Aaron Ekwere (190-G-2006) is a 19 year old 190cm guard from Finland playing this season with Pantterit Helsinki (1st Division) 25,6ppg, 8,3rpg, 5,6apg and 3,4spg and with Drive Academy Espoo U20 team (EYBL U20). He began his basketball career with Pyrinto Akatemia B Tampere (1st Division). He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

Thanks Aaron for talking to germanhoops.com. Let´s talk about your career. Your from Finland. When did you began to play and was there a moment that you will never forget that brought you that early love for the game?

I started basketball at four but I have always been around basketball and I have always loved id so it is impossible to just pick one moment that made me fall in love with it.

Who were your early basketball players inspirations?

Russel Westbrook has always been my favorite player and somebody who I have always been inspired by.

Did you have any early basketball mentors in your career with Pyrinto Tampere?

I have tons of good coaches and older teammates who have guided me in my journey but if I had to name a few then i would have to mention my former teammate Kion Williams and coach Kari Kilpinen and Santeri Liljeberg.

You were 16 years old when you made your debut with PyrintoAkatemia B Tampere (1st Division) averaging 8.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.9apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 63.6%, 3PT: 21.4%, FT: 50.0% How valuable was that season playing with men already?

I feel like that season was very important for preparing me for playing more physical and against grown men

You gained valuable experience from 2023-2025 playing with theDrive Academy London U20 team (United Kingdom-EYBL U20) averaging 19.3ppg, RPG-5 (11.7), 4.0apg, SPG-3 (3.4), 1.2bpg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 54.7%. and 17.2ppg, 7.8rpg, 3.2apg, SPG-3 (3.3), FGP: 58.6%, 3PT: 21.1%, FT: 54.5%, played also at Drive Basketball Academy Black (U19 League, starting five) How did your game grow that season?

I feel like I became a more well rounded in my game improving on my weaknesses

You won the U-19 Finnish title twice. Which title was sweetest?

Definitely the last one because the final was played in my home city and the game went to overtime

This season your playing with Pantterit Helsinki (1st Division) averaging 24/7/5/4 stats. Is it fair to say this has been your career break through?

Yeah definitely I feel like my game has developed to the next level and it has been nice to see my hard work paying off

Let´s talk a little about your game. You’re a 190cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player or Euroleague player who would best fit the description?

I have grown since so I currently stand at 198 so right now I would compare my game to prime Ben Simmons or Russel Westbrook

If one views your stats this season, it looks like a Russell Westbrook stat line. How big is versatility in your game?

I feel like it is a very big part of my game and a big reason I can adjust to playing with different teams and systems

You’re a great rebounder for your height. Have you always had that special knack to grab rebounds?

Yea it´s just something I have always been good at even if I´m not the biggest guy on the team

What kind of a defender would you describe yourself? What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of defender do you still want to become?

I would describe myself as a very versatile defender and I can guard many positions and I can do a lot of positive things for my team in the defensive end. I definitely still want to improve on the quickness of my feet so I can apply even more pressure on the ball

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?

Shooting is my biggest weakness and something I try to improve on so I can develop my game

You have been a junior national player for Finland. How is the state of Finnish basketball? What young prospects can you report about at the moment that we should look for?

Finnish basketball is definitely on the rise which you can see from the 4th place finish in eurobasket last year. Iwould definitely tell everybody to keep an eye on Joseph Tala and Luca Bah. They are very promising Finish young prospects

You had a solid showing at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket in Tampere (Finland) in 2024 averaging 9.1ppg, 5.7rpg, 2.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 21.1%, FT: 40.0%. You had good games against Greece and Spain. What memories will you always have of that first big youth tournament?

Definitely the memory I´m most fond of is our upset win against Lithuania on opening day

You poured it up a notch with your game at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket in Heraklion (Greece) in 2025 averaging PPG-5 (16.9), 5.7rpg, 2.1apg, SPG-2 (2.6), FGP: 53.4%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 66.0%. You had a great game against Germany scoring 25 points, but lost a heartbreaker 82-81. What memories do you have of that game?

I still think about that game weekly because I missed the tying shot in the last second so I tend to blame myself for that loss. Definitely something that has given me motivation though

Who is the toughest player that you ever battled in your life that reached the NBA or Euroleague?

In a game the toughest has to be either Hugo Gonzalez or Neoklis Avdalas but in practice Lauri Markkanen is the best player I have battled against.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Okku Federiko, Olavi Suutela, Elmeri Abbey, Abdullah Amzil, Eetu Heinonen

Please name your NBA, Euro and Finnish Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time for each category?

NBA: Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Kobe Bryant

Euro: Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Dirk Nowitzki and Gannis

Finland: Lauri Markkanen, Hanno Möttölä, Petteri Koponen and Sasu Salin

Who is your Goat?

Lebron James.

Thanks Aaron for the chat.