Lance Jeter (191-PG-1988, college: Nebraska) is a former professional player that enjoyed a prosperous 8 year career overseas playing in countries like Holland, Poland, Germany, France, Lithuania and China. He began his basketball career at Beaver Falls high school and then played 2 years at Polk and then finished at the University of Nebraska (NCAA) averaging 7.5ppg, 3.8rpg, 4.1apg, FGP: 41.2%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 68.9% and 11.7ppg, 4.4rpg, 4.5apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 47.3%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 72.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

Thanks Lance for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is life treating you?

Back Home In Pittsburgh Pa Coaching HS Basketball With Brother Ramone In Our Hometown Beaver Falls PA & Also Running Our AAU Basketball Organization 4th Through HS

You retired back in 2019. Has time flown by quickly in the last 6 years?

Times Sometimes Feel Like It’s Moving Fast But I Enjoy Being Home Coaching My Kids Watching Them Grow Up & Giving Back To My Community!

I always saw you as a player that everyone wanted as a teammate and everyone hated to play against. Is that a fair assessment of how you were as a player?

Yes Always The Type Of Player To Pass First & Get My Teammates Involved & Focus On Winning That’s Always Been My Main Goal! Play Physical & Tough & Always Be A Leader Out There! Even If It’s Sacrifices My Personal Stats I All I Wanted To Do Was Win!

You won 7 titles as a pro and that is probably more than 85% of all pro´s in the world. Did you achieve most that you wanted as a pro player or was their something you didn´t achieve that you would have liked?

Like I Said The Main Goal Was To Win always Has Been Since I Was a Kid Playing This sport! I wanted to Be very successful As A Player & When It Was All Set & Done They Would Say No Matter Where He Went He Won!

You had a nice 8 year career. But I´m sure you could of played longer. How was your body feeling like in 2019?

My body Was feeling great. I Just Came Off averaging 24 Points A Game In Europe Cup Play With Donar & Was feeling Good! It wasn’t My Idea To Stop Playing Covid Came & Things Was Unclear And Uncertain In The World So That Kind of was The Reason I Stoped Playing & The Market Changed Oversea With Pay And That Nature!

Often guys retire because the body is hutting down or some great opportunity off the court came about. Why did you retire at age 30?

Yea Wasn’t My Idea To Be Done I Felt Great Was Training To Get Ready For The Next Season & Now Since I Train 4 Times A Week It’s Just Old Habits Athletes Can’t Break Just Wanted To Be in Shape & Live A Healthy Lifestyle But Then Covid Happened & That Just Change Everything In 2019 & Was The Waiting Game After That Then Two Years Go Bye. You Have To Provide For Your Family Can’t Keep Waiting!

Was the first year tough after retiring? What did you miss most from the game?

It was Very Tough Especially because It Wasn’t On My Terms Like I Said I Wasn’t Ready To Be Done & Felt Like I Had A lot To Prove Still So It Was Tough Mentality For Sure! Darks Days You Go From Doing Something You Love and Then Suddenly It Stops So I Had To Really Get Out That Head Space & Find Something That Makes Me Happy Again To Avoid That Empty Space In My Heart!

What have you been doing since retirement? Do you have a normal 9-5 job?

Coaching Basketball & Football & Running My AAU Basketball Organization With My Brother! It’s Giving Me Focus & Happiness To Help The Next Generation & My Community To Take This Thing Further Than I Ever Did & Just Give Them The Opportunity & Things I’ve Learned Over The Years & Push Them Further Than I Did!

Do you still have a connection to basketball?

I Still Have The Connection To Basketball State Side & International! Like I Said I’ve Find Ways To Filled That Gap That’s Been In My Heart From Not Being Able To Play Professionally Anymore & Help The Next Generation Coming Up & I Love It!

You began at Polk College. Every guy that I have interviewed that played JUCO have said it was a tough grind but one that they wouldn´t have missed for the world. How was it for you?

The Toughest Times For Sure Because You Feel Like Your Being Left Behind! Your Watching All These Guys You Compete Against In HS On TV & They are On The Big Stage On TV & You Took The Juco Right Knowing You Belong On The Same Stage as Them So It’s Tough But It Builds Character and Makes You So Much More Hungry and Humble With A Chip On Your Shoulder To Get To That Next Level & You Build Life Long Friendships/Brothers From Juco Some Of Best Friends Came From Polk County With Me & We Been Locked In 10 Plus Years Now!

You then played 2 seasons at the University of Nebraska (NCAA) averaging 7.5ppg, 3.8rpg, 4.1apg, FGP: 41.2%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 68.9% and 11.7ppg, 4.4rpg, 4.5apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 47.3%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 72.8%. What kind of a player did you become there?

Nebraska Really Showed Me What Type Of Player I Could Be! My Junior Year & Senior Year Was Night & Day! Had To Get Used To How Fast & Strong The Big 12 Was At That Time & It Was Tough My Junior Year But Once I Got Used To It My Senior Year Was Great! I did A lot Of Great Things In Those Two Years & Was Coached By A Really Great Coach In Doc Sadler! I Really Left My Mark On Nebraska In A Short Period Of Time!

How tough was that first season. The team started off hot winning 9 of 11 games, but then finished the season losing 14 of 16 games? What did you learn from that season?

Getting Used To The Big 12! Every Night Your Playing Against A NBA Player Pretty Much So I Had To Get Used To The Pace Of The Big 12 & Like I Said It Showed Me What Type Of Player I Wanted To Be & Leader & I Was Very Hungry My Senior Year To Leave My Mark On My School & The Big 12.

You had many great games like a 27/10/5 game in a tough 83-82 loss to Iowa State. What was your fondest moment on the court in the NCAA?

Best Moments Was My Senior Year We Beat Some Great Teams That Year! We beat a Good USC Team When We we were down By 20 At The Half! Beat The #21 Team In The Country Missouri Beat The #10 Team In The Country Texas A&M & Beat The #2 Team In The Country Texas So A lot Of Great Wins For Our Program That Year!

What memories do you have of German Christian Standhardinger. Was he a joker off the court?

Christian Standhardinger Was A Funny Guy Someone Who Could Score Everywhere On The Court and Knew How To Get To His Spots & Had A lot Of Energy. I Loved Playing With Him!

How did head coach Doc Sadler groom and prepare best for a professional career?

Coach Doc Helped Me Become A Better Leader On The Court! He Tested Me A lot and Pushed me to The Limit With Me To See If I Can Handle It and see If I’ll Break & I Owe Him A lot Since I Got There He Put The Basketball In My Hands and Let Me Run The Show I’m Very Thankful For That He Showed Me How Important Defense Was!

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Henry Sek?

Sek Is Offensively One Of The Best Players I’ve Every Had The Chance To Play With He was a Real LIfe Master On Offense He is One Of Those Players Who Has Multiple Counters To Your Defense! Really A Student Of The Game I Learn A lot From Sek who is One Of My Good Friends! I´m Proud Of Everything He Does On The Court!

You played your rookie season for Lasaulec Aris Leeuwarden (Holland-Eredivisie) averaging 16.ppg, 3.8rpg, APG-5 (3.4), 1.3spg, FGP: 59.6%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 73.0%. What was your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

Holland is a Special Place. The People Are Great Very Welcome! Of Course My 1st Year Was Tough Just Learning The Culture Of Holland But Very Quickly I Felt At Home & Was Comfortable because Of The People Of Holland Made Me Feel That Way & I’m Forever Grateful To Them For Making It Easy!

How vital was Tjoe De Paula in your rookie season? Was he like a mentor for you?

Tjoe Was Very Important To My Rookie Year Someone Who Helped Me Soon As I Got There & Showed Me Around & Made Sure I Was Good! We Had A lot Vets On That Team Also Mark Sanchez Was Also Big Part Of My Rookie Year & Him & Tjoe Became Family To Me Years Later we Were Able To Win Championships Together So They are My Brothers & I Love Them Guys Very Much!

You played your second pro season with Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany-BBL) averaging 7.5ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.4apg, FGP: 58.1%, 3PT: 32.0%, FT: 70.1%. You had so many incredible teammates like Daniel Theis, John Bryant, Per Guenter, Allan Ray, Phillip Schwethelm or Steve Esterkamp. What guy had the biggest impact on you?

Great Team In Ulm! With A lot Of Great Players A Special Season! Allan Ray & John Bryant Had The Biggest Impact On Me & Helped Me Get Through My 2nd Year I Had To Get Used To A New Country & New Language They Helped Me A lot Especially Allan Ray I Was With Him A lot He Showed Me How Take Care Of Business On & Off The Court! They Showed Me The Ways Of Being A Professional Appreciate Them Two So Much!

You played 1 Euroleague game and battled Mire Chatman who was one of the greatest American guards in his generation overseas. Does knowing that mean more to you now than back in the moment? You really played against incredible players.

Yes Got A Chance To Play Mire Few Times One Time In Euroleague & Couple More Times in Euro Cup He was Someone Who Made The Game Look So Easy He never Seemed Like He Was Speeding Up Game. He Was Very Smooth! I’m went Into The Game Not Knowing Who These Guys were But Found Out Quickly They Got A lot Of Game With Them!

What memories do you have of the tough 5 game series loss to Oldenburg? Games 3-5 were so tight. You battled against BBL legend Rickey Paulding.

I Remember That Series Very Much. Per Guenter Was Injured In The Beginning Of The Series So I Started & Was Ready For My Moment & Had Some Good Games. I Remember Per Not Fully 100% But Coach Wanted Him To Start & Just Didn’t Feel Right To Me because I Felt I Was Playing Great That Series Knowing Per Wasn’t His Self So That Game 5 I Felt Like I Could of Played More Minutes! Ricky Paulding Is One Of Those Players I For Sure Looked Up To The Way he kept Himself Ready Each Year As He Got Older and The Way He Adapted To The Game. His Shot Got Better Later In His Career & Still Would Surprise You with A Dunk On You If You Weren´t Ready! He was a True Legend & Professional. He is a Great Person and it Was A Honor To Watch Him Through The Years.

You then played with Trefl Sopot (Poland-TBL) averaging 8.8ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 40.9%, 3PT: 27.6%, FT: 74.8%. You won the Super Cup which was your first pro chip. What memories do you have of that season?

We Beat Rosa For The 3rd Place In The League. We Took Stelmet To 5 Games Where They Beat Us To Go On The Championship They Had A Really Great Team It Was A Tough Battle! That Season Was A lot Of Up & Down Moments For Myself & The First Time In My Career Where I Got Tested Mentally!

Then came your Jordan like run playing for Donar Groningen (Holland-Eredivisie) and winning 6 titles from 2014-2017. Were these some of your best times in your life?

Being In Groningen Was The Best Times For Me, I was Used To The Country By Now & Knew My Way Around & Knew My Teammates From My Rookie Year In Leeuwarden & Had Tjoe With Me & Mark & Jason Made Everything So Much Better & Comfortable For Me It was Truly The Best Time With The Best Fans In Holland that Supported Us!

This was also your best years. You averaged 14,0ppg twice and led the Dutch league in assists and was second once. Was it playing with great teammates that helped you to success?

My Success For Sure Came From Having Veterans Teammates Who Only Cared About Winning & Letting Me Be Myself & Play My Game With A Coach Who Let Me Be Myself & Just Having Fun On The Court & Off The Court Being A Real Family. It Showed On The Court When We Were Playing! For Sure I Owe My Teammates A lot Of Credit For Letting Me Be Myself!

Jason Dourisseau came in your second season and remained after you left and would win more titles there. Was he one of your best teammates ever?

Jason Dourissea is Probably My Best Teammate, Someone Who Was Always Finding The Positivity In Every Situation. Someone Who Was A True Professional and Came Ready To Work Every Day, A True Leader Someone I Looked Up To and Who Helped Me Become A Better Leader On The Court! He showed Me How To Be A Leader Of Men! He Is Someone I´ll Put him Up There With Ricky Paulding A Real Leader & Professiona. l Love Jason Like A Big Brother Little Brother Relationship! And I´m Rooting For Him As He Is The Head Coach For Groningen Now!

You beat Zwolle twice for the Dutch title. Which title was tougher to win?

When We Played Zwolle Those Two Years, I’m Going Be Honest It Wasn’t Tough At. It Was Very Easy To The Point All We Were Worried About was Nobody Get Injured & We Will Be Just Fine! Our Team Was Really That Good & Most Of Those Games We Barely Played In The 4th Q Because The Games Wasn’t Close Or Felt Close At All!

You also played a season with ultimate player Marcus Hatten. What memories do you have of him` Was he like a role model for you?

When I Went Back To Germany Marcus Hatten Came To The Team 2nd Half Of The Season & You Can Tell He Was a Smart Veteran Someone Who Didn’t Get Sped Up While He Was Playing & For Sure Someone Who Helped Me See The Game In Different Ways & Tried To Be Few Steps Ahead Of Your Opponent So He For Sure Help Me A lot During My Time There!

You played a season with JL Bourg Basket (France-ProA) averaging 6.3ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.4apg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 63.6%. What memories do you have of France? How did the France Pro A compare to the best leagues you played in then? Was it more elite than BBL in Germany at that time?

My Time In France Was Challenging Because It Was A New League & It’s Where I Wanted To Be Challenged Coming From Holland I Felt Like I Did Everything I Could Possibly Do In That League And Was Looking For a New Challenge To Test Myself & The French League For Sure Did That. It was Very Fast Uptempo, Very Athletic Players Also Felt Being My 1st Year Of College Again Had To Adjust To The Game & I Think I Did That the 2nd Part Of The Season! It’s Two Styles Of Play. The BBL Is More Physical & France Pro A Is More Faster A lot Of Skillful Players Both Great Leagues!

You were in Lithuania, China and Holland for your final season. That was like a roller coaster ride. How crazy was this last season? You seemed to see it all that last season.

It Was A Roller Coaster But I Just Wanted To Be Comfortable And Feel Like I Was At A Place That felt Like Home & Of Course Holland Was That Place But Not Just For Me But For My Family As Well So That Was My Main Reason To Head Back To Holland!

How would you like fans to remember Lance Jeter the player?

I would Like The Fans To Remember Me As The “General” Someone Who Cared About Nothing But Winning. A Leader Of Men Someone Who Had Fun & Love Playing The Game He Loved. A Player Who Made Sure To Involve The Fans With The Game! A True Winner!

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

There were So Many Players It’s Hard To Pin Point One! Kansas Had A lot Of Great Players Of Course Who Was Very Tough! The Morris Twins Had A Few Great Teams. A Few Of Those Texas Teams Was Very Tough With A Few NBA Players. Baylor Had A Few Great Players & Oklahoma State Had James Anderson. He Was A Elite Scorer There Texas AM Had Few Good NBA Players So Many Players!

Who were your 3 toughest players that you faced overseas?

Igor Rakocevic Is A Legend Was who was Very Good For The Red Stars! Mire Chatman Was Very Good Very Tough To Guard & Bobby Brown In The German League Made It Look Very Easy When I Was Playing Him & Jenkins For Oldenburg Was Very Tough To Guard So Quick and could Shoot The Ball!

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

1. Allan Ray 2. John Bryant 3. Chase Fieler 4. Zach Peacock 5. Jason Dourisseau Honorable Mention Tjoe Mark Sanchez Chase Simon Sean Cunningham Ross Bekkerking

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

Steph Curry MJ Kobe Bryant LeBron James Shaq

Who is your GOAT?

My Goat (Kobe Bryant)

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

They Should Have Left It Alone Some Movies Don’t Need Sequel And That’s One Of Them!

Thanks Lance for the chat.