Eric Nottage (187-PG-1994, college: FIU) is a 30 year old 187cm guard from Miami, Florida playing his second professional season with Fribourg Olympic (Switzerland-SBL) and last season averaged 14.5ppg, 5.2rpg, Assists-3 (5.9apg), 1.9spg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 33.5%, FT: 78.8%. He turned professional in 2018 and has played in countries like Slovakia, Georgia, France, Romania, and North Macedonia. He began his basketball career at Northwestern High School and then played 2 seasons at Tallahassee Community College and then played 2 years at Florida International University (NCAA2). He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Fiba Europe Cup game against German team MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.

Thanks Eric for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your seventh professional season and for your 8 club. Do you feel like a basketball globetrotter?

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this, I’m grateful. I wouldn’t necessarily say a globetrotter but I am grateful for the experiences that I’ve had in my seven years being a professional. I’m grateful for the teams that have given me an opportunity to showcase my skills, it’s been great.

Your playing your fourth season in Switzerland and for your third team. Has Switzerland become like a second home for you? What do you appreciate most about the country?

Switzerland is starting to grow on me as a second home because I’ve been here for so long. I’ve become accustomed to the way of life here and kind of used to the quietness of Switzerland. The thing I most appreciate about Switzerland is the quietness, it’s really chill here and that’s something I value the most.

You won the double as a rookie with Fribourg and currently are undefeated. How special is this organization and what has been the secret to the team success?

The organization here in Fribourg is very special everyone takes care of each other here, it’s basically a family away from family. I’m forever grateful for this organization welcoming me with open arms and allowing me to be myself. The secret is it’s a family, we genuinely care for each other, we all want the same thing and that’s to win.

Your showing this season that you are very consistent in 3 different competitions. Has your experience playing with so many different schools prepped you for being consistent? T

The consistency comes from the work I put in this summer with my trainer Deric Hill and pdl4 sports academy. We knew what this season would consist of so we properly prepared for this year, as far as my conditioning, strength, and the weaknesses that I lacked in my game a last year. I take every experience that I’ve had with different clubs and always use it to help my development for the next year.

You have showed your whole career that you are a point guard that can score and dish out many assists. Has your role pretty much always been the same wherever you played in Europe?

That’s always who I’ve been since I started playing the game. The coaches I’ve played for throughout my time hooping always told me the best PG’s are the ones who can score but also control the team and get the other players going. That’s just who I am as a player anywhere I’ve been or anywhere I’m going I’ll continue to be the same player.

What has it been like playing with Ross Williams? Were you like a mentor for him last season in his rookie season?

It’s been great, man Ross is a special person someone I consider my brother. Playing with him has made my job a lot easier having someone that can shoot the ball at a high clip like he does. The person that he is, is far more special than the things that he does on the court a great individual. I wouldn’t say a mentor but I was always a listening ear whenever he needed any advice or help with something as a guard, the kid is special the sky is the limit for him!

How big is your chip on your shoulder? You have won chips and always put up great stats, but never played in a first division like Germany, France or Italy. How big is your drive to get there?

No matter where I am the chip on my shoulder is always big, I always want to prove that I’m the best on the court. As far as playing in the first division in those countries my time will come for sure and I’ll continue to thrive as I have. My drive to get there is big for sure but I never measure where I’m at, I take advantage of any situation I’m in and do my best.

You have always had consistent stats. What has been your secret to being able to adjust to every league you have played in?

First in foremost, my faith in God. Trusting in his plan for my journey and trusting in the work that I have put in to stay consistent. Faith and hard work is my secret.

You played the 22-23 season with KK Rabotnicki AD Skopje (North Macedonia-Prva Liga) averaging 10.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 4.9apg, Steals-1 (2.4spg), FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 82.7%. What kind of an experience was this season and what was missing to beating MZT Skopje in the palyoffs?

Playing for Rabotnicki was a great experience for me, I learned a lot about myself as a person/player. It was a lot of ups and downs that season as far as my role, I went from starting to coming off the bench some of the season definitely a different adjust but I enjoyed it. MZT Skopje was a tough opponent with a lot of depth on the roster which we didn’t have at the time in Rabotnicki but we never gave up and we fought to the end.

You split the 21-22 season with Sharks Antibes (France-ProB)averaging 10.3ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.0apg, in Nov.’21 moved to CS Dinamo Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 5.2ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.0apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 19.2%, 3FGP: 35.3%, FT: 75.0%: and in Jan.’22 signed at Lions de Geneve (Switzerland-SBL) averaging 10.9ppg, 6.1rpg, 4.6apg, Steals-1 (2.6spg), FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 28.8%, FT-9 (91.5%). How tough was this season? Did it feel like living out of a suitcase?

The 21-22 season was definitely tough having to move around so much which I hadn’t done before and it was early in my career so I didn’t know a lot. It was tough going from team to team to team, but it made me mentally stronger than I once was and I felt as if I needed that experience. It taught me to never get too comfortable. It didn’t feel like living out of a suitcase, I got to experience different countries, places, see things I’ve never seen before that was the best part about the experience.

What do you remember from the playoff series against Fribourg? Did you ever feel like they had you on their radar for the future?

I remember we lost the series, I was hot. I really didn’t want to lose that series but Fribourg was the better team and they wanted more than we did. I didn’t know that Fribourg had me there radar for the future honestly but once coach Petit came I felt as if I would be a good fit for Fribourg and it just so happens we both were thinking the same thing.

You played the 20-21 season with SAM Basket Massagno (Switzerland-SBL) averaging 15.7ppg, 5.3rpg, Assists-2 (6.7apg), Steals-3 (2.1spg), FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 81.5%. Statwise this was one of your best seasons as a pro. How tough was the season in the hey day of Covid? You must of only focused on basketball?

That season was really tough as well, having to take Covid tests almost every week, to sometimes having to be in lockdown not touching a basketball for a week or longer. Basketball is always my focus Covid or not but Covid did allow me to put more focus into my craft because that’s all I could do at the time.

You played Fribourg in a playoff series. In the last game of the season you lost 94-93 scoring 25 points. How tough was that loss?

It was tough, we were so close to winning that game and I wasn’t ready to go home just yet. I wanted to continue to play basketball and make a run for the SBL League Trophy.

You played your rookie season with BK 04 AC LB Spisska Nova Ves (Slovakia-SBL) averaging 17.0ppg, 6.5rpg, 6.5apg, 2.1spg, 2FGP: 53.3%, 3FGP: 38.0%, FT: 76.2%, in Feb.’19 moved to BC Delta (Georgia-Superleague) averaging 12.3ppg, 6.3rpg, 4.7apg, Steals-3 (2.5spg), FGP: 58.0%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 68.1%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

I was actually training at Amazon just about to start working until I got a call to go overseas and a coach that I played for in the eurobasket camp called me with a job opening. I walked out of training immediately and went to pack my bags. I was excited that I got a chance my dreams being a professional basketball player.

How refreshing was this season finding some adversary in Slovakia and then winning your first chip in Georgia?

It was great to win a chip my first year as a rookie and to be a piece in that puzzle was special for me because I didn’t know what to expect haven’t come there later in the season.

How vital was having another rookie with Malcolm Drumright in Georgia? How intense were the day to day battles in practice in that time?

It was great to have a player like Malcolm on the team as rookie, we both were young guys looking to make a name for ourselves in Europe. It was good to have that type of player around you, someone humble & motivated it helped me a lot. The battles in practice were very intense most time we were on different teams just so we could compete, competition was very important for us at that time.

You played 2 seasons with Tallahassee Community College (JUCO) averaging 5.2ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 38.1%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 75.0% and 7.9ppg, 4.3rpg, 5.4apg, FGP: 38.1%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 66.1%. Every guy that I have interviewed that played JUCO have stated that it was a real grind, but an experience that they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you?

JUCO was definitely a grind for sure but I had some a great group of freshmen that I enterd with with who made it feel like home away from home. We grinded ogether & we were always with each other. I wouldn’t trade my JUCO experience for anything in the world, I had a tough coach in coach Barnes, who taught me a lot of discipline and basic things about the game.

You then played at Florida International University (NCAA)averaging 4.3ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.5apg and 12,.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 3.3apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 79.8%. You made a big jump as a senior. How did your game grow that last season?

The jump from the Junior to senior was simple, I stayed in the gym all summer worked on my craft my body and I got more opportunities to have the ball in my hands to be able to showcase my abilities.

You had many great games in the NCAA like 37 points against UAB. What was your fondest moment in the NCAA?

Yes, that was the most pleasure I had playing college basketball. I was just so free and a lot of fun, most importantly we won the game because we didn’t win a lot of games that season.

How did head coach Anthony Evans groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

Not only Coach Evans but the entire coaching staff prepared me for what was to come in being a professional, being on time, being professional, work hard and being disciplined. I really had a great group of coaches at FIU I wouldn’t trade the experience or the coaches for anything, I’m forever grateful for the things they did for me.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Donte McGill?

Me and Donte competed all summer/season, we had many battles but he won more than I did.

Who is the toughest player that you faced that went to the NBA?

Brandon Austin in JUCO, he was different for sure.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Mark Kelly Myles Greene Dirk Williams Elmo Stephen Ross Williams

What is your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads?

Kobe Bryant Lebron James Michael Jordan Dwayne Wade Kyrie Irving

Who is your GOAT?

Kobe Bryant. The mindset that Kobe had playing the game is something outta this world. He was a great example of resilience, hard work, dedication. Forever 8/24

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

I haven’t seen it yet, I’ve been more into watching more tv series.

Thanks Eric for the chat.