Pic credit Alex Mihm

I have to be honest that there are times where I’m more excited about watching a game than other times. For example in 2018, I was counting the days until game day and was in awe seeing legendary head coach Larry Brown doing his coaching magic when he coached against the Fraport Skyliners or when I was in Bonn last season where I could reunite with ex NBA player Tim Frazier who I had met on a Boston street some years ago when he was balling with the New Orleans Pelicans or anytime when I can see massive German talent Ivan Kharchenkov play as he is my absolute favorite young player since he arrived on the scene in 2021 as a young 15 year old player who has reached the Euroleague with FC Bayern Munich in only 2 short years. That moment of excitement has popped up again for me as this weekend is that time again where I’m so excited to see a guy play. His name is David Cohn and plays this season for the German Pro A team VFL SparkassenStars Bochum. The reason why I’m so worked up to see him play is because it is the first time I will ever see him ball live. I had had contact with him 2 seasons ago when he played with the wiha Panthers Schwenningen now called Black Forest Panthers as I had written a career portrait on him and also conducted a post game interview after he nailed a game winner against Nurnberg. I will never forget his forceful, but so confident words after. ‘I didn’t look for any teammates. I couldn’t even tell you if anyone was open. I felt so confident to take the last shot. I really really wanted that last shot. I really saw no alternative. That last shot for me was meant to be. There are moments in sports where you suffer that black out. It was one of those moments for me’, stated David Cohn (188-G-1995, college: William & Mary, agency: Diamond Sports) It hasn’t been a great season for Bochum, but things have changed since the arrival of David Cohn It’s David Cohn’s Opportunity now to turn around the season of the VFL SparkassenStars as he is a player that always makes the right play.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Larry Brown in Frankfurt in 2018

David Cohn who lists Donovan Mitchell as his toughest cover in the NCAA is a 28 year old 188cm guard from Elmhurst, Illinois that is playing his fifth professional season. He is a guy that needed grooming in the NCAA as he averaged only 3,9ppg as a freshman at Colorado State and after averaging only 7,0ppg and 4,0apg in his first 2 seasons at William & Mary, he finally had his break out season as a senior averaging 14,0ppg and 6,0apg. The waiting and adjusting continued in his first 2 pro seasons as he never averaged more than 1,0ppg with clubs Hapoel Eilat (Israel-Winner League) and Maccabi Hunter Haifa. He finally had his break out season with Schwenningen as he averaged 12.0ppg, 3.5rpg, Assists-1 (9.1apg), Steals-4 (2.0spg), FGP: 56.3%, 3PT: 39.5%, FT: 70.0%. He had a strong individual season, but the club didn’t have success and he didn’t see eye to eye with head coach Alen Velcic. ‘I had a solid season, we won a lot early on. Without going into detail some things in life just don’t work out or aren’t meant to be and this was just one of those things. It provided me an opportunity in Europe to showcase my abilities. Again everything happens for a reason and I wouldn’t change anything, just a stop in a long journey’, remembered David Cohn Last season he took on a new challenge playing with the Newcastle Eagles (United Kingdom-BBL) playing 38 games averaging 10.2ppg, 2.9rpg, Assists-2 (6.3apg), 1.4spg, FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 36.2%, FT: 82.6%; BBL Cup: 2 games: 12.0ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.0apg. He scored in double figures in 16 games including a 31 point explosion against Surrey S, but he wasn’t content with his game last season, but that didn’t deter his feelings about England. ‘I just want to say that it was by far and away the most enjoyable year of my professional career. The UK is an amazing place to live and Newcastle is an awesome city. I didn’t play as well as I would have liked perhaps for a plethora of reasons, but I still learned a lot about myself and grew as a player. I am still getting better as this is the first year of my ‘athletic prime’, so every stop that I’ve had has added value in one way or another’, said David Cohn He was teammates with ultra veteran Jermel Kennedy who after his only stay in Germany with TV Langen more than a decade ago has since been with 17 organization and left a huge impact on him. ‘Jermel Kennedy, absolute legend. One of my all time favorite teammates and one of the nicest dudes I’ve had the pleasure of being around. I’m not sure I’ve seen a 33 year old jump like he can. He is super talented and works so damn hard. He will be super successful in anything he does because of who he is on and off the court’, stated David Cohn

Now the elegant playmaker who is a mix of Steve Nash and Chris Paul has a new challenge in Germany with the VFL SparkassenStars Bochum. I reach David Cohn on a Tuesday, 4 days before the game against the Fraport Skyliners and he is real upbeat. ‘Since the first day I’ve landed in Germany I’ve been impressed with the professionalism of Bochum, from Felix to Toby (the GM) to HP (club owner) and everyone in between. It’s been a pleasure being here. The players are all awesome, talented guys, and I know everyone is looking forward to officially turning a corner and rattling off a lot of wins in a row and getting into play contention’, expressed David Cohn Bochum began slow losing 5 of it’s first 6 games, but since Cohn’s arrival are 2-3. Interesting to note that the 2 wins were against top teams Trier and Hagen. ‘I believe this team hasn’t even scratched the surface of what we can become. Since I’ve been here so far it’s been a bit strange in terms of our wins vs losses, but beating the best teams in the league certainly gives us optimism and confidence in the long run, which is what our coach stresses regularly. So we’re just trying to build week by week and put together a solid body of work in the end’, added David Cohn The team likes to run and they will have to find a way to shave down the points in order to be more successful. ‘ It’s no secret that we play really fast and like to push the tempo, so naturally the games are going to be higher scoring. With that being said, our defensive energy has fluctuated too much from game to game and our focus needs to be more consistent’, warned David Cohn That David Cohn can shoot out the lights and be consistent is no secret as he is one of 10 NCAA players since 1993 that reached the magical 50/40/90 plateau in the NCAA, but teammate Quinn Nelson can also shoot, but is in no way one dimensional. ‘ Quinn is a great guy, really enjoyable to be around. He is more than just a knock down shooter, he is a smart defender who knows how to position himself and knows how to move well without the ball on offense. I’m really looking forward to seeing the growth he has this season as a player and the almost all but certain long great pro career he has in front of him’, said David Cohn One teammate he really adores is center Tom Alte a player that reached the easyCredit BBl at an early age and since has become a solid and respected Pro A player. ‘I can’t say enough good things about Tom. I truly believe he doesn’t have a weakness on the court; he can jump, he can pass, he can shoot, he has good hands and footwork. We have developed a nice rapport in the pick n roll which has been a lot of fun. He is one of the best bigs I’ve played with at any level, his IQ is through the roof. Lucky to have bigs like him and an absolute workhorse like Kilian Dietz’, warned David Cohn Another player that has a bright future ahead of him is 16 year Fynn Lastring who gets minutes every so often. ‘Fynn is certainly a huge talent. I think the sky is his limit, he has shown flashes in practice where he looks fantastic. He is in good hands at the moment with Coach Felix and Bochum, and wherever he takes his next step there is no doubt he will find success’, warned David Cohn

One of the very exciting aspects about the SparkassenStars offense is the guard duo of David Cohn and German Niklas Geske. Both can score and dish with the best of them and have dominating personalities. Can that work on the court? So far it has, In the first 4 games together where they have played together David Cohn has averaged 16 ppg and 8apg and Geske 11,0ppg and 4apg. ‘To be compared to Geske is a great compliment. He is a phenomenal leader and captain for us. Although we are similar in ways, we are different enough to compliment each other brilliantly, the more we play together the better it will get. We have already shown that when we’re both rolling that we can beat anyone. He is a lot of fun to play with, I feel like this becoming the main theme of my answers’, laughed David Cohn The question is will the time come that they will understand each other blind? ‘I think we are already getting close to that and we have shown it at times. He is such a smart player that it’s easy to move off of him and go as he does. Again we have a lot of room to grow as a team as a whole, Geske and I are just one aspect of that but when we are consistently clicking and playmaking out there it really will elevate the team to the next level’, stressed David Cohn Currently he is averaging 17/3/7 stats. Is a big difference to Schwenningen that Bochum head coach Felix Banobre has given him the keys to the team? ‘What I will say is that Coach Felix is awesome, both on and off the court. He is easily at the top of my list for favorite coaches I’ve played for, he just ‘gets it’. He trusts me to make good plays and I try my best to make that happen for him and the team. I don’t feel like I’ve played particularly well yet, I still know there is another level I can get to’, warned David Cohn He is averaging 5 turnovers a game this season. He played 5 minutes more in Schwenningen and had 2 less turnovers per game. As a guy who has always had the ball in his hands and knows how to lead a team, he isn’t worried about the early season turnover blues. ‘I’m just going out there and having fun, playing in the moment. Historically, not turning over the ball is my thing. Throughout college, Israel winner league , Pro A and BBL UK last year I have always been in the top two AST/TO ratio, so I’m not concerned in the long run’, added David Cohn He last shot over 40% from outside as a senior at William & Mary and has been on the bringk of 40% in Germany as in Schwenningen he was at 39% and currently the same with Bochum. With so many good shooters around him, it will be interesting to see how his percentages develop in the next months. ‘I just try to shoot good shots for me and the team. Shot selection is super important in terms of what percentage you shoot. To hover around 40% is the goal, that means I’m taking good shots and helping the team. This is the best shooting team I’ve ever been on, it’s easy to pass up a good shot for a better shot’, commented David Cohn He has had a great individual start with Bochum and it is no secret that the easyCredit BBL is a place he would like to land in someday. ‘I think the motivation is still the same, it hasn’t changed. I’ve always wanted to play at the highest level I’m capable of. I believe that with the right fit and opportunity I would have success in the BBL. That being said, everything happens for a reason and I’m lucky and proud to be here in Bochum and taking things one week at a time, whatever happens next, happens next’, warned David Cohn For now his highest order of business to help the SparkassenStars continue to get better game by game and help achieve wins. The Fraport Skyliners are riding a 2 game losing streak and want to get back on the winning track. David Cohn will do all he can to put a further delay in the winning streak.