Eduard Roschnafsky (210-PF-2003) is a 21 year old 201cm center playing his first season with CS Rapid Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) after starting the season in Germany with 2024 Pro B champion PS Karlsruhe. He played 2 seasons for U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca (Romania-Liga Nationala) playing 52 games and winning 4 titles. He began his career in Germany in 2018 with Jena in the youth sector. He then played 2 years with the Niners Chemnitz NBBL team. He had his real youth breakthrough in Germany in 2021-2022 with at BSG Basket Ludwigsburg (Regionalliga) averaging 9.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 27.9%, FT: 66.1%, played also at Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg U19 team (NBBL) averaging 10.9ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.1spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 20.3%, FT: 80.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Eduard for talking to germanhoops.com. Currently your training at a basketball camp. How is that going? After 2 years in Romania and 4 titles, you came back to Germany with PS Karlsruhe. How do you feel to be back?

It feels good. I feel like I was a bit under the radar the last 2 years in Germany. I was very focused in Romania the last 2 years.

How vital were the 2 years in Romania? Do you feel like this was one of the best basketball decisions that you ever made in your life?

Yes it was. I learned a lot. I feel like I got stronger mentally. Things didn´t always go the way I wanted to which made me more hungry. I want to show in the Pro a with PS Karlsruhe what I can do on the court. I had little minutes the last 2 years. I was the young guy that came in at the end of the game.

Did you develop the winning gene in Romania?

Yes I think I did. I was surrounded by guys who had won a lot in their career. We all had the same goal to win.

You came back to Germany and was with 2024 Pro B champion PS Karlsruhe. What were the main reasons for joining this ambitious organization?

I like how they play. They like to run and have a fast tempo. I also like the experience of the coaching staff. I feel like I can learn a lot from Aleksandar Nadjfeji. I know that they practice very hard, but that is how I am. I have that will to get better and help the team win. I want to practice hard and make the next step. The BBL is my goal in the next years.

How are you a different player now than 2 years ago?

Not getting many minutes my first year in Romania put me down, but I gained self confidence in my second year there simply because I had nothing to lose. I always felt like the underdog there and had to overperform every game. I´m not satisfied if I don´t play well. I have no stop button. I knew if I had gone to the BBL this season, I would of gotten little minutes. The Pro A was the correct move. because I will play more and get experience.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 210cm power forward/center. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

I don´t like to compare myself to other people. I like to take something from different guys. People have compared me to Kevin Durant. I´m a stretch 4 that play with ball and likes to run.

Is it fair to say that you’re a player that can make an impact at both ends of the court? What is your absolute biggest strength on the court?

I think reading the game is my biggest strength on the court. I do a lot of Cognitive training. I can read things very quickly in games especially by the movements of the opponent. I´m mentally one step ahead of the opponent.

You raised your three´s from 23 to 30 in the Romanian league. Is the three pointer a part of your game that you still want to develop further?

I want to continue to develop my three pointer more. I feel like I couldn´t show it more in Romania. My three is a big strength in my game. If I had played 20 minutes, then I feel like I would of shot 4 three´s per game. I will shoot more three´s this season.

What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?

I would like to add some more kilo´s. I feel like I´m a good post defender and have good foot work. I can also defend smaller players. I don´t have to be near the player as I can use my length

On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?

I´m always working on everything. A big focus is getting stronger. It isn´t so easy with my genes.

Your dad celebrated a 20 year pro career and played 13 years in Germany including 6 years in Bamberg in the 90´s. How much of an influence has he had on your game?

He has had a big influence on me in my life. Even when I had a great game, he will be honest and tell me what wasn´t good. He helped me a lot in many aspects of the game like post defense, shooting and dribbling. He always gives me extra confidence.

After living in Romania for many years, you came to Germany in 2018 and played for Jena in the youth sector. Was it like a culture shock for a 15 year old to come to Germany?

It was a huge culture shock. Life in Germany was so different as well as the people. I came alone and didn´t know German so well. It took a while to get adjusted.

How do you remember your time in Jena? You reached the JBBL top 4. That team was amazing. I saw the games in Jena? What was so special about that team?

We had great chemistry. We as a team thought we were the best and could beat anyone. The coaching staff also gave us a lot of confidence. We all wanted to win and trained very hard. Everyone was so competitive and we understood each other really well off the court.

You then played 2 years with the Chemnitz NBBL team never averaging more than 5,3ppg in a season. Did you suffer growing pains? You were the only real big man. Did you get a fair chance there?

It was a tough time. I practiced with the Pro A team and had 2 practices per day. In between I had school and NBBL practice. We had a good NBBL team, but not at the level of the Jena team. We were a group of guys nothing more. But I understood myself with my teammates well. I really was fortunate to train with the Pro A team and learn from Rodrigo Pastore. The most important thing that I learned from him was having consistency. His practices were very hard. He always looked at small details. He helped me with shooting mechanics and ball handling. He is one of the best coaches that I ever had.

You then moved for a season to Ludwigsburg and had a solid NBBL season averaging 10.9ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.1spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 20.3%, FT: 80.0% and in the Regionalliga 9.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 27.9%, FT: 66.1%,. How important was this season in your development? They had so many young talents and were stacked, but you had no problems holding your own?

Ludwigsburg was my best year in the NBBL. We had so many talents there and had good chemistry. My first day in Ludwigsburg felt like I had been there 2 years. They welcomed me with open arms. It was like a family there. Ludwigsburg was like my second home in Germany.

That team had so many great players like the Patrick brothers, Ugbo, Minjoth, Bruce or Mojica? The list goes on and on. Which player had the biggest impact on you?

Every guy had that special impact on me. Every player wanted to be the best. We pushed each other very much. Nobody wanted to lose to the other. I took something special from each guy.

What do you remember about your battles with Georg Cotoara? Did you have a special bond to him since he was also from Romania?

We always spoke Romanian. We had that home feeling. No matter where he goes, he will be like a brother.

How valuable was head coach David Mccray for you? A guard that had a winning mentality. Did he motivate you get better every day?

We were wild boys there. He was critical and had to humble us. On the court he pushed us very much, but off the court he was like a buddy. If you did what he wanted, then all was good.

You then played with U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca (Romania-Liga Nationala) winning 4 titles. Which one was most sweetest?

The first title was the sweetest. It was my first pro title. I had never experienced something like that before. My only title before that was the U-13 title.

In both seasons you had amazing bigs. For example with Emanuel cate and Stefan Bircevic? How vital were guys like them for your development?

They were both important. Cate showed me so much about life and on the court post moves. Another guy that was really vital for me was Andriya Stipanovic. He was 37 or 38 and had so much experience. He was a big man that couldn´t shoot, but was an amazing passer. He may be the best passer that I ever saw. He had no stop button just like me. He gave me so much advice. He told me to go to the Pro A which I did.

Who was the greatest player that you ever faced on the court that reached the NBA?

Sam Dekker.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

That is difficult. I love all my teammates.

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Giannis, Lebron James

Please name your Euro and German Mount Rushmore?

Luka Doncic, Kostas Sloukas, Vasilije Micic, Vincent Poirior

Dirk Nowitzki, Dennis Schroeder, Franz Wagner, Johannes Voigtmann

Who is your GOAT?

Kevin Durant

Thanks Eduardo for the chat.