Garai Zeeb (187-PG-1997) is a 27 year old 187cm point guard that was born in Leimen, Germany and helped PS Karlsruhe win the Pro Tatile in 2023-2024. He began his career with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven and played his first easyCredit BBL game at 17 against FC Bayern Munich. He played parts of 7 seasons in the BBL with the Eisberen, Fraport Skyliners and Basketball Lowen Braunschweig amassing 107 games and also played 87 Pro B games. He also has played 108 Pro A games with the Romerstrom Gladiators and PS Karlsruhe. He spoke to germanhoops.com after helping win the 2024 Pro A title.

Thanks Garai for talking to germanhoops.com Congrats on winning the Pro A title with PS Karlsruhe. How does it feel winning the pro A title?

It´s a special feeling. We went through a lot this season, but always stayed together. It was a great season.

You were able to sweep your ex team Fraport Skyliners. I remember how happy you were some months ago scoring 21 points. Your happiness must be at an all-time high?

It was a great feeling to win in an arena that your familiar with. I had many friends here who supported me. The most important thing was that we won the title.

Is it fair to say that this was the ultimate Cinderella story or just a Cinderella story for PS Karlsruhe?

I think that it was only a Cinderella story. Most didn´t think we had much of a chance, but we had a feeling quite early in the season that we had the potential to reach the playoffs. We figured out early as well that we could be good and followed coach´s vision.

If someone had told you in September 2023 that PS Karlsruhe would win the 2024 Pro A title what would you have thought?

I would of thought that it would be nice, but that it would happen as less realistic. I did think that we could have a chance of going far.

Jessi Ani told me on Saturday a day before the final game in Frankfurt that there would be no more fairytale talk after Sunday. Were you sick of hearing all the hate and fairytale talk?

Yes I think so. We came in as a seventh team into the playoffs and nobody thought we could go far. On paper, it didn´t seem like we could reach much, but that gave us motivation to prove everyone wrong. It wasn´t luck that got us the title, but consistent hard work through out the season. We worked hard and it paid off.

I think PS Karlsruhe was locked in as a team from the start of the season. How vital was consistency and team chemistry?

Having this good chemistry was the most important thing. We never lost belief and were always level headed. We were able to find ways to win even when we had smaller rotations.

PS Karlsruhe easily swept the Fraport Skyliners in the final. Is it fair to say that you wanted it more and Frankfurt already had their final against Trier?

Yes I think so. Frankfurt´s biggest goal was to move back to the BBL and not necessarily win the title. They celebrated a lot after beating Trier. They probably had less hours sleep the last week. We were fresher and had more time to prepare.

I joked with you after game 4 in Frankfurt vs Trier that PS Karlsruhe doesn´t even need him as his injury has limited him in the last weeks. What was the secret to performing so well you?

Key was already having that feeling of how it was without me before the playoffs began. I was out and the team was able to get used to play without me earlier. Guys who played less and had lower shooting percentages began to play more. The intensity went down a bit in practice, but that was because we wanted to be able to perform as well as possible in the playoffs and not be tired. I tried to help as much as possible in the minutes that I got.

Michael Flowers was the league MVP, but couldn´t O Showen Williams have been the league MVP? How important was he truly for the team?

I think if you look at his stats and how important Flowers was for his team, then he did deserve MVP. Besides Kirchheim had a better record than us. Williams played super this season. I think he ´was defensively a bit better than Flowers. He was a great team leader and without him, we wouldn´t have won the title.

Victor Bailey exploded for 48 points in the final and was MVP. He was the x-factor. How often did you tell him to be aggressive aggressive on the court?

Sure we told him that all the time. We saw right away when he arrived that he had the special scoring genes. I always told him to be ready to take your shots, I´ll make sure you get the ball.

Dennis Tunstall JR was the real junkyard dog. What was it like for you to share the court with him?

Dennis didn´t take so many shots, but he did so many other vital things for our success. He got the rebounds, loose balls and gave us that important physical presence. He was also a big defender, a man for everything. He also was very vital for our team success.

Lachlan Dent was the perfect point guard. What did you enjoy most about his game and passing? Did you have a favorite pass from him?

He was huge in the finals and had many assists and lob passes. He also didn´t shy away from risking a pass. He wasn´t an easy fit at first. It was his first time away from Australia and he had a longer adjustment period. He had difficulty at first fitting into the system, but in the second half of the season, he hit shots and gained more confidence.

How important has head coach Alexsandar Scepanovic been? How much credit does he get for the success of team?

He had a lot of critics, but he is laughing last. He had a vision from day 1 and knew exactly what he wanted from us. Nobody thought we could be more successful than last season, but we were despite having a better roster last season. He wanted hard defense and a good chemistry. We followed his system and trained hard every day. We were in better physical form than the rest.

Let´s talk about your game. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player would best fit the description?

I have learned in the last years to create my own shot. I would compare myself to a Jrue Holiday or Marcus Smart. I´m a player that is a good defender and can have an impact on offense not necessarily having to score 30 points.

You had a great season averaging 10/3/1/1 stats. Your Pro A minutes were down from the last 2 seasons in Trier. How would you summarize your play this season?

I had highs and lows this season. I had to do a lot more at the start as Williams was injured. I was once very sick and also injured. I just tried to help the team as much as possible.

Jessi Ani said this about you. “People always only look at what happens in the games. But Garai has been with us all the time. When he was injured, he was at all our practices and always gave advice. He was always there to help keep the energy and intensity up”. How tough was it playing less minutes in the playoffs?

It wasn´t easy. With my sickness and injury, I wasn´t physically fit like earlier in the season. It was tough mentally for me not performing the way that I know how. I found other ways to influence the game and helped to motivate my teammates.

Jesse Ani also said this about you. “Garai is like a ticking time bomb. He is a great player”. You scored 12 points in 13 minutes in the last game in Frankfurt.

I thought that I could have a good game in my old arena, but to be honest I would have been just as happy had I scored 0 points. I would have been happy just helping out my teammates as best as I could. There is nothing better than winning a title.

How do you feel did your game grow in the Pro A this season with this so special team?

I think I became an even better attacker with all the switches going on this season. I have to become even more stable at attacking and increasing my shooting percentages and make less mistakes.

Where do you see yourself now as a player? Your 27. Is the easyCredit BBL a topic again after 3 seasons in the Pro A?

The BBL is still a topic for me. I want people to know that I´m not that young kid anymore, but a mature player. I have developed my game further, but still can keep getting better. I can do more as a player now at both ends than in the past.

On what areas of your game will you be working on most this summer so you can continue to improve your game?

I have to work on my body and get stronger. I will work more on my foot work so I can do a better job of keeping my opponent in front of me. I also will work on my shot and decision making.

Who was the toughest player that you faced this season in the Pro A at your position?

Michael Flowers

You began your career with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven and played your first BBL game at age 17 against FC Bayern Munich. You played 2 minutes and saw guys like John Bryant, Anton Gavel and Heiko Schaffartzik. What memories do you have of that game?

I have no memories of that. I do remember making my first BBL points against ratiopharm Ulm. I remember though how hard it was then to be ready in those 2 minutes. Of course now I´m a lot different in those situations.

What memories you have of veteran point guard Lorenzo Williams? How did he help you best as a kid at that time on the floor?

Lorenzo was super experienced and a great leader. I learned a lot from him how to think as a point guard. He always motivated me and how to make the right play. He helped me heighten my self confidence as well.

You then played with the Fraport Skyliners from 2015-2019 playing 50 BBL games. Do you feel like you did all you could to get the amount of minutes that you deserved?

Frankfurt had many great players. I needed more time there to get used to the BBL. In my last 2 seasons, I played more and believe that I did get most out of the opportunity. I trained hard and had some good games.

How special was that 2015-2016 Fiba Europe Cup team. What player on that club had the biggest impact on you?

It was a special team and I´m really proud to have been part of that group. It was really inspiring to have been able to have trained with them. The 2 guys that had the biggest impact on me were Jordan Theodore who was such a skillful player and Tez Robertson the best defender in the league.

You played 4 seasons with Quantez Robertson. What is your favorite story with him?

I remember doing a lot together. I mean even if there was a bigger age difference between Tez, Mike Morrison and Shawn Huff, we still hung out a lot. It was a really nice experience spending time with those guys.

Is there one detail about the game that you will always remember Gordon Herbert telling you that just will always stick with you?

I tried to take everything that I learned from him with me and even give that advice to younger players today. I liked playing in his system which really made it so easy to perform in. I remember him telling me that I was simply too nice on and off the court. He wanted me to develop a bigger ego on the court and get away from that nice image.

You played with BBL team Basketball Lowen from 2019-2021. You averaged 10 minutes in 2 BBL seasons which was a lot more than with Frankfurt. How do you remember this time? You played under Pete Strobel and had solid guards like Robinson, Kone and Releford there. Did you take most of your opportunity?

My time with Braunschwieg could have been better. It was a totally different system than in Frankfurt. I had difficulty adjusting to it at first, but in my second season, I played very well and think that I got everything I wanted to out of the experience. I had a great relationship with the coaching staff and players both seasons.

You played the last 2 seasons with the Romerstrom Gladiators. How did your game grow there?

It was nice to be able to play more in Trier, start games and have more responsibility. I was able to have more freedom. Unfortunately we didn´t perform as well as a team as we should of.

Who was the toughest player that you have played against in your life that reached the NBA?

Peyton Siva and Stefan Jovic

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I have had too many to name 5

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads?

Dwayne Wade, Steph Curry. Lebron James, Kobe, Kevin Durant

Who is your GOAT?

Michael Jordan

Thanks Garai for the chat.