David Nichols (183-PG-1996, college: FSU) is a 29 year old 183cm point guard from North Carolina playing his 7th professional season and first with Sabah BK Baku (Azerbaijan-ABL). He has extensive professional experience having played in countries like Cyprus, Slovenia, Belgium, France, Finland, Hungary and Turkey. He began his basketball career at Elite Prep academy and then played at Mount Carmel high school. He then played at the University of Albany (NCAA) from 2015-2018 playing a total of 82 games and then finished at Florida State University (NCAA) averaging 4ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 47.2%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 69.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Basketball Champions League game against Alba Berlin.

Thanks David for talking to germanhoops.com. You have played in 7 countries in your first 6 seasons and this year have an eight country with Sabah BK Baku (Azerbaijan-ABL). What do you enjoy most about the globetrotter life?

Seeing new places, discovering different cultures, trying new foods and learning the history of each country that I play in.

Your playing your first season with Sabah BK Baku (Azerbaijan-ABL) and your Basketball Champions League competition. What have you appreciated most about the club Sabah?

This will be my first year playing this competition as long as the team’s first time competing in the BCL. They are a new team only a few years old and they are trying to build something special and I’m happy to play my part in it.

You have seen so many different countries in Europe. What has been something you have picked up in Azerbaijan that you haven´t seen in other countries?

Honestly I haven’t been in the country long enough to answer that question I’ve only been in Azerbaijan for a couple of weeks.

You have put up incredible stats wince being a rookie in Cyprus. It took you 6 seasons to reach a top league with the Turkish BSL. How big is the chip on your shoulder?

I still have a big chip on my shoulder, I showed that I can play in a top 2 league in Europe and contribute for a team at a high level so now I want to show what I can do in the Basketball Champions League. So I’m not satisfied at all in that standpoint.

Do you feel like possibly your height has kept you from playing in France, Italy or in Germany? Your hunger and fire must be growing every season?

No, I don’t think height matters at this level there are plenty of 6 foot guards playing everywhere at every level. I’ve had opportunities to play in these countries and many others that I’ve declined. So I don’t think it has impacted anything in my career.

Q: Last season you began with Arconic-Alba Fehervar (Hungary-A Division) averaging 18.4ppg, 2.8rpg, 9.1apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 62.8%, 3FGP: 44.4%, FT: 77.8%. You love to get those dimes and had 21 in a game. Is there an NBA passer you have modelled your game after?

Last season I wanted to expand my game even more to show that I can play make at an elite level with not only scoring but my passing as well. And no there is no NBA player that I watch in terms of passing the pall because it’s such a different game. I watch guys like DJ Cooper and Milos Teodosic. I will watch Luka Doncic when he is playing with Slovenia because he is a master at reading Pick and Rolls and making the right read every single time.

You then finished the season with to Semt77 Yalova Belediye Spor (Turkey-BSL) averaging 12.4ppg, 1.6rpg, 5.1apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 49.4%, FT: 66.7%. How satisfying was this season? You proved to all that you can be an impact player in a top league?

It was very satisfying for me in my personal journey. Playing against Euroleague, Eurocup and Champions League teams every single week and producing at a high level showed that I can play anywhere in Europe.

You lost but were the best player on the floor against Euroleague teams Efes and Fenerbahce and guys like PJ Dozier, Bonzie Colson, Devon Hall, Khem Birch and Errick McCullum. What do you believe is missing for you to play at the Eurocup or Euroleague level?

I don’t think anything is missing, all I can do is control what I can control and thats what I do on the court. So I will continue to play and do everything to help whatever team I am on win games and the rest will take care of itself.

Q: You played the 2023-2024 season with Sopron KC (Hungary-A Division) averaging 18.5ppg, 3.7rpg, APG-4 (5.7), 1.5spg, FGP: 53.4%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT: 83.9%. What kind of an experience was it? You had some monster games like 37 points against Szedeak?

This year was a bounce back year for me personally. I had a lot to prove to myself and I think I did that. It was a good experience playing in a respected league like Hungary.

Q: You played the 2022-2023 season with Aix-Maurienne SavoieBasket (France-ProB) averaging 17.0ppg, 1.9rpg, 3.8apg, 1.4spg, 2FGP: 47.7%, 3FGP: 38.2%, FT: 78.7%, in Mar.’23 moved to Lapuan Kobrat (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 29.3ppg, 2.0rpg, 4.3apg, 1.5spg. How did you enjoy the France Pro B league? A league on the rise?

Pro B France is widely recognized as the best second division league in Europe and better than a lot of first division leagues. Every game there was a challenge and I had some individual success but the team struggled so it was another challenge and good learning experience.

Q: You played the 2021-2022 season with Belfius Mons-Hainaut averaging 12.8ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 53.6%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 74.2% in the BNXT and in the FIBA Europe Cupaveraged 11.7ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.5apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 33.3%. How key was this season for your basketball development?

This was my first introduction to European competition in the form of the FIBA Europe Cup so it was good to have this experience and to see the level of different countries.

You were teammates with American Justin Cage who played more than a decade with Belfius. What memories do you have of him who was the ultimate teammate?

He was the ultimate leader and the ultimate professional. Everyday you got the same guy that was ready to work and ready to do whatever it took for the team to succeed. I also followed in his foot steps when it came to off the court. He met his wife in Belgium and so did I.

You played a season with Rogaska Crystal (Slovenia-Liga Nova KBM,) averaging PPG-1 (19.4), 4.4rpg, APG-3 (6.5), 1.3spg, FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 82.9%. What was tougher losing the playoff series to Krka or losing 78-77 to Sencur Gor despite having a triple double?

Definitely losing in the playoffs because we were one game away from making the finals. With the team we had and the budget we had nobody expected us to even make the playoffs in this league and we went to the final four of the Cup and the playoffs so that was a special year. The team we had was special and everybody has gone on to have successful careers after and when you look back on it you can see how talented of a team we had and it just wasn’t a lucky season. We had a great group of guys.

You played your rookie season with Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) averaging PPG-1 (23.8), 5.2rpg, 4.5apg, SPG-4 (1.9), FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 87.6%. 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 to life overseas was the amount of turn around that I saw in Europe. Within the first two months I had a new coach and 2 new teammates. It showed how cutthroat and how much of a business playing overseas is. No matter what level you are at or how much money you are making. If you don’t perform things can change for you quick in a positive way or in a negative way. So you always have to expect the unexpected.

What was it like being teammates with veteran Nate Britt who played at North Carolina (NCAA)? Was he like a mentor for you?

It was nice playing with a NCAA Champion, anybody with that kind of experience knows how to win and what a winning team looks like. I don’t think the age gap was large enough to call him a mentor or even a veteran because he wasn’t overseas much longer than me. But definitely a guy who had answers if you had questions and had no problem sharing his experiences.

You played at the University at Albany (NCAA) from 2015-2018 and made big strides in your game in your last 2 seasons averaging 17.9ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 47.4%, 3PT: 35.4%, FT: 83.0% and 14.6ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.5apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 41.1%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 77.2%. How did your game grow in your last 2 seasons?

I grew a lot as a basketball player in these two seasons. I went from a freshman that barely played to 1st team all Conference in a year. So playing two very different roles was a good learning experience. Playing with zero expectations and then playing with major expectations helped me for my future.

You played 1 more season with Florida State University (NCAA)averaging 6.4ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 47.2%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 69.4%. You reached the NCAA Sweet 16. What memories do you have this run? How tough was it not being able to play Murray State and Gonzaga?

I have a lot of amazing memories of my time at Florida State and our tournament runs in the ACC and NCAA tournament. It was terrible not to be able to finish the season at full strength and with our full team. The last time we played with our entire team we beat the eventual champions Virginia.

You had a great game in a losing cause against North Carolina scoring 16 points. What was it like holding your own against Coby White and other future NBA players? What memories do you have of that game?

When you play at a high level you will find yourself playing against future NBA players multiple times a year so it wasn’t anything unusual. And when you look at our team I was practicing against NBA guys every day.

How did head coach Leonard Hamilton help groom and prepare you best for a pro career?

Coach Hamilton is one of the greatest coaches of all time and I was lucky to have played for him. He did everything in his power to make sure I was successful on and off court and later in life.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Trent Forrest?

Strangely enough I don’t think we ever played. I actually don’t ever remember playing 1-1 when I was at Florida State.

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

Zion Williamson was tough to play against because he played both ends at an extremely high level. You had to always know where he was when you were on the court.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Terance Mann (Brooklyn Nets)

Devin Vassell (San Antonio Spurs)

Trent Forrest (Baskonia)

Mfiondu Kabengele (Dubai BC)

Raiquan Gray (AEK)

I will stick with all Florida State Guys.

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore (5 best players ever)?

Kyrie Irving

LeBron James

Michael Jordan

Steph Curry

Kobe Bryant

Who is your GOAT?

LeBron James

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

I’ve never seen either one so I can’t give an answer on this one.

Thanks David for the chat.