Marley Jean-Louis (188-SG-1994) is a 32 year old 188cm guard that is playing his 14th professional season and third with DBV Charlottenburg (Regionalliga) where he averaged 21,9ppg,5,2rpg, 2,4apg and 1,2spg. He began his career in the Alba Berlin organization and then played for clubs like Munster, EN Baskets Schwelm, FC Schalke 04, EPG Baskets Koblenz, ScanPlus Baskets Elchingen, Rhein Stars,and BSW Sixers Sandersdorf. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Marley for talking to germanhoops.com. Let´s talk a bit about your game. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player would best fit the description? What would you say?

It’s Mike James of course hahah. No but I think a fair comparison is probably Desmond Bane. Both big guards and great shooters playing with their own pace. Besides that I took a lot of Devin Bookers game and tried replicate it so that might work too.

You were always a player that filled the stat sheet well. However do you feel like you had that label too much of being a lethal scorer than anything else?

No not really I think I can help the team and every way possible. But of course it’s nice that clubs or coaches appreciate parts of your game.

Your playing your third season for DBV Charlottenburg (Regionalliga) a team that has changed their name a few times the last years. Has this organization become like a second home for you?

I think what makes it special is that the club is in Berlin where I’m from and my family also lives there so that’s why it is something special to play for that club. Besides that I think the club has great potential and with the right focus, mindset and right decision it can be something special in German Basketball.

You’re an incredible three point shooter. How have you seen the development of your shot? It seems like your percentages have been at their best in the last few years?

One of the big reasons is the work I put in everyday and especially during the summers besides that it’s also so my mindset and my experience I gathered all over the years. I know who I am as a player and that really helps me believing in myself and my skills. I’m thankful that my coaches and teammates do that too´.

How would you describe your defensive game? How has it grown over the years?

I would describe it as physical. I use my strength to make it hard for the opponent to score. I would say at the beginning of my “professional” career I was more known of a defensive player and more of a 3&D guy. Over the years I developed my offensive game so now people might forget that I can still guard on a high level.

On what areas are you still working on now at age 32?

Everything. Especially my Athleticism and my body. I think I’m in the best shape of my life right now. Thanks to my Personal Trainer Eugen Bantschikow I have the chance to workout on a really high and professional level with him. Basketball wise I still work on everything basketball is always evolving, how to work out and new things you can do to get better. That´s why I love basketball there is always things to learn and watching the game.

This is your 9th organization in your career and you have moved around a lot in Germany. Could this be your final destination?

Except for one destination I’m happy to had the chance to see so many organizations and all the experience I made with them. If the dreams is going to be my final destination, I don’t know yet. But for now I’m happy to be part of the club. Let’s see how the negotiations are going this summer.

The team moved up to the Pro B in 2023. What was so special about that season´s team?

It was a good combination of young and experienced guys. We had a great chemistry even though most of us such as myself joined the team a little bit later in the season. Everyone had the same goal in mind and luckily we achieved it.

You beat Stade in the finals and averaged 19.5ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 43.9%, FT: 74.4% that season. Scoring wise it was your best season as a pro. What was the secret to having such an increase in your scoring?

I think a big reason was just being back in Berlin. Where I was feeling comfortable because I had my family and friends around me. The coach gave me a lot of freedom which helped me to get my confidence back. All these combined helped to get back to my real self

Was the playoff series loss the next season against Rhondorf one of your toughest loses as a professional. What was missing from getting over the hump?

To be honest no it wasn’t. It was a tough one and it might would’ve been the toughest loss if we would’ve been able to go to pro a but because that wasn’t a case I would rank other ones above It. I think it was just small things we had practice 2-3 times a week and didn’t have everybody at practice most of the time so we couldn’t find the rhythm we might’ve needed to pull out that win. But I still thinks as a team under these type of circumstances we performed really well and gave everything we had that season.

Last season you played with the BSW Sixers Sandersdorf (ProB) averaging 9.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 65.1%. This time you lost a tough series to the Miners. What was key this time for not getting over the hump in that playoff series?

Yeah unfortunately I didn’t perform as well as I wanted to this season. But the BSW Sixers will always be a special time for me. I think at the beginning of the season nobody thought we would go that far. But Lukas Vargas who in my opinion is definitely one of the best coaches in the league who would immediately make an positive impact to any organization did a great job with his assistant Magnus and made us a really good team with basically 7 new players joining the BSW Sixers. At the end again it was just small mistakes that made us lose the series. We had the chance in Essen to finish the series but missed shots and lost. At the Sixers dome I think we ran out of energy. I played poorly and we needed everybody to play good. That´s why it was a tough but fair loss.

You played a season with the RheinStars Koeln (ProB) averaging 5.6ppg, 2.2rpg, FGP: 38.5%, 3PT: 25.3%, FT: 80.0%. You came late and never found your grove. How tough was this season for you? Were there too many guys that needed the ball in their hands?

No I don’t think so. Cologne was just a tough year for me mentally. I signed with Elchingen in the beginning of the season but they went bankrupt a couple of days before the first game. Because it happened so sudden every other team had their roster already so I just went back to Berlin and started to practice with Berlin Braves. So for 3 months I had no real game rhythm. Then cologne gave me a chance in December and the team was already fighting to not to move down. I think I put to much pressure on myself that’s why I played a really bad season. They gave me enough chances but I couldn’t really use them. But again I really enjoyed my team in cologne that’s been probably the most professional team I ever played for with a great infrastructure plus the big gym that you can use 24/7 was a dream for a gym rat like me.

You played the 2020-2021 season with the EPG Baskets Koblenz (ProB) averaging 9.2ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 39.5%, 3PT: 37.4%, FT: 65.9%. Did you see success in the air for this organization? Only 2 years later they landed in the Pro A. You had some huge games early, but then couldn´t find consistency. What positives could you still get out of this season?

What I saw in Koblenz is that they invested a lot of money and forced their way into the Pro A no matter what. The only positive thing I could get out of my time in Koblenz that I had great teammates a physio and an assistant coach. I’m still in contact with some of them and especially CJ Oldham who was my roommate helped me a lot that season and these are what I´m grateful for during my time in Koblenz.

You played 1 Pro A season with FC Schalke 04 averaging 5.0ppg, 1.0rpg. You showed some moments of real success with your game. But still why don´t you think were you able to play more seasons in the Pro A?

That’s a great question. I thought I proved myself that I definitely belong in the Pro a and had a good stretch while being a starter for Schalke. Unfortunately we didn’t had a good season as a team and because of corona the season got cut short. But if I would’ve had the chance to play Pro A after my season in Schalke and landed in a good situation I would’ve definitely had a good season.

You had 2 solid seasons with Pro B team EN Baskets Schwelm. How do you remember these years playing for head coach Falk Moeller? Do you feel like your game had all the freedom it needed?

Of course I remember these years. My goal was always to play as high as possible and Omar Rahim And Falk Moeller gave me the chance. I definitely enjoyed my 2 years there and I will always be thankful of the trust and faith Falk and Omar gave me. The fans and the community is one of the best ones in the league and I always enjoy coming back and playing there. I wish the club, Falk and Omar who now works for Leverkusen nothing but the best.

You also played 2 seasons with the WWU Baskets Muenster (Regionalliga) averaging 6.6ppg, 2.0rpg, FGP: 41.1%, 3PT: 35.9%, FT: 76.8% and 10.2ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 47.4%, 3PT: 45.0%, FT: 64.3%%. How valuable were these 2 years playing for Gotz Rohdewald and Philip Kappenstein?

Muenster was my first team outside of Berlin I played that means it was also my first time living away from home. So I never played for Götz just for Phillip Kappenstein and man these years were one of the best 2 years in my life. The whole team plus Kappenstein and assistant Schnicks I consider them as family. We still arev in contact. I’m still in Münster every year to visit some teammates. These 2 years definitely had an impact in my life on and off the court. These years I wouldn’t trade them for nothing.

You began your basketball career with Alba Berlin. Did you have a mentor in those early years?

I think I had many mentors during my career such as Courtney Belger, Anselm Hartmann, Andrej König, Jan König. Ron Mvouika. But when we just talk about Alba I would say Josip Peric was one in my NBBL years and Sebastian Fuelle and Steven Monse too. But Enrico Kufuor is probably the one If I could only choose one.

You were teammates with NBA player Moritz Wagner. He comes over as a very funny guy. What was your fondest moment with him on and off the court?

I had some great moments with Moritz. What just stood out for me from the beginning was his competitiveness and his willingness to get better. Of the court he is the same person you see on TV a fun outgoing guy. So I definitely enjoyed his company on and off the court.

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the career that reached the NBA or Euroleague?

I played Dennis Schröder & Daniel Theis in my first NBBL game and they were a deadly combination back than already. Maodo Lo is definitely the toughest player to guard for me. I played him when he still was playing for central hoops and even now in the summers we workout together sometimes and it’s always a big challenge.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Let me give my top 8 Anselm Hartmann, Courtney Belger, Ron Mvouika, CJ Oldham, Aleks Dimitrijevic, Jakob Fischer, Josip Peric and Dallis Johnson

Please list your NBA and German Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time?

NBA: LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson

German: Dirk Nowitzki, Dennis Schröder, Detlef Schrempf, Ademola Okulaja

Who is your GOAT?

Lebron James.

Thanks Marley for the chat.