pic credit: BSW Sixers

AJ Sumbry (203-F-1994, college: Wagner, agency: BIG) is a 30 year old 203cm from New Jersey playing his 6th pro season and first with the BSW Sixers. He has been a basketball globetrotter having played for 9 clubs in countries like Denmark, Georgia, North Maceadonia, Kosovo, Romania, France, Sweden and Slovakia.He began his basketball career at St Benedict´s Preparatory school and then played a season at Quinnipiac University (NCAA). He then played 3 years at Wagner (NCAA) and as a senior averaged 8.1ppg, 6.2rpg, 1.4bpg, FGP: 46.3%, FT: 57.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career overseas.

Thanks AJ for talking to germanhoops.com. Last season you began with BC Lulea (Sweden-Basketligan) averaging 5.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 47.6%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 75.0%. Why was that stay so short? Were you the odd man out with Isaiah Mucius?

I wouldn’t say the odd man out Isaiah is my guy. I just think they were looking for more of a small ball 4/3 type of player.

You then moved t o B K Iskra Svit (Slovakia-Nike SBL) averaging 12.2ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.6apg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 80.0%. How tough was losing that playoff series to Spisski Rytieri after the exciting game 3 76-75 win?

It was tough but even more tough on how we lost. 4 ejections in a deciding game is almost unheard of.

In the 2022-2023 season you played with Rueil Athletic Club Basket (France-NM1) averaging 7.4ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP: 46.7%, 3PT: 28.0%, FT: 72.9%. Your stats weren´t as big as other years. Did you have a different kind of role than usual?

I think that year was one of the bigger adjustments I had to get used to being the only import for the first time was a little different as well as adjusting to the style of play with nm1 having a lot of heavier 5 men and me being more of a 4 took some adjusting as well.

In the 2021-2022 season you played for 3 teams with KK Angeli Skopje (North Macedonia-Vtora Liga) averaging 11.3ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.0apg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 52.7%, FT: 55.6%, in Jan.’22 moved to Golden Eagle Ylli (Kosovo-Superliga) averaging 9.8ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.8apg, 1.5spg; Liga Unike: 2 games: 6.5ppg, 5.5rpg, in Mar.’22 signed at CSM VSKC Miercurea Ciuc (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 8.1ppg, 6.1rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 42.9%, FT: 70.4%. Did it feel like you were living out of a suitcase? Your stay was very short in Kosovo. How tough is it to build relationships in situations like that and what did you learn from this season?

Yea I was definitely living out of a suitcase that year for sure. I think building relationships is one of the easier things after all you spend so much time in the gym together that it happens so naturally. I would say I learned how to be able to adjust to different coaches and team dynamics. In Macedonia it was a really young team which was completely different to Kosovo where it was a team full of vets who ended up winning the league that year, to Romania a team in-between but at the bottom of the league.

In the 2020-2021 season you played with BC Cactus Tbilisi (Georgia-Superleague) averaging 12.7ppg, 8.6rpg, 1.6apg, Blocks-4 (1.2bpg), FGP: 43.3%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 69.9%. It was Covid but you had a solid season. You won an exciting playoff series against Vera, but then lost to Rustavi. What memories do you have from this season?

Covid definitely made it an interesting year having no fans and curfew for most of the year. For sure built pretty strong relationships with my teammates that year I would say are my memories from that year.

You played your rookie pro season with BMS Herlev Wolfpack (Denmark-BasketLigaen) averaging 13.4ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.1apg, Blocks-3 (1.6bpg), FGP: 48.7%, FT: 69.7%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie where you knew that you were far away from home?

Hahah it think just getting to Denmark and seeing the bicycle culture was a big shock for me. That was new to me but was fun to try and be a part of that cultural aspect.

You began your NCAA career at Quinnipiac University (NCAA) playing 27 games averaging 1.5ppg, 1.3rpg. What memories do you have of this freshman season? You began well netting 10 points against Hartford, but after that had huge fluctuations in your minutes. What did you learn from this season?

I remember that first game was big and we got a w over Hartford I believe. I think the biggest lesson that year was just the up and downs that come with a season as well as the little things like learning about scouting and just how to show up everyday.

You then sat out 2 years before finishing at Wagner (NCAA). Were these 2 years some of the toughest in your life? How do you feel did you grow as a man?

Yea they really were some of the toughest in my life. That was my first time dealing with a serious injury that required surgery and for me to be out around 6-7 months. So that was really hard not being able to do anything. It definitely forced me to grow up in how I looked at everything.

You then played at Wagner from 2016-2019. Your minutes rose every season as did your scoring. How vital were these 3 years for your basketball development being moved along step by step?

I think that having to sit out my first year at Wagner allowed me to adjust to the defense first and toughen principles that we had there paved the way for my time there along with the chip on my shoulder from transferring. Early on when we had more older guys I knew that defense was how I was going to get my minutes so that was my focus. As the years went on with guys graduating I had to fill the role more and more offensively while still being an anchor defensively. I think that helped my game a lot being able to play both sides of the ball.

You had so many great games against Fairfield, Mass-Lowell or LIU Brooklyn just to name a few, but what was your most fondest moment on the court at Wagner?

My most fond moment was beating a ranked UConn at their house for the first game of the season.

What memories do you have of Blake Francis? He has been in Germany playing the last years. Did his development as a player overseas surprise you or did you know he would go far?

Lol Blake is my guy he’s was actually my roommate too. His development definitely didn´t surprise me. We could see as soon as he got there he could score with the best of them and with coach Bash’s defensive principles we knew he’d go far.

What memories do you have Donald Copeland. He was an undersized guard that had a great career overseas. Even if he didn’t play your position, what could you soak up from his wisdom on a daily basis?

Cope would talk to me a lot about preparation and always doing the extra things that you need to do to make sure your ready to produce. And the reality of overseas that you have to produce or you can be replaced.

How did head coach Bashir Mason groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

I think Bash put me in a position to be prepared for anything. I had some of the hardest practice under Bash but I got through them that taught me a lot of resilience that is still keeping me going to this day.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Greg Senat?

Hahah I got to say me there but he’s for sure got me beat on the football field.

Who is the greatest player that you battled in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

In college I would say between Amida Brimah the Porter brother when they were at Missouri even though Michael Porter didn’t play that game.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

That tough I don’t think I can answer that one haha

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

Lebron, Shaq, Ben Wallace, JR Smith, Kobe

Who is your GOAT?

Lebron

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

Haha yea I have. The sequel wasn’t the worse sequel I’ve seen though.

Thanks AJ for the chat