Jeff Garrett (201-F-1994, college: LSUS, agency: Players Group) is a 30 year old 201cm forward playing his 6th professional season and second with the Niners Chemnitz (BBL). He also has vast experience overseas having played in Lithuania, Ukraine, Finland and Luxemburg. He began his basketball career at Oldsmar Christian high school in Florida. He then played 2 NCAA seasons with Northern Kentucky University (NCAA) and in his last season played with : Louisiana State University at Shreveport (NAIA) averaging 18.8ppg, 14.1rpg, 2.8apg, 1.6bpg, 2.0spg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 31.2%, FT: 75.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Jeff for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your second season with the Niners Chemnitz. Before Chemnitz you played parts of 2 seasons with the same team in Lithuania. How much of a second home has Chemnitz become?

Chemnitz has been so great for my family. We get treated with so much love by the supporters. It was a huge adjustment at first, but overall it has been pleasing and thrilling.

The club is having a solid season in the easyCredit BBL, but not as good as last season. Has there been much pressure to live up to last season´s success?

No not for me. I come to play each day to get better. Last season was a different team. We still have some pieces from last season, but this is a new season with new things.

I believe the most key pick up last season was Deandre Lansdowne. How vital is his leadership skills for the success?

I learn so much from him on and off the court. We talk about anything. His journey is so unique. The way his leadership has developed just shows how special his journey is. He is well respected all over the world. His leadership and game is a reason why I want to keep climbing. I love Dre.

How connected do you feel to Deandre Lansdowne considering you both came from the bottom to the top. Who´s chip on their shoulder is greater?

I´m not one to compare. Both chips are great. I admire his whole life. His journey has been tough. He had a different kind of upbringing. He had no parents. A big shout out for his career in basketball. He continues to fight and no matter the circumstances continues to become greater.

What has been your impression of Victor Bailey? He made the step from Pro A and has needed no adjustment time.

He is a great dude. I saw right away that he was hungry. He is a great kid and he has a great family. There is a foundation there. He has a great will to get better. He is real easy to play with. I´m here to help guide him through process. He makes everything easier for all with his scoring ability.

How special was last season? You had reached finals in Lithuania and then won the Fiba Europe Cup. How much do you cherish that title and run?

We had a historic season in Lithuania reaching the cup final. When I Got to Chemnitz last season, I felt like we could do great things here. We got better day by day and almost had the longest winning streak in BBL history. We overcame that and still played great and won the Fiba Cup title. We truly showed how great we were.

The final series against Bahcesehir was an incredible series. What moment will you always remember most from that final series?

The last possession. Every possession mattered in this game. All our bigs had fouled out and we played with 5 guards on the court. We couldn´t storm the court at first at the end, because we didn´t know if the ref would call a foul. But once we had won, storming the court is a vivid moment that I will never forget.

Head coach Rodrigo Pastore continues to prove that he belongs to the top coaches in the easyCredit BBL. What is his biggest strength and how has he been able to build this overwhelming last season?

I honestly think that coach could be needed anywhere in the world and he would succeed. He could be in any system and be successful. He lives and breathes this basketball lifestyle. He has been one of favorite coaches. Even when we have vacation, you would hope he is also on vacation, but he probably isn´t. He does everything he can to make the organization better. He holds everyone at a high standard. I also have to give a big shout out to the whole organization and what it has achieved in the last 9 years.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 201cm forward. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

I think the best comparison would be Draymond Green minus the antics and fouls. I´m a better three point shooter. I hold everyone to a high standard. I´m not the most vocal, but try to lead in the best way possible. I think I understand what everyone else brings to the table.

You’re a great scorer and rebounder, but also a strong defender. Would you call a 2 way player?

I wouldn´t disagree with that. I pride myself as a 2-way player. I don´t only let one part effect my game.

You fill the stat sheet like no other. Have you always been a versatile player or was that developed in your NAIA season at Louisiana State University at Shreveport?

No, I always had versatility. It just grew bit by bit. I have always added things to it. I think my versatility just stuck out more at Louisiana. I got a clear shot there and was able to show my game.

What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of defender do you still want to become?

I think that I´m becoming a smarter defender. Before I would gamble at any cost. I´m thinking the game more now. Now I go up and down the court and get stops no matter who there is. In the past I was more careless.

On what area´s of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to climb the basketball ladder?

I want to advance to be more of a ball screen player. I feel like I´m a good playmaker. I have the mentality to do something different each night on the court.

Last season you played with Jonavos CBet (Lithuania-LKL) averaging 13.9ppg, Reb-5 (7.3rpg), 1.8apg, Steals-3 (2.1spg), Blocks-3 (1.0bpg), FGP: 63.1%, 3PT: 38.4%, FT: 74.8%. What will you always remember from the tough playoff loss against Lietkabelis?

That was a very tough final. I have much love for Lithuania. We unfortunately didn´t have enough depth to win the title. I felt a lot of fatigue after loss to Rytas.

In the 2021-2022 season you played with BC Kyiv Basket (Ukraine-Superleague) averaging 8.9ppg, 6.8rpg, 1.1apg, 1.1spg, 1.1bpg, 2FGP: 50.9%, 3FGP: 20.6%, FT: 76.0%; in the Fiba Europe Cup and in the Ukrainian Superleague averaged 10.3ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.3apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 55.2%, 3FGP: 36.3%, FT: 73.8%. How tough was being there for months and seeing how the war broke out. How did all the drama effect you and how did you handle it?

That was a bitter sweet situation. That was my first season overseas where my family was with me. We had 6 Americans all from the south. We had a special culture on and off the court. We had so many good times, but on the flip side there were money issues. We got our money late. We had a good team, but you could see that there was a separation on the team. We weren´t used to war. When it got treacherous, we left.

Did these tough experiences strengthen the bond between teammates like Mike Caffey and Avery Woodson?

We had very strong bonds. Avery is my lifetime guy. We have been to each others weddings. There was this family feeling from the beginning in the Ukraine.

In your second pro season you split time between BC Nokia (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 13.8ppg, 8.9rpg, 1.1apg, 1.8spg, 2FGP: 53.8%, 3FGP: 38.6%, FT: 60.0%, released in Jan.’21, later that month moved to Karhu Kauhajoki (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 12.9ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.6apg, Steals-5 (1.7spg), Blocks-5 (1.3bpg), FGP: 60.1%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 82.2%. How important was it for your game to experience 2 clubs instead of only one?

When I got home from Finland, I had not understood who I had become. It was COVID and I had no fun there. I spent a lot of time alone. It was cold. I had no idea that Finland prepared me for life. It was a test for me. Even if I was walking through snow blizzards for 8 months. I always kept a positive mentality worked like I never did before. I had success on both teams.

With Karhu Kauhajoki you defeated your ex team BC Nokia in the playoffs and then lost a tough playoff series against Vilpas. What will you always remember from that 6 game battle?

It was upsetting. They were a good team, but I didn´t feel like they were better than us. We were missing a key piece with big man TJ Holyfield. I had to play the 5. We didn´t have great experience and had to go up against Jeremiah Wood. We had no answer for him. We couldn´t win on the road.

You played your rookie season with the BC Musel Pikes (Luxembourg-Total League) averaging 22.4ppg, Reb-2 (13.9rpg), 2.0apg, Steals-5 (2.0spg), Blocks-5 (1.2bpg), FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 72.4%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

My wake up call was from day 1. Everything was different. I got picked up and got brought to my apartment at 5.00 pm. Across the street was a gas station. I got some food.Then I went to my first practice. I flew a whole day to get to play in a league that wasn´t too respected. It was all different.

How much does a guy´s story like Alfonso Mckinnie move you knowing that he went from second division Luxemburg to the NBA? Does your drive and hope continue to live for moving to higher leagues?

I don´t see any reality of the NBA happening, but I still aspire to at least get to the Euroleague. I know what I can do. The thrill to continue to climb the basketball ladder is molded in me. I will never settle, because I know I won´t play forever. My goal is to get the maximum.

You played at Northern Kentucky University (NCAA): from 2016-2018 averaging 3.5ppg, 4.2rpg and 4.3ppg, 3.3rpg. How tough was it averaging little minutes. What positives did you get from these 2 years? You actually had better stats in your second season where you averaged 4 minutes less.

I think the most positive thing gained here were the relationships that I built. There are some guys that I´m closer with than members of my family. We still speak to this day. The adversary there has prepared me for all experiences I have had from then to this day. I took a back seat to guys there that weren´t better than me. I sacrificed for the team. It was some of the best and some of the worst days of my life.

You had some good games at NKU including in a win over Oakland. What was your most memorable game there?

Oakland had some great players and Kendrick Nunn was one of them. The place was electric in Oakland. I remember at the start of the game, the fans threw white powder on the court. It felt like a Euroleague game.

You took a very unusual step back to play at Louisiana State University at Shreveport (NAIA) averaging 18.8ppg, 14.1rpg, 2.8apg, 1.6bpg, 2.0spg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 31.2%, FT: 75.3%. How vital was this season for your basketball development? Was it one of your best decisions in your life?

It was the second best decision of my life. The first was leaving my home town. I had to bet on myself. I felt underrated at NKU. I played the 5 and was a pick and roll player. I need to be needed there and not be an experiment. If I would have been post grad I could have gone to another NCAA school, but instead I chose an NAIA school. I had no idea what the NAIA was like. I got the green light there. I remember coach telling me that I had the chance to player of the year. I said to coach. No I can´t be good enough, but I will win player of the year. I won almost every award that could be won.

You had 2 20 rebound games and one crazy 29/28 game in a loss to Tougaloo. How crazy was that game? Did you feel like Kevin Love?

I know it isn´t the NBA or Euroleague, but I had numbers like that in 3 or 4 other games. I showed that I had durability and pride to do that.

How did head coach Kyle Blankenship groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

He wanted us to play like we were the best. He always wanted us to go out and beat the best. We had some tough road trips like New Orleans. He would take us out at night despite that. I met my extended family there. They are great people there that guide the kids down the right path.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Rakim Luben?

This question hit so hard. R.I.P to my brother. He died like 5 months ago. If he was still alive, he would argue my me. I would win for sure. He would use his physicality. I would take it and stay sharp and win.

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

Kendirck Nunn. Oakland helped him get to the NBA. I remember him getting elite buckets.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Ousman Krubally, Dre Lansdowne, Brandon Gilles, Avery Woodson, Glyn Waters

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Scottie Pippen, Dwayne Wade, Shaq, Lebron, MJ and KD

Who is your GOAT and why?

You could put 50 heads in a room and get different answers. It is an unwinnable argument. You can really only say 1 of the best in this debate. It will always be between the big 3 of Jordan, Lebron and Kobe.

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

This should have been untouched. If you want to touch this up, you need comedy greats. The first one was epic. If you watch it today, you would laugh like the first time.

Thanks Jeff for the chat.