Sometimes the vast basketball world can be so small. One thing I love doing when doing research on interviews of American players is scoping the coaching staff of their college team. Every once in a while you do come across a guy you remember playing in Germany back in the day. When you hear the name Lamar (NCAA), there won´t be any famous NBA names pop into your head as the best known guy to come out of there was Mike James who has belonged to the top Euroleague guards overseas for many years. Other than that the school hasn´t produced to many well known guys overseas. Guard Nimrod Hilliard has played in Germany over the years. One player that attended Lamar and that is playing his first season in Germany for the Dragons Rhondorf is big man Avery Sullivan (203-F/C-1999, college: Lamar). When I checked out the Lamar coaching staff, I came across a familiar name of Brandon Chappell. Chappell was one of many Americans overseas that didn´t necessarily have a long playing career, but has done very well after in the coaching ranks. Chappell was already around talent at a young age when he won a Class 4A title with former NBA player Kendrick Perkins and then played 4 years in Germany with BBC Bayreuth, TV Langen and the Licher Baskets. I only had fond memories of him as I interviewed him twice in 2010 and 2011 and also saw him in the VIP room in the Ballsporthalle after a Skyliners game. As an assistant coach he paid his dues with Lamar and since moved to UNLV and now has been with a well known school that produced Kevin Durant since 2021. “Coach Chappell and I have a really great relationship still to this day. He is currently an assistant coach at the University of Texas, which is in the same city I live when in when I am back states side. He is more of like a big brother to me, who has always been in my corner since the day we met. He has always been a help to me on the court, but even more off of the court in life. I will never forget the energy he would bring in practice everyday no matter what time we were practicing at. He would literally get in layup lines with the team or even hop in drills showing us the right way to do things”, stressed Avery Sullivan.

Avery Sullivan who lists Tyree Maxey as the toughest player he competed against in college and remembers him being a volume scorer in spurts was born on August 11, 1999 in Pflugerville, Texas. He played at Pflugerville high school and was a 2 star prospect. In his senior year he averaged 12,0ppg, 9,0rpg and 1,5bpg. He received Academic All-District selection. He then attended Lamar (NCAA) from 2017-2021 playing a total of 103 games and started 60. His first 2 years were tough as he had to wait his turn. He never averaged more than 7 minutes per game averaging 1,3ppg and 1,6 rpg and 2,5ppg and 1,5rpg. He scored in double figures twice netting 17 points against Champion and 10 points against SUNO. “I remember these years as staying true to the process, and continuing to work on my game knowing one day it will pay off. Most people from the outside looking in just saw it as me not getting playing time, to where I viewed it as I needed to work harder to go earn the minutes that I wanted. TJ Atwood who was my teammate for 3 years, and was also my teammate in Malta really stuck by my side during that time where I was not getting a lot of playing time”, said Avery Sullivan. He had his break out season as a junior averaging 12.3ppg, 8.2rpg, 1.1apg, 1.0spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 50.2%, FT: 74.0%. He scored in double figures in 20 games and had 10 double doubles. Some of his top games that season included a 24/16 game against Suno, 22/12 game against New Orleans and scored 24 points against Nicholls State and 22 points against Houston Baptist. “I would say my best game in my career was my junior year was against the University of New Orleans, where I had 22 points and 12 rebounds”, stated Avery Sullivan. He also had an incredible 11/13 game in a loss against powerhouse Kentucky that sported future NBA players like Tyree Maxey, Immanuel Quickly, Nick Richards, Ashton Hagans and Johnny Juzang. “I remember the Kentucky game as being the loudest environment that I had ever played in. There were so many people there that all I could see was eyes in the nose bleeds. That game really gave me the confidence in knowing that I truly belong on the court with anyone”, warned Avery Sullivan. In his senior year he averaged 9.8ppg, 7.2rpg, FGP: 44.3%, FT: 77.9%. “Lamar University was a really good experience for me. On the court my fondest memory would be either having a double double at Kentucky a place where a lot of young basketball players dream of playing, or making the semi-finals of the conference tournament my senior year which was the farthest we had been in my 4 years. Off the court would have to be our team trip to Costa Rica which was filled with memories I will remember for the rest of my life”, remembered Avery Sullivan. He scored in double figures 12 times and registered 6 double doubles. He had a 25/12 game against HBU and scored 20 points against Lipscomb. He couldn´t have had that success without the guidance from head coach George Price. “Coach Price ran our basketball program very professionally which has really prepared me for the next level where professionalism is expected out of players from basketball clubs”, added Avery Sullivan who remembers the 1-1 duels with teammate David Muoka to be about even.

The Texas native who lists TJ Atwood, Josh Nzeakor, Joey Frenchwood, Christian Barrett, and James Harrison as his 5 best teammates of all-time began his rookie season overseas with Etha Engomis Nicosia (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League), in Jan.’22 signed at Depiro Rabat Imtarfa (Malta-BOV League D1). It is never easy for an American making the transition to the normal way of life in the States to experiencing a total new way of life overseas. On top of that he had to do it in 2 different countries. An American usually always has a wake up call where he feels being very far away from home. “I can’t really think of a specific moment on the basketball court, but going back to my apartment after practice and calling family and friends is what made me realize I’m far from home. It would be early afternoon back home, and I would be getting ready to get in bed for the night”, said Avery Sullivan. In his second pro season, he accepted the challenge with KB Teuta Durres (Albania-Superliga) averaging 16.0ppg, Reb-3 (11.0rpg), 1.6apg, 1.5spg, Blocks-4 (1.1bpg), FGP: 59.3%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 70.5% and achieved a season that many pro ballers would dream of winning 2 titles. “I really enjoyed winning both of the cups, but the Albania cup was sweeter for me. In the semifinals I made the game winning layup as time was expiring against our rival team Tirana to send us to the championship. Then followed up the next day in the championship game with 19 points and 19 rebounds to beat Kamza which led me to win MVP of the cup”, commented Avery Sullivan. Not only on offense did he make steps and become a double double monster, but also was a massive presence in the paint area on defense. “I started being able to read what opposing offenses were trying run against us, which led me to see passes and drives towards the rim more sooner. In the game of basketball, a second can be the difference between getting a steal/block or letting the other team score”, expressed Avery Sullivan. He scored in double figures in 18 of 22 games and registered 13 double doubles. He had many great games including a 30/12 effort against Kamza, a 27/13 effort against Beselidhja and an overwhelming 27/20 game against Vllaznia where some of that Kevin Love came out of him. “Earlier in the season I ended the Albania cup championship game with 19/19. I remembered how it felt to be so close to having 20/20, and not being able to get it done. During that game when I had a feeling I was getting somewhat close, I think a little Kevin Love came out to make sure I got the job done that time”, stressed Avery Sullivan. He picked up awards Eurobasket.com All-Albanian Superliga First Team and Eurobasket.com Albanian Superliga All-Imports Team.

The big man who lists Lebron, MJ, Kobe, and Bill Russell on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is playing his third professional season with German Pro B team Dragons Rhondorf. Just like is the case with most guys coming to Germany to ball, they usually know little about the country, but have heard that the basketball is good there. And also what is usually the case, guys that come to Germany usually have had friends or former teammates that have earned their dough in Germany. “I have had a couple of friends play in Germany over the recent years such as Josh Hagins, Ricardo Artis, Clinton Chapman, and Bubba Furlong”, said Avery Sullivan. Usually when the talks go well with the coach, a signing becomes more eminent as was the case with Stephan Dohrn “The talks with Coach Stephan were great from the start. We were in agreement in how he likes his team’s offense and defense to look. I really like how he wants his players to play freely within his offensive system”, explained Avery Sullivan. It just seemed like the perfect deal for both sides. “I’ve heard from my friends that Germany is a great country to live in, as well as to play basketball. From the conversations Coach Stephan and I had, he’s a guy that really knows basketball and I believe I can learn a lot from him. He also sees a potential in expanding my game from what I have already showed I can do in the European game”, warned Avery Sullivan

Avery Sullivan who lists Lebron James as his GOAT for his generation has had a spectacular season with the Dragons Rhondorf currently averaging 15,7ppg, 9,7rpg, 1,4apg, and 1,4spg. He has scored in double figures in 16 of 20 games and registered 12 double doubles and had a monster 34/12 game against Ludwigsburg. If you watch his game closely, you will see that he brings a mix of many NBA players games to the table. His face up and post game has traces of Carmelo Anthony and LaMarkus Aldridge while his inside out game is like that of Anthony Davis and Karl Anthony Towns. Plus people have compared his game to David West. He can play power forward and center, but what position does he actually prefer? “I like to play power forward more, and believe I am better at that position. I believe my size and rebounding ability can cause other team´s problems when I am playing alongside another big man”, warned Avery Sullivan. He can be a scoring and rebounding monster, but he also has versatility in his game. “My game also incorporates that ability to protect the rim and block shots. I can also be a playmaker with the basketball to where I will create open looks for teammates”, stressed Avery Sullivan. His defensive game went to a new level in Albania and he has a big goal to what kind of a defender he wants to become. “I’m a very solid defender at the moment that really emphasizes communication, so everyone on the floor knows exactly what is going on. I want to grow my defensive game into being a lockdown teammate to where my teammates can rely on me to guard the other team´s best player”, warned Avery Sullivan. New Dragons head coach Stephan Dohrn is very impressed by his skills especially his versatile big man game with the pick and roll and face to the basket, but also his focus to develop and to add new facets into his game like playmaking. He took only 5 three pointers at Lamar (NCAA) in 4 years and 13 three´s in Albania. That part of his game has changed with the Dragons a she has taken 38 three´s and shooting 36%. “I have currently been working more on my outside shot from the 3 point line so I will be an option to space the floor for my teammates. I have also been working on my playmaking ability by understanding defenses more, and what shots will be open depending on the coverage the opposing team will be playing”, warned Avery Sullivan. These are all the right steps that Avery Sullivan is taking as he wants to become as efficient as possible in the body of a modern big man.