Xavier Newson (194-SG-1995, college: Goshen) is a 30 year old 194cm guard from Illinois that is an overseas baller that recently played Dehesas Reunidas Climanavas Penarroya (Spain-Tercera FEB) averaging 15/4/1 stats.He began his basketball career at Richwoods High School and then played 2 seasons at North Central Missouri College (JUCO). He then added a season at Missouri Western State University (NCAA2) and at Goshen College (NAIA). He began his pro career in 2017 and since has played in countries like Kosovo, Georgia, and Spain. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Xavier for talking to germanhoops.com You have been overseas 8 years and played
only in 3 countries with Kosovo, Georgia and Spain, but played for 10 different organizations.
Would you call yourself a basketball globetrotter?

Hahaha that’s a good question! But I would have to say no. I mean I’ve played in less
countries than a lot of my peers. 10 different teams sounds crazy though , hopefully
soon I’ll be adding some new passport stamps.

You’re playing your fourth season in Spain. Has Spain become like a second home to you?

YES! It absolutely has. Spain is where I actually call home now. I met my now wife my
first week in Spain in January of 2022 and basically I’ve been here ever since. Now I
have a spanish son and was just granted naturalization so now I have a Spanish
passport as well.

You have played the last 3 seasons in the fourth league in Spain. How would you describe
the talent level and competitive level?

I would say its pretty good. Ive played in higher leagues against guys that are now
playing what everybody would call high level Europe for example, while I was in
Kosovo or Georgia. But Spain has the best 4th division in Europe by far in my opinion.
This league is broken into groups so each group has its levels but in general good
basketball is being played for sure.

You have put up strong stats all seasons. How difficult is it in general to move up the ladder
in Spain?

This is a touchy subject for me but yes I have performed and have had some team
success as well. I’ve seen some guys get an opportunity and climb up. I just haven’t
been one of those guys. Fair or not? Not a question I can answer. It is a tough pill for me to swallow because I feel like I’ve earned it for sure but everybody has their journey so I
try to focus on that and keep pushing. I would say it’s difficult to move up but it
happens every year for a few guys.

Your playing your first season with Dehesas Reunidas Climanavas Penarroya (Spain-Tercera FEB). What kind of an experience has it been? What have you enjoyed most about this club?

It’s been an up and down season to say the least but I’m living a dream playing in my
Spanish hometown which I haven’t done since the 22-23 season. So having a chance
to play at home and be present daily with my wife and son who is now 11 months old
has been a blessing for sure. Having the family at the home games is great. I’ve enjoyed this part of it for sure. Something I’ll probably never have another chance to do. Also I
surpassed 1000 points scored in the league in 58 games and 3000 in Europe overall
so a few goals have been reached this season.

Last season you played with Lithium Iberia Sargado Caceres (Spain-Tercera FEB)
averaging 17.2ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 75.9%. You had many great games there. Whatwas your favorite game of the season?

For sure it would be towards the end of the season in a home game against Moraleja
where I made 7 3s which is my career high for 3s made in a game professionally.

In the 2023-2024 season you played with CB Aridane (Spain-EBA) averaging 16.9ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 63.3%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 73.4%. This was your second season in Spain. How did your game grow that season?

ALOT! In all aspects of the game. Sounds crazy but it’s the truth! This season in my eyes was my best season professionally so far. We beat Real Madrid B who had 2 now NBA players. And we were a first seed heading into the promotion phase. I owe all that growth to my coach at that time Eneko Mata who believed in me and also pushed me. We are still very close to this day. He knows how much I appreciate him.

You played your first season in Spain with Coto Cordoba (Spain-1 Div.). What memories do you have ofthat season in Spain? What challenges do you remember having on and off the court?

Well my first season was really good. Personally I averaged 23 ppg and I want to say we won 7 out of the 10 games I played or something like that. The team at that time was trying to stay in the league and we achieved that goal and my teammates that first season are guys I still talk to often now. It was a super cool first experience here in Spain. I enjoyed it.

You played the 2021-2022 season with BC Iverioni Gori (Georgia-A League), played also at BC Telavi (Georgia-A League) averaging 19.7ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 64.9%, 3PT: 12.9%, FT: 58.8%. It was your las tseason in Georgia. How do you summarize your time in Georgia? How would you compare the talent level and competitive level to other leagues that you saw overseas?

Well like I said earlier in Georgia I played against former G league guys , guys that now have played in ABA league , BBL, Spain 2 , Winners league. I can go on hahaha so yes the level there was really good and a lot of guys are making good careers after playing there. In my eyes it’s a really competitive league. All 4 imports are usually killers. Personally I did well. Top 3 in points my first two seasons there. I held my own against a lot of guys that on paper were more talented or came from higher levels , d1 etc. I left
Georgia with a lot of confidence in who I was as a player.

You played 1 season with Burji Telavi (Georgia-A League). What was your fondest memory playing with this club?

This was the season right after covid so it was tough but for everybody playing in Europe at that time. With quarantine and all the covid tests we had to take. But I played this season alongside one of my best friends James Edmond so that made it special and we got through the ups and downs of the season together. We missed the playoffs by 1 game that season after going on a late run at the end.

You also played with State University of Sport (Georgia-A League) in 2020
averaging PPG-3 (20.8), 6.2rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 56.7%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 63.2%. Your stay was short. How tough was the whole Covid situation for you? What memories do you have of that short season?

Yeah so this was my first season in Georgia. I think we only played 6 games because of covid. I was playing really well being the only import on my team ,playing against 3 or 4 imports every game. But I also remember it like yesterday when Rudy Gobert did what he did and the NBA was shut down . We were shut down about 3 or 4 days later hahah it was crazy. Also a time I’ll never forget because I was on facetime with my cousin at the time when the news about Kobe passing away broke the internet. And I remember going to the practice the next day. Everything was so weird and things just felt so off for everybody. Crazy times !!

You played your rookie season overseas with KB Rahoveci (Kosovo-SuperLeague) averaging
14.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 58.7%, 3FGP: 20.0%, FT: 65.7%, in Feb.’18 moved to KB Kalaja Prizren (Kosovo-Liga e pare). What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

Honestly I can’t say I had a rough adjustment to Europe because I didn’t. In the super league I played well being the import with the least minutes and decided to leave and help a team in the second league move up which we were able to do. And had a crazy celebration after. Moments I’ll never forget. I can say it was an adjustment for sure with the traveling calls like any rookie but Kosovo has some of the best food I’ve ever had in Europe. Very underrated food spot!

The next season you didn’t play overseas. Did you have issues about being overseas? What did you do that season?

I won’t go too deep into this but long story short after the promotion, I was told I would be brought back to play super league again. At the end of July I was told they weren’t bringing me back. I was caught off guard and didn’t talk to any agents or anything that summer so yeah. Lesson learned there!! That season I just worked a normal job at home and trained daily with my trainer at that time. Very tough year mentally but I became a better player that gap season
for sure.

You’re 30 years old. What goals do you still have as a pro player? How tough is the grind and pay?

Well now that I’ll enter this summer’s market as a Bosman A player for the first time honestly. I don’t know what to expect. But my goal is to try to climb as high as I can moving around Europe not counting as an import anymore. It’s definitely been a grind but I love it! I love being an underdog and proving myself right more than trying to prove people wrong. The money at his stage of my career could for sure be better, but I feel like I’ve shown I’m not just playing for the money. I’m playing because I really love the game and the grind! Hopefully I’ll start recuperating some of my hard work back now with some new experiences and better salaries. but what’s clear is that im going to keep working how I work and we will see where it takes me. Im a real basketball junkie haha so my plan is to play until the wheels fall off

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 194cm shooting guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

Yeah so my game for sure is primarily generated by my ability to score but I also feel like when given the opportunity I can really make plays for my teammates. My favorite player is Kevin Durant and obviously I won’t say I play like him but I have definitely copied a lot and watched a ton of his film. If iIhad to compare my game i would say like a Dion Waiters who’s not in the league anymore or if you watch a lot of Euro League you’ve seen Talen Horton Tucker recently, I would say I’ m a less athletic THT for sure. Pretty much the same size, build and long arms.

You fill the stat sheet really well. Your shooting really stands out. What other strengths really stand out with your offensive game?

I definitely wouldn’t call myself a shooter. More of a shot maker, but my biggest
strength is getting down hill to the rim. Also my post up game, taking advantage of
smaller guards. Sometimes I even post up guys taller than me because I’m stronger or
ill say pretty strong for a guard. I feel I can do everything offensively, and am a 3 level scorer.

Talk about your development as a scorer overseas. You scored the ball great in college. Where do you see the development of your game at the moment and where can you still bring it?

I would have to say I still have a lot of work to do. I feel like there are some areas I feel I’ve mastered but always trying to add little things. And obviously always trying to improve my 3 point percentage even though my percentage doesn’t always tell the true story of my shooting ability because I shoot a lot of tough 3s, late shot clock and step backs etc. In the most recent years I have definitely become a huge threat playing out of the low post.

How have you seen the development of your defense? What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?
Not only for me but for a lot of guys that are labeled ‘scorers’ our defense is immediately questioned. I wont say im the best defender but what I am is SUPER competitive. I don’t like being scored on. In Europe defense is a team thing and depends a lot on the team’s personnel but I believe I’m a guy that can guard 1-4 in a lot of leagues.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to grow as a player?

I’m always trying to improve my 3 point shooting. Can never get up too many reps. I’m a
guy that locks in during the summer so really everything gets sharpened but definitely shooting because I’m put in those type of situations.

You played 2 seasons at North Central Missouri College (JUCO) and in your last season averaged 14.0ppg, 5.3rpg, FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 47.1%, FT: 66.2%. Every baller that I have interviewed has said that JUCO was a real grind, but an experience they wouldn’t have traded for the world. How was it for you?

Man for me for sure it’s the same. My guys from JUCO I still keep in touch with. We went
through so much together in that small town of Trenton, Missouri. I can tell stories
about my time there for hours on hours!

How valuable was head coach Jeremy Esry in your development in JUCO? How did he help
your game the most?

Well actually coach E was the assistant coach during my two years. But he for sure
was a part of my development. From the hard talks we had after my freshman year
about my weight and coaches saying I needed to find a position on the court and
become a guard. I achieved those things as a sophomore coming back and we had a
good run.

You then played a season at Missouri Western State University (NCAA2) averaging 6.4ppg, 1.7rpg, FGP: 45.0%, 3PT: 47.6%, FT: 75.0%. You made a good adjustment to the NCAA 2. How did your game grow there under Brett Weiberg?

My toughest year of my career no doubt. Things didn’t go as planned. I wasn’t used to how I was recruited. I still had some big games when given the opportunity and helped us win a few games as well. MIAA was and still is the best division 2 conference so great experience and played against a lot of Pros.

You had many great games like scoring 25 points in a win over Ft Hays State. What was your fondest moment there?

Yes, that was my breakout game in front of our home crowd. I still go watch the youtube special on that game sometimes hahaha.

You then finished at Goshen College (NAIA) averaging 15.7ppg, 5.2rpg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 76.9%.You took a step back to play in the NAIA. Why did you make this move?

Like I said earlier, things at MoWest didn’t go how I expected. And at that time I knew I wanted to be a PRO after college so I wanted an opportunity to show my full game. Goshen gave me that opportunity again in the toughest NAIA conference there is, in Indiana the heart of basketball.

You had many great games at Goshen like hitting IU Kokomo for 25 points in a win. What was your fondest moment there?

That was a good game for sure. I had a few explosive games at Goshen. But for me easily was beating St Francis at home when they were ranked number 1 in the country. I might have only had 16 or 17 points that game but it was a huge win.

How did coach Neal Young give you that last push and helped you be prepared for a pro career?

Honestly I cant think him enough for the freedom he gave me after having a rough year mentally at the d2.He truly believed in me and also challenged me in film sessions. He never treated me differently even though I was the big recruit brought in. Also he helped me form the relationship I have with ErrickMcCollum (goshen college alum) who is a big brother/mentor who i can always ask for advice and someone to follow as he’s still going at a high level.

Who won a 1-1 in practice, you or Dominique Cartier?

Hahaha ahhh man a-lot of battles with my guy Domo!! We handed out a lot of Ls to people in open runs across Indiana that year after the season. I must mention that! But I have to say I won the most between us for sure! It’s probably 15 wins to his 5 or somewhere around there if we count the days won.

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

I came up in high school at a time where Illinois basketball was full of talent and the
AAU circuit was crazy, so i’ve played against a lot of NBA players and even now Euro
League guys. Ill say the toughest for sure would have been Jabari Parker or Josh
Jackson. I can also say Kendrick Nunn, Jahlil Okafor ,Alec Peters or Kevin Punter.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

This is tough! I don’t want to offend anybody haha so ill do 5 guys that played or are
playing professionally now.
PG: Herman Senor
SG: Me of course
SF: Evan Hinson
PF: James Edmond
C: Duane Clark

What is your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Kobe , LeBron , Kevin Durant and Shaq

Who is your GOAT?
I’ll say the GOAT is MJ for sure but my goat is KOBE. but KD is the most prolific scorer
ever!

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone?

No I didn’t see it, im more of a Netflix series guy. I can’t tell you the last time I went and
saw a movie.

Thanks Xavier for the chat.