pic credit: N1cecontent

Mychael Paulo (193-G-1998, college: McMaster, agency: 011 Sports) is a 28 year old 193cm guard from Canada that also has the Portuguese citizenship. He helped the ETB Miners Essen (Germany-ProB) win the pro B title averaging 12,8ppg, 4,4rpg, 2,6apg and 1,3spg. He began his basketball career at Father Henry Carr Secondary School and then played 2 seasons with Williston State College (JUCO) averaging 15.4ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.9apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 48.8%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 75.9% and 11.4ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 40.6%, 3PT: 28.1%, FT: 69.4%. he then played a season at Montana State University (NCAA) averaging 6.2ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 32.9%, FT: 60.0%. He then played at McMaster University (U Sports) averaging 13.3ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.4apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 31.2%, FT: 75.0% and 13.1ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 55.5%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 65.0%. He then began his pro career with the Telekom Baskets Bonn 2 team (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 24.6ppg, 4.2rpg, APG-4 (5.1), 2.5spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 75.5%. In the 2024-2025, he played with BG Hagen (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 19.0ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.3apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 59.2%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 81.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after helping win the 2026 Pro B title.

Thanks Mychael for talking to germanhoops.com. Your 2026 Pro B champion. How good does it feel? Is this your personal biggest achievement as a player?

It was a surreal feeling, words couldn’t describe how I felt during the moment. During my 3 year professional career this was definitely my biggest achievement as a player

Essen lost game 1 by 36 points and won game 2 by 41 points. Many are saying this is the greatest comeback in German basketball. How special do you rate this massive comeback?

I don’t know much about previous Pro B final games, but me personally I think it’s the greatest comeback ever. This game will be talked about for years to come and motivate teams.

What was the team feeling after the horrible 107-71 loss at Orange Academy? How much soul searching did the team do the days following?

A lot of soul searching was had in between game 1 & 2. We know we didn’t play our best game and got embarrassed and knew that couldn’t happen again.

How key was head coach Lars Wendt? How did he help the team most in the days leading up to game 2?

He helped keep us level headed and reassured us we can still win the championship, it won’t be easy but we can do it.

How quickly did the team know that game 2 would see only half of Orange Academy as all the talented youth players wouldn´t play because they were attending the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin?

We didn’t know until minutes leading up to the game, but our mindset/game plan was still the same no matter who was out there on the court playing

Any other team could have underestimated Orange Academy. Why didn´t Essen?

We understood that they were a really good team regardless of who was playing for them or they wouldn’t have been in the finals.

What was the focus of Essen going in? I mean did you have a plan how you would come back through out a 40 minute game so you would have more than 36 points?

The focus going into game 2 was try to win each quarter by 10 points. We also wanted to muck the game up by blitzing ball screens, full court pressing and trapping whenever we saw fit. Giving us as much possessions as possible

The team began well and led 53-32 at the break. Essen was playing well offensively, but still had to do more on the defensive end. What wasn´t functioning as well so far on the defensive end through the first 20 minutes?

In the first half we had a couple errors on our transition defense and not getting back plus we gave them some easy points at the free throw line not being disciplined.

What did head coach Lars Wendt give the team for advice at half-time?

He said we’re right where we need to be heading into the second. We just need to stop fouling which is giving them easy points at the free throw line and we need to do a better job getting back on defense because that was the only way they were scoring on us that game.

In the third quarter Orange Academy actually played well for the first few minutes outscoring Essen, but then came a 14-0 run by Essen which changed the game. You made drives and Ben Uzoma a big dunk. What was key in the run for Essen?

Just keeping our composure and understanding that basketball is a game of runs and that was theirs.

Essen was up with 32 points with 10 minutes to play. Essen was in the drivers seat. Which player at this moment was a big motivator with words?

Both our team captains, Marc Friederici and Niclas Sperber. They told us not to let up and keep our foots on their necks.

Essen began with a 10-2 run to lead 86-46. Now all Essen had to do was manage the lead to the buzzer. Essen then held Orange Academy minutes without scoring. Did you want it more than Orange Academy?

I believe we wanted it more than Orange Academy, during the game we sensed that they were just not trying to lose by more than 36 and we took advantage of that.

Essen outscored Orange Academy 41-21 in the last half. Was this the best defense the team played in the season?

This was one of the better defensive games we played together as a team but we had a couple of defensive outputs like this throughout the season.

Essen held their 2 best scorers Joel Cwik and Namouri Omogto 8/28 shooting and 25 points. How much of a focus was the defense on slowing them down?

Our defensive game plan is always to try and neutralize the opposing team’s best scorer or playmaker. So during the game 2 of the finals it was no different because we know if we minimize their touch’s it’s going to very hard for any team to beat us.

Quarshawn Lane had an incredible 28/11/10 game. Did you sense going into the game that he could have a type of game of his life?

The MVP did MVP things. Q has been giving us big games like this all season long.

What was your fondest moment in the final in Essen against Orange Academy?

The sounding buzzer after the game and celebrating the victory with my teammates and our amazing fans who showed up to support us.

This was such a special season for the ETB Miners. Why was this team so special?

I believe this team was so special because we didn’t care who shined, we were all happy to see the other person eat and enjoyed playing and hanging out with one another

Thanks Mychael for the chat.