Foto credit: Basketball Champions league

Simi Shittu (208-C-1999, college: Vanderbilt) is a 25 year old 208cm center from Canada that is playing his 6th professional season and first with ASP Promitheas Patras (Greece-GBL) after starting the season with Yukatel Merkezefendi Belediyesi Basket Denizli (Turkey-BSL). Last season he split time with Limoges CSP Elite (France-Betclic ELITE ProA) averaging 6.6ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.1bpg, 2FGP: 45.5%, 3FGP: 33.3%, FT: 58.8%, in Dec.’23 moved to Kolossos H Hotels Rodou (Greece-GBL) averaging 9.1ppg, 4.8rpg, FGP: 55.8%, FT: 55.9%. In the 2022-2023 season he palyed with the Lakeland Magic (NBA G League) averaging 13.8ppg, 8.4rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 56.8%, 3PT: 12.5%, FT: 62.0%, in Feb.’23 signed at Iowa Wolves (NBA G League) averaging 9.5ppg, 8.4rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 58.3%, FT: 64.3% and also played with the Calgary Surge (Canada-CEBL) averaging 15.5ppg, Reb-1 (10.6rpg), 1.5apg, FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 17.6%, FT: 68.1%. In the 2021-2022 season he had his first tour of duty overseas playing with Ironi Hai Motors Nes-Ziona (Israel-Winner League) averaging 7.0ppg, 4.9rpg, FGP: 52.9%, FT: 39.3%. He played his first 2 pro seasons with the Windy City Bulls (NBA G League) averaging 12.3ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 57.6%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 56.3% and with the Westchester Knicks (NBA G League) averaging 14.5ppg, 10.1rpg, 1.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 56.6%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 40.5%. He began his basketball career at Corpus Christi High School (Canada) and also played at Montverde Academy (USA) and Vermont Academy. He then played a season at Vanderbilt University (NCAA) averaging 10.9ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 5.6%, FT: 57.6%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the historical 119-115 Basketball Champions League win over Wurzburg where Jordan Walker exploded for 54 points.

Thanks Simi for talking to germanhoops.com Congrats on the massive 119-115 double OT win over Wurzburg in the Basketball Champions League competition. You were part of history. Where do you rank that with the greatest games you have been a part of?

This game definitely ranks up there as one of the top in my career for sure. Especially in Europe.

If you had lost the game, I´m sure it wouldn´t have had the same kind of meaning despite the 54 point record by Jordan Walker?

I agree Winning always makes games like these mean even more. Our team especially Jordan came up big for us towards the end.

You must of felt pretty well physically after 50 minutes. You were a starter and logged only 23 minutes whereas the other 4 starters logged 38 minutes per average.

I felt good out there. I just wanted to maximize my minutes to help get our first BCL win of this round.

You are a veteran and know what big games can do. Can a win like this make a big impact on your overall season as a team?

I believe so, the last two games we have been playing great basketball and have been able to make the right plays on both ends so I think it will give us good momentum to finish out the season well.

Going in Promeatheas must have been really focused. How big was the revenge factor after losing a tough 79-77 game at home against Wurzburg?

We definitely wanted to get this win as you said last game they came back and hit a big shot at the end to win the game. We had extra motivation for sure.

Wurzburg got off to a quick 4-0 lead off 2 buckets from German big man Hannes Steinbach who only did finish with a 6/3 game. But what was your overall impression of him. Many insiders in Germany say he has NBA potential.

He’s a good player definitely has all the tools and he’s still young so he has time to develop.

The first quarter was tight, but Wurzburg led 19-14. How did you experience the atmosphere in the Wurzburg gym? Did you know that Dirk Nowitzki began his career in the 90´s in that gym?

I didn’t know that at all I knew dirk started in Germany though. It was a good atmosphere and the fans were good too.

Jordan Walker hit a three in the first quarter and had 3 points after 10 minutes. If someone had told you that he would explode for 51 points in the next 40 minutes what would you have thought?

I honestly did not, Jordan is more than capable of having big games as he’s been doing the whole season.

At the break Wurzburg was still ahead 44-39 and Jordan Walker had only 8 points. Was Wurzburg doing anything extra different on defensive coverages on Walker or hadn´t he found his spots so well yet?

Just more ball pressure on the ball and hedging hard on the ball screens with him. Its sometimes just the flow of the game but Jordan adjusted and we all saw what happened next.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Promitheas made a big run thanks to 2 Walker three´s and you tied the game with 2 free throws, but Wurzburg as usual punched back with 2 Zac Seljaas three´s to give them the 77-70 advantage. He is the heart and soul of Wurzburg. What made it so difficult to control Seljaas?

He was a key player for them and hits big shots for them and their team did a good job of finding him.

Promitheas continued to fight in crunch-time of the fourth quarter as Walker made a late three and Greek player Michail Lountzis hit a clutch three. Michael Lewis attempted a three to win the game, but fell short. Talk about the last 2 possessions? You as a team must have been pumped to go into the OT? Did you feel you had the momentum as a team?

We made a run and hit big shots which gave us energy as a team to get stops and I think we just carried that into both overtimes.

Walker obviously had a once in a lifetime game, but talk a little how valuable Wes Iwundu and Jordan Varnado were? Without them you don´t win. What do you appreciate most about their games?

Wes and Jordan are very good players and are key players for our team, because they can do different things on the court and play and guard different positions. They also play hard and play the right way

What was your favorite paly of the game?

The sequence of Jordan walker hitting the back to back three’s and the mike hitting the late three in the 4th quarter.

It is no secret that Jordan Walker would probably be in the NBA if he was a bit taller. Does a game like this open doors for him? I mean there is always the Euroleague and TJ Shorts has shown that a 175cm guy can dominate.

I’m sure many doors will open for Jordan, he’s been playing and scoring the ball at a high level all season and a game like this should give him more respect around Europe and the rest off the world.

Thanks Simi for the chat.