnson on how I can score but guard wise I would have to say Reggie Jackson.
You’re an offensive force that can fill the stat sheet. Talk about what other strengths that you have in your game? A lot of people don’t see my passing ability and I can play great defense. I feel, that I make the person I’m guarding take tough shots.
Your three pointer continues to be a work in progress despite having a solid shooting season with Bochum. Do you see yourself reaching that magical 40% plateau one day?
I am definitely working to become a 40% shooter behind the arc. But if I can continue to improve myself I will be satisfied only because I know I can still create my own shot wherever on the court and shooting 40% will definitely boost my ppg and hopefully make my team even harder to stop.
You’re a very aggressive defender. What kind of defender are you now and what kind of defender do you still want to become? I try and keep myself aggressive on defense because I feel that it helps my teammates. When they see how hard I’m going on defense to create chaos or get stops, it boosts their energy as well. That is something I definitely look at Dennis Schroeder in the NBA. So I would like to be force on the defensive end and make offense go away from me with the ball.
Last season you split time in Turkey and Germany and began in Turkey with Antalya Gunesi (Turkey-TBL playing 10 games averaging 17.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.6apg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 46.3%, 3FGP: 23.5%, FT: 88.5%. You put up solid stats but was only 1-9. How tough was the losing? Did the coach lose trust in you?
That Turkey situation was tough for me. Not the level of competition or anything but just management and team organization. So honestly I would not like to talk about them. But let’s just be clear I did not get cut.
You then came to Germany and took on a losing team, but had the winning genes leading the team to a 15-7 record. What did you learn about yourself as a player in this phase?
Coming to Bochum was a blessing for me. Being there helped me find my passion and love for the game leaving the situation I had in Turkey. The organization and the fans welcomed me in with open arms. So when I stepped on the court it came naturally to perform the way I did. I wanted to make them happy and not regret signing me. Plus I knew I had to do well coming from Turkey and not accomplishing what I was supposed to accomplish there. But I learned that when I put my mindset to something and keep God first I know I can achieve anything in this world.
You were an unstoppable player that was very consistent. You had 36 points in a win to Trier. What was your fondest moment with Bochum? That game showcased my pick and roll. I feel that when I’m dominating that, nobody can stop me. My fondest moment in Bochum was our second game against Hagan. That’s when I knew our team was special.
Who was the toughest player that you battled in the Pro A last season?
The toughest player I battled in Pro A would either be Mike Flowers or Jordan Barnes. I say Jordan Barnes because I always wanted to beat him and growing up from the same city was fun to even step on the court with him. Jordan has a lot recognition here in St. Louis and I actually looked up to him.
You played your rookie season with CB Prat Juventud (Spain-LEB Gold) playing 30 games averaging 14.1ppg, 2.4rpg, 2.6apg, Steals-5 (1.3spg), FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 30.2%, FT: 75.0%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?
Being in Spain, playing for Prat was amazing and maybe day 4 of being away and knew I wouldn’t see my family for a while. It hit me hard and I got homesick. I actually was homesick for about 2-3 months. But the team and the coaches helped me overcome that and by December I started playing well and come January I think that was my best month in Leb ORO.
What kind of experience was the Leb Gold? Is the league the best you played in in your first 2 seasons. Talk a little about the style and talent level?
Leb Gold was probably to me the most physical basketball I have ever played. Even still to this day it was just so much harder to score. Turkey 2nd league wasn’t as physical but it was challenging. Now Pro A in Germany was great basketball but I actually put Germany over Turkey second division because of the more imports.
You had a stellar career at Lindenwood University (NCAA2) from 2017-2021. You didn’t take off until your junior season averaging 21,0ppg and exploded your senior season averaging 27,0ppg. Talk a little about your development in those 4 years.
My 4 years at Lindenwood was amazing. I had a slow start but yet I was improving daily. My first two years I had to play behind our best player Brad Newman and then when he left and we got a new coach, Coach Gerdeman I knew it was my turn. I took full advantage of the opportunity and showcase my skills
How important was that 34 point game in the thrilling 75-74 win over Wisconsin-Parkside in your first game as a junior. Did you know after that game that you would have a great season?
The 34pt game I had against Parkside was very important to us because we had a new coach, new team and a new start so we had to show we could also win. From the game on I knew I would have a great year because my coaches and teammates trusted me.
How did your game grow once more as a senior? As a junior you had many great games in losing causes but as senior had great games winning games.
My senior year I knew what I was going in to do. Although Covid almost ruined it, I had to take advantage of having another opportunity to play. Then I had got news I was having a daughter, so my whole goal that year was to win and lead my team the best way possible to show scouts I can play at the next level.
Not many can say they scored 50 plus points in a game. You scored 54 in a win over Mckendree. What memories do you have of that game? Was the rim as big as the ocean?
That 54 point game will be my all time favorite at Lindenwood. I knew I wanted to have the record which was 46 at the time and when I had 40 and saw it was more than enough time. I knew I was getting the record but getting 54 was a bonus and I hope I can keep that record for at least a decade lol.
How did head coach Kyle Gerdeman groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
Coach Gerderman helped me become the player I am today. He was like another father figure to me. He made sure I had the confidence to become who he always knew I could be. We still talk today and my game at the pro level is from his offensive schemes.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Brandon Trimble
Lol, I definitely beat Trimble in 1s but that’s my guy and probably the best shooter I ever played with.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your life on the court that reached the NBA? The toughest player I ever face would be either Jordan Goodwin or Ayo Dosunmu
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? My 5 best teammates of all-time would be: Brad Newman, Yannick Krag, Andres Ibarguen, Conley Garrison, and Diego Womack.
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?
My personal NBA Mt. Rushmore is Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and Kobe Bryant. They all changed the game in some way.
Who is your Goat and Is Lebron the Goat over Jordan now?
My Goat is Lebron James and Lebron passed Jordan to me the year he won a ring for Cleveland.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone?
I did see the sequel Coming to America 2. It was pretty funny and definitely not better than the 1st one but I feel they should’ve done it sooner instead.
In 2018 at halftime of a Pro B game between the Fraport Skyliners Juniors and TG s.Oliver Wurzburg on a BBL game free Saturday night, one could observe the usual suspects of the BBL team hanging around as Finish national player Shawn Huff was chasing his kids around, Mike Morrison was calm and collected in the stands raving about his son who was strutting his early youth basketball ability on the side with another child while Quantez Robertson (188-SG-1984, college: Auburn, agency: Interperformances) was chilling next to Morrison playing a basketball game on his phone and was in control in his mindset not only what was happening on his phone, but also seemed to know exactly what else was happening around him just like when he is being his freak athlete self on the basketball court. Suddenly Mr Canada Philip Scrubb popped up scaring the hell out of Morrison who couldn’t believe that he had missed the whole first half. Scrubb along with Quantez Robertson or ‘Tez’ as everyone calls him except for maybe his mom belong to the most faithful Fraport Skyliners who diligently watch the farm team almost every weekend in their free time. For Scrubb, it’s not a burden, but something very self evident. ‘I just like watching basketball and I think that it is important to support the guys. I’m living on my own so usually I don’t have anything else to do’, stressed Philip Scrubb. Just like Scrubb, Tez Robertson is a basketball junkie and for him, if he wasn’t at the gym watching the farm team, he would be in his apartment playing games on his phone, so why not be at a game supporting the guys. Scrubb and Robertson have only been teammates for two seasons now, but something definitely links their basketball existence in Frankfurt especially when the word ‘greatest’ is mentioned. For many who follow basketball in Canada, Scrubb is seen as being the greatest Canadian college player of all-time, while in basketball Frankfurt Quantez Robertson is simply a living legend the way Ricky Paulding was in Oldenburg and Tez was working on his legacy as a Skyliner as developing that label greatest was in progress. Robertson is a Fraport Skyliner lifer who would never play for another professional team and continued to carve his legacy of becoming one of the greatest Fraport Skyliners of all-time.
Miles Schmidt Scheuber and Tez calling the 2010 BBL allstar game in Bonn
Before coming to the Fraport Skyliners in 2009 as a rookie, the Cincinnati native first made a name for himself playing at Auburn (NCAA) for head coach Jeff Lebo the school that gave the basketball world the creative and special character of Charles Barkley that people have loved or hated for 40 years. Before coming to Auburn in 2005, he already had gained some extra basketball know how at the well known Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina a place that trained future greats like Sam Jones, Chris Washburn, Joey Dorsey and Renaldo Balkman. Robertson was already fascinating people in high school and 8 years later in 2013 former teammate Kris Douse even remembered his play despite having not seen him play since then. ‘I can imagine he is the best defender in the German league. He is super athletic and a freak athlete’, warned Kris Douse. That freak athlete label is something that has carried him through his whole career and would really get noticed at Auburn where he got more onto a national stage in the NCAA. In his first three years at Auburn, the team finished fifth, fourth and sixth in the SEC west, but in his senior year, the school was second in the SEC west with a solid 10-6 record and 24-12 record overall and reached the NIT Elite 8. It was at Auburn where Tez started to develop his freak athlete game and with his day to day battles on the court with pure scorer Rasheem Barrett, the American was able to grow as a defender. It was here that Robertson who lists former NBA player Marcus Thornton as his hardest opponent in the NCAA really set the foundation for his defensive game coupled with scoring tendencies that would make him into a top player in the German BBL. He was named outstanding defensive player at Auburn three times and left the school as the all-time steal leader with 210. He also started a personal trend that would carry over into his professional career with showcasing consistency and filling up the stat sheet with ease on a regular basis the way swimming legend Michael Phelps did Olympic medals. He also left a lasting impression there for teammates and future Auburn players by his playing style. In the fall of 2013, ex Auburn player Frankie Sullivan was briefly with the Fraport Skyliners, but then left. Sullivan came to Auburn when Robertson was a senior and remembers the impact that he had on him. ‘Quantez Robertson is one of the reasons why I even attended Auburn. I look up to him. One of if not the hardest workers I know in the game of basketball. He really is a freak athlete’, stressed Frankie Sullivan. There is that freak athlete word again, a term that has become as common when describing Robertson’s play as it is giving Tom Brady the GOAT term. Even guys coming to Auburn like a Kenny Gabriel who reached the Euroleague with Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens (Greece-A1) remembers Tez well. ‘Quantez is one of the best defenders I know! I remember playing pick up over the summer before he left to go to overseas and he looked at me and said ‘you haven’t got your second wind yet’?! But man he can really play basketball’, added Kenny Gabriel. On the court, Tez once blocked 7 Oklahoma State shots, but Sullivan remembers one block the most. ‘The most amazing thing I ever seen him do was the game saving block shot against Florida in the SEC tournament my freshman year. The man blocked a three point shot for us to win the game. Fun times’, stressed Frankie Sullivan. Robertson left Auburn as a legend and would soon start to leave lasting memories as a professional overseas in Germany.
The jersey of Tez after his last game of the 2012-2013 season after the 77-72 win over Ludwigsburg as a gift for me thanks Tez
In 2018 most of Robertson’s ex Auburn teammates like Rasheem Barrett, Lucas Hargrove, Dewayne Reed and Frankie Sullivan had all retired while Tay Waller was still active having played in Italy that season. In his first 9 seasons with the Fraport Skyliners he had played primarily for three coaches with Murat Didin, Muli Katzurin and Gordon Herbert with the later having been his basketball teacher for 6 seasons. Robertson came to Frankfurt in 2009 as a quiet and shy freak athlete and needed no adjustment period as he was thrown into cold water right away from the Turkish Babbaaa Murat Didin. Even if his former teammates Phiip Scrubb and Mike Morrison have compared Tez’s game to a Joe Dumars or Scottie Pippen funny enough he didn’t look up to some NBA guard growing up, but to power forward Kevin Garnett as he was trying to leave a lasting impression as a rookie in Frankfurt. ‘ I liked the way he plays. He plays with a lot of emotion and aggression on the court. He is a leader and I like how he teaches things on the bench to the other players’, stressed Quantez Robertson. When Tez came to Frankfurt, he was only 24, but played like a mature 27 or 28 year old man. ‘I have played a lot of Basketball in my life and have played with good players with some going to the NBA. It has helped me being around them, because they helped me to get along with teammates and discuss strategies on the court’, stressed Quantez Robertson. As a rookie with Frankfurt he played 48 games averaging 6.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.1apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT60.0%. Even though his defensive presence was his staple in his game, his outside shooting was exceptional and the best rate he would have until the 2015-2016 season where he shot 36%. He almost won his first professional title as he lost a bitter 5 game series to Bamberg and was teammates with guys like Pascal Roller, Derrick Allen and Jimmy Mckinney. Robertson made huge strides as a defender at the end of his rookie season as Gordon Herbert replaced Murat Didin in April and almost led the team to their third team title. ‘Coach helped me to improve my shooting and my free throws and on defense. He tells me to keep being aggressive and since I am one of the best defenders of the team, he tells me I should act like it. He has helped me to improve getting in the passing lanes and stopping the other teams’ best player’, stressed Quantez Robertson in 2010. His absolute humbleness which he has carried into his ninth professional season was already present as a rookie. When asked where the team would have really been in June 2010 with his defensive presence, he answered the way a team player should. ‘I think they would still be where they are. I am just a piece of the puzzle to the success on the defense’, added Quantez Robertson. But sometimes one has to wonder what could have been had he made the jump to the NBA. He is good enough to play in the NBA based off of his defensive skills alone, but his knock has always been his shot which may have been the reason why he didn’t get a shot. It would have been very interesting to see how he would of defended some of the best scorers in the NBA. But then again getting to the NBA is so difficult and it shouldn’t be a major surprise he isn’t there even if many believe he could be there. ‘It doesn’t surprise me because the NBA is hard to get into. However I do think that he could play in the NBA and be a great defensive stopper for a lot of teams. The only thing that I think would be the problem is a scout talking about him not being able to score at his height. The crazy thing is he can score the basketball when he is aggressive. I really think if a team would pick him up they would be getting a steal’, warned ex teammate Frankie Sullivan. The Fraport Skyliners aren’t sad he isn’t in the NBA, but been thankful for 14 seasons that he not only has been with the team, but never left. In 2013 he had interest from Alba Berlin and FC Bayern Munich, but stayed in Frankfurt playing for a lot less, but the comfortable surroundings of Frankfurt and the tight knit Skyliner family won over the dough.
Justin Cobbs, Sean Armand, Quantez Robertson and Miles Schmidt-Scheuber in Langen in 2014
In his second professional season, the Fraport Skyliners would have another potent season as they were one of the top teams in the league and finished in second place. However their title run was stopped in the semi-finals against Alba Berlin. Both teams had gone against the norm winning their 2 road games, and when it came down to that all deciding do or die game 5 in Frankfurt, the home team couldn’t grind out the win getting clobbered 87-68. The low point of the season was the career ending injury to AJ Moye who might have been the missing link to winning the title had he not gone down in November. Robertson and Moye had been meshing so well off the court and who knows where their chemistry would have been in the playoffs had he been around. ‘We were like brothers from the start. We were the two first guards that got to Frankfurt that summer and worked out together and hung out together. He is like a brother away from home’, expressed Quantez Robertson in 2010. A big highlight in this season were the frequent back door cuts and dunks from Robertson that 2011 MVP Dashaun Wood would feed to him. ‘I think that Tez doesn’t have those spectacular dunks like two years ago. He really should call me and thank me for all those back door passes that I gave him’, smiled Dashaun Wood in 2013. Wood was the star on the team and Tez in his shadow, but Wood knew that Tez was just as valuable as he was. ‘Tez always does the important things that are not seen on the stats. His biggest job was playing 40 minutes and defending the Braunschweig guards. He had the same energy and intensity for 40 minutes. I strongly believe that we would not have won without Tez’, warned ex Wright State guard Dashaun Wood. Tez also had great teammates in Roger Powell and Chris Moss that kept the boat afloat. This was also the last season of guard Pascal Roller who would retire. On the court, Robertson would be able to improve his scoring and rebounding stats from his rookie season as he played 38 games averaging 7.7ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 55.3%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 68.9%. In the Eurocup, he battled against ex Skyliner Keith Simmons and was expressed by the young Skyliner. ‘Robertson is very athletic. He is one of the most athletic players that I have ever played against. I thought that he was taller than what he was, but he made up for it with his explosiveness. You just have to try to stay in front of him’, warned ex Banvit guard Keith Simmons. In that season Robertson also battled future Euroleague player Marquez Haynes who witnessed the ex Auburn star with Gran Canara and didn’t only notice his defense. ‘What stood out was the way he attacks the basket. He is relentless’, warned ex Boston College Eagle Marquez Haynes.
Quantez Robertson and the Fiba Europe Cup title in 2016
The next three seasons from 2011-2014 were some down years for the organization as money was tight which effected the caliber of players that were available. The club didn’t reach the playoffs, but it was still an important time as this was a phase of player development as the club laid an emphasis on German players and the German big three of Johannes Voigtmann, Danilo Barthel and Konstantin Klein was born and being groomed and getting ready to attack that third club title. After bowing out to Alba Berlin, Frankfurt and Berlin swapped head coaches as Herbert went to Berlin and Israeli Muli Katzurn came to Frankfurt. Katzurin would stay two seasons and had had prior success with Czech Republic team Nymburk having won 8 titles in 4 years, but didn’t bring any success to Frankfurt. The club did defend very well, but couldn’t muster much offense on a consistent basis and finished ninth and 14th. Even if the team achieved no real success, Robertson was able to add on to his game through the two year guidance of Katzurin. ‘I have learned from him to always keep playing no matter what is happening. He also told us to always attack the rim and shoot when we can and not to think about it, but just shoot’, said Quantez Robertson. In those two years, the American played with further strong players like Devin Gibson, Michael Thompson, Zach Peacock and Johannes Herber and also formed new relationships as well and gained further experience. It is always a pleasure to hear the extreme respect from teammates or opponents for Quantez Robertson. ‘I miss his athleticism and it was a lot of fun to watch him go coast to coast in practice and games. Defensively his hard work and desire was unreal and he was a lot of fun to watch and play with’, added ex teammate Michael Thompson. ‘Tez is probably the most competitive guy I have played with on and off the court. Every day he competed at a very high level’, expressed Devin Gibson.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Tez at Basketball City Mainhatten 2016
After two years, the Katzurin era was over and to the delight of many fans, the organization brought back Gordon Herbert. However the success didn’t come right away as this was another difficult season for the team as they finished in 11th place and probably would have made the playoffs had they not had had the crunch-time blues as they lost six games by three points or less in the second half of the season against weak teams like MBC, Tuebingen and Braunschweig, but then again came home and beat top teams Munich and Ulm. The club had a lot of youth as they had to rely on rookie guards Ramon Galloway and Jarred Dubois to carry a lot of the load which didn’t translate in consistency or success. A bright spot was the German big three of Voigtmann, Barthel and Klein who continued to develop their game. Robertson continued to be a main contributor at both ends of the court and averaged in double figures in scoring for the first time in his professional career in 2012-2013 playing 34 games averaging 10.8ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.9apg, Steals-2 (1.9spg), FGP: 49.7%, 3PT: 29.8%, FT: 75.0%. Ex Polish champion and ex top BBL point guard Kevin Hamilton who played with Braunschweig and Bayreuth rememberd that when he had the ball, he had to be aware all the time where he Robertson was. ‘Quantez Robertson was one of the best defenders in the league, and one of the most athletic human beings I have ever seen’, added Kevin Hamilton. That was just another good example of the unending respect that his peers gave him.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Tez at basketball City Mainhatten in 2018
In the next two seasons, the club would improve their play each season and would lead to the team’s third professional title with the 2016 Fiba Europe Cup title. In the 2014-2015 season, the club finished in sixth place and reached the Final 4 of the Eurochallenge losing in the semi-finals. Barthel and Voigtmann had become house hold names in German basketball and the club had a strong trio of Americans with Justin Cobbs, Sean Armand and Aaron Doornekamp that carried the offense. Robertson also gave his two cents and had his best offensive season as a professional as in the BBL he played 37 games averaging 11.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 34.1%, FT: 80.6%; and in the EuroChallenge he played 17 games averaging 10.9ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.5apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 76.2%. Suddenly it wasn’t a hazard anymore to keep him in the corner and let him fire away, but he had become a real feared shooter as you couldn’t keep him alone. The club played a hard fought 4 game series against FC Bayern Munich, but lost as it wasn’t ready yet for that big coup in the playoffs. In the Eurochallenge he would face Dutch powerhouse Den Bosch and face an ex Auburn player with Chris Denson who played there after Robertson had left and had heard of him being a legend there. Robertson was in his sixth season, but continuing to have guys looking up to his success and progress as a professional. ‘I have spoken to him in the past. But when I speak to him again I would ask him advice about how he has been able to have a good career in Germany. I look up to older players and hope I can progress like he did’, stressed Chris Denson. In the 2015-2016 season, it all came together as the team finished in third place in the BBL and won the Fiba Europe Cup. The club was led by Jordan Theodore who played a MVP type season and just carried the team and especially in crunch-time when the team need a bucket he was instant buckets. Voigtmann and Barthel had transformed into top BBL players while Doornekamp became more of a scorer and Robertson was aided on the defensive end with the pit bull John Little. It also didn’t hurt that you had a sniper and high basketball IQ player like rookie Philip Scrubb coming from the bench. Robertson had another very strong season playing 40 games averaging 9.7ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.1apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 77.0% and in the FIBA Europe Cup played 19 games averaging 11.2ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.8apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 60.6%, 3PT: 40.2%, FT: 82.9%. He had battled Brandyn Curry in the Eurochallenge the season before and in this season in the BBL and also got lauding words from the Harvard graduate. ‘Quantez Robertson is the best defensive player I’ve come across in my career thus far. A very good overall player who plays so hard at all times and never backs down from anything’, added Brandyn Curry. ‘He was a huge part of our team when we won the Fiba Cup. We wouldn’t have won without any of the other guys, but Tez made a lot of big plays in the final two games’, stressed Philip Scrubb. ‘We had a great team and Tez still played 37 minutes a game. He was the glue, won best defender and hit a huge 3. No doubt we would of lost it without him’, warned teammate Mike Morrison. In the 2016-2017 season, the club finished only in 10th place and just missed the playoffs. The biggest weakness was at the point guard position where the club just didn’t have that Cobbs or Theodore like guy that could change games and know how to combine scoring and playmaking at the right moments in games to impact it. Robertson had another solid season playing 32 games averaging 10.8ppg, 6.1rpg, 3.1apg, Steals-1 (2.5spg), FGP: 48.5%, 3PT: 30.6%, FT: 82.4%; In the BCL he played 16 games averaging 8.4ppg, 5.4rpg, 3.1apg, Steals-3 (2.4spg), FGP: 38.5%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 82.8%.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Tez in 2019
In the 2017-2018 season the Fraport Skyliners were hit hard by injuries, but the club reached the playoffs again with a depleted team losing a tough 5 game series to FC Bayern Munich. The club was as thin as a professional ski jumper as often they played with a 6-7 man rotation and won games as well as losing despite having every chance to win. The club brought in the correct point guard with rookie Taj Webster and had the experienced role player on board with Shawn Huff and saw the Germans Isaac Bonga and Richard Freudenberg developing nicely. Robertson as always kept the team together and was able to conserve his energy better than in previous seasons as the club didn’t play in the international competition. But he is still averaged 32 minutes per game which was fourt most in his professional career. This shows just how valuable he still was for the team and Gordon Herbert as he continued to be a vital factor at both ends of the court. In the last years, the Fraport Skyliners have often been plagued with injuries and that was always the time where Robertson had to play at the highest level and his teammates noticed. ‘It’s been great playing with Tez, he’s someone who helps the team in so many different ways, which takes a lot of pressure of the rest of the guys’, warned ex Carleton (CIS) guard Philip Scrubb. ‘His strength is the same as always. Tez plays hard, tough, and leads the team. He’s a great teammate. His work ethic and toughness he brings everyday we all feed off of. If you had a team full of Tez’s u would have no choice but to be successful’, warned ex George Mason (NCAA) center Mike Morrison. He had some big games in his career in terms of steals as he produced six steals against FC Bayern Munich and Alba Berlin and hit teams like Ludwigsburg, Wurzburg, Bonn and Bayreuth twice for five steals in his career. He had 16 games where he had one steal or more in a row and 14 games of one steal or more in a row. Great defense aren’t always measured with steals, but that is often what gets the Frankfurt fast break rolling which in turn sparks their offense. Even if his defense doesn’t rub off on every player, they do try to get something positive from his defense. ‘A lot of the things he can do on the court I can’t replicate, but I think his attitude and intensity on the floor is something everyone can learn from’, stressed Philip Scrubb. In the 2017-2018 season he averaged 10.1ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.7apg, Steals-2 (1.9spg), FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 79.3%
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Tez in 2021
Not only on the court is his play loved by many especially in Frankfurt, but off the court, he is a guy that is always good for a laugh and also keeps the team loose on the road. He has vastly improved in his question and answer sessions with me after games as 5-6 years ago, it seemed like he was practicing a standard post and pre game answers as more often than not they seemed the same like ‘we have to rebound well and limit them to one shot’, but through time, practice and experience, he has developed into a very good interview before and after games. He also has added wit and is always good for a comical answer to lighten up the conversation. Since covering him for 14 seasons, the ex Auburn star knows very well that I will be lurking in the catacomb of the Fraport arena and knows that I will bombard him with many questions. In the last years he has added a standard phrase when he approaches me with ‘Miles I’m not answering any questions today’ while I say ‘Tez I only got 25 questions today and not 85 like last game’. It’s all in good fun as he never hesitates, but answers all my questions to the best of his ability. He even developed a very nice friendship with Mike Morrison off the court as they were always joking around and having fun. Morrison and Robertson were teammates for 4 years and already have a big history of stories. ‘You know we have a million stories. We always have jokes going back and forth and always clowning on the road. Tez is really goofy’, added Mike Morrison. But even with their actions on the court can lead to clowning around as observed after the 90-63 drubbing of the Walter Tigers Tuebingen where the Morrison and Tez Lebron show failed. In a Frankfurt run came what could have been the play of the game, but wasn’t as the Lebron like pass off the back board to himself dunk didn’t work between Robertson and Morrison as both gave each other the blame for the miss. Robertson made a quick heads up play getting in the passing lane and making a steal while Morrison was sprinting down the left hand of the court. Robertson had the big fellow in eyesight somehow, and instead of finishing himself tossed the ball underhand off the backboard which Morrison couldn’t handle as it sailed out of bounds. ‘I knew that Tez would throw me the ball. He threw it too soon and I had to jump inward instead of upward. It was Tez’s fault’, joked Mike Morrison. ‘Of course Mike said it was my fault, but he missed it’, yelled Quantez Robertson. It is never dull with Morrison and Tez as they have made Frankfurt their second home as they have been with the club a combined 18 years. Even his ex teammate Jordan Theodore remembers the good times with Robertson even if his overall competitiveness was also present off the court. ‘Tez and I hung out a lot and played a lot of UNO and Tez liked to cheat. He liked being the old head at Uno. Tez made his own rules at Uno. If you don’t believe me ask Mike Mo and Aaron’, smiled ex Seton Hall (NCAA) standout Jordan Theodore. Robertson is just loved by his teammates and they are happy he was on their side and not on the other side of the court.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Tez in 2021 clowning around
So the question in 2018 was how much longer would Quantez Robertson still play and where does he rank up in the all-time greatest players in Fraport Skyliners basketball history? Robertson wasn’t the youngest anymore, but wasn’t slowing down either. In a way he is like the Tom Brady of basketball that seems to be getting better with age. His offensive production has been consistent and been at its best in the last four seasons and he still belonged to the top defenders in the league with no real signs of slowing down. He already had the right frame of mind as a rookie about how to survive major minutes and it has continued to carry over into his thirties as his minutes continue to be much. ‘Sometimes in practice, I don’t get a break so I am used to it. When I am on the floor in games, I just don’t pay attention to it, but just want to win’, warned Quantez Robertson. His non stop work off the court through the years have allowed him to keep that explosiveness and athleticism which is his bread and butter. ‘I started doing squats in college as well as lunges which I have continued to do now to help keep my athletic ability’, stressed Quantez Robertson. In 2018, he was still going strong. ‘I have no idea how he plays so many minutes so hard. I doubt he has any plans to stop playing anytime soon’, warned Mike Morrison. ‘How long he plays is up to him and how he feels, he’s still playing at a high level so I can see him playing for a while longer’, added Philip Scrubb ‘? I see Tez playing his entire career in Frankfurt. Tez will always be seen as the recognizable player for Frankfurt basketball’, stressed Euroleague player Jordan Theodore in 2018. One thing that separates Robertson from most in the BBL is that he is always a draw. The way fans go to packed arena’s in the NBA to witness greatness from a Lebron, Westbrook or Durant, fans do the same with Tez in the BBL. When the day comes that he is no longer playing, then there will be a huge void left as his exciting play is seen in every game as there is at least one memorable play by him. ‘He makes some crazy plays. The most impressive was a miss. He tried to dunk on Berlin’s big man 2 seasons back and he jumped so fast and so high, he actually jumped to high and tried to dunk it too hard. I was on the bench and I turned to a teammate and said “that’s the best miss I’ve ever seen in my life’, laughed Mike Morrison in 2018. There is that comical side of the big man surfacing while talking about his friend Quantez Robertson. For some just witnessing a routine Tez play which would be a spectacular play for any other player is something that will be missed from each game. ‘Any time he gets a rebound and takes the ball coast to coast for a layup or assist is pretty impressive’, warned Philip Scrubb in 2018.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Tez May 2023
The athletic player would play 5 more seasons in Frankfurt, but the club play would go down each season as Gordon Herbert departed. From 2018 onward the team would finish in 11th, 14th, 11th, 17th and in 18th place. From 2018-2021, he averaged in double figures each season and averaged 10/5/3 stats and was top 5 in steals each season. In his last 2 seasons his minutes dipped dramatically under 30 minutes to 29 to 24 and his scoring from 8 to 6 per game. In his last season he became the easyCredit BBL alltime leading steal getter and became the Fraport Skyliners all-time leading scorer. After 14 years with the same jersey, the question is where does he rank with the best of all-time in a Skyliners jersey? When it comes to ranking Tez with the greatest Skyliners of all-time, he is right up there at the top. His stats for 14 years were 479 games, 4,425 points, 2217 rebounds, 742 steals in 15,034 minutes. Of course his scoring stats won’t compare with some other greats like Dashaun Wood, Chris Williams, Tyrone Ellis, Jon Leuer, Zach Peacock or Jordan Theodore, but they never played more than two seasons in Frankfurt. But when talking about longevity and consistency he is at the top with German basketball legend Pascal Roller. Roller played 11 seasons and won two titles while Robertson played 14 seasons and won one title. There are no other two players that are in their league as they are in a league of their own within the Skyliner organization. Quantez Robertson should be on everyone’s all-time Fraport Skyliner starting 5. A strong 5 would be Pascal Roller, Tyrone Ellis, Quantez Robertson, Chris Williams and Mario Kasun. One thing is for sure, his Jersey 23 will hang from the Fraport arena ceiling next to Pascal Roller in 2023. Quantez Robertson will always be a Fraport Skyliner lifer and him ending his career in Frankfurt was the only logical thing. For me he is one of the greatest Fraport Skyliners of all-time. Thanks Tez for the memories.
German Hoops 