Grant Golden & Jacob Gilyard

For Americans getting prepared for that grind overseas happens mostly with their experiences playing at the university and college levels in the United States. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the NCAA or JUCO or somewhere in between in the NCAA 3, every baller lets those years affect them in a special way. That unique time in their lives is often some if not their best times of their lives. The whole experience gets a bit sweeter when you can spend that time with your teammates. It is very rare for guys to be teammates for the whole 4 years mainly because guys will transfer or even leave early for the NBA. It is even more uncommon when 2 guys are teammates for 5 years. That was the case for Grant Golden (208-C-1998, college: Richmond) and Jacob Ginyard, 2 exceptional players who right away made an impact as freshmen in 2017 and left leaving an impact as their 5 years definitely left a mark on the school. Both were as consistent as only they could be averaging scoring in double figures all 5 years as Golden averaged 14,0ppg and 6,0rpg and Gilyard 12,0ppg and 5,0apg. Both spent time in the G-League while Gilyard even reached the NBA with Memphis and both are living the dream overseas now with Gilyard in Italy and Golden in Spain. Even years after being teammates, the collective memories and feelings towards each other still remain strong. ‘Jacob is my brother. I talk to him almost everyday and I am hoping I can go see him in Italy during one of the international breaks if we have some time off. He is family for me and my favorite person I have ever played with’, stressed Grant Golden. It is only logical that the feeling is mutual. ‘Calling him a best friend would be an understatement. He is like a brother for me. We met when we were younger. Through basketball we had similar ideas on and off the court. Living together and spending so much time on the court brought us really close. We talk all the time. I’m super happy for all the success that he has had. I love the guy. He will be at my wedding and be the God father of my kids. He is an incredible basketball player but even better human being. I can’t say enough good things about him. His family is like family to me. I love the guy’, stressed Jacob Gilyard.

Golden who names John Collins from Wake Forest as his toughest cover in the NCAA was born on January 15th, 1998 in Richmond, Virginia and first played high school basketball at Sherando high school and then transferred to St James school in Hagerstown, Maryland. In his senior year he averaged 17,2ppg, 10,3rpg and 3,5apg leading his team to the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference title and was named the Washington county Co player of the year. He then embarked on a illustrious career at Richmond University (NCAA). He was able to play so long mainly because he was a red shirt freshman in 2017 on account of a irregular heart beat so he had to get a cardiac Ablation to correct his heart rhythm which only allowed him to play 9 games in 2016-2017. In his years at Richmond, he reached 2 NIT Elite 8’s and even reached the Big Dance. He left Richmond having the magical 2000 points and 1000 rebounds. It was only apparent that his years at Richmond were very special. ‘My time at the University of Richmond was definitely some of the best years of my life. My teammates there have become my best friends. We enjoyed playing with each other and accomplished a lot together. I wouldn’t trade my time at Richmond for anything’, warned Grant Golden. In his last 5 seasons from 2017-2022, he played 151 NCAA games and displayed his massive consistency scoring in double figures in 122 games. He had some great games against Wyoming scoring 33 points, 26 points against UAB, 24 points against La Salle and 24 points against Wake Forest. He is very blessed to have had a coach in Chris Mooney who not only helped groom and prepare him for a pro career on the court, but also off the court. ‘Coach Mooney not only made me a better basketball player, but a better person as well. He treated us like we were part of his family during our time at Richmond. I know I can count on him for anything and that he will always be there for me’, stated Grant Golden. Who remembered senior TJ Cline winning 99% of their 1-1 battles in practice when he was a freshman. Awards and achievements that he gathered up at Richmond were being named to the All-Atlantic 10 Third Team -2018, 19, 21, Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team -2018, All-Atlantic 10 Second Team -2020, NABC Division I All-District 4 Second Team -2020, 21, Atlantic 10 All-Tournament Team -2022, and Atlantic 10 Tournament Winner -2022

The Virginia native who lists Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore began his rookie season in 2022 playing 4 NBA Summer League games with the Atlanta Hawks where he averaged 3/3. He then played his rookie season with the Grand Rapids Gold (NBA G League) averaging 14.6ppg, 9.3rpg, 4.8apg, FGP: 55.9%, 3PT: 18.2%, FT: 69.4%. He will never forget his wake up call to being employed by an NBA team and witnessing a player that so many guys would love to practice with. ‘I was able to earn an exhibit-10 contract with the Denver Nuggets which allowed me to participate in their preseason and training camp before I went to the g-league team. Seeing Jokic up close in personal every single day, seeing how effortless everything seemed for him, and watching how it felt like he knew things before they even happened was incredible. It is an experience I do not take for granted’, remembered Grant Golden. He was very fortunate to share the court with some NBA guys like Chasson Randle and Jared Butler who like him are overseas now as well. ‘ I got to play with some great players while in the United States. Jared and Chasson were certainly towards the top of that list. Really high level guards with a great control of the game. They made me a much better player during my time in the g-league’, said Grant Golden. He took full advantage of his time in the G-League scoring in double figures in 37 of 50 games including scorching Greensboro with a 31/13/8 game and had 2 triple doubles against Delaware and Cleveland. He showed that he was a versatile modern day big man in the G-League. ‘Versatility has definitely always been a part of my game. I have certainly never been the fastest or strongest person on the court, especially at my position. So I have always had to find different ways to be effective and have success’, stated Grant Golden. Even if he is a versatile big man like a Jokic and Isaiah Hartenstein, he never really felt like his versatile game would get him an automatic ticket to the NBA. ‘ Those guys are on a different level. Sengun is another one in that category of versatile bigs that I enjoy watching. Their natural feel for the game is something that is unmatched and really fun to watch at that level’, added Grant Golden.

The versatile big man who lists Michael Jordan as his Goat and Jacob Gilyard as one of his 5 best teammates of all time played his first season overseas with Vanoli Basket Cremona (Italy-Serie A) averaging 9.4ppg, 4.6rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 59.9%, 3PT: 10.0%, FT: 74.5%. It isn’t always easy for Americans coming overseas getting used to the culture and language and sometimes not finding a Mcdonalds when you need it, but for him, he discovered something special that you don’t see in the NBA so much as a wake up call. ‘I think the wake up call in my first season in Cremona was seeing some of the crowds and fans for the first time. We had our very first preseason game against Brescia and their gym was almost full and it was loud from beginning to end. To see that level of passion at a preseason game is not something that you would ever see in the United States. So very early on you realize how much these teams mean to the people in the respective city and very quickly you realize that every game, every possession matters. That is what makes it so special here in Europe and why I love playing here’, warned Grant Golden. He was fortunate to have Wayne Mcullough as a teammate in his first season Italy who really showed him the ropes. ‘Wayne is a great guy. He was certainly a great teammate to have as a foreign player being in my first year abroad. He was super helpful both on and off the court. Our team in Cremona was very close and we all spent a lot of time together. I got the privilege of getting to know his family well. I couldn’t say enough good things about him and I am glad I got to play with him in his last year before he decided to retire and move to a new chapter in life. He played his second pro season with AEK Betsson Athens (Greece-GBL) averaging 7.3ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 56.2%, FT: 72.4%; and in the Basketball Champions League averaged 10.5ppg, 5.6rpg, 2.4apg, FGP: 61.3%, FT: 71.1%. He had the fortune to play against great high level players in Greece and had 2 really good games against Euroleague teams Panathinaikos and Olympiacos in losing causes. He netted 14 points against both teams. ‘I have great memories from my entire season at AEK. We had a great year and I think certainly shocked people by making the Final Four for Champions league. The games against Panathinaikos and Olympiacos were certainly a lot of fun. Any time you get the chance to play a Euroleague team it is a great challenge. So to go up against two of the best over the last couple of years was a great experience’, remembered Grant Golden.

The ex Richmond forward who never saw the sequel to the classic Coming To America is playing his fourth pro season and first with BAXI Manresa (ACB) and couldn’t be happier about his new challenge. ‘It has been a great experience so far. I am grateful to be in another beautiful country, playing for a great organization. Our management, staff, and coaches are all top notch and super professional. I think we have a great group of guys that enjoy playing with one another. The best part for me is being at another organization with great fans and support from the city. It means a lot to the players when the people and the fans care so much about the team’, commented Grant Golden. He had a good BCL campaign last season and now wants to make the next step in a higher competition with the Eurocup. ‘I think both Champions League and Eurocup are great competitions with high level teams in both. The biggest difference for me is the fact that there are no bye weeks in Eurocup. We will for sure have two games every week unlike Champions league. So mentally and physically preparing yourself for that work load, and being able to learn from a game quickly and shift focus to the domestic league on the weekend I think has been the biggest difference. Every individual, and the team, has to try and be very efficient with our schedules and time on the court’, stressed Grant Golden. Currently he is averaging 11/5/2 in the ACB, and 8/6/4 stats in the Eurocup. He is demonstrating how efficient he can be in the ACB at 18 minutes per game. ‘I think my IQ and passing ability definitely is a big part of my roll with Manresa. We play at very fast pace, therefore there is some freedom and decisions have to be made quickly. So I think I am able to use my IQ and passing ability to help the team get quality looks on offense and be a threat in the pick and roll and helping people get open shots’, commented Grant Golden.

An interesting aspect to his game is that despite being a versatile player, he hasn’t really incorporated a three pointer into his game yet. Is that something that he just didn’t have to do because every team has more shooters than ever? ‘I used to be a very good shooter when I was younger and in high school. I shot it a little bit at university but overtime, as other parts of my game developed, the three pointer is something that I didn’t really use anymore. It is definitely something that I would like to regain. Our coaches here in Manresa are pushing me to work on it a little bit every day to regain the idea and the confidence to do so. Hopefully overtime, and with more reps, it is something that I could maybe get back to’, warned Grant Golden. This season he has a specific part of his game that he is working on, a system that he has never played in before. ‘Coach Diego has us playing at a fast pace here in Manresa. I think one of the biggest things that I want to show is that I am capable of playing in such a system. The teams that I have played on before have all played much slower and much more in the half court. So I am excited for the opportunity to hopefully show that I can play in these faster systems as well with high levels of intensity on both ends’, added Grant Golden. He is extremely fortunate to have a coach in Spaniard Diego Ocampo who is a hard coach, but fair. ‘I think Coach is extremely smart, detailed oriented, and certainly knows a lot about the game. The thing I appreciate the most is the fact that he doesn’t allow us to be complacent or satisfied with any success. He knows that we can always give more and continue to improve no matter what. It his job to get this type of effort out of us and make sure it is consistent for all of us. So the honesty in this area and the constant push for me, whatever that may be for any individual on the team, is what I appreciate the most’, said Grant Golden. He has reached one of the top leagues overseas with the ACB, but what is missing from reaching the Euroleague? ‘I don’t really think about that too much. If you would have asked me before I came overseas what one of my goals was, making it to the ACB would have been towards the top of the list and is definitely something that I am proud of. But for me, making sure that I continue to improve as a player, and give my all for the shirt that I wear any given year is what is most important for me. I am excited to be a part of a historical club like Manresa and hope to be a part of a team that the fans are proud of the effort we give every night’, warned Grant Golden. It will be interesting to see where the journey of Golden will continue to go in the next years. Who knows maybe one day, he will land in the Euroleague. Then the only thing missing would be being reunited with Jacob Gilyard again as teammates somewhere overseas.