Everage Richardson (191-G-1985, college: Coastal) is a 38 year old guard that has played 15 years overseas in only 3 countries with Germany, Luxemburg and Iceland. In his time in Germany he helped the Bodfield Baskets move up from the Landesliga to the Regionalliga. He averaged 47,0 and 48,0ppg in 2 seasons there. He continued to demonstrate his scoring skills never averaging less than 25,0ppg in Luxemburg for Residence Walferdange. He has played in Iceland the last 6 years for 4 different clubs and continued to never average less than 18,0ppg. He began his basketball career at Washington Irving high school and played 2 years at Sullivan County Community College and then played 2 seasons at Coastal Carolina College playing 46 NCAA games. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Everage for talking to germanhoops.com.

Hey miles thanks for the interview. Basketball and life is treating me fine and I can´t complain I’m very grateful for the both of them.

Ricky Easterling deserved the nickname Mr Regionalliga. Did you ever play against him in Germany? It would have been exciting to see 2 guys like you battling in the Regionalliga had you remained in Germany.

Huge shoutout to Ricky he deserves that crown. Haven’t got the chance to play against him unfortunately would’ve love that battle while in Germany he just so happenend to be in the south division while I was in the north.

You only played in 3 countries in your career with Germany, Luxemburg and Iceland. You played longest in Iceland and have their citzenship. Has that become your second home and will you end your career there?

I actually got to play in the Dominican Republic as well for two summers earlier in my career during my Germany years. Iceland has become my second home I have my wife and 2 daughters there so it will more likely be where I end my career

You have been a scorer your whole professional career. When you see an ex teammate from Coastal Carolina College that may have lost track of you and you explain you averaged 48,0ppg in Germany what kind of responses do you usually get?

Great question if I speak or tell an ex teammate about those video game numbers they are telling me I know you can score but 48 that’s insane who are you playing against.

How vital was getting the green light in your first 2 seasons as a scorer where you dominated in Germany? How did that help you continue to be a lethal scorer in first divisions in Luxemburg and Iceland?

I wouldn’t necessarily say vital but it was great for my confidence and exposure for myself, I always knew my capabilities of who I was as a player so it carries over wherever I play and still does to this day.

You came to Iceland in 2018 and led the league in scoring 3 years in a row including 38,0ppg in your first season. I believe that was a record in Iceland. When you score so much in your career, is it harder to keep track of real big games when you always have such big games?

No it doesn’t even though it may seem so those bigger games always seem to standout a bit more to me those ones are special.

You played the last 2 seasons with Breidablik Kopavogur (Iceland-Subway League) and led the league in scoring and was also second in scoring. How do you explain your secret to being consistent despite getting older? Are you a gym rat like Brandon Bowmann?

Just never taken my opportunity to still play for granted as long I can lace them up. I´m going to give it my all. I do like to stay in the gym just to keep myself always ready and prepared. I am a gym rat not really taking to much time off and staying in the gym helps with me playing this long.

Iceland has been a stepping stone for Americans getting to higher leagues. Who was the best player that you witnessed in Iceland over the years?

The league has been improving every year since I’ve been there and I have seen a lot of good players and had good battles. Tough to choose from but I would have to say Robert Turner he was solid.

You have lived in an incredibly beautiful country. You must know the island inside out. What has been your coolest experience off the court?

I would have to say having family members or good friends come out to visit and showing them how beautiful the country is

You played 3 seasons with Residence Walferdange (Luxembourg-Total League) winning the second division in 2015. What do you remember being so special about this winning season?

Luxembourg was great all my years playing there. But that first year was special because it was a whole new group of guys including coach and we all just fit perfectly with each other from day one!

You continued to put great stats in Luexmburg. How do you feel did your game grow in these 3 years?

I would say my game grew in Luxembourg because I had to match the level of competition especially import wise there was always really good imports on every team so every night was a battle from the top team to the bottom didn’t matter.

In Luxemburg you also saw many talented Americans come through and make the next step. Who do you remember being the best American you battled against there?

This one is a tough one to answer as I mentioned before the imports were always good I can choose so many but I’m going to have to say Brad Reese.

Times were different in 2008. You had a solid NCAA senior year, but didn´t play your rookie season until 2009 in the Landesliga (7th div) in Germany. How does that happen for a guy coming out of the NCAA? Was it failed representation?

I would have to say so yes I initially passed up on a few opportunities prior to taking that offer. Also not knowing to much at all about how things were there at the time there wasn´t really social media like there is now mainly just word of mouth. I was just very eager to get back to playing the situation was good at the time so I told myself whatever chance I get I will make the best of it.

You played 4 years with the Bodfeld Baskets helping them move up 3 times all the way to the Regionalliga. The lower leagues aren´t glamourous what did you learn about life and yourself in this time period in your life?

It gave me more gratitude towards life and appreciation. A humbling experience at the least coming from a mid major where things were more glamorous. I learned so much about myself in life during this time period it was like a blessing in disguise besides the basketball part I was able to focus on me more than ever.

You averaged 48,0ppg and 47,0ppg in your first 2 pro seasons in Germany. It is difficult finding game box scores. Talk about some of your best games and highest scoring games?

Those two years there were a lot of games that stick out averaging that much it happend often. One of my favorites were when we played Hannover not sure if they still have a team but it was a big game we needed to move up I hit like 11 3s had like 50 something that game it should be somewhere on YouTube clips from that game.

You moved up 3 times with the Bodfeld Baskets. Which title was the sweetest?

The sweetest one was the move up from 2nd regio to the 1st regio more because of the group of guys we had about 5 guys from different countries figuring it out bonding together probably one of my favorite teams playing on professionally.

You played a season with the SC Itzehoe Eagles (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 28.0ppg, 6.9rpg, 5.2apg, 3.0spg, FGP: 67.8%, 3Pts: 37.4%, FT: 65.9%. What memories do you have of that season? Do you ever wonder how your career may have gone had you remained there and played for Pat Elzie?

Itzehoe was great and also special and unique place to play because it was my first place playing outside of Bodfeld so it was a new challenge and experience from what I was used to. Alot of good memories there. It was a great organization and they welcomed me very well we just fell short of moving up to that season. Which was the main reason I left because I wanted to play at a higher level

You played at Sullivan County Community College. Every guy I have talked to has said that JUCO was tough but one of best experiences ever. How was it for you?

Juco is tough It’s not for everybody. I got be strong to survive but I would say it helped me so much because it built my drive and hunger for the game that much more its survival of the fittest in Juco. It was an amazing experience for me got me ready for the next level for sure. There’s a lot of good players in juco who don’t make it out and get that next opportunity.

You then played 2 seasons at Coastal Carolina College (NCAA). What memories do you have of this time. You picked up your game in your senior year. How did your game grow there?

Every opportunity I had I learned something from and made the best of. My time at Coastal Carolina helped me a lot. I had some great memories and came across some amazing people down there. It was a bit of an adjustment coming from Juco but once I got used to everything I didn’t look back. Coastal helped to build my work ethic and discipline to such a high level which carries on in me still on and off the court.

You had many memorable games in the NCAA, but was the 90-86 win over UNC Wilmington where you scored 27 points your most memorable?

My senior year I really got to flourish. That Wilmington game definitely sticks out but there were many that season that were memorable for me it was real fun.

How did coaches Buzz Peterson and Cliff Ellis groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

When I look back they both were good for me as far as preparing me for turning professional. It was two different styles of playing one more structure and the other a more uptempo style of play. I learned a lot from both of them going towards the professional side and I was ready for whatever

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Jack Leasure?

Jack Leasure is my guy and one of the hardest working and best shooters I’ve ever seen. He never gets tired. It would be a great battle but I’m going with myself on this one.

Who was the best player you faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

I’m going to have to go with Reggie Williams from VMI college. He played with several NBA teams and he was tough. There were many others but I played against him a lot being in the same conference so there were a lot of battles

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I’m going to have to answer this one based off of my teammates playing professionally. I had way too many amazing teammates to choose from. This is in no order Tim Dzelski Maddis Sumanov, Danero Thomas Jamael Lynch and Daniel Pierre

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Stephen Curry Michael Jordan Lebron James Tim Duncan Shaq

Who is your GOAT and why?

Michael Jordan, because he was just different from everyone.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

Yes I did see it. That one they should have left along it was too long of a time gap between the first one.

Thanks Everage for the chat