It doesn’t happy often, but it is always refreshing when I not only read someone referring Larry Bird as their Goat, but a guy who is a few generations separated from people who actually call Mr versatile Bird the Goat. I started conducting the what is your opinion of the neverending debate of who is the GOAT between Jordan and Lebron many years ago and I should have conducted stats to see who actually was more popular. If I had to guess to who had more votes, I’m pretty sure Jordan would have won. It was usually the older players that took Jordan and the younger generation that picked Lebron. But one would be surprised how many younger players stuck with Jordan just showing major respect for the guy who had a 6-0 finals record. Recently I decided to change the question to ‘who’s your GOAT. I mean why should one only pick between these 2 players. There were so many great players before these 2 legends like A Chamberlain or Russell or Kareem or Magic Johnson. Since I began this question, the 2 guys in question with Jordan and Lebron continue to get the most votes, but guys like Steph Curry and Tim Duncan also have gotten the nod. As a Bostonian native, it’s really refreshing and awesome when you hear the name Larry Bird. I mean why not, he won 3 NBA titles, MVP awards and just could do so much on the court even if he had little athleticism. His shooting will always stick in the mind of many, but for me it was always his passing. So when it was time to do a question and answer with American big man Alex Gross (208-C/F-2000, college: Morehead St.), he wooed me with giving me the thumbs up for the hick from French Lick Larry Bird. ‘He was close to home and I just always thought he was the best because of the way he played. I just admire his work ethic and how he played the game. I loved how tough he was and made everyone around him better’, stressed Alex Gross. In a way, it doesn’t surprise me too much that a guy who is versatile and knows how to fill the stat sheet and had triple doubles in school would admire and like the game of a Larry Bird.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber in Nov 2023 front of Larry Bird´s old house from the 80´s in Boston

Alex Gross who remembers Trayce Jackson-Davis as being his toughest foe in the NCAA was born on June 4th, 2000 in Hope Indiana. He began his basketball career at Hauser high school and then had an illustrious 4 year career at Olivet Nazarene University. He helped win the CCAC regular season each season and won the CCAC title in 2022 and reached 2 finals. He was able to improve his scoring, rebounding and assists average each season. In his first 2 seasons he averaged 9.0ppg, 5.6rpg, 2.0apg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 59.3%, FT: 70.8% and 15.4ppg, 10.5rpg, 2.4apg, 3.7bpg, FGP: 64.3%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 86.0%, but his game really skyrocketed in his last two seasons as he exploded averaging 21.6ppg, 11.7rpg, 4.6apg, 4.1bpg, FGP: 63.5%, FT: 86.4%, and 23.8ppg, 14.1rpg, 5.6apg, 3.2bpg, FGP: 61.7%, 3PT: 15.4%, FT: 82.5%. ‘I was blessed to be able to go to a great university to start my basketball career. I would say my game grew by gaining experience and learning what my strengths and weaknesses were. I became a lot stronger and faster over those four years as well which helped me be better on the court. The biggest area of growth was my ability to block shots as well as my low-post scoring and passing’, stressed Alex Gross. He showed his early Larry Bird like qualities with filling the stat sheet and doing everything possible for his team by registering 3 triple doubles against St Francis, Grace and Holy Cros and was 3 assists away from a quadruple double against Judson as he had swatted away 10 balls. ‘Statistically that near quadruple double was probably my best game in college. My favorite triple double was probably against Grace. It was just one of those games where everything was clicking for me’, added Alex Gross. It’s hard to believe with all his personal success, that he only won one CCAC title, but when that is the case, you need to cherish that moment as best as possible. ‘I remember just the battle that it was against Lourdes and when my teammate Tyler hit the game winner in the corner in front of our home crowd’, stated Alex Gross. He played 118 games and scored in double figures in 89 games, scored 20 points or more 44 times and had 59 double doubles. He had a 43 point explosion against GSU, 41 points against Lincoln and 40 points against Cardinal Stritch. It is no secret that head coach Nick Birkey was vital in his development as a player there. ‘Coach Birkey had a big impact on my career. He helped me build confidence in myself and gave me so many opportunities throughout the four years. He always adjusted schemes for me to play at my highest level. Coach always showed trust in me and that is all a player asks for’, said Alex Gross. He left the school being a 2 time CCAC first team selection, All-NAIA D2 Honorable Mention , All-CCAC Player of the Year -2021, 22, NAIA All-America Second Team -2021, CoSIDA NAIA Academic All-District 2 Team -2022, All-CCAC First Team -2022, and NAIA All-America First Team -2022. He decided to play a 5th year and played at Morehead State University (NCAA) averaging 12.0ppg, 7.4rpg, 2.0bpg, FGP: 57.2%, FT: 70.1%. He helped the team reach the NIT Sweet 16 and scored in double figures 25 times and had 12 double doubles and demonstrated that he could continue to develop further despite moving from the 4th to the first college league. ‘My game grew a lot playing in a tougher division. I would say my low post game became stronger against tough competition and the cerebral part of my game grew. I became a lot smarter and more mentally tough throughout that season. Coach Spradlin has had a huge impact on my career. He really showed me the kind of routine a professional needs to have and how to approach the game mentally as a professional. He really helped me grow as a player’, remembered Alex Gross who always beat teammate Reiss Jones in 1-1 battles in practice. His top scoring games were against KY Christian and Tennessee Tech were he had 23 points a piece. He left after 1 year picking up various achievements like CSC NCAA Division I Academic All-District Team -2023, All-OVC Defensive Player of the Year -2023, All-OVC First Team -2023, OVC All-Newcomer Team -2023, and NABC Division I All-District 18 Second Team -2023

The Indiana native who lists Nic Reed, Andrew Thelwell, Mark Freeman, Dane Schlafley, and John Contant as some of his best teammates in his career began his rookie season overseas with Zorg and Zekerheid Leiden and didn’t waste anytime picking up his first chip with the Supercup. ‘The super cup was special for us because it was one of the first wins of the season. I think it helped all of us buy into what we were trying to do as a team’, warned Alex Gross. The club has won 5 titles in the last 3 seasons and don’t want to stop there. ‘I could tell from day 1 that winning was the number one goal for this team and I am glad that so far we have been able to have a successful season’, stressed Alex Gross. It is no wonder that the rookie experience so far has been one that he has liked not only on the court, but off. ‘I have really enjoyed getting to enjoy a different culture. This is my first time in Europe so I am learning so much about the history and way of life here and gaining perspective on life. I have also enjoyed getting to know my new teammates and build relationships with them’, commented Alex Gross. The club is near the top of the BNXT league which combines the Dutch and Belgium leagues and is a league that is on the rise. The club has showed they can have success with only 2 Americans on the squad. The other American is highly talented Tajion Jones who like Gross is a rookie, but both have adjusted well to the style and each other. ‘I have enjoyed playing with Tajion a lot. Obviously he is a great player but it is nice to go through everything with someone who is in the same stage with you. We have helped each other through different adversity all year’, explained Alex Gross. He is putting up 11/8 stats in the BNXT league and 8/5 stats in the Fiba Europe Cup and has profited from the mastermind head coach Doug Spradley. ‘I have benefited a lot from Coach. I think he has helped Tajion and I bridge that gap between the American and European style of play since there are some differences. He obviously has had a lot of experience playing and coaching in Europe so he has passed that knowledge to us’, expressed Alex Gross.

The ex Morehead State (NCAA) forward who lists Larry Bird, Lebron James, Michael Jordan, and Hakeem Olajuwon on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is a player that doesn’t compare his game to Larry Bird, but to another incredible big man that like Bird doesn’t refrain to showing his love of passing the game. ‘I don’t know if I play like one exact player but I try to take different things from other guys’ style of play and add it to my game. I would say I try to play like Pau or Marc Gasol’, said Alex Gross. Despite being such a versatile big man and filling the stats like a Westbrook back in the NAIA, he doesn’t shoot the three as much as a Bird, but he is seeking to become an even more versatile shooter. ‘I would say I fit the mold of a classic big guy but I am always trying to get better. I have started to shoot mid-range a lot more this year and hoping to keep increasing my range while also work on passing to help my teammates be better’, stressed Alex Gross. Even though he averaged almost 6,0 assists in his last NAIA, his passing game is one that doesn’t get noticed the way it really should. ‘I feel like my passing is off the radar somewhat. I feel like it is an area that I can really shine in as I keep gaining more experience throughout my career’, warned Alex Gross. When you watch Larry Bird videos from back in the day, it is very apparent that he enjoyed playing defense and it isn’t any different with Gross. ‘I feel like I am a smart defender in the sense of timing shots to block them or telling the guard where to go on ball screen coverages. I want to keep getting better with my ball screen coverage. I enjoy defense a lot so I want to try to become an all around defender on the court’, warned Alex Gross. It is obvious that even a guy like him who already has that versatility as a staple in his game isn’t refraining on working diligently on his game to continue to get better. ‘I’m working on my lateral quickness and ball screen coverage on defense. Offensively, I am trying to become a better outside shooter and passer to be able to become more effective’, stressed Alex Gross. It will be interested where Alex Gross‘s basketball journey will go in the next years. One thing is for sure, his versatile game will surely grow in the next years and he will be producing new wow moments on the court the same way Larry Bird used to do.