Lamont Jones is a 29 year old 183cm guard from Harlem, New York that is playing his 7th professional season and third in Germany and first with the Fraport after having played with MBC and the MHP Riesen. He also gathered professional experience in countries like Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, France and Montenegro. He began his basketball career at Rice high school and then played 2 seasons at the University of Arizona (NCAA) and 2 seasons with Iona (NCAA). He will conduct a special diary with germanhoops.com at the BBL Munich tournament

How have the first days been in Munich for you. Does the Munich Quarantine have that room service feeling that you didn’t have in Frankfurt?


I wasn’t in quarantine in Frankfurt. It has been a different feeling here. The food isn’t the same. I remember the hotel from other visits. The service is nice and I feel comfortable. It is really beautiful here and we have all we need. You can get massages when you need to and we even have a game room, but I haven’t seen it yet. I hope the breakfast get better. I need bacon with my eggs. But other than that I haven’t had any complaints. This has a bit of that NCAA tournament feel, but it’s actually more like an AAU feeling.

How were the last days of practice in Frankfurt. What was your impression and what did you like most about the team’s progress?

I felt that we competed well in the last days and learned a few new things. We also got the new players better integrated and familiar with our system. We are a hungry bunch. Important has been the acquisition of Yorman Bartolo Polas. He has given us that extra umpf. We will be a tough bunch. I’m really excited to play. 

You lost the first game against Alba Berlin by 34 points. How is this situation different to if you were facing them without the COVID-19 period? Do you feel like this will be a totally different kind of atmosphere?

If this was the regular season and there had been no COVID-19 then the atmosphere would be a lot different. That first game against Alba was tough. We had had injuries and played them out of the gate. I’m really excited to go against them now with our 2 new players. It is always good to play against my homey Peyton Siva. I’m looking more forward to playing against them now than if it was the regular season.

What kind of game can we await? How confident are you that Frankfurt will give a better defensive performance than in the first meeting?

I’m 100% confident we will have a better defensive effort than the first game. We still are one of the best defensive teams in the BBL. Add Bartolo, Tez and Richie Freudenberg blocking shots from the weak side, I feel that we will be a lot better equipped to play them and handle what they throw at us.

After seeing your teammates in practice in the last weeks, what player do you see being able to make an impact in the tournament?

I love Richie Freudenberg’s hunger. The hunger he has now is something I haven’t seen since I got here. I’m also very excited to play with Bartolo. His toughness reminds me of a guy I played with from back home. I’m really happy to be on the court with him now instead of being elbowed and being chased around for 40 minutes like in the past. I feel he will make a big impact in this tournament. 

Funniest teammate experience since being in Munich?

I’m not sure that we have had one yet, but it will still come.

First meaningful conversation you have had in the hotel with a non Skyliner?

That was with Peyton Siva. We have known each other since 7th grade. We grew up playing against each other. The years after we built this connection that we still have today. Our conversations today center mostly around family, but we spoke about how this tournament reminds us of AAU ball and the Las Vegas circuit. He said that in about 1-2 weeks, the atmosphere will be a lot different. Now everyone is running around laughing but soon people won’t be talking to each other anymore. I told Peyton that I see the atmosphere changing a lot sooner. By this Thursday the mood will be a lot different. Guys will be more serious as the games become more meaningful.

How would win a one on one in the Iona practice facility tomorrow and on the playground in New York you or Sean Armand?

Me. No question about it. Sean is my guy, but the big difference is that Sean is a shooter and I’m a scorer. One on one is my thing. Sean is back home relaxing now and hasn’t played in a while. A one on one would be a lot of fun with a lot of trash talking. I always take myself. 

Thanks Mo Mo for the chat.

Lamont Jones is a 29 year old professional basketball player from Harlem, New York that has experienced  a lot in his career, but already saw so much in young years that nobody would have wanted any at that age to experience the crime and drugs in New York´s worst area that Mo Mo did in the 90´s as everyone who knows him calls him. He lost his father as a kid and that was the first time he felt what it meant to have family. The meaning of family popped up again in his life as COVID-19 exploded upon the world in 2020. Jones who began his basketball career at Rice H S and then played at Oak Academy before playing 2 years at Arizona(NCAA) played his last game before COVID-19 landed in Germany on March 7 contributing 23 points,3 rebounds and 7 dimes in the convincing 90-82 victory In Giessen then did something very un American deciding to stay in Germany instead of following most of the American players and head home. His reasoning was that he had a lot of faith in the German health system and didn´t want to risk infection on the trip home which was great. He was also happy that his family and friends supported his decision. “I didn´t really get a lot of slack. Everybody understood and even my mom was happy I stayed in Germany. The last months in Germany gave me a chance to clear my head, reflect on myself and stay in shape. I always knew that the season would continue. I feel that if I would of returned home, it would of taken away my focus and I think I would have had a greater chance of catching the virus had I gone home”, stressed Lamont Jones. Staying in Germany also was positive, because he learned something else that he wouldn´t have had he gone back to the States. “The whole world was in shock and anxiety and I learned to become more patient. I got closer with myself and that was very good for myself”, warned Lamont Jones. Lamont Jones lives in a mall called Nordwest centrum where the Fraport Skyliners train and with most teammates back home and with COVID-19 in full effect and less people around, he could of become very lonely, but he wasn´t. He was lucky to have his brother around. Family has always been an important part in his life and it wasn´t any different during the Corona crisis. “Our relationship grew. For me having him around was an amazing time. I might have lost out on basketball, but had him around everyday to support me. We got a lot closer and talked about deeper things. Having him by my side put a lot in perspective for me. There are a lot of guys that don´t have family. But for us having each other was a real blessing warned Lamont Jones.

            Jones did a good job staying fit and working on his game as best as he could, but also took in the whole COVID-19 crisis just like everyone else shacked up in Germany. At first the American didn´t take the Coronavirus serious, but as basketball leagues started to shut down, he sensed that this was a serious matter and something that would change the way we live. He was happy to be in Germany in a difficult time, because the people took the matter serious as a community and did the right things to stay safe. Even if his focus now is on the tournament in Munich to find the 2020 BBL champion, he does have an eye on next season as the transfer period will be one that nobody has ever witnessed before. “I´m not worried about the future of basketball, but next season. I have to take care of my family. It will be tough with lower budgets, but we have to adapt to the situation and understand that things happen in life. You may not be making what you did the season before, but players don´t always understand is that money isn´t what makes the game, but the love for it”, warned Lamont Jones. If Jones had gone home to the States, he would have had more family and possibly less time to discover new things that one does indoors, but being in Germany with his brother, he did have that mini family atmosphere, but also learned to do other things that he wouldn´t have done had COVID-19 not embarked on the world. “I think that the confinement and the situation always being in the house and not being able to do the normal things showed me that I didn´t need to be outside. I had so much fun being inside and doing things like reading. Now I know is that when the world opens up again, I can still do great things inside. I learned that I could adapt to things that I usually wouldn´t have done”, stressed Lamont Jones.

            The American is a player that has seen a lot of basketball in his young life having played in Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Finland, Montenegro and Germany where he has suited up for the MHP Riesen, MBC and now Fraport Skyliners. He is one of those special players that takes a lot of pride in his game and has that immaculate work ethic that only few have. There were players that questioned the BBL finishing the season because of health risks, but for the American there was only one light he wanted to see and that was the green light. “For me it´s a business. I love that we can play again. We will be a part of history. I love the big stage and that all eyes will be on us. We as players have to take advantage of the situation. I also think playing these games ia a lot better than being stuck in the house for another 29 days”, warned Lamont Jones. The New York native also doesn´t buy the notion that the BBL and teams only had money in their thoughts and totally neglected the health issue. “Does anyone really care what is right or wrong in business? Important is how they get business done. Their approach is simple. How to make money and keep everything going, but at the same time to put the players in the safest possible environment. If everything pans out, then it was a brilliant move. If that happens then nobody will question it”, warned Lamont Jones. He does agree that not only the BBL needs a players union, but all other leagues in Europe. Some players criticized the BBL during COVID-19 for not having a voice in the decision making of the season being prolonged. “We are the product and need a voice. I think that if the players don´t have a say then the league won´t work as well. People who don´t play basketball won´t understand the player as well, but if a player can speak then they will be understood a lot better”, commented Lamont Jones.

            Let´s rewind back a few months before COVID-19 struck and one saw an unsatisfactory season for the Fraport Skyliners as they had a 6-15 record and were 5 victories away from the eighth and final playoff spot. Jones is a player that won´t make excuses and despite the club having had the injury bug, the team still had their chances to have been a better team despite the circumstances. “I feel that we had some tough breaks with injuries as the basketball God wasn´t on our side. We fought well and had a chance to win a lot of games, but let some slip away. We were right there in many games, but can´t blame injuries on our loses. We had to have done a better job figuring things out on the fly. It was a constant emotional battle. Now we can show everybody the type of team we could have been during the regular season. It is very exciting”, expressed Lamont Jones. 4-5 years ago the Fraport Skyliners under head coach Gordon Herbert were at their best on the defensive end allowing in the high 60´s in points on average, but this season have allowed 80 points per game, but still belong to the top 5 defensive team sin the BBL. “I think that we are one of the better defensive teams in the BBL. I think that in the last years you have found more teams like the Munich´s and Berlin´s who have stayed together for years and have guys that can score. Defense in the BBL is good, but players also have gotten better. I´m always trying to figure out ways how the defense can´t stop me”, stressed Lamont Jones. Last season the Fraport Skyliners couldn´t adjust to the physicality of the BBL and this season couldn´t rely on a full roster on a consistent basis. “I remember 2 years ago when I played Frankfurt, they had Mike Morrison in the middle who was a beast. Then add a Tez, Scrubb and Huff, and you have a lot of length and a good defensive squad. Teams change and so do coaches. This season we have a young rookie BBL coach with Sebastian Gleim who has managed us and has had to learn on the fly. I think our biggest problem this season on the defensive end has been not being able to get in rhythm with so many injuries”, warned Lamont Jones.

            The biggest strength of Lamont Jones is his scoring abilitiy, but another strength is that he has a good knack for being able to adjust to a new coach. That is something that comes with the territory when you are a basketball globetrotter. Gleim gave the reigns to Lamont Jones to lead the team and the American has seen the young coach develop well this season. “Sebastian has become more patient. At the beginning, he had a lot of emotion and excitement. It was tough for him at the start as a first time BBL coach. But as the season went on, he became more patient and trusted us more and we trusted him more. It isn´t easy for an older player to have a younger coach. As an older player you want to say I know it and have more experience, but at the same time you need to know that he is your coach and just as smart as you are as a player”, said Lamont Jones. He has played with very many good basketball players in his career and one of those guys when all is said and done where Jones will say “Tez” belongs in my best teammates of all-time list. The way a Gordon Herbert can rave about a Jordan Theodore or Johannes Richter, Jones will rave about a Quantez Robertson. “I love Tez. He is the man. He is up there neck in neck with Marcus Hatten as my best teammate of all-time. As an older guy, Tez isn´t greedy at all. He doesn´t say this is his show or say we do it my way. He is like a brother I never had. He allows you to learn and is an all around great guy. When my brother came, he showed him around town. He is like family and the main reason why I joined the Fraport Skyliners”, expressed Lamont Jones. He has profited very much from Robertson at both ends of the court. “He is vocal and has taught me to talk more on defense. On offense he has taught me to slow down the game and use different paces”, stressed Lamont Jones.

            This season with the Fraport Skyliners Jones is averaging 17,4ppg, 2,3rpg, 4,8apg and 1,1spg. Even though he is a shooting guard, he has played point guard before and was trust into the playmaker role this season when starting point guard Anthony Hickey went down right before the season opened. He had his best assist average in Europe and misses the position now with the arrival of Joe Rahon. “I love to play point guard. I never got a chance before because I can score. I have no problem passing and reading the defense. It has been fun leading the team. I have really enjoyed it and would love to do it more”, warned Lamont Jones. Of course with the club losing  a lot more than it was used to, he did get criticized at times, but people forgot that it wasn´t his normal position and the scorer in him usually got the best of him. “Knowing when to finish and when to pass was difficult in certain moments, because naturally I´m a scorer. This a lot of the time kicked in in crunch-time as the scoring instinct took over. I think this will gel more when I play the point more”, stressed Lamont Jones. The American has demonstrated everywhere he has balled that he is a lethal scorer, but that first professional title still has eluded him. Even if the Fraport Skyliners are an underdog to win the 2020 BBL title, his hunger to finally win that first chip is huge as he knows anything is possible in this unusual tournament in Munich. “I´m very hungry and motivated to win the title in Munich. I´m very excited to play in Munich and many don´t understand that the title is right there to get. I think that whoever fights and wants it the most will get it”, said Lamont Jones. With a lot of time on his hands in Munich, he will have time to look back on his only title that he won with Iona in 2013 with the MAC tournament. He beat Manhatten 60-57 in the final scoring 14 points which got them a NCAA tournament date with Ohio State which they would lose. If he does look back on that 2013 MAC title win, he won´t throw in the tape, but relive the game only in his mind. “I have never watched the final again. I haven´t watched many of my college games. I will save that game for when all is said and done with my career and really enjoy it. I have all my tapes. There will be a point in time where I will watch all of them”, warned Lamont Jones. He remembers the last seconds against Manhatten in the final well, but also has very fond memories of beating Niagara in the semi-finals as he got an introduction to real trash talking and had to put up with a very prominent fan heckler of ex New York Knick great Anthony Mason who was supporting son Antoine. “They had the ball and had the last shot and I secured the rebound. It was an amazing feeling. We had a huge New York rivalry with Manhatten. In the semi-finals against Niagara, I talked trash with Anthony Mason. It is an epic memory and winning after hearing from Mason that I couldn´t get it done”, stressed Lamont Jones.

            Now with the Munich tournament looming closer and closer, Lamont Jones won´t have to deal with an Anthony Mason or any other fan hecklers, because all the teams will experience something totally knew with very quiet arena´s. “It´s tough to play without fans, but we are professional´s and have a job to do. We play scrimmage games all the time without fans. We will have to motivate ourselves and play as best as we can without fans”, commented Lamont Jones. There are only two groups with 5 teams a piece. No group is a cake walk as the Fraport Skyliners will battle Alba Berlin, Bamberg, Ludwigsburg, and Vechta. Despite the tough group, Lamont Jones is extremely confident that his team will be able to get the job done. “You will see a very hungry team. We know that many are counting us out, but we are ready to play. You will see good basketball. I have a great feeling”, warned Lamont Jones. All the teams will be playing a lot of basketball in a short amount of time, but Jones isn´t worried about the risk of injury at all. “You have to take care of yourself. The NBA is always playing a lot of games. This is our job. We will have everything that we need to our disposal in the hotel. The teams will make sure that we get the needed treatment. If it isn´t taken seriously, then there will be a higher risk of injury. But There is always a risk of injury in every game. You can´t think about it. You just have to go out and play and not be scared to play”, said Lamont Jones. Frankfurt has picked up 2 players to help fortify their roster with young talented Lithuanian big man Gytis Masiulis and top BBL defender Yorman Polas Bartolo. The latter could be the key to stepping up their defense a notch. “Bartolo is a strong defensive minded player that is an animal on the court. I´m very excited to be his teammate. He is like a Tez for me”, stated Lamont Jones. The American says that key to being successful in Munich is rebounding, defending and closing out games. He also knows that he will spend a lot of time in the hotel where all other 9 times will be crammed into. Even if his main focus is winning the title, he was quick to mention 2 players who he would like to get to know better. “I wouldn´t mind getting to know Ricky Paulding better and also Petteri Koponen of Munich. I had interactions with him in Finland on the court and he seems like a cool dude. He is one of the best shooters that I have ever seen. He can really shoot the ball”, added Lamont Jones. 3 weeks will be a long time to be holed up in the same hotel and it won´t be tough for him seeing his peers on a regular basis, but knowing that his mind will only be on one thing. “It will be cool being in the same hotel with everyone, but I´m not here to make any friends. I will mostly stay to myself. I´ll have a couple of laughs, but I´m mainly here for business”, warned Lamont Jones. Fraport Skyliners fans wouldn´t want it any other way, as Lamont Jones has 3 weeks to prove if he had had the right business approach.

Ishmail Wainright is a 24 year old 196cm forward from Kansas City, Missouri that is playing his second professional season and first with Rasta Vechta (Germany-BBL) currently averaging 10,3ppg, 5,5rpg, 2,4apg and 1,9spg. Last season he completed his first season in Germany with the Nuernberg Falcons BC (Germany-ProA) averaging 12,1ppg, 7,3rpg and 2,8apg. He began his basketball career at Montrose Christian School and then played 131 NCAA games at Baylor (NCAA) from 2013-2017 and as a senior played 35 games averaging 5.5ppg, 5.1rpg, 3.2apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 53.0%, 3PT: 29.2%, FT: 68.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com during COVID-19 before the easyCredit BBL had announced it would complete the season in Munich.

Hi Ishmail where are you at the moment and how is your current mood despite the world turmoil at the moment because of the out break of the Corona Virus? 

I am currently in Germany during this whole Corona turmoil. The BBL has agreed to the tournament and I flew back out to go to war with RASTA. 

When you first heard about the Corona Virus did you ever think that it could have such an effect on the world? –


No I didn’t think it would shut the world down like it did. I thought and heard it was similar to the flu. So I really didn’t think much of it. 

How did you experience the day to day life in Germany during the Corona Virus outbreak when you were still in Germany? Did you see that corona effect on the culture there or was it not so much different happening in your day to day dealings? –


I still continued my every routine to be honest. Woke up and went to weights and still got up shots even though we didn’t have practice. That was an everyday thing. It only affected me walking around the city like I normally do to get some fresh air. It was more walking on trails then in the city. 

Did you become more aware about how you handle yourself in public in terms of shaking hands and not being in the line of fire with somebody coughing – 


Yes. Absolutely!! Every time someone coughed I was scared. I was scared to cough myself. Haha 

Basketball leagues have shut down all over Europe. How disappointed were you about this at first thinking the season may be cancelled? – 

I WAS HEATED! we was going on the second half of the season and we as a team was finally feeling and looking how we wanted to look.

Before leagues were shut down there was a BCL game in Bonn against AEK Athens and a Fiba Europe Cup game in Bayreuth without spectators. What is your overall opinion of playing a game without fans? –

I think it’ll be weird to play with out fans over here to be honest. I mean, I’ve played without fans growing up and also like in Summer league games without fans but this is a way bigger stage than those times you know. So playing without fans will be weird but it doesn’t matter at the end of the day because we (RASTA) will have our own energy. 

What have you learned about these tough times that has made you stronger as a person? –


It’s giving me time to actually sit back and think about life. Where it was taking me and where it could take me in the future. 

The whole world economy is going to be affected including German basketball. How worried are you about the future of professional basketball. The next season will have many changes. How are you handling this mentally now not knowing what to expect? 


– It can get to you at times because I know it has got to me. Not knowing when the season is going to start back up. Or where am I going to play at this year. This is only my second year professional, I’m just getting started. 

If you had to name another player besides guys from your team that you have been in most contact via Social Media who would it be? – 

Really all my Baylor guys to be honest. We are everywhere. Stateside. Poland. Germany. France. Puerto Rico. Belgium. Australia. And a few other countries. It’s a brothahood. 

On April 27th the BBL after having a video conference with all 17 teams have decided to finish the season with only 10 teams as 7 teams declined to finish. What is your first reaction to this? –

I’m down ! I just want to hoop and have fun doing it ! 

There are a lot of positives and negatives to this. How do you personally feel about playing in a time where most of Germany’s sports is shut down coupled with that fear and risk of infection playing against other players and being around other people? –

This is what we do for a living, I’m sure they are going to take every step to make sure we are safe. 

The BBL has decided to have 2 groups of 5 teams play each other which then will be followed by the quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals best of 3 all played in one location. What are you looking most forward to this format and what do you feel will be most difficult for the players playing in one location? – 

I would love it. It’ll feel like middle school and high school AAU times but on a lot more serious stage you know. Some guys wouldn’t want to be stuck in one location for a long period of time. I personally don’t think it’ll be difficult because it about business. One goal and one goal only and that’s to win.

Possibly not all teams will have their imports on board plus some teams may have to put in their youth players. What would you tell critics who say that no matter what happens and who wins the title, the season won’t have the same value as if the season had been finished under normal circumstances? – 

We are going to compete like it was the regular season is on the line. We are going play every game like it’s our last. 

How vital will be the 2 week quarantine time and short training camp before the new Corona season starts? Obviously no player for any team has ever experienced this before, but what do you feel will be most vital for each team to come through this time best to best prepared for the rest of the season? –

Making sure our bodies will be ready to move when it’s time. Some guys will have to change routines. Some guys have probably had the same routine for years and now have to change them due to the 2 week quarantine. Each team will have to work twice as hard to be on the same page as one another. 

How big will the mental factor be for the clubs that aren’t Munich or Berlin knowing that it’s a new season and no team has a real advantage? –

The mental factor is huge because now I’m sure teams have changed a lot during this time. Teams have had two and a half months to break down even more film. But all I can say is that we will compete from start to finish. 

Rasta Vechta began slow losing it’s first 3 games and then from mid October to the end of January had it’s best time winning 10 of 13 games and then finished at 2-3 before the season was stopped. What was key for the club being successful in that time? – 


Trusting in what we did best and believe in the process. 

Rasta Vechta lost 2 key players from last season with TJ Bray and Austin Hollins. How much has head coach Pedro Calles impressed you with his coaching making another competitive and successful team. What have you seen as being his biggest strength? –

Getting us all to buy in in his teaching. Pedro is a phenomenal coach !! 

What has it been like playing with 32 year old veteran Josh Young? He played in the Pro A and with Nurnberg and is shooting the ball at a clip he never did previously as a professional? Is he a candidate for being that so called perfect teammate? –

It’s been great. He’s helped my game and taught me things in the court. He’s given me and not just me but everyone on our team the confidence that we need to keep going and also in our play. And Yes ! He’s for sure the Perfect Teammate!! He know basketball. He loves the game. 

How vital was Steve Vasturia been for the success who will make the next step and play for BC Zalgiris next season? How big has his IQ and versatility been for the team? –

Steve is a tremendous player ! He’s game speaks for himself ! He took the challenge Pedro gave to him and killed it and I’m proud of him. We all are proud of him !! 

Let’s talk about your game. You have needed no adjustment period in the BBL coming from the Pro A averaging 10.3ppg, 5.5rpg, 2.4apg, Steals-2 (1.9spg), FGP: 64.5%, 3PT: 26.8%, FT: 79.1%. What has been the key for success? How much did self confidence from your great Pro A season plays a role? – 

I came in with a chip on my shoulder and will continue to have that throughout my whole career. 

In our last interview you stated that ‘I feel like I was the best defensive player in Pro A. That’s my mindset. Not many guys have that mindset. Defense to some guys are the relax time. I still need to figure things out but at the end of the day, I felt like I did what I had to do on that end of the court’. Despite being the second best steal getter in the BBL what has been the toughest adjustment defensively in the BBL and how has your game at both ends of the court developed further this season? –

I was trying to be the 1st steal getter in the BBL this year. But the toughest adjustment was really , the players. They are smart. Older. And also our style of defense. I love what Pedro does on the defense standpoint of the game. Play to the limit and I will carry that with me where ever I go throughout my career. My game has developed a lot and still will continue. Shooting the ball. Scoring off the dribble. Finding my spot on the floor. Things I still have to work on to being one of those top guys in Europe. 

Where were you when you heard about the death of Kobe Bryant. What kind of influence did he have on you during adolescence? –


I was playing 2k in my home in Vechta and I just broke down crying. Growing up I use to have the Kobe Crazy 1s. With the armband. Wearing number 8 and the mini Afro. My father was a Kobe fan. It was tough because I too have a daughter and that broke my heart.

How bitter is it that the NCAA March Madness has been canceled? This tournament for some kids is the greatest time of their lives. What advice would you give that senior who worked hard for 4 years and would have had his one and only chance now? –

The Baylor Bears would’ve won the whole thing for sure !! But I know the feeling of being in the tournament and getting that taken away from you sucks man. It really does. Dreams come true during those times. Guys get drafted of what they do in the tournament most times you know. To the seniors out there, I know you all gave it y’all’s all to get to the tournament. I know it’s tough but don’t stop. Go into those NBA workouts, Mini camps, or whatever y’all got going on , go to them teddy to show them and give them everything you got. You’ve been doing this your whole life, it’s time to feed your families now. 

What was the last movie that you saw? –

All Day And Night

Thanks Ismail for the chat

Nick Hornsby is a 24 year old 201cm forward that was born in Irvine, California and completed his third professional season in Germany and second with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen (Pro A) averaging 14.2ppg, 4.9rpg, 4.2apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 44.5%, 3PT: 28.4%, FT: 86.1%. He picked up Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro A Forward of the Year -20
and Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro A 2nd Team -20 Last season he helped Leverkusen win the Pro A title averaging12,1ppg,7,5rpg and 3,4apg As a rookie he played with Giessen 46ers II (Germany-ProB) playing 23games averaging 13.9ppg, 7.6rpg, 2.9apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 38.6%, FT: 70.3% He also played 2BBL games for Giessen. He won two high school titles with Tustin and then played at Sacramento State from 2013-2017 playing a total of 123 NCAA games and was able to improve his scoring and rebounding each season. As a senior he played 31 games averaging 11.3ppg, 8.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 53.4%, 3PT: 38.0%, FT: 71.2%.He spoke to germanhoops.com during the Coronavirus.

Hi Nick where are you at the moment and how is your current mood despite the world turmoil at the moment because of the out break of the Corona Virus? 

Currently I’m at my parents house. My mood is fine I am happy to be home spending time with my family. It has been some much needed time. 

When you first heard about the Corona Virus did you ever think that it could have such an effect on the world? 

When I first heard about the virus I didn’t think it would have this much effect on the world. It has been a crazy couple have months just seeing how rapidly the virus has spread.

How have you experienced the day to day life in Leverkusen during the Corona Virus outbreak? Did you see that corona effect on the culture there or was it not so much different happening in your day to day dealings? 

When I was in Leverkusen during the pandemic I wouldn’t leave my house too much. During our last home game we decided it’d be best not to go around and high five fans as well. I didn’t notice to much there was definitely less people outside.

Did you become more aware about how you handle yourself in public in terms of shaking hands and not being in the line of fire with somebody coughing. 

I would definitely say I became more aware . It’s crazy how sometimes just hearing people cough or sneeze can put you on edge. 

Basketball leagues have shut down all over Europe including the Pro A. How disappointed were you about this and not being able to finish the season? 

I was definitely disappointed about not being able to finish the season . It is different because this situation is so abnormal. 

Before leagues were shut down there was a BCL game in Bonn against AEK Athens and a Fiba Europe Cup game in Bayreuth without spectators. What is your overall opinion of playing a game without fans? 

I think games without fans is a good solution to keeping sports active . The only difficult part about that is when one player gets the virus everything will get shut down. 

You have returned back to the States to California. How relived are you to be home with your loved ones? 

I am very relieved to be back home in the states. You can never tell how severe things will get so I was worried I wouldn’t make it back with all the travel bans. 

How have you experienced it in the States? There is a lockdown now in the state of California. How has the mood and day to day life been compared to what you saw in Germany? 

In the states there are still a good amount of people walking around and enjoying the nice weather. Germany was more relaxed back with the situation just because I was out there only in the beginning. 

What have you learned about these tough times that has made you stronger as a person? 

I’ve learned much just how to be a little more of an outdoor kind of guy when it comes to workouts since everything is closed. 

Will it be a big adjustment having to start 3 months earlier with workouts and basketball skill development? What will be the advantages and disadvantages of this? 

No it just gives me and everyone in general to work on our crafts. The disadvantage would be just being out of rhythm of a real game like situation for some people. Advantage like I said would just be more time in the gym to work on your game. 

Congrats on a fine season in the Pro A. Many said that the Bayer Giants Leverkusen were a big surprise team finishing in 8th place with a record of 14-13. Would of you been bold enough before the season to predict a playoffs appearance? 

I don’t think anyone would be bold enough to say that definitely not myself. I’m very proud and happy for everything we did this year as a team. 

The Bayer Giants Leverkusen played a very solid Pro A season after coming from the Pro B. Was having a good core from last season and having the added trust from head coach Hansi Gnad a big reason for the success? 

Yeah I would say that it was a great starting point for the team. We basically all went in knowing what we were capable of and the bond we had from the previous season. When it came to the new guys they settled in well. 

The team finished the season losing 5 of the last 7 games, but were in playoffs range. How long will the question ‘How would we have ended the season’ be in your mind? 

I’d say it’ll be in my head for a while. Things could have been a lot different. 

Talk about the value of American Colton Lasher and Sheldon Eberhard. They came to the team in the season and were able to contribute in a good way. 

Colter and Sheldon were two great additions to the team. They both brought different attributes within themselves which helped the team in a positive light. 

Nino Celebic had to pay his dues in the Pro B but had a solid first Pro A season averaging 10,0ppg, 2,0rpg and 4,0apg. How did you see him develop his game further this season? 

Nino just stepped up to the plate. If you watched his games he would always hit the big shot. It was nice to see he had a lot of confidence this year. 

If you had to chose one player who improved the most during the season who would you pick? 

I would say that Val improved the most. I could just tell the work he put in this summer showed on the court he was more confident out there. 

Let’s talk about your game. You played 27 games averaging 14.2ppg, 4.9rpg, 4.2apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 44.5%, 3PT: 28.4%, FT: 86.1%. How content were you with your season? 

I was pretty content I could have shot better from three. Other than that I feel I played solid. 

You needed no adjustment period in the Pro A. What do you believe made the adjustment so easy and how do you believe did your game develop further? 

I just feel like I worked hard in the previous summer so it showed on the court. I also felt like I started playing better throughout the season. 

Last season in the Pro B you stated this about your three point shooting ‘I’d have to pick and choose when to shoot them more. We had great shooters on our team so I knew if I needed to make that extra pass I’d do it’. This season you shot only 28%. What do you credit your lower in percentage shooting from outside? 

I believe in the beginning of the season it took me a little while to find some rhythm shooting threes. I’m confident I can shoot better without a doubt. 

In our last interview you stated this about the easyCredit BBL. ”I think my hunger grows every day to be at that level. I know it takes time and I have things to improve on but it would be great to get there some day’. Are you the guy that will continue to go step by step? Are you already ready for the BBL? 

I believe that getting to the highest league is important to me regardless if it’s in Germany. I personally feel like I’m ready for that level but only time will tell. 

You had many fine games, but do you feel like your 22/15 game in the win over the Uni Baskets was your best performance? 

Yeah I felt good about that game for sure but I really enjoyed the games where I had double digit assist more. 

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the Pro A this season? 

The toughest player I battled personally at the 3/4 position was probably Rasheed Moore from the Panthers. 

Luka Doncic had an amazing sophomore campaign. Is he a top 3 NBA player now? 

I wouldn’t consider him top 3 just yet. 

Where were you when you heard about the death of Kobe Bryant. You were 12 years old when he began in the NBA. What kind of influence did he have on you during adolescence? 

I was actually just at home talking to my fiance. I would say that he didn’t have the biggest influence on me. To be truthful I didn’t like him when I was younger but as I got older and understood the game more I whole heartedly appreciated everything he had done for the game .

How bitter is it that the NCAA March Madness has been canceled? This tournament for some kids is the greatest time of their lives. What advice would you give that senior who worked hard for 4 years and would have had his one and only chance now? 

It really sucks it got canceled but it was clearly for the best. I would say that to remember the 4 great years of college basketball played together and to cherish the relationship they have made on and off the court with their teammates. 

What was the last movie that you saw? 

I honestly can’t remember the last movie I watched but the last show I watched was Tiger King. It was a great show.

Thanks Nick for the chat.

It only seemed like yesterday when Josh Young was making his mark in the German BBL in only his second professional season playing for the Walter Tigers Tuebingen and having future Euroleague players Reggie Redding and Louis Campbell as teammates. But time really flies and the Oklahoma native is currently in his 10^th professional season and 4^th with Rasta Vechta that has become his second home after Tuebingen having had that distinction of having played 3 years there early in his professional career. The 32 year old 185cm combo guard has seen a lot in his career where he will be able to have enough material for many good night stories to his grand children one day. He played at Drake(NCAA), but didn´t play in the most competitive conference with the MVC and despite averaging a solid 15,0ppg in his last three years found himself paying his dues as a rookie in the third division Germany Pro B with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen. He dominated the Pro B that season averaging 26.7ppg, 6.4rpg, 3.0apg, 2.3spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 45.3%, FT: 79.0% and picked up Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B 1st Team -11 and Eurobasket.com German 2.Bundesliga Pro B All-Imports Team -11 awards. After his rookie season, he played 3 seasons in the BBL in Tuebingen. He has seen many crazy things in his basketball career like the over night disappearance of Tuebingen teammate Kenny Wiliams. “I Heard that he went back to Miami but I never heard from him ever again”, stressed Josh Young. After 3 solid BBL years, he then found himself paying dues again in the Pro A where he had two very good seasons with Nurnberg, but his poorest season with Rasta Vechta playing only 6 games and averaging 4,7ppg. After a strong season in Nurnberg, he returned back to Vechta in 2017-2018 and helped the team move up to the BBL again. In the 2018-2019, he witnessed the amazing and shocking Cinderella season that saw the club reach the playoffs and find their way into the hearts of many fans in Germany. He had his best BBL season averaging 12.2ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 53.1%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 81.7%. But this season the club continued to be consistent and Young once again was able to top his previous best BBL season averaging 13.7ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.3apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 48.4%, FT: 69.2%.. Just when he thought that basketball couldn´t get any more crazy, COVID-19 hit the world and halted the team and his great season. “Covid 19 is by far the craziest thing I’ve been a part of in all my years of playing. I could have never imagined it would develop into such a huge crisis the way it has”, stressed Josh Young. Now after a few months of no basketball, he will be back in June to attempt to win his team a title in Munich.

                Even if Rasta Vechta played their last game on March 8, Josh Young has been out of action even longer having played his last game on February 12 when he suffered a tough 88-87 loss at Weissenfels against MBC, but still supported 17 points. He suffered an injury to his index finger which kept him out until the COVID-19 hit the world. Even if the COVID-19 crisis has hurt the world, for his personal injury, it helped him be able to get fit again. He never went home to Oklahoma, but remained in Vechta to get healthy again and despite the tough times continued to stay positive. When you live in the severe countryside in Oklahoma where in some places you may not see any civilization for miles and miles, the American quickly noticed that life in Vechta which is already small for German standards brought some of that Oklahoma feeling when the Coronavirus came. “Everything changed drastically here. At first, the city looked like a ghost town. Only a few essential businesses stayed open, people weren’t outside at all, and the people you did see were all covered in masks and gloves. There really was minimal human contact being made. I always stayed conscience of the health departments rules and suggestions to the public. Hand shakes, hugs, etc were completely out of the picture “, stressed Josh Young. In the last months, he had many discussions with players, friends and family and had most contact to former Tuebingen Tiger Reggie Redding and didn´t take the initial news in March as tough as some other players in German leagues about the cancelation of the season, but had the bigger picture in mind. “ I wasn’t disappointed about the possibility of ending the season. To me, the safety and health of players and coaches has to be the main priority. Had the season been canceled, I would have known that it was for the right reasons”, added Josh Young. His biggest focus now is playing a good tournament with Rasta Vechta and his club being successful, but also knows when this season is over, he will experience a totally new type of off season with the players market. Here once again he isn´t so concerned about if he will suffer a big pay cut, but once again has the world picture in his mind and understands money is only a small part of it all for him “I’m not worried about it. I understand that things might be different for the basketball world but there are people out there who are dealing with much more serious issues. I’m grateful that mine only include the game I love”, warned Josh Young. He has proved that his understanding of the whole world picture concerning COVID-19 outweighs his own concerns about his basketball future

                Before COVID-19 halted the season, Rasta Vechta had had an up and down season, but were still having a good season and were a playoff team. Rasta Vechta began slow losing it´s first 3 games and then from mid October to the end of January had it´s best time winning 10 of 13 games and then finished at 2-3 before the season was stopped. “We found our identity. We didn’t understand fully how we needed to play or what our specific brand of basketball was in the beginning of the season. Once everyone bought in and had a vision of how hard we have to compete in order to have chances to win, things turned around for us”, warned Josh Young. It was no secret that duplicating the Cinderella season of before would be as difficult a task as trying to find a solution for the continued racism in the United States as all eyes are on Minneapolis in these hard times, but when you have a head coach like Pedro Calles, he will find ways to be successful even if you lost two key players TJ Bray and Austin Hollins to the Euroleague. “ Losing those two would be a major blow for any club like it was for us. Coach Calles and his staff have an eye for the type of talent that can be very successful in our system, ie Vasturia and Simpson. His coaching philosophy doesn’t change. He preaches hard work day in and out and results hopefully follow our work ethic, which has proven true”, stressed Josh Young. It also helped Rasts Vechta´s cause for being successful that new players like Ishmail Wainright who came from the Pro A and Steve Vasturia who had his break out season panned out for Pedro Calles on and off the court. “Ish has done a tremendous job this season. He stepped into a big role coming from the pro A and he was able to meet those expectations and more. I’m really proud of his development here with us. He was definitely a glue guy and constant at that 4 position. Steve was a major part of our team this year. He’s one of those ultimate piece guys. He does just about everything well. Without him, we wouldn’t have been as successful as we were thus far. I know he’ll be great at the next level”, added Josh Young.

                On April 27^th the easyCredit BBL had a video conference with all 17 teams and decided on completing the season despite 7 teams declining to be a part of the season ending 3 week tournament in Munich. With most leagues shut down in Europe, there have been a few other leagues like the ACB in Spain and Winners League in Israel that will finish the season with the easyCredit BBL, but there have been positives and negative aspects. Finishing the season will help clubs financially hopefully keeping sponsors on board while negatives is a risk of infection and injury. Despite Josh Young´s severe concern for the world during the COVID-19 time, he is very confident that the easyCredit BBL didn´t go into this matter unprepared, but will have everything under control in order to finish the season with a lesser risk. “To be honest, I don’t have a major health concern about the virus. I think our accommodations while we are there in Munich are pretty secure”, warned Josh Young. The last weeks have been tough for the 10 teams that will compete as teams couldn´t practice with all players as some returned from the States and were thrown into  a2 week quarantine. The American knows that this will be nothing like a normal pre season on account of the less time available. “Every team will really need to maximize the training time before the season. In the preseason, we normally have about 6 weeks to prepare after being off sometimes less than 2 months. Here, we have a third of that time after being off more than two months. It will be interesting”, warned Josh Young. Being able to play again has some other positives and negatives for the players, but all will be in the same boat and have to get adjusted rapidly if their respective teams want to be successful. “The most difficult thing will be having to be away from families for such an extended period of time, especially for the guys who have families and children. Playing without fans not an ideal situation for me. The fans at our games are what give the arenas life and energy. Would be tough to play on a consistent basis without them. Overall, I’m just looking forward to competing again. The format for me doesn’t make a difference”, expressed Josh Young. Rasta Vechta will play in Group B which will feature teams Alba Berlin, MHP Riesen, Brose Bamberg and the Fraport Skyliners. Group A isn´t a cake walk either with teams FC Bayern Munich, Crailsheim, EWE Baskets, ratiopharm Ulm and BG Goettingen, but Vechta´s group might actually be a tad more difficult. But at the end of the day, all teams begin at 0-0 and all will experience a situation that they have never been in. Many teams had to acquire new players on the fly and the mental part will also be key. “Well it’s true that some teams might not have their original players, but I also know the clubs who agreed to be in this tournament were probably aware of that fact. We as teams can´t make any excuses if we lose and critics shouldn’t say anything if we win. Given the circumstances, I think this is a good chance for whichever team to come together the quickest and peak their performance to run away with the title”, warned Josh Young.

                Josh Young will be a key factor for Rasta Vechta at both ends of the court, but especially on offense he is possibly having his best season as a professional. He mostly has had solid seasons where ever he has played, but this season it seems like he really took it to heart to take on even more responsibility as many new guys arrived who hadn´t played in the BBL before and he had to pick up the voids of TJ Bray and Austin Hollins. He also is very thankful for the immense trust from head coach Pedro Calles and getting another chance to play at the BBL level so late in his career. “Understanding the game at a higher level has helped me improve tremendously. I’ve learned so much under Coach Calles and the coaching staff in the past two years. It also helps to play in a familiar system for multiple years. I understand how we as a team, and I personally, can be successful throughout the game”, warned Josh Young. His big weapon has always been his three pointer, but he has never shot it as dangerously and as consistently as this season. At Drake(NCAA), he eclipsed the 40% mark once and as a professional 3 times before this season with 3 different teams with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen, Nurnberg and in the 2017-2018 Pro A season with Rasta Vechta where he shot an astronomical 46%. He goes into the Munich tournament shooting a massive 48%. He hasn´t changed anything up on his mechanics, but stuck to the basics and just executed superbly. “I think shot selection, confidence and repetition have been the biggest keys to my shooting percentage. I know where my shots come from and I’m able to get to my spots”, stressed Josh Young.  Young who last watched the movie BlackkKlansman has seen so much sadness in the world concerning COVID-19 as well as the senseless murder of George Floyd where currently it seems like a mini World War 3 occuring in Minneapolis, but at the same time he knows that he has a task at hand which is helping his team Rasta Vechta achieve success in Munich and possibly celebrate a title. He will be quarantined in Munich with more than a 100 other players in the same hotel and still have a lot of time to reflect on life and has learned something new during CORONA-19. “ The life we have become accustomed to is delicate and can change from one day to the next. You have to cherish every single moment that’s given to you”, warned Josh Young. Young has always been a type of role model and already has good values and a top character, but even in these tough times the Corona virus  will help him continue to mature as a well rounded human being.-

Nate Britt is a 26 year old 185cm guard from Washington DC that will play his 4th professional season with the wiha Panthers Villingen-Schwenningen (Germany-ProA). Last season he played with Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) playing 21 games averaging 14.5ppg, 4.1rpg, 3.6apg, Steals-5 (1.8spg), FGP: 42.8%, 3PT: 25.4%, FT: 77.5%. He began his basketball career at Gonzaga College High School and also played a year at the very well known Oak Hill Academy. He then had a stellar NCAA career at North Carolina winning the 2017 NCAA title and reaching the final in 2016. After finishing at North Carolina, he played NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, NV (Atlanta Hawks) averaging 1.7ppg, 1.7apg. He then began his professional basketball career with the Glasgow Rocks (United Kingdom-BBL) playing 25 games averaging 11.7ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.6apg, Steals-5 (1.8spg), FGP: 41.2%, 3PT: 26.8%, FT: 81.5%. In 2018-2019 he began with Panionios ON Telecoms Athens (Greece-A1) and finished with the: Boca Juniors (Argentina-La Liga) playing 10 games averaging 3.7ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.2apg. He spoke to germanhoops.com during COVID-19.

Hi Nate, where are you at the moment and how is your current mood despite the world turmoil at the moment because of the out break of the Corona Virus?

I am in Washington D.C. Since my senior year of high school, my life has been busy. I’m always on the go. Because of that I haven’t spent as much time as I’d like with my family, so I’m taking full advantage opportunity to do that now.

When you first heard about the Corona Virus did you ever think that it could have such an effect on the world?

I did not, not at first. I followed the news concerning the virus once it spread to the third country. At that point I knew it would become a big problem. I didn’t think the entire world would be affected by this.

How did you experienced the day to day life in Cyprus during the early Corona Virus outbreak? Did you see that corona effect on the culture there or was it not so much different happening in your day to day dealings?

Everything continued as normal in Cyprus for the majority of the time I was there. Cyprus was one of the last countries to experience an outbreak. Fans weren’t allowed to attend the last game we played. This was the only early change. The rest of the world seemed to be going crazy and we were on regular scheduled programming. It created some tension because some of the players felt a need to go home. But we still had games to play and a season to finish. The same day guys were considering going home, the league started taking precautions. Games were being postponed. A few days later it was announced that the season would be canceled. The country’s president decided to close down all sporting facilities and events. So we were in Cyprus and couldn’t lift or workout. That was a miserable few days. We worried about travel bands and being stuck in a different country. If we did get stuck, how long would we have to remain away from our families!? My GM did a great job of getting us flights back home. We didn’t have any troubles traveling and everyone got back safely. 

What have you learned about these tough times that has made you stronger as a person?


I’ve learned how important it is to take care of yourself. We tend to everything but ourselves. It’s how society teaches us to act. I’ve been able to sit, meditate, and be more mindful of my thoughts and actions. In order to have a positive impact on the world, we must be right within.

How have you experienced the day to day life back home ? How has the Coronavirus affected your daily life? How have you been keeping in shape inside your home. Talk about the type of exercises and work out you have been able to perform inside your own 4 walls. 

Life at home has been very different. As soon as I arrived back in the states, I had to do a 14 day quarantine. That restriction felt like a tease, because I was home but couldn’t see all of my friends and family I had missed while being away. Post quarantine, my life has been pretty busy. I’ve been taking the time to help my family with some home improvements. We are still in the process of changing things around the house. I’ve still been able to exercise but I’ve had to get creative in doing it. Most of my workouts consists of running, biking, and band resistance training. 

The whole world economy is going to be affected including German basketball. How worried are you about the future of professional basketball. The next season will have many changes. How blessed are you that you found a new club so early with the wiha Panthers?

I’m not worried at all. I’m sure everything will work itself out in due time. God’s timing is perfect. Whatever happens is meant to happen for a reason so I’m just trusting the process. I’m extremely blessed to have found a new club in the Panthers. The whole world has been on pause, delaying the timing signing and recruiting. I’m very fortunate to have signed a contract this early!

If you had to name another player besides guys from your team that you have been in most contact via Social Media who would it be?

I’m not on social media too heavy. Excluding all of my teammates, I’m probably in contact with Kennedy Meeks and Markel Starks the most. 

Congrats on signing with the wiha Panthers. What do you know in general about Germany and it’s basketball? Did you get some tips form ex Villanova player Kris Jenkins who had played in Germany with Bremerhaven?

Thank you! I honestly don’t know much about the country. I know Germany has the best chocolate and I know a lot of people who have played in Germany. They spoke highly on the level of basketball and the living. I’m extremely excited to be engulfed in a new culture and adapt to a new style of basketball. 

What were the deciding factors that convinced you to come to the wiha Panthers. And what kind of an impression did head coach Alen Velcic leave you?

I’m going to play at the highest level of basketball in Europe. Germany Pro A is the perfect situation for me to improve my game and continue to learn and prepare myself for what’s ahead. I spoke to Coach Velcic and learned he is all about winning. I trust where his heart is and feel his passion will push me to be the best player I can be every practice and game. The Panther’s following is very impressive as well. This team, this coach, this league is where I need to be. 

You played at one of the top schools in the NCAA and won an NCAA title. You didn’t have overpowering stats at NC, but had an important back up role. Any guy that is on the 12 man roster of a school like North Carolina is a very good player. But you didn’t play in high leagues in your first 3 seasons playing in Scotland, Argentina and Cyprus. Was this a tough time for you mentally? Did this show you that not even an NCAA ring can get you quicker up the basketball ladder?

I came from a storied program in UNC and had my share of accomplishments during my four years at the university. I’m even in the top 20 all time for a few things. I definitely expected to land on a higher level after graduating. Opportunities were on the table but I had some unfortunate circumstances that set my climb back a bit. It was frustrating and it was tough for me mentally. I had to come to terms that everything happens for a reason and my plan isn’t always the master plan. Along my journey I’ve learned a lot about myself, met some great people and feel even more prepared for success. I don’t regret my path and I love where I am right now.

Usually when talented guys play in lower college leagues like NAIA or Juco or lower professional leagues, they always have a chip on their shoulder. How is for you? Of course the competition level at North Carolina is unbelievable. Did you develop a chip there or did you not get one mainly because you were playing at the highest level possible and best team?

I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder. I wore number 0 my entire amateur career because I had a chip on my shoulder. Carolina only enhanced it. I wanted to play more, I wanted to do more for my team. I felt I had earned the right to do so. That wasn’t in the plans. I was ok with that sacrifice to play in back to back NCAA Championship games and win the second one. But those moments when I felt I should’ve been in the game and I wasn’t or should’ve had more responsibility and didn’t aren’t forgotten. That chip has only gotten bigger. 

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 185cm Point guard. Would it be fair to say that you are a scoring point guard? To what NBA player would you best compare your game to?

I wouldn’t like to say I’m a scoring point guard but I’d say I’m a point guard who will score. I grew up trying to model my game after Rajon Rondo and Steve Nash. In today’s game I’d like to be like Jrue Holiday. We play very different but I’d want to model his production. He defends, he’s one of the top PGs in assists, he rebounds, and he scores efficiently.

You’re a player that can fill the stat sheet at ease. On part of your game do you feel has developed the best in your first three seasons as a professional?

I’m always trying to improve. My game in the half court, enduring the physicality and rebounding has improved a lot over the last season. Like I said Rondo is my favorite PG so rebound is a priority. I never rebounded as much as I thought I should have. Last season was a big step of improvement. I’ll strive to keep making that better.

Your 3 pointer continues to be a work in progress. Where do you see lies the most difficulty in being a consistent shooter? Will that be another area where you will concentrate on working on this summer?


It is a work in progress. I’ve had a lot of changes with it throughout my career. In High School most of my 3 point shots were off the bounce. My role at UNC transitioned me to more of a spot up 3point shooter. As a pro, I’m playing on the ball more which is where I’m most effective. Making threes off the bounce, especially in pick and roll situations has been a focus of improvement after last season. Gaining that comfortability again has been a process. I feel very confident about this season.

You also take a lot of pride on the defensive end. How do you see yourself taking your defensive game to the next level in Germany this season?

Defense is a focus every year. It’s all about heart and passion. It’s never to be lacking on the defensive end. I’m very aggressive on the defensive end which got me into a lot of foul trouble last season. I’d like to be more mindful of the rules of contact and choosing my spots this season.

Last season you played with Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) playing 21 games averaging 14.5ppg, 4.1rpg, 3.6apg, Steals-5 (1.8spg), FGP: 42.8%, 3PT: 25.4%, FT: 77.5%. Would you say that this was your break out season as a professional?

I never looked at it that way. The pandemic happened and there was a rush to get home. Looking back on the season I was very upset, we couldn’t finish. My team had a lot of changes throughout the season and we were finally catching rhythm. We had a very good position to win our league cup and didn’t get that opportunity. I’m very disappointed about that. My stats were solid so I guess you could call it a break out season. 

How much of a pleasure was it being teammates with pure scorer David Nicholas. How beneficial was it for your game that he could score the ball so well?

It was great! David could really score the ball. He led the league in scoring so the eyes were on him every possession. I like to get assists and I like to get my teammates involved. When you have a player who can score at all three levels, it makes my job that much easier. I also loved that we competed everyday in practice. 

In your second professional season you began with Panionios ON Telecoms Athens (Greece-A1,) but left after pre season and then played 10 games with the Boca Juniors (Argentina-La Liga):averaging 3.7ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.2apg. How tough was this season and what did you learn about this season that made you stronger as a man?

This was one of the most trying times of my life. I put in a lot of work in over the summer and was fully prepared to play that season. Things went poorly and I was home the majority of the year. The time home gave me a lot to think about and it taught me things I didn’t know about myself. I found another thing I’m passionate about in my basketball camp that my brother and I hosted. I would’ve never known that if I were away the whole season playing. It gave me a different drive and a different mindset to have approaching a basketball season. I feel that mental capacity will carry me through anything I’m faced with going forward.

How cool was it being a member of the Boca Juniors. They have the most famous soccer team and the greatest fans. How was the whole atmosphere there for you?

That was a great experience! I loved being thrown in that environment. In the short time I was there, I started learning the language and adapting to the culture. Boca’s campus is beautiful. The culture surrounding their club is rich! I’m truly blessed for all the places God has taken me through basketball.

As a rookie you played with the Glasgow Rocks (United Kingdom-BBL) playing 25 games averaging 11.7ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.6apg, Steals-5 (1.8spg), FGP: 41.2%, 3PT: 26.8%, FT: 81.5%. What was your wake up call to being a rookie in Europe where you knew that you were very far away from home?


This is not college! In school everything was prepared and handed to us. We were extremely spoiled. I realized most organizations don’t have the same set up that we had at UNC. We had unlimited access to all facilities. We had hot tubs, cold, tubs, poolsetc. That’s just not how it is everywhere else. 

You were very close to a triple double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists in the 86-82 win over Manchester. Is that a game you will always remember and do you feel like you are the type of player that can always be good for a triple double?

I will always remember that game because it was the closest to a triple double I’ve ever been. We had some guys and I really needed to do more. I did just that. I do feel I’m the kind of player who’s good for a triple double night or very close to it. 

In the summer of 2017 you played NBA Summer League with the Atlanta Hawks. What do you remember most from that experience? Do you remember getting any special advice from a coach or player there that has stuck with you too this day?

It was in Vegas! It was my first time in Las Vegas being old enough to do anything. I didn’t do anything but the fact that I could was pretty cool. I really enjoyed the practices and experienced level change from college to NBA. Guys were so much stronger and athletic. Everyone was extremely efficient as well. 

You played at the 2012 Fiba America’s U-18 tournament. You played a significant role on the team and was teammates with future NBA players Marcus Smart, Julius Randle, Sam Dekkar and Montrezl Harrell. What memories do you have of this time and which one of those players impressed you the most then?

That was so long ago! I enjoyed being around so much talent. I loved that I could lead those guys and start as the point guard on that team. Montrezl was the most impressive by far. I knew his ceiling was super high. What he does now in the NBA is the same exact things he was doing back then!

You played at North Carolina from 2013-2017 winning the NCAA title in 2017 and reaching the final in 2016. What kind of a player and person did you become in your 4 years there?

I became a better leader. I was never the official captain on the team but Coach Williams always knew whatever he needed to get done, he could come to me and I’d take care of it. I always put the team first and made sure everyone was ok.

You did start the first 10 games as a freshman but was mostly the back up to Marcus Paige and Joel Berry. Despite having this role, how vital was this for your development? You were pushed in each practice by these 2 players, and I’m sure you were gunning for them in every practice to be better.


I was gunning for them every day! The three of us were very competitive. We complimented each other well and took pieces of each others game that we could use for ourselves. I loved being in the backcourt with those two. They understood the game and played at a high level. That point guard bond is a different kind of bond. 

What memory will you always have from the 71-65 NCAA title win over Gonzaga? Is there a play in crunch-time that you will always be ready to play out in your mind when you want to?

The best moment was the feeling after the clock went off. Everyone sprinted out on the court and embraced each other. We had put in so much work leading up to that moment. The weight had been lifted and we had redeemed the previous year’s championship loss. My classmates, Kennedy and Isaiah, made huge plays to close the game. I’ll remember those plays and that moment for the rest of my life.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Marcus Paige?

We both did. All of the guards on our team regularly played one on one games, Marcus, Joel, Justin, Theo and I. We’d play king of the hill. One on one until the first person scores. Loser steps off the court, next man in line steps on the court. First to seven wins and we would do three spots. Everyone won games. We were extremely competitive.

Please list your personal own NBA Mount Rushmore?

Jordan, Lebron, Kareem, Magic

What is your personal opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Michael Jordan and Lebron James and why isn’t Kobe Bryant mentioned in this debate?

This is no debate. Kobe isn’t in the conversation. Jordan and Lebron are not to be compared. There’s too many variables from Jordan’s era to Lebron’s. That’s that. 

What is the last movie that you saw?


Ready or Notnot for everyone. It’s a little graphic.

Thanks Nate for the chat.

One thing Fraport Skyliner fans and basketball fans in general in Europe have enjoyed watching in the past 11 seasons is the remarkable and unending energy that ex Auburn(NCAA) great Quantez Robertson demonstrates on courts all over Europe. The American who all call Tez is the ultimate hustler and if he could would play 40 minutes each game if he chose and I´m sure if he had ever reached the NBA, he could of achieved playing a 48 minute game just as easily. He has such a passion for the game that the last few months must have been extremely tough, because not being able to set foot on a court must have been one of the more tougher things he has had to accept in his life. He loves to run and has been showing his speed and stamina for 11 years in Europe and when he was at home in Alabama at least could go wild on the track and keep in shape with sprints, but how his legs must have felt the last 2 weeks in Frankfurt, I don´t want to know. I reach Quantez Robertson at 9.00 pm on a mild spring night in late May and his mood is surprisingly good. The poor athlete has been holed up in his Frankfurt apartment since he arrived almost 2 weeks ago and is almost done with his 2 week quarantine session. There is only so much you can do when you are in quarantine. While Tez tries to keep busy in his apartment, his other teammates who weren´t in the States have been engaging in team practices. The biggest focus at the moment is getting the two new players integrated as best as possible with ex Telekom Baskets Bonn guard Yorman Polas Bartolo and Lithuanian big man Gytis Masiulis. It is vital that they get familiar with the plays. Robertson isn´t the only teammate that had to be holed up for 2weeks, but rookie Matt Mcquaid, and ex Braunschweig Americans Shaquille Hines and Joe Rahon also flew back from the States and are in Quarantine. “We have a group chat so I find out what happened in practice. Office workers go shopping for us and I stay in shape doing Zoom workouts and I received some weights and a jump rope”, stressed Quantez Robertson.

                After the very fulfilling win in Giessen in March, Covid-19 hit the world like lightening and halted sports leagues all over the world. Many basketball professionals in Germany that ball in the BBL went home which was also the case with Quantez Robertson. He was able to stay in shape running the track and using weights that he had gotten from the Skyliners physio Dennis Wellm. The whole COVID-19 experience was one that Tez will never forget like everyone else in the world. “It was very weird being home so long so early in the season. The restrictions weren´t that severe in Alabama, bur there were time restrictions. We had to be in the house by 6.00PM”, stressed Quantez Robertson. The American also was able to take the long free time period to spend quality time with his family and relatives. He didn´t even communicate with so many other players during his 2 months in the States. Obviously catching up with his buddy Mike Morrison was a given, but he also was in contact with teammates Lamont Jones and Akeem Vargas. Besides having that extra special contact with family, he also had more time to reflect about a critical topic concerning the players in the BBL. In the whole COVID-19 time, there have been players that have expressed their disappointment in how they didn´t have a voice concerning the season being continued. It is obvious that clubs are concerned about their future and surviving, but all at the cost of possible injury or infection. There were many players that were in fear about playing. “I think that all leagues in Europe need a players union where we can discuss what is good and what isn´t. We deserve input and things shouldn´t only be decided by the league and teams. There is always a risk of getting injured no matter what, but now  after the long break and coming back to play many games in a short time, the risk is high. I feel safe not contacting virus. I have been tested 3 times since I returned. I think that if we stick to the rules, we will be fine”, stressed Quantez Robertson.

                The Fraport Skyliners will only have about a week as a whole team to prepare for the tournament which starts for them on June 7^th against Alba Berlin. After that the games come like in a NBA tempo every 48 hours with Ludwigsburg, Vechta and Bamberg. The 2004 BBL champion has drawn a very tough group, but all teams are in the same boat with limited preparation time, new players on board and having had such a long rest. “We know that it won´t be a walk in the park. It will be tough for all teams. The most important thing is that guys can find a rhythm quickly”, warned Quantez Robertson. You would think after such a long break that the fans would be ecstatic about basketball returning, but it has actually been mixed. Some of the diehard fans are thrilled about play resuming while others aren´t happy that only 10 teams are playing for a title you can´t take too seriously. There may only be 10 teams competing and many question marks about how the winner will be declared, but for Quantez Robertson he knows how tough it is winning one. “Whoever wins the title will still be BBL champion 2020. It will be a crazy way of winning a title, but a title is a title in my eyes”, warned Quantez Robertson. Not only playing many games in a shortend period will be crazy, but also being quarantined again, but this time for 3 weeks. Players will be able to take walks, but still it will a tough and long 3 weeks for players who will be without their families. Robertson will be back in his element when he steps on the floor, but also knows that the quarantine time could have a positive effect on him and he definitely won´t be bored. “We are out battling players every week during the season, but you don´t really get to know many other players. In Munich I would like to get to know as many guys as possible and develop relationship out of basketball. That would be nice. I know that if Mike Morrison was there that it would be fun and comical, but since he won´t be there, I will still be all right with my XBox 1 playing Call of Duty”, laughed Quantez Robertson.

                So where will the journey of the Fraport Skyliners end in Munich in June 2020? This past regular season the Fraport Skyliners could only win 5 games. Defense had always been their staple for most of the Gordon Herbert era, but it had gotten worse the last two seasons. Even if they had the 4^th best defense in the BBL this season, they did allow 80 points which was far away from their seasons not long ago where they allowed in the high 60´s. The biggest problem this season was injuries and simply that they couldn´t score enough to be in good positions to win games. Frankfurt definitely wants to play better defensively in Munich and picked up one of the top BBL defenders from Bonn with Yorman Polas Bartolo. He and Tez have combined 69 years of age, but are no where over the hill yet. With the duo of Tez and Bartolo and other guys like Lamont Jones and Akeem Vargas helping out in addition to the rim protector Leon Kratzer, this squad could be very scary on defense. “Bartolo is a great defender. We have always been neck and neck with being the best defender in the BBL.. We both like to get the rebound and get out running to help the fast break. I played against him many times in the last years and always remember his aggressiveness and attacking the boards at both ends. He does a good job helping his team get extra possessions. It will be great playing with him”, warned Quantez Robertson.  The American obviously will have a lot of extra work as soon as he gets out of the quarantine in Frankfurt and is as confident as always that his team will achieve success on the court. “I feel good. I will have to get in the gym as much as possible when the quarantine is over. I have to find my rhythm quickly. I think that we can go as far as we want. We have to come out and play hard and take it one game at a time. We have to leave it all on the floor no matter what happens”, warned Quantez Robertson. It will be interesting to see how far the Fraport Skyliners will go in the tournament in Munich. The favorites are clearly Alba Berlin and the MHP Riesen, but who knows, there may be some sleepers in this tournament. Frankfurt is always a team that opponents hate to play. If the Fraport Skyliners can find a defensive identity fast and get more consistent on offense  and find a 2 and 3 consistent scorer behind Lamont Jones then they could make a run and find themselves in the quarterfinals. This whole tournament will be like a lottery as nobody really knows how each team will perform under the circumstances of the past few months. The club that can find that healthy team rhythm quickest will have the best chances of winning. Tez will have a lot of down time in Munich, something he was used to in Frankfurt for 2 weeks in his apartment and there is only so much call of duty one can play. There will be those moments where he will remember why he had to be in quarantine and play the tournament in Munich. He will know that COVID-19 made him very aware of one vital thing. “Having been able to spend so much time with family has showed me to really cherish those times, because you never know what might happen at the drop of a dime”, warned Quantez Robertson.

Jackson Trapp is a 27 year old 193cm guard that was born in Tallahassee, Florida and complet-ed his first season with Pro A team uni Baskets playing 26 games averaging 14.5ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 88.2%. He brought professional experi-ence to Germany having played in Canada with the Island Storm and with the Yakima Sun Kings (TB). He played at Florida Atlantic (NCAA) from 2012-2016 playing a total of 118 NCAA games. His best season was his junior year where he averaged 10.1ppg, 3.2rpg, FGP: 53.9%, 3PT: 42.0%, FT: 83.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com during the Coronavirus and after his first season in Germany.

Hi Jackson where are you at the moment and how is your current mood despite the world turmoil at the moment because of the out break of the Corona Virus?

Hey Miles, I am currently back home in Orlando, Florida. I am always an optimistic person, but at the same I have to be very cautious for myself and especially those who are older like my parents. 

When you first heard about the Corona Virus did you ever think that it could have such an effect on the world?I knew it could when I first heard about it happening in China, but I never thought it actually would. 

How have you experienced the day to day life in Paderborn during the Corona Virus outbreak? Did you see that corona effect on the culture there or was it not so much different happening in your day to day dealings?

Honestly while I was still in Paderborn (I left on March 17), my daily actives were not too different. The only main difference was that we stopped practicing about 5 – 6 days before I actually left, which definitely felt pretty weird. 

Did you become more aware about how you handle yourself in public in terms of shaking hands and not being in the line of fire with somebody coughing

For sure. I think everyone has become very aware the precautions that need to be taken with a contagious virus like this one that can be very dangerous for multiple reasons. 

Basketball leagues have shut down all over Europe including the Pro A. How disappointed were you about this and not being able to finish the season?

It was very disappointing, but I know it was something that had to be done. We were right where we wanted to be in the standings, and most likely would have made the playoffs for the first time in several years, which would have been a huge accomplishment for the club as a whole.

Before leagues were shut down there was a BCL game in Bonn against AEK Athens and a Fiba Eu-rope Cup game in Bayreuth without spectators. What is your overall opinion of playing a game without fans?

I think it is okay, but only if it is absolutely necessary. Fans being at the game plays a huge part to the outcome of the match, and it would no doubt be very strange to play as a player. But at the end of the day, it is a business and although the clubs would lose a lot of money from ticket sales, In many cases with the higher level leagues, the money lost from cancelling the games would be even larger when you factor in the TV/streaming deals that many leagues/teams have. 

You have returned back to the States. How have you experienced the coronavirus outbreak at home compared to Germany?

Right now as the cases are exploding in the States (and only expected to continue rising for the next few weeks), things are getting very serious. Florida just issued a state wide stay-at-home poli-cy that only permits people to leave home for essential travel. This makes it impossible to do any sort of basketball training outside of home for at least the next 1-2 months. 

What have you learned about these tough times that has made you stronger as a person?

I think its forced me to be more cautious of the people around me, and is another reminder that the decisions that we make can affect everyone else, sometimes without even realizing it. 

Will it be a big adjustment having to start 3 months earlier with workouts and basketball skill devel-opment? What will be the advantages and disadvantages of this

I think this will definitely delay my basketball training for a while. This is something that is an issue for all players. With that being said, I like to be optimistic about things. I have been dealing with a groin issue for the past three months that had been very painful to play on. The closure of all courts will force me to rest and let my groin heal back to 100%.

The whole world economy is going to be affected including German basketball. How worried are you about the future of professional basketball. The next season will have many changes. How are you handling this mentally now not knowing what to expect?

Its crazy to think how this virus has a negative affect on all industries, including basketball. Since almost all leagues didn’t get to finish the season, they all lost money on those missed games. On top of that, with all businesses struggling, sponsors will have less money for the teams. This will make everything difficult, and I know that it could very well mean a pay cut for many players around the world. Depending on how long this lasts, it could also delay the beginning of the next season. But neither of those things are in my control, and I have to remember that. All I can do is focus on myself and make sure I am ready for next season, whenever that may be. 

Congrats on a marvelous season with the Uni Baskets Paderborn. The club finished with a record of 14-12 in sixth place. It was the clubs best finish in 6 seasons. What made this years club so special?

Thank you, we definitely had a special team. I think we had a lot of talent this season, and were fortunate to get the guys that we had. Coach did a good job at recruiting, and was able to find sort of the ‘diamonds in the rough’ with some of us Americans (Kendale was a rookie from a D2, Ryan came from ProB, I came from injury and a league that is not well known in Europe). Add that with the talented players from the season before and knock down shooters like Thomas, DImi and Dan-iel and we had a playoff level team. Coach also deserves a lot of the credit in realizing the type of players we all were, and allowed us to play to our strengths without restricting us at all. 

How tough is it being at home now and not knowing how the season of the Uni Baskets would have ended. Do you sometimes go over certain scenarios of how the season might have gone?

Its definitely tough. We knew we were good enough to make the playoffs, and I definitely believe that we would have. From there it of course would have been tough, but we showed throughout the season that we could beat anyone, so who knows how far we could have gone. 

The Uni Baskets Paderborn began the season slow losing 4 of 5 games, but then won 6 of 8 games. What were the reasons for the swift turnaround?

Although our losses at the beginning were to playoff caliber teams, I don’t believe that we knew exactly how good we could be until a little later on. We also learned how to play with each other a little better. 

How vital was that exciting 77-75 victory over Tuebingen to begin the turnaround?

This was a huge win for us. Getting a close win on the road always gives any team a huge boost in confidence, something that we really needed at the time. 

The club kept a good core of guys from last season and added 4 new players that made the differ-ence. How confident were you that this team chemistry would continue to grow throughout the playoffs and lead to success?

Everyone got along with everyone, so I am confident that we would. We showed throughout the season that we could not only compete, but beat some of the best teams in the league.

Head Coach Steven Esterkamp has been undergoing a stellar development as a coach. He got good Pro A experience in Gotha with Chris Ensminger, led Wolfenbuettel into the Pro B playoffs and now did the same thing with Paderborn. What was it with his style and coaching that made the season so successful?

I’m not sure how he was with his previous teams, but he did a very good job recruiting guys this season. As I mentioned before, he lets his players play and did not restrict us at all from doing what we know we can do, even at times when we were hectic. He also was a player only a few years ago which helps in almost all aspects of coaching, especially in relating to players and understanding when to get on guys and when not to.
Let’s talk about your teammates.How vital was the experience of Demetrius Ward? How vital was he has a veteran for the team?

Dimi was great for the team this year. He was a great playmaker on the court and was our most versatile player, playing anywhere from the point to the 4 man at times. He definitely helped me get accoladed to the European style of play, teaching me the rules, the type of things that do and don’t work in the European game etc. He also was an awesome guy off the court, and the biggest help in getting me used to the lifestyle in Europe. 

The trio of you Kendale Mccullum and Ryan Logan was a big reason for the success this season. Could you describe a little what you appreciated most about them on and off the court?

They were both really good players. They both were unselfish with high IQ’s, and were very good passers. Kendale used his small size to his advantage and was able to get to the paint at will, and was very good reading the defense off of pick and rolls. Ryan was another very versatile player that we had. He could bring the ball up the court when we needed him to and was a problem for every defender in the post. Us three were actually all roommates, and therefore saw each other a lot and were able to hang out whenever. 

If you had to choose one player who you feel improved the most this season who would you pick?

I would have to say Henning. He’s still a younger guy that seemed to come in to preseason a little timid. Throughout the season I noticed his confidence had increased a lot, which helped him both offensively and defensively. 

Let’s talk about your game. You played 26 games averaging 14.5ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 88.2%. Was your strong individual season a good reminder for all out there that there are very good players playing in lower leagues in North American that can play well at a high level in Europe?

There are very talented players that play in smaller leagues in the U.S., that are easily talented enough to play in leagues like ProA. There is no question about that. The question is whether or not some of the players IQ is high enough to play in European leagues. I think thats the biggest factor that separates players making it over-seas or not. 

After playing in Canada and North America in leagues NBL, NABP and TBL, you needed no adjustment period to having a very good season in the German Pro A. How vital were your teammates and coach Esterkamp for you making a good adjustment and being able to be a very good pro A player?

They were huge for me. We had unselfish players that found guys when they were open, which is something that shooters need in order to be successful. I was very fortunate that coach gave me a lot of freedom to do what I could do.
You shot a solid 38% from outside. In pre season coach Esterkamp told you that you always have the green light to shoot. How important was getting this confidence right away instead of not hav-ing had that green light from the get go?

Confidence in basketball is huge, especially when it comes to shooting. I had confidence in my shot because I always knew that I had practiced and shot more shots in the offseason than my oppo-nent, which is why I was overall disappointed in the my 3pt % this season. Although the groin injury during the second half of the season did not help at all, I was really planning to at least be above 40%, which unfortunately was not the case. 

How happy were you with three of your strengths of penetrating, playing 1-1 defense and being unselfish develop further in the Pro A?

I believe I did a good job at penetrating, although there were times where I settled for shots when I should have penetrated. My 1on1 defense was pretty good in general and I believe I was unself-ish throughout the season. 

On what things will you be working on in this extended spring/summer to help you make the next step again as a professional player?

I want to make sure my body is at 100% for next season. That is my first goal. I would also like to improve reads out of pick n roll. I also will continue to get a lot of shots up each day, continuing im-proving every type of footwork variation out of shots, and continuing getting my release even quicker, while still shooting at a high percentage.

You had many super games with the Uni baskets like your 25 points and 6 three’s against PS Karls-ruhe. What was your most memorable game?

Most memorable game had to be the win against Chemnitz. Its always fun to be an underdog, and we were definitely ones that game.

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the Pro A this season?

I am not sure, there were a lot of good players that I had to guard this season, so picking just one is tough. 

You have probably seen many beautiful places in your basketball career, but how did the city of Paderborn grow on you?

Paderborn was a great city. Initially I didn’t know much of it. But as I explored the city more It grew on me. The Downtown part of the city was awesome, and very different than downtown areas in the U.S. cities.

Luka Doncic had an amazing sophomore campaign. Is he a top 3 NBA player now?

He is an amazing player. Because he shoots so many 3’s, I think if he increases his 3pt % from 31-32% to 36%+, he will be top three for sure. 

Where were you when you heard about the death of Kobe Bryant. What kind of influence did he have on you during adolescence? 

I was in my room in Paderborn when I initially heard about it. Kendale actually came and asked if I heard what happened, and I didn’t believe it at first. Although he was never my favorite player, there is no doubt that his Mamba Mentality influenced how much I worked out, or to the intensity of how I worked out. 

How bitter is it that the NCAA March Madness has been canceled? This tournament for some kids is the greatest time of their lives. What advice would you give that senior who worked hard for 4 years and would have had his one and only chance now?

I think it is a very unfortunate situation. I especially feel bad for the players of the mid major teams that would have made it. For them it most likely is a once in a lifetime opportunity that they will never get to experience. Especially with a school like Dayton, who is technically a mid major and was ranked #3 in the country when the season ended. The guys that move on to NBA will have great experiences in basketball again, but most of the guys will never get another chance to expe-rience something like that. 

What was the last movie that you saw?

Spiderman: Far From Home 

Thanks Jackson for the chat.

Jure Besedic is a 28 year old 207cm forward from Slovenia that completed his first season in Germany with the Dragons Rhoendorf (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 24 games averaging 10.4ppg, 4.6rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 65.3%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 72.2%. He scored in double figures in 13 games including a 22 point effort against Dorsten. He played 9 seasons with Helios Domzale (Telemach League). But also played in Italy with ASD Angri Pallacanestro (Italy-Serie C Silver and also played 3 seasons with KK Splosna plovba Portoroz (Telemach League). He played with the Slovenian U-16, U-18 and U-20 national teams. He spoke to Germanhoops.com during COVID-19. 

Hi Jure where are you at the moment and how is your current mood despite the world turmoil at the moment because of the out break of the Corona Virus?

Hello. I’m back in Slovenia. I feel great and really bored because of all this things happening. But I’m happy because sport is coming back 

When you first heard about the Corona Virus did you ever think that it could have such an effect on the world?

I didn’t think that this would be really a big deal. But when you see all this people and politics in panic you start thinking in bad way. I really don’t think that this is big deal. It’s just a normal disease.

How did you experience the day to day life in Germany during the early Corona Virus outbreak? Did you see that corona effect on the culture there or was it not so much different happening in your day to day dealings?

I just stayed at home. All day. It was boring for real. I tried to go out for a walk or something. But I left from Germany around the 25th of March. So it was begining of all this.

Did you become more aware about how you handle yourself in public in terms of shaking hands and not being in the line of fire with somebody coughing

I just stayed home. I didn’t have a lot of contact with people around me. But if I saw somebody outside we talked normally and shaked hands as well.

Basketball leagues have shut down all over Europe. How disappointed were you about this and not being able to finish the season?

I was disappointed and in a bad mood as well. I really wanted to finish the season. And I had a feeling that we could of won the league.

Before leagues were shut down there was a BCL game in Bonn against AEK Athens and a Fiba Europe Cup game in Bayreuth without spectators in Germany. What is your overall opinion of playing a game without fans?

I don’t like it. I think basketball and all another sports play because fans want to see it. Every one like sports and its really bad that fans can’t come and support their teams.

What have you learned about these tough times that has made you stronger as a person?

I learned how to stay at home when I didn’t need to go outside and drank coffees and all this stuff. It will be easier for me next seasons to stay at home.

Will it be a big adjustment having to start 3 months earlier with workouts and basketball skill development? What will be the advantages and disadvantages of this?

A good thing is definitely that we will practice more and have more time to prepare for next season, but bad, because there are no games. Every athlete wants to play, wants to compete, and wants to win.

The whole world economy is going to be affected including Polish basketball. How worried are you about the future of professional basketball. The next season will have many changes. How are you handling this mentally now not knowing what to expect?

I just think that all things will be coming back to a normal life.. Maybe seasons will start later as usual but I don’t think that here will be some changes.

How have you experienced the day to day life back home ? How has the Coronavirus affected your daily life? How have you been keeping in shape inside your home. Talk about the type of exercises and work out you have been able to perform inside your own 4 walls. 


Yes I came back home and I didn’t workout for one month. But now I practice with one great personal coach here in Slovenia. 

If you had to name another player besides guys from your team that you have been in most contact via Social Media who would it be?

I don’t know. I’m in contact with our assistant coach almost every day. Julius Thomas. I’m in contact with Savo Milovic as well. And of course with guys from the team. We still have a group chat 

You played your first season in Germany with the Dragons Rhondorf. The club finished in 3rd place with a record of 16-8. What was your summary of the season?


I think we started the season really bad. We just did not connect as a team. After the change in the coaching position, we started to play much better and stronger. And I really think that we would be the best in playoffs.

The club was very ambitious to move back up to the Pro B and might of had they won the playoffs. Despite the record and very talented roster, is it fair to say the club underachieved?

No I don’t think so. You must win all the games in the playoffs and I really think we would do this if we had played season to the end. We will see what the organization decides, maybe Dragons Rhondorf move up in Pro B.

When Yassin Idbihi came on board it sent positive vibes to the team. How beneficial was it having Idbihi as head coach and how did he help your game, a big man who played your position?

Yes he is really a positive guy. He gave us this power on the court and off the court. He is a coach who likes to work hard, because all his career he played for Balkan coaches and he know how much you must work to win a championships. He give me really good advice for my game and I will try to use it later in my career too.

It was a lot of fun watching the team play offense as it scored 100 points or more 9 times. How much fun was it playing offense for the Dragons Rhondorf? How do you feel did your game profit from the many options?

Yes its true. But like I say before. Yassin is coach who like to base our game on defense. And I don’t think he like that we score 100 points if we get 90 or even more. I can say that he would be happier if we won 60-55. But yes, for sure it was fun playing with this young guys who like to run, dunk and all this stuff .

The biggest weakness this season was the defense that never was able to get really better. The club gave up 86 points which is a lot for wanting to win a title. What do you feel were the biggest factors for not being able to allow less points?

I think we played good offense, but really bad defense. We play as a team on offense and really selfish on defense.

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What was the team highlight of the season? Possibly the exciting 86-83 win over the RheinStars? What do you remember from what that game most?

Yes this was a great game. I remember that game. We knew that we would win this game before it started. We were so hyped and I ‘m sure nobody on the team did not think for not even one second that we can lose it.

Let s talk about your teammates. What was it like playing with Curtis Hollis? He entered the 2020 NBA Draft. Do you believe that he is talented enough to play in the NBA?

I didn’t see him play now from January. He is talented and I wish him all good luck.

What was your lasting impression of German player Killian Binapfl? How did you see him improve his game over the course of the season and what is your fondest memory with him?

Oh I like Kilian. We hang out a lot. We go out together, go eat together. He is good guy and I think he will have good career.

You had to battle big men Gabriel de Olveira and Mark Kotieno in practice on a daily basis. How did you see them grow and what will you always remember about their play and characters?

They are both great guys. I think they learned something from me as a big man and I hope they will use it in their careers. They must just work hard and they will play in good clubs. I will always remember Gabirel’s fighting mentality and Marek’s fighting on practice with me every single day.

How amazing of a player and person was 37 year old Anish Sharda? Is he a guy that a veteran like you could still learn new things?

He was the machine of the team. He is strong and an old point guard. He practices every time with 150%. All respect for him. Yes you can learn from him a lot. You can learn how you must work hard if u want to reach your goal.

Let s talk about your game. You averaged 10.4ppg, 4.6rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 65.3%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 72.2%. How content were you with your game?

I think I can always do better. But I had some problems with my Achillis and all this stuff.

You played many years in the Telemach and Adriatic leagues. How would you compare those leagues in skill and competition level to the German Regionalliga?

I think Telemach and ABA league is much stronger than a lot of leagues around the Europe. It’s hard to compare these two leagues with Regionalliga. But many great players play in Regionalliga and it will become a really good league too.

You have been shooting the ball very well the last 3 years shooting 40% or better from outside. Is it fair to say that your game has changed a bit over the years to you liking to be more of a shooter than scoring inside? The Dragons had enough big men, so it allowed you to focus more on your outside game.

Yes I like to shoot from outside. I like to pick and pop and I think in basketball in a new era you must have a big man who can shoot.

You’re a good shooter, great passing big man and have a good basketball IQ. In what areas of your game do you feel did you grow most with the Dragons Rhondorf?

I think I grew most in my inside game under the basket. Yassin explained me some tricks and all the stuff big men must do at a high level.

What is the next step for you? You have played most of your career in Slovenia. Do you feel like you will remain at home or continue to play in Germany or in another country?

I’m young” and I want to play outside of Slovenia. I like Germany and I want to come back.

You played 9 years with Helios Domzale (Telemach League). What are your fondest moments with this organization on the court?

We won the championship with the U19. There were so many good things that I can explain all day. I have friends for life from Helios and this club means everything to me.

You played for head coaches Rado Trifunovic and Zmagoslav Sagadin. How important were these 2 coaches for your early basketball development?

Yes Rado had me in the beginning of my career and he helped me a lot to become a professional basketball player. I came to play for Sagadin when I was 18 years old. He is one of the best coaches in Europe. And he is 200% committed on basketball. We had a meeting every day and we have practice d4-5-6 hours per day.

How proud are you of ex teammate Klemen Prepelic? You were teammates back in 2009-2011. If somebody had told you in 2011 that he would play for Real Madrid in 2018 what would you have thought then?

Yes I’m really proud of him. He is a good guy and deserved everything alone and with hard work. It was just a matter of time when he will play for one big club like Real.

You also have played with the Slovenian U-16, U-18 and U-20 national teams. Is there one game that you will never forget that will always stick out in your mind

I will never forget the game against Turkey at the European championships U-20 in Slovenia when we won by 2 pts in last second. That was my best memory from my national days.

You have stated that 2 of the toughest players that you faced have been ex NBA players Nikola Pekovic and Miro Raduljica. What memories do you have of these 2 players and how was it battling them?

I played against them when they played for Partizan Belgrade in the Adriatic league. Those are guys who are really big and strong, and both have great careers. It was pleasure to play against them.

What experience have you had with Luka Doncic? Have you ever practiced with him over the years? The way he has dominated the NBA the last 2 years do you see him being a Michael Jordan or Lebron James down the road?

No I never practiced with him or something. But I will say that he will be the next Drazen Petrovic. He is really good and all respect to him what he is doing in NBA.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I would say Alen Omic, Klemen Prepelic, Jure Mocnik, Saso Ozbold and Stipe Modric.

Please produce your own personal NBA Mount Rushmore with 4 heads past or present? 

Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Shaquille O Neal.

What is your general opinion with the debate between who is greater Michael Jordan or Lebron James?

For me Michael Jordan is the best player ever. Lebron is great but I don’t like it. I really don’t know how people can compare Jordan with LeBron.

What was the last movie you watched?

I watched Last Dance so after that I must watch Space Jam.

Thanks Jure for the chat.

Darnell Foreman is a 185cm guard from Pitman, New Jersey that played his second professional season with Team Ehingen (Pro A) playing 8 games averaging 6.1ppg, 2.1rpg, 3.4apg, FGP: 27.7%, 3PT: 6.7%, FT: 71.4%. In his rookie season he played with the Uni Baskets Paderborn (Pro A) averaging 15.2ppg, 3.5rpg, 6.5apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 41.1%, 3PT: 29.8%, FT: 81.0%. He began is basketball career at Pitmann High School and played Pennsylvania (NCAA) from 2014-2018 playing a total of 118 games and as a senior played 33 games averaging 10.7ppg, 4.5rpg, 3.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 28.4%, FT: 73.2%.. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball during COVID-19.

Hi Darnell where are you at the moment and how is your current mood despite the world turmoil at the moment because of the out break of the Corona Virus?

How is it going? I am currently in Philadelphia, PA, USA. I am well. Trying to stay positive and keep myself focused on things I can control at this moment. This outbreak has definitely been a shared experience for the whole world. My thoughts and prayers are for everyone affected by these events. We will overcome this.

When you first heard about the Corona Virus did you ever think that it could have such an effect on the world?

No, I did not initially. As more news started to come out, I realized the severity of the virus and knew it was only a matter of time before it affected the entire world.

You had begun the season with Team Ehingen, but had to leave in November after only 8 games. You didn’t finish the season elsewhere. How was it testing the job market then? You had successfully conquered it in January 2019 landing a rookie job with the German team Uni Baskets. What kind of experience was it the second time around?

The job market was a bit challenging at that point. I was eager to jump into another team and situation at that point but sometimes things do not line up the way you want it to. Also, with the spreading of the Coronavirus, it was smarter and safer to stay in the states. Regardless, I was and still am really confident in my future and my abilities to help an organization win. No question. 

How has the day to day life been now in the States with the outbreak of the Coronavirus? How have you been affected mentally by the fact that it has gotten so bad in the States now?

It has definitely been different. Most states are in some type of lockdown or isolation. The major emphasis is on social distancing. For me, most days are pretty similar. I get out of my apartment for a walk/ jog or some exercise each day. Majority of it, though, is indoors.

Did you become more aware about how you handle yourself in public in terms of shaking hands and not being in the line of fire with somebody coughing

For sure. Just being aware of not touching things that are in common places and washing my hands as much as possible throughout the day.

Before leagues were shut down in Germany was a BCL game in Bonn against AEK Athens and a Fiba Europe Cup game in Bayreuth without spectators. What is your overall opinion of playing a game without fans?

I think it is not ideal for the game, itself. Spectators play a huge factor in any sporting event. With that being said, it was the most responsible decision to keep everyone safe, players and fans.

What have you learned about these tough times that has made you stronger as a person?


Tough times do not last. Tough people do. Being able to pivot your focus and make the best out of any situation, has definitely helped me stay positive and productive during this down time. While it is not ideal, it is the status quo. We have to make the most of it.

What kind of an adjustment has it been coming from staying in shape in the gym the last months to not having any gym time with basketball work for weeks during the Coronavirus? Many players haven’t touched a ball in weeks. How was it with you?

It has been a challenge. I do not have the resources at home that a gym or a basketball facility would have so I have to be creative. I do a combination of push ups, squats, and core exercises everyday. I go jogging or bike riding for cardio, also. 

The whole world economy is going to be affected including German basketball. How worried are you about the future of professional basketball. The next season will have many changes. How are you handling this mentally now not knowing what to expect?


Yes. I am aware of the affect the outbreak will have on markets across the globe. It is something to prepare for, for sure. Ultimately, though, I cannot control what happens next, I can only adjust and adapt. Next season will definitely be different.

Have you been keeping in touch with former teammates in Germany or other friends overseas during this time just to exchange stories and see how they are doing?

For sure! I have been talking to friends from all over the United States and abroad. First, to check in and make sure they are well and their families are well. Then, to try to gain an account of their actions during this time. Things that they have been doing to stay busy, stay in shape, and stay engaged with other people. While the times have been very tough, this has been quite enjoyable because I get to communicate a great deal with a lot people that normally would be harder to do so.

How has your approach to family changed since the outbreak of Corona? What things have you seen yourself do that you may not have done before?

Just reaching out more. Calling, texting, those sorts of things. Being available when someone needs an ear to listen to them. 

Let’s talk about the season of Team Ehingen. It was a tough season for Team Ehingen finishing in last place with a 4-23 record. The season had 2 parts. It had a 4-10 record on December 14th, but after that didn’t win another game suffering a 13 game losing streak. You left as the team had a 2-6 record. How was the mood at that time? Did it seem like the losing would continue or did you see hope of getting on a winning track?

First off, I would like to thank Team Ehingen for the opportunity to compete for them. At the time I was there, the mood was positive. There was never a time when we felt defeated or lost hope. Each day in practice, we competed and fought hard to get better and get through obstacles. For me, that has always been the approach. In the seven games I played, we competed very hard and in almost all cases we were right there at the end of the game. While we were not able to come out victorious in some of those cases, we were getting closer to that point. Being a young team, we had to learn how to win collectively. That takes time.

A big problem for the team was cutting down on points. Why was the team unable to find a defensive identity early in the season?

I think we just needed more time. More experiences together where we saw different types of offenses. Ultimately, the best defenses have 5 guys that are on the same page. They have accountability. I thought we were getting close to that point. 

A big problem was that most of the roster were new players and there weren’t any other veterans on the team. Players also came and went. Why do you feel was finding team chemistry particular with this team so tough to accomplish in the early going as well as injuries occuring?

I think that had a major effect on team chemistry. A lot of guys were battling injuries throughout my time there, including myself. We were not able to consistently play with or against each other in training camp or practice so it left us at a bit of a disadvantage going into the first part of the season.

Let’s talk about your teammates. How much of a pleasure was it playing with German Jonah Akim-Jamal? He was a rookie coming from San Diego State. What was your early impression of him who had come from San Diego State?

Akim is a good player. He has great size and can finish above the rim. Playing with him was very beneficial because he was a good rim protector and was able to catch lobs and clean up drives and offensive rebound so well. The sky is the limit for him. He is definitely one of the top young players in the league.

What was your impression of German Tim Hasbargen? He made another jump in his second Pro A season. He couldn’t find a role at Cleveland State and played for a NCAA 3 school Babson as a senior. He didn’t have a great season there, but came back to Germany and really stuck out in the Pro A.

Tim was another solid player. He could guard multiple positions and he was able to do multiple things well on the offensive side. In transition, he was very dangerous because he ran the floor well and also was able to finish above the rim. Definitely was a valuable experience playing with a player like him.

Let’s talk about your game. Usually when a guy leaves early, the standard press release will have that blab la of that it wasn’t a right fit’. Was that the same with you or were there other factors?

I think that injury had a major effect on my departure from Ehingen. I got injured early in training camp. Not only was it very early, but it would prove to last throughout my time there. Playing through injury is a very tough situation. Both physically and even more mentally. I do not regret my decisions, though. It taught me a great deal about myself, the business, and basketball, in general. Ultimately, I wish that I was able to be at my best in Ehingen. The universal did not allow it. Things would have been very different, though.

After a very satisfying rookie season with the Uni Baskets where you averaged 15.2ppg, 3.5rpg, 6.5apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 41.1%, 3PT: 29.8%, FT: 81.0%. You must of came in with a lot of self confidence after what you were able to do with the Uni Baskets. How tough was it not being able to find to your game?


For sure. I feel like every good player comes into each season with a lot of confidence. The great players maintain that confidence throughout the season. Getting hurt then having to work myself back into the mix was challenging. That prove to be an obstacle I had to overcome. A new process. I understand that now.

You averaged 6.1ppg, 2.1rpg, 3.4apg, FGP: 27.7%, 3PT: 6.7%, FT: 71.4%. You also played 10 minutes less than with Paderborn. How tough mentally was it coming from getting minutes in the NCAA and with Paderborn to not having that central role with Ehingen. 

It was difficult. Between missing time and not being at hundred percent, I was not able to gain a rhythm; play my best. That is one of the goals when joining a new team, a new environment. How fast can you get familiar with things and start developing your rhythm on the court. My process was going to be a little longer. This is a business though, and sometimes decisions are made that you can only accept. That is understandable. It does not hang over me. I just try to focus on competing and working hard every single day.

Could you take anything positive form the Ehingen experience? Possibly having your best game with 10/5/7 against your old team Uni baskets despite suffering a close loss?

They were not all low points. Not at all. I enjoyed my time there and the people I got to know and work with/ play with. It was truly an experience. For that, I am thankful. Even not being at my best, I was still able to have production in games. Still able to make winning plays. That motivates me more than ever. It gives me confidence and makes me eager for the next opportunity. I cannot wait!

In our first interview you stated ‘Being a pro now, I consider myself back at the bottom of the totem pole. That’s what I need as motivation. All I have done in basketball means nothing to me, personally. I have to push myself to new limits in order to keep progressing in this game’. After this new learning experience with Ehingen, you are back at the end of the totem pole. How confident are you that you will rise again?

Extremely confident. Adversity reveals who you truly are. I cannot wait to show just that. It starts with, everyday, working on my game. Getting stronger. Getting better. Getting mentally and physically prepared for the next opportunity!

On what things will you be concentrating most in the lab now so you will be prepared best for the next opportunity?


Definitely want to keep working on my shooting. I also want to work on different finishes around the rim. Ultimately, just keep working on being comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Pushing my limits and challenging myself everyday. This summer will be a joy.

Luka Doncic had an amazing sophomore campaign. Is he a top 3 NBA player now?

Not top 3 just yet, but he is definitely on a fast track to being one of the top players in the NBA.

Where were you when you heard about the death of Kobe Bryant.. What kind of influence did he have on you during adolescence? 


I was home, back in the states. It still seems unreal. My heart goes out to all the families involved and affected in that accident. As a kid, he and Allen Iverson were the two players I loved to watch. Both were serious competitors and extremely hard workers. Kobe will forever be remembered, loved, and cherished. Mamba forever!

How bitter is it that the NCAA March Madness has been canceled? This tournament for some kids is the greatest time of their lives. What advice would you give that senior who worked hard for 4 years and would have had his one and only chance now?

Extremely. The NCAA tournament is a unique and special experience. It sucks, no question about it. My advice for the seniors that missed out on this opportunity is to keep working. Opportunities come and go. That you cannot control. Stay ready. Capitalize on when you do get that next shot.

What was the last movie that you saw?

The Bone Collector starring Denzel Washington Thanks for time. All the best. 
‘Life was, is, and will be good.’ Be safe! 

Thanks Darnell for the chat.