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Leon Kalinic (205-F-2000, college: Park, agency: Starting 5) is a 26 year old 206cm forward from Croatia playing for the Itzehoe Eagles (Germany-ProB) and last season helped the ETB Miners Essen win the Pro B title averaging 7,2ppg an d4,1rpg. He began his career in the KK Cedevita Zagreb youth program. He played 4 years in the States and 3 years with Ouachita Baptist University (NCAA2) playing a total of 73 games and in his last 2 seasons averaged 6.5ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP: 48.7%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 70.0% and 6.8ppg, 2.8rpg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 39.4%, FT: 92.0%. He then played a season with Park University (NAIA): averaging 3.7ppg, 2.8rpg. In the 2024-2025 season he played with KK Velika Gorica (Prva Liga) averaging 10.8ppg, 6.2rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 82.9%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

Thanks Leon for talking to eurobasket.com. The 2025-2026 season was so specialfor the ETB Miners. Why was this team so special?

Like I said from day one everybody was one big family. Nobody was selfish. Everybody had the same goal and at the end we reached it.

The team lost only 5 games during the regular season. Was there a game during the season where you then knew, we will win the whole thing?

Oh yeah, definitely. I started to get a feeling after those first seven wins in a row, but how we bounced back in one again, made me sure.

How vital was head coach Lars Wendt for the success? What was his biggest ability as a coach to be able to help bring success to the team?

Coach Lars is a young Coach and I think that made them connect with us, I know he didn’t forget how it is to be a player.

How special was it being teammates with Mychael Paulo? What part of his game will you always remember best?

Mychael is an amazing player, every time you think the possession is over he somehow kept surprising me how he finds a way to score.

How valuable was sniper guard Marc Friederici? What besides his scoring helped the team be successful?

Marc was always there to say something when we felt down, but also when we were winning to keep us motivated.

How valuable was big man Ben Uzoma? How will you always remember the battles in practice?

You can’t find a big man like Ben anywhere. He’s special, a guy everybody wants on their team, but nobody wants to play against. I will always remember battles with Ben at practice and I think my body too.

Which player was the most improved during the season?

I think Reik Gabler had the best improvement this season. On a team like Essen which was stacked, he has a young player found a way to get better and get minutes which were crucial.

You hail from Croatia. Talk about your early basketball development. Did you have a mentor in your early years?

I wouldn’t say I started playing basketball late, but it wasn’t as early as some. I would have to say my cousin is the reason I started, but my first Coach Igor Kovacevic is the reason I fell in love with it. I was like a brick of clay, and he molded it into a basketball player.

What Croatian player do you remember being your biggest role model as a kid? Did you try to model your game after him?

Of course, I looked at MJ, Kobe and Lebron as a kid, but I never picked one as a favorite.

You played in the youth department of Cedevita Zagreb. How do you remember those early years? Did you ever practice with Dzanan Musa?

As a 16 year-old kid moving to the capital because of basketball, leaving family and friends, was stressful and scary. Thankfully, I had my parents who supported me from day one and they made it easier. As a young prospect, I would practice with the older kids and Džanan was sometimes there. He would mostly practice with the seniors but everybody knew he was going to make it.

You decided to go to the States and played 4 years there and 3 years with Ouachita Baptist University (NCAA2). When you look back at how your game developed, was it a good choice going to the States for 4 years?

I decided to go play in the states because I didn’t see my future in Croatian basketball and that’s a hard question, my answer changes a few times a year. Of course, I will always be grateful for meeting all my friends over there and experiencing college life.

You played 3 years for head coach Dennis Nutt. How vital was this time in your basketball development? How did he shape your game best?

Coach Nutt is a great guy, he was a great player too, as well as a great coach. He helped me think less during games and practices and focus on the important parts of it.

You played at Ouachita Baptist during Covid. How tough was this time? What did you learn about yourself during these years?

I was lucky enough to play in a conference which allowed teams to compete. It was an interesting time for me from all the Covid tests to all the times we had to quarantine because of one person in the gym. Still I would never change a thing.

You scored in double figures in 12 games including 11 points in a 70-69 win over Arkansas Tech. What was your fondest moment there?

I would have to say my favorite memory from OBU was the season opener of my sophomore year where we beat our arrivals Harding University with the help of my 16 points

You then played a season at Park University (NAIA) averaging 3.7ppg, 2.8rpg. You took 2 steps back to a lower level. What positives could you take from this season?

That was a tough year for me, I wasn’t performing good on the court, but I always knew I would never give up. One bad season doesn’t show who I am as a player and a person.

After a season in Croatia, you then came to the ETB Miners Essen. Was that the best decision in your basketball life?

Yes, definitely. After an injury in Croatia, I had to rethink if I would play again, but I would say definitely continuing to play basketball was one of my best decisions.

Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your career that reached the NBA or Euroleague?

There have been a few, I would have to say Krunoslav Simon, who was two-time Euro league champion, is the biggest opponent I faced, but somebody that reached the NBA after we played together would be Karlo Matkovic.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

This is a tough question, I will probably miss out on a few names but if I have to say it would be Kendarious Smith from OBU, the wolf pack from Essen Marc Friederici and Quashawn Lane, one of my first teammates Arian Kovacevic and last but not least Drew Kroft from ParkU.

Please name your NBA and Croatian Mount Rushmores of 4 best players of all-time?

NBA-LeBron, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, MJ

Croatia- Dražen Petrovic, Krešimir Cosic, Toni Kukoc, Mario Hezonja

Who is your GOAT?

Overall? My mom, but basketball has to be LeBron James.

Thanks Leon for the chat.