One of my all-time favorite movies is Dirty Harry which stars Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood. It came out in 1970, but I remember watching it for the first time in the 80´s with my dad on Boston´s local channel 38 featured in the movie loft. Eastwood who made the line “Make my day” famous was already a well known actor in the 60´s thanks to his Cowboy spaghetti Westerns, but it was his Dirty Harry character that propelled him to legendary status and a Hollywood star. With 71 acting credits to his resume, the 2004 Academy Award winner for Million Dollar Baby is mostly recognized for his Dirty Harry character. But it isn´t just that super hero type of character that he propels that is so appealing to the fans, but he also has a certain special charm and humor with his lines that helped make the Dirty Harry movies and the ones that followed so appetizing to watch. I remember in one scene during the end of the movie where the movies main villain Andy Robinson who should have gotten an Oscar for his amazing portrayal of the mean Scorpio character get beat up to fool the San Francisco police in hoping they will believe it was Eastwood´s character who was harassing him, because he hadn´t been charged with a brutal teenage murder. There are many things that aren´t beautiful to watch like for instance how the New York Knicks have lost games the last years or how the Buffalo Bills could never win the Superbowl or how Scorpio was brutally beat up. He wanted every penny´s worth and got it as his face was all bashed up as make up did a great job making the beating look more authentic. These last examples weren´t beautiful to watch and so hasn´t the last two Fraport Skyliners wins against the Hamburg Towers and ratiopharm Ulm. In both games it looked like they could have lost and would be 0-5 at the moment instead of 2-3 if it hadn´t been for Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson hitting big money shots and playing top defense. A colleague of mine had to force himself to watch the Hamburg game and stated afterward that it had been the worst display of basketball that he had ever seen from the Frankfurt squad. But hey it doesn´t matter how ugly a game is, all that matters at the end is getting the dub. I reach Adam Waleskowski at mid day on a cold late October day a day before Halloween where he was walking his dog in Nidda park and it never gets bored with him when talking basketball or Halloween. “Not winning pretty has been a big statement for us in the last weeks. We lost a couple of tough close games, but the win against Hamburg was a major confidence builder and then winning on the road in Ulm made it all the better. Tez stepped up big for us forcing turnovers and hitting big shots. Mo Jones played a great game and carried us, but everyone expects that. We finally have figured out what it takes to win dog fight games even if we didn´t play our best”, stressed Fraport Skyliner Adam Waleskowski.

                After losing two nail bitters to the Telekom Baskets Bonn and FC Bayern Munich, the Fraport Skyliners beat Hamburg and Ulm, but even if the victories weren´t pretty one has began to see gradual progress in the game of the 2004 BBL champion. “I believe the two most important aspects has been team play and confidence. Everyone is settling into their roles trying to be able to help the best way and how to help the team win. I think that if we can work on consistency and execute better instead of having these ups and down and keep the runs on the positive side then I think that we will be ok”, stressed Adam Waleskowski. The team has been played ok offense considering they have been without starting point guard Anthony Hickey s out with an injury since the start of the season. The team has the potential to be a very good offensive team and also the potential to be a very good defensive team. Playing hard and aggressive defense has been the motto under Gordon Herbert for years and current head coach Sebastian Gleim is a coach that also followed the lead in the last years with the Fraport Skyliners Pro B team and NBBL team. The season is still very young and a lot of time for the club to keep getting better each day. “I think that our defense has improved. We are playing solid not doing anything special. We are playing a solid 5 man defense something the club has been known for. To get the defensive schemes down, trust is important. We have picked up the intensity and done a good job with deflections and hands on balls. Playing better defense has led to easy offense instead of having to always work a half court offense. We also have been executing better on offense in the half court. We have been doing a good job when forcing turnovers pushing the ball forward and getting easy baskets”, stressed ex Florida State forward Adam Waleskowski. With the team being only 2-3, the club is clearly a better team than what it´s record displays. “That is how it works in the BBL. Some games go in your favor while others don´t. We played well in Bonn, but then a zone screwed us and against Munich we played great, but lost. Our record could be a lot better. We lost Hickey before the season and it´s been tough for Mo Jones learning the system and having to play point guard.”, warned Adam Waleskowski.

                Anthony Hickey is expected back this weekend when the Fraport Skyliners return back to their living room meeting medi Bayreuth. Lamont Jones who has been a scoring ace where ever he has played starting in Iona(NCAA) all the way to the BBL with MBC and Ludwigsburg has had to take over as the point guard and done as well as he could. If you compare his stats of 19,4ppg and 6,6apg to all the other point guards in the BBL, he ranks up at the top. So what is with the increased criticism about his unselfish play and not adequate playmaking play? Sometimes stats tell a different story, but one can´t forget that Jones is a pure scorer that has been forced into a role that he isn´t used to. He has done a pretty good job under the circumstances having been put into cold water right before the start of the season. He has won games on his own so far in the short season, but the knock on his game is simply the moments where he relies more on his one on one qualities and others may see his choices as being unselfish. “Jones has done a solid job as point guard as it isn´t his traditional position. Coach gives him a lot of freedom. Sometimes when he creates for himself, it looks selfish, but it really isn´t. He is just trying to get everyone on the same page and help the team play better. He sometimes takes bad shots, but he has the talent to take over and make shots when he needs to. He makes tough shots and shots at the end of the shot clock which not everyone can make”, added Adam Waleskowski. The Germans Richard Freudenberg who is hoping for his true Skyliners break through year and big man Leon Kratzer have continued to perform well and it will be interesting to see if they can be consistent on a regular basis. “Richie´s shot as taken off. He is shooting a lot better now than at the beginning of the season. He also has played solid defense at the 4 position. Leon has played great in the post taking up a lot of space and just being a presence. Both have been rebounding the ball well and Leon holds the fort down in the front court”, said Adam Waleskowski. Akeem Vargas has been one of the big surprises this season and Shaquille Hines is starting to get his game on track after a strong performance in Ulm, but the only question mark has been rookie Matt Mcquaid. After a stellar senior season at Michigan State, he came to Frankfurt wanting to shine as a rookie, but so far has been struggling. His situation may look a lot different would he be playing more than 11,2 minutes per game. Getting that hot shooting night is all he needs to change his season around. “Making the transition from college to the pro´s overseas isn´t always easy. It just takes more time than for others. He is one of those guys that just needs more time. All he needs is a break out game. He can shoot the ball as well as anyone in the league. I think that when he gets in rhythm, he will get more trust from coach and his minutes will rise”, stressed Adam Waleskowski.  Look for Mcquaid getting on track when Anthony Hickey is back and can get him in even better position to score than before.

                November has arrived and this is a very critical point of the season that could make or break the Fraport Skyliners. In the next 5 games, 4 are winnable against Bayreuth, MBC, Wurzburg and BG Goettingen. The four teams have a current combined record of 3-16. Of course if Frankfurt makes life difficult for themselves, then they could easily lose 3 of the 4 games. Brose Bamberg will be a tough game, but really Frankfurt can beat anyone on a good day as the close loss to FC Bayern Munich demonstrated. But first things are first. Medi Bayreuth is the first opponent on the menu this weekend. Medi Bayreuth come into the contest on the road like a wounded animal as they are still seeking their first victory of the season. A few days ago, they announced the departure of Matt Haufer who had constructed the roster with head coach Raoul Korner and despite having much talent, it becomes apparent that this team wasn´t constructed properly. The good old days of reaching the 2017 BBL semi-finals with guys like Demon Brooks and Trey Lewis are still remembered fondly. They brought in some high profile players like Bryce Alford son of the great Steve Alford who played in the NBA and coaches UCLA(NCAA) and Reid Travis who balled at Stanford(NCAA) together with German prospect Oscar Da Siva. The team´s biggest problems has been a non meshing of defense and team chemistry and not enough bite from the role players. Even if the Fraport Skyliners have an abundance of self confidence with their two game winning streak, this will be one difficult battle. Every new loss for medi Bayreuth will put more turmoil into the ball club. “Bayreuth are winless and need that first win. It will be a dog fight of a game. They are playing Fiba Europe Cup games and maybe we can use that extra burden that they have to our advantage. Key for winning for us will be limiting bad possessions and making turnovers”, stressed Adam Waleskowski. Halloween will have been two days old when the Fraport Skyliners step on the floor on Saturday to take on battle with medi Bayreuth as Waleskowski remembers the day where candy is king. “When I was growing up in Ohio I can remember one Halloween when I was 9 or 10 when we had three feet of snow. I went as a skeleton I remember seeing that in the Karate Kid 2. I loved getting Reece´s Peanut Butter Cups and always asking for them”,joked Adam Waleskowski. With Halloween still being somewhat in some people´s minds on Saturday, I asked Adam how the Fraport Skyliners could scare medi Bayreuth best? He began with a Tez joke, but with all courtesy to the Skyliner legend, refrain from mentioning it here. He then answered in basketball terms. “I think that we can scare them with starting with an alley-op dunk or beginning with a 25-0 run. Now that would scare them”, joked Adam Waleskowski. When the ball is jumped on Saturday, Halloween will be long forgotten as 10 players on the court go to battle just wanting to win at all costs even if it means not allowing the game to be pretty. All that counts is the win and nothing else. The Fraport Skyliners will take any win now at this early stage of the season no matter how ugly it is.

                It seems likes ages ago when the Fraport Skyliners were able to win the 2016 Fiba Europe cup only their third club title led by the leadership, scoring and playmaking of ex Seton Hall guard Jordan Theodore. Even if the club had had some great complementary parts that season with the twin towers Johannes Voigtmann and Danilo Barthel and Mr Canada Philipp Scrubb, one could say that they wouldn´t have won the title without having had the services of Theodore. Since then the New Jersey native has gained further valuable basketball experience in countries like Turkey, Italy and Greece. In that time he made it to being a solid Euroleague player and along the way was able to compete against German teams Fraport Skyliners, EWE Baskets Oldenburg, MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg and Brose Bamberg. He had had the number of the German teams having a respectable 7-2 record and 1 tie. His most memorable game was beating his ex club Fraport Skyliners. Especially in the Basketball Champions League he was able to dominate in his season with Banvit and now a few years later he is back in this competition with new team  Besiktas Sompo Japan Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) in Germany and playing the Telekom Baskets Bonn on the road. He had fond memories of this club as he had a 2-0 record with the Fraport Skyliners in the 2015-2016 season. Theodore wouldn´t be so lucky this time as he didn´t have one of his better games, but also was hit hard on his leg in the second quarter that limited to less minutes in the third quarter and in crunch-time the Turkish squad had no answer for the Branden Frazier big shots losing 86-82. After the loss Telekom Baskets Bonn guard TJ Dileo reflected on the hard fought win. “Besiktas really turned up the physicality in the fourth quarter. We had a couple runs that helped us win it. They battled hard and turned up the intensity but Frazier was big hitting important shots when our offense was struggling”, stressed ex Giessen 46er TJ DiLeo. On the other side 20 points, 6 steals and two thunderous back to back dunks from Shaquille Mckissic couldn´t get Besiktas over the hump in the fourth quarter. “Our big problem this season is having focus on offense and defense. Their spurts of 6-8 point runs really hurt us”, added ex Arizona State forward Shaquille Mckissic.

            Besiktas Istanbul had German national player Ismet Akpinar in the starting five and they strolled out on a quick 7-3 lead despite Bonn guard Brandon Frazier netting the first three points of the game. In the run the Turkish side got two buckets in the paint from two time NBA champion James McAdoo and a trey from Akpinar. The game had a very high tempo and you had two extreme loud cheering sections of the faithful Bonn fans and the 100 so Besiktas fans who had made the trip to Germany from Istanbul. Basketball will always be  a game of runs and as Besiktas had theirs so did Bonn who went on a 6-2 run dead locking the game at 9-9. In the run the Telekom Baskets Bonn found their spots in the paint as ex Ludwigsburg center Martin Breunig struck with a two handed stuff, Cuban Yorman Polas hit an off balance shot and ex Alba Berlin guard Joshiko Saibu made a lay in. Besiktas continued to set the tone grabbing the lead back as Akpinar showed in style how to score in bunches as he hit a trey and then scored on transition sharing a roar of excitement from Jordan Theodore. Theodore was being watched very closely as he had to struggle to find his spots in the tight zone. The Telekom Baskets Bonn stayed on Besiktas´s heels getting a three pointer from ex ACB player Ben Simmons, but in the last minute got some huge support from ex Turkish national player and ex Anadolu Efes Istanbul (BSL) swing man Birkan Batuk with 5 points leading 22-19 after 10 minutes. “Both teams had nice energy. Bonn was trying to find their rhythm while Besiktas was moving the ball better. Besiktas was shooting well and making the extra pass”, stated ex USC Heidelberg guard Japhet Mcneil. Besiktas Istanbul was shooting 56% from the field and 66% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Telekom Baskets Bonn shot 43% from the field and 37% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 2 turnovers.

            In the second quarter Besiktas Istanbul had a firm grip on the game in the first 10 minutes, but then a Bonn run shifted the momentum and the Turkish side could never fully recover as the German team controlled the game from that stand point until the end. Mckissic began the second quarter with 5 points, but the Telekom Baskets Bonn were able to match their intensity and execute well on offense getting baskets from Simmons and ex NBA player Trey Mckinney-Jones and trail 27-23. To this juncture, the game had no easy baskets, no real runs except for the first few minutes and no transition baskets. It wasn´t only the Americans doing their duty for Besiktas, but the Turks also were giving their two cents as three time Turkish allstar and 2010 World Cup silver medalist Oguz Savas did a good job using his muscle in the paint getting two baskets. Besiktas Istanbul couldn´t get away from Bonn as Mckinney -Jones scored 3 baskets in a row keeping the German side in the game trailing only 33-29. Bonn continued to pressure the ball very well which the Turkish side didn´t come to terms with. A Di Leo three gave Bonn the lead back and Subotic tap in gave them the 36-33 advantage and they would never look back. “Bonn got on transition well and got easy baskets. Besiktas had no ball movement as the ball was sticking”, stressed Brooklyn New York native Japhet Mcneil. In the last few minutes the Telekom Baskets Bonn kept the pressure on and let the ball fly at a high percentage from the parking lot as Serb Bojan Subotic nailed two three´s and Frazier connected for one as Bonn led 47-41 at the break. “Bonn got more confidence because of the lack of ball movement from Besiktas. Besikats lost some intensity on defense and the three´s started to fall for Bonn. The Bonn bigs were shooting the ball well and Mckinney-Jones gave good energy back breaking hustle plays”, warned Japhet Mcneil. The Telekom Baskets Bonn shot 51% from the field and 50% from the three point line and had 16 rebounds and 6 turnovers while Besiktas Istanbul shot 55% form the field and 53% from the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

            In the third quarter The Telekom Baskets Bonn held the lead as Besiktas Istanbul couldn´t get over the hump and regain the lead. Despite ex Euroleague player Jordan Theodore missing the first 6 minutes, Besikats Istanbul did a good job staying with Bonn. Akpinar began the second quarter with a trey, but that didn´t faze the German side as they responded with a swift 6-0 run to extend their lead to 53-44. In the run the German team continued to score at will in the paint. Super energizer Subotic continued to be a force scoring two baskets and Polas added one. But Besiktas Istanbul came back with a 7-0 run to get right back in the game and trail only 53-51. In the run, the Turkish squad got a huge three from ex Bonn forward Nemanja Djuristic and two big hoops from McAdoo who had his moments in the paint. Besiktas Istanbul had the momentum, but once again it shifted back to Bonn as they closed out the third quarter with a shattering 14-6 run extending their lead to 67-57 their biggest in the game. The Telekom Baskets Bonn had a lot of confidence all night long and really picked up their defense more in the third quarter helping them get the big lead. In the run Bonn got an easy transition basket from DiLeo, a three pointer from Simmons and two buckets from ex NBA player Stephen Zimmermann who used his collection of fancy moves to gain two baskets. “Bonn defended a lot tougher causing Besiktas to rush it more and make turnovers. Bonn took advantage of those turnovers”, stated Japhet Mcneil. “They really fought hard, but our defense pressured them much causing many turnovers”, added TJ DiLeo. “The third quarter has been our achilles heel. We came out with little energy and had to many turnovers”, stressed Shaquille Mckissic. The Telekom Baskets Bonn shot 57% from the field and 52% from the parking lot and had 22 rebounds and 14 turnovers while Besiktas Istanbul shot 50% form the field and 42% from the parking lot and had 21 rebounds and 19 turnovers.

            In the fourth quarter Besiktas made one more run and cut the Bonn lead down to one point, but then it would be Frazier time which decided the game for Bonn. Breunig began with two free throws giving Bonn the 69-57 advantage. But Besiktas Istanbul then started their rampage going on a 11-3 run to cut the Bonn lead down to 71-68. In the run the Turkish side was without Theodore, but young Turkish guard Omer Al did a good job organizing the offense and playing hard defense. He nailed a trey to start the run to cut Bonn´s lead down to 69-60. “He gave his team awesome minutes doing his job and pushing the pace. He defended the ball 90 feet”, stressed Japhet Mcneil. Batuk and Savas gave the team valuable contribution with baskets as did Mckissic who wooed the crowd with two massive dunks. “I love his athleticism and how he attacks the basket. He does it as good as anyone on the floor”, stressed Japhet Mcneil. “Those were normal dunks. I never know when they will come. I like doing them, They become natural to me. I have been dunking since 15 or 16 years”, smiled Shaquille Mckissic. All this damage by Besikats Istanbul had been done without Theodore on the floor. After a Breunig hook shot, Akpinar nailed a free throw and Mckissic struck again with a fabulous floater from the wing that saw nothing but net as Bonn had the slim 73-72 advantage. But then came the Frazier rampage of the night as the ex Fordham(NCAA) standout hit three shots in a row giving 8 points in the 10-2 run as the Telekom Baskets Bonn had total control and the comfortable 83-74 lead with 2 minutes to play. “He decided the game. He was in rhythm and could get off any shot he wanted to. He was shooting off the dribble as no one could stop him”, warned Japhet Mcneil. Mckissic and McAdoo got some baskets in the last two minutes, but the Turkish side never got closer than 4 points. DiLeo sealed the deal with free throws and the win with a few seconds remaining. “Frazier is a smart player and knew when to take over the game. He hit big shots”, added TJ DiLeo. “Key was Frazier. I played with him in Russia. I warned my team about him. He is hard to guard. We only had 2 days to prepare. We keep on learning on the move”, added Shaquille Mckissic. The Telekom Baskets Bonn were led by Branden Frazier with 14 points. Bojan Subotic added 12 points, TJ DiLeo 11 points and Stephen Zimmerman 10 points and 8 rebounds while Besiktas Istanbul was led yb Shaquille Mckissic with 20 points while Ismet Akpinar added 18 points. The Telekom Baskets Bonn shot 55% from the field and from outside and had 32 rebounds and 22 turnovers while Besikats Istanbul shot 52% from the field and 40% from outside and had 28 rebounds and 23 turnovers.

Jordan Theodore is a 29 year old 182cm point guard from Englewood, New Jersey that is playing his seventh professional season and first with Besiktas Istanbul (Turkey BSL). Last season he played with AEK Athens (Greece-A1) playing 20 games averaging 8.6ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 55.0%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 80.0%; and played 8 BCL games averaging 9.4ppg, 2.4rpg, 4.5apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 40.4%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 71.4%. Two seasons ago he played for EA7 Emporio Armani Milano (Italy-Serie A) playing 20 games averaging 10.4ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.9apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 75.0%; and played 23 Euroleague games averaging 11.6ppg, 2.0rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 86.5%. In the 2016-2017 season he played with Banvit Basketbol Kulubu (Turkey-BSL) playimg 31 games: Score-3 (18.4ppg), 3.7rpg, Assists-1 (7.2apg), 1.2spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 81.2%; In the BCL, he played 19 games: Score-4 (16.2ppg), 4.1rpg, Assists-1 (7.5apg), 1.2spg, FGP: 45.7%, 3PT: 29.7%, FT: 76.3% In the 2015-2016 season, he had his most successful season as a professional winning the FIBA Europe Cup with the Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt (Germany-BBL) playing 37 games: 14.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 4.7apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 83.1%; FIBA Europe Cup: 18 games: 14.4ppg, 3.4rpg, 4.6apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 90.2%. He started his basketball career in 2008 with Seton Hall (NCAA) where he played until 2012 127 NCAA games and as a playing a total of senior played 32 games averaging 16.0ppg, 3.1rpg, 6.6apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 41.2%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 82.7%. In 2012, he started his professional career with Antalya Buyuksehir Belediye (Turkey-TBL) playing 29 games averaging 15.8ppg, 3.6rpg, Assists-for Mersin Buyuksehir Belediyesi (Turkey-TBL) playing 27 games averaging 12.3ppg, 3.3rpg, 4.1apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT: 29.7%, FT: 73.5%. In the 2014-2015 season he played for JL Bourg Basket (France-ProA, starting five )playing 17 games averaging 12.7ppg, 3.6rpg, Assists-2 (6.1apg), 1.4spg, FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 21.6%, FT: 87.2%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before the Basketball Champions League game against the Telekom Baskets Bonn in Bonn.

Jordan thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Welcome back to Germany. How nice is it to be back in Germany. When you come back to Germany what is always the first thing that you are reminded of?

Of course my Skyliners family is the first thing that comes to mind. I always remember the good times that I had in Germany with the Skyliners. 

Your preparing for a Basketball Champions League game in Bonn. Could there be a chance that your ex teammate Quantez Robertson watch you play in Bonn?

I haven’t spoken to Tez yet. I’m not sure what his schedule is, but I know if he can, he will support me. Tez is my brother.

Since leaving the Fraport Skyliners you have played 10 games against German teams. Could you make a prediction of what your record is?

I know I’m over 500. I think I lost only twice. 

Your right, your record is 7-2 and a tie. Is there a game that really stands out? I remember you taking control in crunch time in Oldenburg and winning the game in Ludwigsburg on a coast to coast run and playing two nail bitters against Bamberg last season.

I had a great game in Ludwigsburg hitting the game winner. But what really stands out the most was coming back to Frankfurt for the first time with Banvit. Coming home and seeing family was a wonderful feeling.

Do you remember your record against the Telekom Baskets Bonn with the Fraport Skyliners?

I don’t think that we lost. I think we won on the road. I’m sure that if we won on the road then we definitely won at home. 

Yes your right you were 2-0 against the Telekom Baskets Bonn. How good did it feel finding a new basketball home in the summer. I remember last season you didn’t arrive to Greece until the second half of the season.

I was happy finding a new home early. Sitting out the first half of last season because of the contract situation with Milan was tough. It was tough seeing my friends playing and competing every weekend and I was at home in limbo. All I can say is that I’m blessed now to still be playing at a high level. 

After a solid season with AEK Athens (Greece-A1) how was the summer transfer period for you? Were there some other interesting offers?

I got married last summer and wanted to be close to home where my family is. That would be Istanbul. My highest priority was to be in Istanbul. I had other good offers, but in the end I always wanted to be in Istanbul. I know that I made the right choice. My numbers aren’t showing it now, but it will pick up. It is a long season.

What were the main reasons for joining Besiktas? What makes this club so appealing to you and what was the deciding factor? How much of a factor was head coach Dusko Ivanovic?

I didn’t know coach well, but I had heard good things about him. For me Besiktas was the right fit. I had a great conversation with him and It’s a match made in heaven when a coach wants you.

The team has a nice mix of Americans. Your teammates with NBA champion James Michael Mcadoo. Obviously your happy to have him on your side, but does it surprise you that a guy like that couldn’t stick in the NBA?


The NBA is a revolving day. James has amazing talent and is a great person. The NBA isn’t for everyone. He is an unbelievable player. He is playing very well. I’m sure that he will get another chance. 

You have played with many great shooting guards in your career. What makes it so special playing along side American Toddrick Gotcher. He seems like one of those players that like you needed some time more to really develop up the basketball ladder?

Todd is very young. Our team is full of young talent. This is one of the first times that I’m the oldest. He has a great future. He is a very hard worker and can shoot the ball. He can do a lot more than what we allow him to. He will continue to develop and show that he is more than just a shooter. 

When you played with the Fraport Skyliners German national player Ismet Akpinar was still a bit unknown, but now has developed into a high quality player. What kind of special dimension will he give the club?

Ismet gives us a special dimension. He can play the 1-2. When He is playing the 1, I can play the 2. He can shoot and create off the dribble. It is still early. He hasn’t shown all that is in the bag. 

Let’s talk about your game. We have talked about the NBA in the last years as well as the Euroleague. You had a very good Euroleague season with Milan. For me it’s a riddle why your not living in the Euroleague. Does it bother you that teams don’t give you the opportunity?

I don’t feel that Euroleague teams overlooked me last year. It was tough sitting out. Euroleague teams wanted to sign me, but it wasn’t the right fit for me. I didn’t want to be able to put up numbers and lose. Last season was the right situation in Greece. This season I didn’t want to wait so I signed right away. I still think that I’m one of the best point guards in Europe. It will start to show soon. I have no worries.

You had solid stats last season, but they were down from other years. How much of a toll did missing half of the season on the development of your game with AEK Athens?

I had a little arm injury, but my assists are up this season. My shots will start to fall soon. I’m not worried. I have only had 5 games so there is nothing to trip about. I got out of my rhythm last season. I had an ankle injury got back to 100%, but then had to sit out during the contract dispute. It took a toll on me. But now I’m back mentally and physically. 

What are the main goals of Jordan Theodore this season in terms of your game? You obviously want to win, but where do you want to take your game this season?

The main goal is always to win. I want to play at a high level. My shots aren’t falling now, but they will. I want to be the best player that I can be. It is all in my hands. I really don’t feel pressure. I will continue to work hard and get my game better and push my team to win.

It seems like this season could be a season like with Banvit where you put up huge stats. It seems like you will have to be more of an offensive factor this season than what you were with Milan and AEK. It has been a while since you consistently put up big stats. 

I feel like I am still capable of having a season like with Banvit. The only difference now is that I pick my spots more. Now I’m a focal point of the team. The opponents all know what I bring to the table now. I face defenses every night that play like they need to stop me. That opens up the game for my teammates. I get my stats later. It could be hard, but only when I overthink.

You haven’t shot the ball as well from outside as you did with Frankfurt and Banvit. Did you work extra hard this summer on refining your shot? How much of a priority is it for you to be that versatile offensive monster that won’t only hurt the opponent with the penetration, but the outside shot?

Working on m shot is very important. Early in the season a lot of my shots are rushed or at the end of the shot clock. I’m working on better shot selection. At the moment I’m missing easy shots and shots that I would usually make. I won’t stay in this slump. My shots will start to fall. I will have a break out game soon and build from there.

You averaged an amazing 7 assists in the Turkish league and in the BCL with Banvit a few years ago. Have you missed having that playmaking dominance. How hungry are you to be that dominating playmaker again?

I’m still that dominating playmaker. Since I’m playing at a high level, people expect me to score 20 points and get 9/10 assists. I would love to do that, but now every night is different. With Banvit I had to put up those stats. I didn’t need to do that last year. The team now wants me to shoot more and we have other guys that can score the ball as well. When I get on track with my shooting, It will add to team moral.

What has it been playing for head coach Dusko Ivanovic? You have played for many head coaches, but how do you feel will your game profit most from him this season?

He has made me play more defense than I did in the past. I’m giving more effort on the defensive end. I was always a solid defender, but I have gotten better under him. I am paying more attention to detail. I feel like I have improved a lot in a short period of time.

Your turning 30 in December. Are you in your prime now? On what part of your game are you focusing most on now as you go into your 30’s?

I continue to work on every aspect of my game. I work on taking all types of shots and my passing. My biggest focus with my game Is knocking down the open three consistently. I don’t get many open looks like I did in Frankfurt.

Johannes Voigtmann made the next step joining CSKA Moscow. Do you feel like him having the opportunity to win the Euroleague to playing sparse minutes in the NBA helped him make that decision?

I think that a lot of the European’s dream is to win the Euroleague title. Going to CSKA was a big move for Joe. He is playing for a great organization and coach. He has a great opportunity to achieve the goal of winning the Euroleague title and then possibly get an NBA shot.

How proud are you of ex teammate John Little who is an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks now. Did you already witness the coach in John Little when you were teammates?

Hell yes. John is a born coach. He was an unbelievable teammate. What he did on the court every night was tremendous. He did everything. If you would have told him to run through a wall, he would of. I wasn’t surprised when I heard that he would work for the Bucks. He is an incredible person and will have a long career in the NBA. John is my guy.

What is your opinion of how the US played at the World Championships? They finished in seventh place. Was this a major embarrassment for American basketball and how will they respond?

No. I knew that USA wouldn’t win the World Cup. Europe has many good countries and players. The USA players had no European experience. The game is a lot different in Europe from the NBA. A big problem that USA had was that they didn’t have enough shooters. USA had great playmakers and scorers, but not shooters. It showed that rest of the world is catching up. You have to tip your hat to the rest of the world. There is great talent.

How did you experience the death of player Andre Emmett. Does a death like that make you look more around your surroundings in Europe in a huge city like Istanbul or do you feel safe enough in Europe?

No I feel safe. What happened to him happened at home. That type of thing can happen anywhere. I’m fortunate that I’m living in a good place. I’m not afraid of guys coming up behind me and shooting me. I pray for the family of Andre Emmett. That really sucks what happened to him. He is a great guy that was living a great life. He just had had a daughter. The whole thing was very tragic. I know a lot of guys that knew him.

What was the last movie that you saw?

The Joker. I liked it a lot.

Thanks Jordan for the chat. 

After giving a very spirited effort in the opening game in their living room against the mighty FC Bayern Munich who won the 2019 NBBL final losing 70-61, Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners went on the road and didn´t hang their heads, but played a very strong game against the Tennet Young Hero´s winning in style 83-69 qnd were led by 17 year old shooting star Len Schoorman with a stat filling effort of 23 points 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. The club didn´t have their best shooting day, but cleaned up in the paint winning the rebound battle 42-31 and showed their dominance crashing the boards and hauling down 17 offensive rebounds. Like against FC Bayern Munich, they also defended well again as their defensive game continues to develop nicely. Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers also entered the game with a 1-1 record after losing their opener on the road against Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg 70-62 and last weekend rebounded well at home winning against 2019 NBBL finalist Brose Bamberg-Troester Breitengussbach with 70-56 despite Jekabs Beck 24/20 explosion. In the upset win, the Hessen team got solid support from Sebastian Brach with 23 points, Paul Karl added 16 points And Tim Schneider contributed 15 points in the victory. They didn´t shoot so well, but defended well for 40 minutes forcing the Bavarian team to 22 turnovers. Both clubs were seeking their second win of the season as both teams were at eye level in the first quarter, but in the second quarter Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners were able to go on a run and build a nice comfortable lead which would grow in the second half leading to a 94-65 victory. After the contest an extremely content, but reserved Len Schoorman reflected on the win. “We played well today. When they started getting weak, we didn´t let up, but kept playing aggressive and stayed awake. Rebounding and controlling the paint was key. We could of defended better at times and limited our turnovers”, stressed 17 year old German junior national player Len Schoormann. Ex Frankfurt NBBL player Nicolas Lagerman took the loss ok, but was disappointed that the team couldn´t stick with Frankfurt longer. “In the first quarter we matched their intensity, but in the second quarter they went on a run and we fell apart and couldn´t recover. We had a tough time inside as Frankfurt was very physical. I remember when I played in Frankfurt with the JBBL team we always tried to play aggressive and be awake. I thought we played like that in the first quarter, but then lost it. Frankfurt played well as a team”, stressed Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers guard Nicolas Lageman.

                Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers got off to the quicker start scoring 12 seconds in as 18 year old 201cm big man Fin Jakob scored, but Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners then gave the guests an early taste of what would be happening in the paint all agme long as ex Hamm center Erik Brummert scored as did ex Cologne RheinStar Jordan Samare and Len Schoormann hit free throws. Frankfurt would dominate the inside area, because they had a huge height advantage and they took advantage of mismatches all day long. 17year old Sebastian Brach who already has played 4 Pro B games with Giessen hit an off balance shot to cut Frankfurt´s lead to 6-5, but Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners continued to feed the ball inside as Frederick Fischbach made the nice extra pass to 18 year old 211cm center Julian Steinfeld and he then made an extra pass to Samare for another easy lay in for the 10-5 lead. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners demonstrated early their unselfishness which would carry through the game. Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers was playing with a high intensity on offense and were executing well at that point as Lagerman used his biggest strength nailing a trey17 year old quick guard, Paul Karl hit a jumper, Brach nailed a step back and 17 year old 196cm forward Philip Boetz made a lay in for the 14-11 advantage. Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers calmed down on offense and took better shots while Frankfurt had lost a little intensity on defense. Len Schooormann wasn´t an offensive factor getting only one shot which he missed. But Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners closed out the first quarter in style going on a 5-0 run as 2019 JBBL top 4 player Amir Dorn used his quickness for a lay in and athletic 17 year Isaac Obanor hit a clutch three pointer showing that he had worked on his three pointer over the summer as he was 4/6 in the season from downtown. Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers trailed Frankfurt 16-14. “Giessen matched our intensity, but I felt that we were clearly the better team. Fouls killed us”, stressed Len Schoormann. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 50% from the field and 20% from outside and had 14 rebounds and 8 turnovers while Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers shot 32% from the field and 17% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 3 turnovers.

                The turning point of the contest came in the second quarter as Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners went on a lengthy run to build a comfortable lead and from then on as Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers had to play catch up basketball. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners didn´t waste any time jumping all over Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers going on a 10-4 run to extend their lead to 26-18. In the run Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners did two important things one crashing the boards and getting two easy put backs from Brummert and Obanor and second Len Schoormann finally got going hitting a trey and running hook shot back to back and presto he had 7 points and was instantly the top scorer at that juncture. Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers then found some instant offensive power getting a lay in from Paul Carl and 17 year old Tim Schneider who also plays for Regionalliga team Giessen Pointers to cut the Frankfurt lead to 26-22. That small burst of energy and production didn´t faze Frankfurt as their offense was working like a clock work and they fled on another gigantic run of 13-2 to extend their lead to 39-24. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners moved the ball around very well and divided up the scoring as 2019 JBBL top 4 player Bennett Schubert hit a trey and Steinfeld continued to be a menace in the paint getting two buckets. Schoormann continued to demonstrate that his three pointer has really improved in the last two seasons netting two. The Darmstadt native also showed special maturity as he didn´t lose control or force shots in the first quarter when he wasn´t getting the usual touches or shots, but looked for his teammates and then in the second quarter it was his turn as he made use of very good shot selection and buried shot after shot. “I didn´t play well last week in the NBBL or Pro B. I wanted to come back strong today. I was injured for some time and just wanted to find my rhythm again by passing and helping my team first. I knew that I would get my share of shots later”, warned Len Schoormann. In the last minutes Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers go to guy Lagerman scored twice including a beautiful nifty left handed lay, but Frankfurt had done the most damage and led easily at the break 45-32. “They lost intensity and we defended a lot better. Our bigs also continued to score”, stressed Len Schoormann. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 50% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 25 rebounds and 11 turnovers while Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers shot 39% from the field and 17% from the three point line and had 11 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

                In the third quarter Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners continued to control the game and extended their lead to plus 20 points. Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers were stopped on their first three possessions and Eintracht Frankfurt took advantage of it going on a 5-0 run as Samare hit free throws and Schoormann dropped another trey for the overwhelming 50-32 lead. Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers had some offense going every now and then as Tim Schneider scored a lay in and Brach hit another three, but they couldn´t get consistent stops on defense allowing Frankfurt to get production and baskets from Fischbach, Brummert and Ibanor that hit Giessen for a 6-0 run leading 56-40. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners did a good job displaying fine inside out basketball which made it defensively very difficult for Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers who also couldn´t handle the Frankfurt physicality. Frankfurt never let up ending the third quarter on a 13-5 run to up their enormous lead a bit more to 69-45. Frankfurt continued to spread the scoring love around as Fischback hit two three´s and 2019 JBBL Top 4 player Pierre Barthoum gave valuable energy from the bench with two buckets. “We hadn´t started off the third quarter well in the last games and didn´t want that to happen today. We did a good job staying strong and keeping our man in front of us. We also took away the right hand from Lagerman”, stressed Len Schoormann. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 55% from the field and 35% from the parking lot and had 35 rebounds and 16 turnovers while Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers shot 38% from the field and 18% from the parking lot and had 17 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

                Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners continued to pour it on a bit more in the fourth quarter as they had done each quarter leading by plus 30 points and closing out the game with a well deserved win. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners never lost their momentum and just kept playing hard and executing at both ends of the court beginning with a 12-4 run to extend their lead to 81-49. In the run Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners continued to move the ball well and share the scoring pie. Frankfurt continued to rule in the paint getting a put back from Julian Steinfeld and Brummert hook shot while Obanor scored from the wing with ease as no Giessen defender wanted to challenge his athleticism. With five minutes to go, the game was decided but Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers never gave up and outscored Frankfurt in that span 15-13. Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers got some buckets from bench players 18 year old German guard Henrik Kalusche and 17 year old guard Karl Maruschka as well as baskets from Jakob and Tim Schneider as well. Lagerman ended his day with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists on 4/11 shooting and reflected on his game and leaving Frankfurt a few years ago for a new challenge with Giessen. “I wanted to be able to do more with Frankfurt, but wasn´t allowed to. I decided to leave and go to Giessen. I just try to help my team the best way I can with rebounding, moving the ball and making shots”, stressed Nicolas Lagerman. Frankfurt got baskets from Barthoum who nailed a trey, Samare with a back door lay in and little used big man 210cm center Liam O´Neill also got into the scoring parade. Two guys who have been integrated well from the JBBL(U-16) league to the NBBL(U-19) league have been Germans Pierre Bartoum and Amir Dorn who combined for 13 points in 28 minutes. “It´s not always easy scoring on this team as we have many scorers, but both have played well. Both are good penetrators, but need a bit more self confidence”, stressed Len Schoormann. Tim Schneider ended the contest with a free throw for Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers. “Important in the game was after they had a run to come back on offense and let everyone touch the ball and feel good. That made us go strong in the next defense which then led to us creating offense”, added Len Schoormann. “We played with pride at the end and played as well as we could, but it just wasn´t enough”, added Nicolas Lagerman. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was led by Len Schoormann with 24 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Frederick Fischbach contributed 13 points while Isaac Obanor, Erik Brummert and Julian Steinfeld added 10 points a piece. Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers was led yb Nicolas Lagerman and Tim Schneider with 14 points a piece. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 52% from the field and 32% from outside and had 47 rebounds and 19 turnovers while Roth Energie BBA Giessen 46ers shot 41% form the field and 25% from outside and had 24 rebounds and 18 turnovers.

It is always nice to see guys return back to a league after being away for a while. One of those players is American Lamar Mallory from Dayton Ohio, who played with Lich from 2015-2017 belonging to the best power forwards in the league amassing 17.9ppg, 7.8rpg and 16.8ppg, and 10,0rpg in his two seasons there. He then played a season in Australia with Albury Wodonga Bandits (Australia-SEABL) continuing his rampage down under averaging 19.6ppg, and 9.6rpg. Last season he returned back to Germany to play with the serlohn Kangaroos (Germany-ProB) averaging 18.3ppg and, 8.3rpg and also sampled further experience with BBC Arantia Larochette (Luxembourg-Total League) averaging 26.7ppg, 12.0rpg, 1.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 65.9%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 80.0%. He didn´t return back to Frankfurt last season because Iserlohn play in the Pro B north. Mallory always had good games against Frankfurt and owned a positive 2-1 record. He scored 13 points in his first game in a loss, but then came alive and poured it on in his two wins posting 21 points and 10 rebounds and 14 points and 11 boards. The ex Glenville St. (NCAA2) standout returned back to the BCM Frankfurt with a new team and wanted to continue his winning ways and win his third game in a row against them and did powering the former Pro B champion Scanplus Baskets to a convincing 84-64 victory. After the big win which gave the team a 4-2 record, the Ohio native was beaming all over, but mentioned quickly that his big game of 27 points and 10 boards was a team effort. “Frankfurt is always tough to play. They have good talent, coaching and discipline. After our loss to Baunach, this was a good win and confidence builder. Key to this win was our communication. We brought the right mentality wanting to win. We shared the ball well and played for each other. We were very active on defense rebounding and boxing out well. We did a good job applying pressure making everything uncomfortable for them”, stressed ex Lich forward Lamar Mallory. After the loss a disappointed Bruno Vrcic was limited with his words as he had to hurry to get to Ulm as the Frankfurt BBL team was preparing for a Sunday night game there. “We didn´t start well and couldn´t get the ball inside. Then from the second quarter until the end we gave up everything inside. They went on a big run in the second quarter and we never recovered from it. They beat us physically all night long”, warned ex FC Bayern Munich guard Bruno Vrcic.

The Fraport Skyliners started off ice cold as the ScanPlus Baskets jumped all over them leading quickly 7-2. It was ex Iserlohn forward Lamar Mallory that started the game off with a crushing alley-op dunk fed nicely by 21 year old Croatian Karlo Miksic Miksic was aggressive from the get go scoring on a lay in and then Mallory connected on a 15 footer. Ex Freiburg forward Cosmo Gruehn made a nice finger tip roll lay in, but Miksic struck again with a trey and 10-4 guests lead. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors finally woke up and cruised out on a lethal 11-4 run to take their first lead 15-14. Frankfurt was led in this phase by two trey´s from Tennessee native and ex Kenneshaw State forward Nigel Pruitt and Bruno Vrcic added 5 points. The Scanplus Baskets had totally lost their rhythm and made too many turnovers. Frankfurt kept the momentum and continued to run their offense effectively profiting from the Scanplus Baskets fifth team foul and getting free throws from Cosmo Gruehn and Canada native Jazz Bains. After 10 minutes the Fraport Skyliners Juniors had come to life and led 21-16. “We did a good job attacking the basket and weren´t shooting wild in your face three´s which we did soon after”, stressed Bruno Vrcic. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were shooting 38% from the field and 13% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 4 turnovers while the Scanplus Baskets were shooting 35% from the field and 36% from outside and had 7 rebounds and had 4 turnovers.

Early in the second quarter German Kristian Kuhn was inserted and the game changed as he led the Scanplus Baskets on a 10-0 run scoring 8 points and they started to take control and wouldn´t look back. The ex MBC center who began to play basketball at age 17 and played 24 BBL games scored all 4 buckets easy in the paint. It was here that the poor help defense started and overall 1-1 defense. But the guests also played with severe physicality that the Frankfurt young players couldn´t match. Even if Gruehn broke the 10-0 Scanplus Baskets run, Kuhn was still aggressive and on fire as he scored two more baskets as there was absolutely no stopping him. Kuhn´s stat line at halftime read 14 points and 5 rebounds in 10 minutes. Mallory was kept in check, but the Scanplus Baskets showed that they have so many weapons that anyone can step up at any time in a game. Mallory came into the game averaging 11,4ppg and 8,4rpg and isn´t near his stats from his previous teams, but it´s obvious that when you have an abundance of scoring options that you probably won´t put up the dominant stats. “It doesn´t matter who it is on this team, but anyone can step up on any given night. It´s usually who gets hot gets fed. That was the case with me tonight. I won´t be sad if my stats go down”, stressed American Lamar Mallory. The Scanplus Baskets also profited from Frankfurt getting early 5 team fouls and got free throws from young German Niklas Moebus and Lamar Mallory leading 39-27. German Alvin Oniiya hit a clutch three pointer in the last seconds as Frankfurt trailed 39-30. “They started to dominate inside. They made easy baskets. We didn´t make anything difficult for them”, stressed 2 time NBBL champion Brno Vrcic. The Scanplus Baskets shot 42% from the field and 20% from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 30% from the field and 18% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

In the third quarter the Scanplus Baskets continued to control the game and never allowed the Fraport Skyliners Juniors to get over the hump and get closer than 5 points trailed by 12 after 30 minutes. Six year man Konstantin Schubert who has played 7 BBL games with Frankfurt began with a trey to cut the lead down to 39-33 testing his 18% season three point accuracy. But the guests stormed back with a Mallory lay in and Miksic trey as Frankfurt trailed 44-34. But the Fraport Skyliners then had a good offensive spurt going on a 6-0 run to cut the lead down to 44-40. Ex Chemnitz center Aaron Kayser nailed two free throws and Bruno Vrcic hit a floater and lay in. Jacob Mampuya who played 16 BBL games with Tuebingen hit a trey and Schubert scored on a perfect back door pass from Gruehn as Frankfurt stayed on the Scanplus Baskets door step trailing 47-42. But the Scanplus Baskets always had another weapon in their sleeve as now it was time for German Luca Kamber to add some vital offensive punch nailing two three´s for the 53-44 lead. The guests had simply too many weapons that were consistent. Mallory who had been quiet for some time attacked the bucket and finished with a two handed stuff as the Scanplus Baskets led 56-47 after 30 minutes. “Our energy let us keep the lead. When you play with energy like that then shots fall easier and it´s easier to play defense”, added Lamar Mallory. “We began well getting some steals and easy baskets. But then they hit three´s expanding their lead again”, stressed Bruno Vrcic. The Scanplus Baskets shot 42% from the field and 32% from the parking lot and had 31 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 30% from the field and 20% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

In the fourth quarter Lamar Mallory continued his consistent offensive game just tearing the Fraport Skyliners Juniors defense apart leading his team on a 10-2 run scoring every point. He nailed a trey, scored twice inside and finished at the free throw line as well as the Scanplus Baskets led more closely. Frankfurt got some key baskets from Pruitt and Jaz Bains who had an unfortunate shooting day, but couldn´t get consistent stops as CJ Oldham scored twice extending the guests lead to 71-56. The Scanplus Baskets continued to do what they wanted and the Frankfurt zone was their personal playground. Frankfurt couldn´t get inside and had to resort to taking tough contested outside shots that didn´t want to fall. The guests also got transition baskets which Frankfurt couldn´t combat. Frankfurt just had very limited offensive option on this night as Aaron Kayser got little touches and wasn´t put in good scoring situations and rookie Jaz Bains wasn´t effective like in previous games. Frankfurt got some baskets from Vrcic and Oniya, but the Scanplus Baskets then slammed the door shut on Frankfurt with a game ending 10-4 run. In the run Kamba who played 81 NCAA games and last season played with the Dresden Titans hit his third and fourth three´s of the night and Oldham made a reverse lay up. “I was in the right spots in the fourth quarter and went with the flow of the game. My teammates found me well. Luka Kamber was our unsung hero of the game. He is really dangerous when he is knocking down shots. He will be key for our success this season. He needs to be aggressive”, warned Lamar Mallory. “We were there mentally, but we didn´t help on defense and our 1-1 defense wasn´t there. They dominated us”, added Bruno Vrcic. The Scanplus Baskets were led by Lamar Mallory with 27 points. Kristian Kuhn added 14 points and Karlo Miksic and Luka Kamba added 12 points a piece. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Bruno Vrcic with 17 points. Cosmo Gruehn added 11 points and Nigel Pruitt 10 points. The Scanplus Baskets shot 44% from the field and 33% from outside and had 40 rebounds and 14 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 36% from the field and 22% from outside and had 32 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

Kameron Taylor is a 25 year old 198cm guard from Hyattsville, Maryland that is playing his fourth professional season and first with Brose Bamberg. He started the season on fire and through 4 BBL games is averaging 17,5ppg, 2,5rpg and 2,0apg and shooting an astronomical 77,8% from outside. Last season he played with Pecsi VSK-Veolia (Hungary-A Division) currently averaging 19.2ppg), 8.1rpg, 3.9apg, Steals-1 (2.2spg), FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT: 74.8%. Two seasons ago he played in Germany with the Dragons Rhondorf and tore up the Pro B averaging 23,4ppg, 7,9rpg and 5,6apg, and 2,6spg. As a rookie he played with Team Ehingen Urspring (Germany-ProA) playing 29 games averaging 10.8ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 43.9%, FT: 80.2%. He started his basketball career at DeMatha Catholic and in 2012-2013 started his career at Seton Hill (NCAA2) and as a freshman played 28 games averaging 7.8ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.0apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 40.6%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 70.0%. In his second season at Seton Hill (NCAA2) he played 27 games averaging 12.6ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.6apg, 2.0spg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 43.5%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 77.9%. In his junior season at Seton Hill (NCAA2) he played 16 games averaging 13.1ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.1apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.3%, 3PT: 39.6%, FT: 70.6%. In his senior year at Seton Hill (NCAA2) he played 27 games averaging 20.8ppg, 8.7rpg, 4.1apg, 2.2spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 76.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com recently about basketball. 

Kameron thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. How was your summer? What was the coolist non-basketball thing that you did?

Hey Miles, The coolest thing this past summer was going to the Dominican Republic with my best friends. We did and seen a lot!

Your playing your fourth professional season while I will be beginning my 16th season as a basketball play by play guy and 12 year at eurobasket.com. I looked in the archives and you have had 13 Eurobasket titles which is a lot. My fondest memory with you your Rhondorf buzzer beater against Frankfurt. What has been your fondest memory with me over the years?

It’s hard to pick just one but I would probably have to say the Frankfurt buzzer beater as well. It was a crazy ending and I think one of my first interviews with you.

On what area’s of your game did you work on most this summer to be best prepared for the next challenge back in the BBL with Brose Bamberg?

I’ve been working on my ball handling a lot. Although I’m most comfortable on the wing, coaches like to sometimes put me at the point guard position to create mismatches. So in order for that I have to tighten up my ball handling

Before we get to your new club Brose Bamberg, let’s take a look back at last season. You played with Pecsi VSK-Veolia (Hungary-A Division) and lost in the semi-finals to Kormend. Was this series loss one of the toughest loses in your career losing the fifth game quite easily.

It was a tough loss without a doubt. Through the whole season me and my team had a lot of ups and downs where it didn’t look like we would even be in that position. So all thought we lost. I was proud of the team the way we finished the season.

In our last interview you stated that the Hungarian league in skill level is somewhere between the German BBL and Pro A. Despite having monster stats what was the biggest challenge playing in this league?

The biggest challenge of the league was stepping into a leadership role amongst my older teammates. My season in Hungary I didn’t have to tell my team what to do or what we needed to do but to lead by example and by bringing positive energy everyday.

What did you enjoy most about the Hungarian culture? Is this a country that you might visit again after your playing career?

I enjoyed my teammates the most. They kept the season fun and positive through the losses and the wins. And you never know, at the end of my career I wouldn’t mind going back to enjoy Budapest.

Let’s talk about your game. You put up big stats 19.2ppg, 8.1rpg, 3.9apg, Steals-1 (2.2spg), FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT: 74.8%. How content were you with your season on the court?

Well I’m a winner. As a winner I feel the stats will come and go but as long as the outcome was winning then I would be satisfied. We had a strong beginning and a strong finish in the end so I was satisfied with my team for fighting through the rocky mid season we had, and finishing so strong. The only thing that could have been better is if we won the championship.

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Two seasons ago you were one of oldest on Rhondorf team and in Hungary there were many more older players on your side. What did you try to soak up most from guys like Ryan Wright and Andrija Ciric that will help you be able to make another step in your career with Brose Bamberg.

Patience. As a young guy on the court you want everything to go your way right away. After having a rough losing streak in the middle they never hung their head because they always gave 100% on the court but instead looked to the next game and knew if we would win some key games then we would be in a good position.

You stated in our last interview in February that you have improved in every league that you have played in. How did your game grow most last season in Hungary?

This last season I had to learn to not hold the ball so long. In Pro B I was able to draw the defense and find the open player almost everytime. In Hungary the defense would help earlier to not allow me to do so much creating, so instead I had to give up the ball early to an assist or to let my teammates create a good play.

You had so many amazing single game performances and was near to many triple doubles as well. If you had to pick one game, which do you feel was the best game that you showcased for the fans?

One game that really sticks out was the third semi final game in Kormmends home gym. Kormmend hadn’t lost all year in their home gym. In a 5 game series we were down 2-0 and we beat them in their home gym while missing one of our important players Veljko Budimir. Which led to another victory in our home gym to tie the series 2-2. There were some other memorable wins but this one in particular was very impressive.

Congrats on signing with Brose Bamberg. When you were in your first tour of duty with Wurzburg, you never played against Brose Bamberg, but how conscious were you about how great a club it is and how much history there is?

When coming to Germany you know that Bamberg is one the best organizations in the league. I was also playing my first two years in Germany so I had always known about Bamberg. Before I got to Bamberg I didn’t know that they had such a crazy history of winning. That means the expectations are high which is type of organization I like.

In your early time with Bamberg, what has been the best example of this club being a totally different kind of experience in terms of structure in comparison to the other professional teams you played with?

Just the extra staff on duty just as hungry to be successful as I am. I have Stefan Weissenboeck who is the head of player development who has been developing my game since I’ve got here, Sandro our strength and conditioning coach who pushes us every single day to be stronger and keeping us in the best shape, to Heiko Pfister and the amazing training staff making sure our health is great after every game, practice, and even on the off days.

With Brose Bamberg you are playing with the best talent in your professional career. What kind of experience has it been for you and how beneficial will the high competitive level be for your game?

Definitely the best competition of my career but if I can manage to continue be myself but also add some experience with the help of my coaches and teammates. I believe that the team and myself will be very successful on the court and it will help me take my game to the next step.

What kind of experience has it been being teammates with veterans like Elias Harris and Bryce Taylor? How much fun and beneficial is it just watching them play every day and just being able to interact with them on and off the court?

Elias and Bryce have been great. I was roommates with Elias during our training camp in Serbia so I was able to hear about all his experiences and receive some guidance when it came to taking my game to the next level. And Bryce is one of those guys who never loses composure, through every situation Bryce goes at his own pace. Which is something I’m trying to learn from him.

You’re a combo guard. What kind of role do you see yourself having? Do you see yourself being more of a back up point guard or shooting guard or be a guy that will be jumping around positions including the three position?

I’ve been playing a lot of shooting guard and point guard this pre season. As the point guard you have to know all the positions, so I’m ready for all possibilities.

You probably won’t put up the kind of stats you did at Rhondorf and in Hungary. Your biggest goal is always to win, but in terms of your game what kind of player will we see from you?

I will always bring the same energy and fire. The goal is to just improve during the season as I have done in the past.

What kind of different element does making the right play become when playing with a projected playoff team like Brose Bamberg?

When it comes to making the right play there is no different element. That is the player I am and the player I always try to be.

How excited are you to be playing in the Bamberg legends game soon? You will see many former Bamberg legends on the court. Is this an opportunity where you might attempt a few selfie’s after the game?

I think it’s nice to see the guys who came this route before you. Especially the American guys and hearing their stories, i don’t think I’ll be taking selfies but definitely try and get some advice on my future.

Now that your back in Germany again do you see yourself when you have an off day to visit one of your old stomping grounds Wurzburg, Ehingen and Rhondorf. With Wurzburg and Ehingen you are only about 1-2 hours away.

Yea I will try to get to all 3 this year but we have such a crazy and busy schedule that it might be more likely and better for to visit at the end of the season.

So many NBA teams have improved with star signings with teams like the Lakers, Clippers, Brooklyn and Houston. What team do you feel will make the most of their changes and be the best team this season?

I really like the Clippers and the Celtics changes for the season but it should be an exciting season.

How important could the world Championships be for Kemba Walker? Could he make another step in his game and lead the team to new heights?

Kemba is one of those underrated guys who just needs the right situation. World championship add to everyone’s career but I think he needs an NBA championship.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Last movie I saw was John Wick 3

Thanks Kam for the chat.

                It was a bitter cold late afternoon day in downtown Boston on January 18^th in 2017 as the NBA was nearing the allstar break and The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks were drifting in two totally different directions as the Boston Celtics were heading to a #1 finish in the Atlantic division and the New York Knicks were going into no man´s land finishing the season with a 31-51 record finishing in 12^th place and missing the playoffs once again as a once proud organization continued to develop backwards instead of ahead. They had strengthened their team with a Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah and having NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony and having some young talent, but in the NBA that never guarantees success. But on this evening, the Knicks came to play in Boston winning 117-106 and getting 30 points from the ex Chicago Bull Derrick Rose and an explosive 39 points by Isaiah Thomas from Boston couldn´t stop them. I was in Boston visiting my family and wanted to relive my childhood again with getting some autographs before the game at the Knicks hotel. Back in the 80´s getting NBA players autographs was an easy task while now it had become more difficult with extended security and keeping the collectors as far as away as possible and giving the players the opportunity to come over and sign as they walked to the bus which was parked at the other side of the door. Of course if the majority of the players are wearing head phones and jamming their rap and hip hop as they depart the hotel, then it makes it more difficult to hear their names being blurted by the anxious and somewhat desperate collectors. It turned out to be an afternoon where there was a trend of where the Europeans and African players demonstrated some love for the fans while the majority of the players blew everyone off. I can be proud to say I got autographs selfies from Lithuanian forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Maurice Ndour, and ex NBA champion Sasa Vujacic with the latter two not being able to read their stat line after 40 minutes as they were never inserted. Kuzminskas finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds in 29 minutes. The superstars Rose and Anthony excited the 5 star Boston hotel taking a straight route to the Bus and ignoring the collectors  But it isn´t always just the stars that ignore the fans, but also the rookies. Back in the day that would have been unheard of, but in 2017 it actually happened. During my wait for the Knicks, a normal looking 193 cm man exited the hotel and if it hadn´t been for the collectors yelling his name, he would of slipped by me without me even noticing. But the blond haired guy who remined me a bit of Shaggy from Scooby Doo was actually Ron Baker. A guard who had had a stellar college career at Wichita State (NCAA) reaching the NCAA final 4 in 2013 and making the Knicks squad via a very potent 2016 NBA Summer league with the Knicks. He didn´t go the normal route of getting on the bus, but actually left the area in a car. I was a bit disappointed that he didn´t come over and sign and pose for a selfie and a bit surprised that a rookie shunned the collectors. I mean I wasn´t making a living selling the stuff, but just there for fun, but he didn´t know that. Every off season, it is always interesting and fun to see where ex NBA players land in Europe. When I saw last summer that Baker had landed with top team CSKA Moscow, I quickly remembered my time seeing him brush the collectors off and head of in the dark of the night to the TD Garden. I then had another déjà vu when I read that CSKA Moscow had also signed Mike James a guy who has had a great career in Europe putting up great stats with various Euroleague teams, but also had a short NBA run a few years ago with Phoenix and New Orleans. By chance, I had been home another time and seen the Pelicans before a game and James also pulled a direct strut to the bus with no time for the collectors. It´s funny to see that with the few times that I actually see NBA players for autographs, that two guys that denied me now play for the same team in Europe. But with all I have read about what kind of guy Ron Baker really is and how much he is liked whereever he goes, I have come to the conclusion that on that particular day where he shunned all collectors, he actually had some form of business that prohibited him from stopping for a few minutes and doing the rounds with the autograph collectors. I have no idea how Mike James is handling himself with the autograph seekers in Europe, but I´m sure Ron Baker is treating the fans with class. He was one of the most popular Knicks when he played in New York. “Sometimes CSKA Moscow organizes autograph sessions. Ron is very open. Ron had one  one personal autograph session before our first VTB home game. He was very enthusiastic about it”, stressed CSKA press secretary Nikolai Tsynkevich

Ron Baker is a 26 year old 193cm guard from Scott City, Kansas that is playing his fourth professional season and first in Europe with CSKA Moscow. He comes from a tiny town called Utica and it isn´t the one in New York, but in Kansas that has only 145 people. His dad was a farmer and his mother is a school teacher. When he was very young, he wasn´t able to play AAU basketball until much later in Wichita  and was off the grid in recruiting. It also didn´t help his cause that he was very small in ninth grade, but he eventually grew to 6,3 by his junior year of high school. Early in the recruiting race, he only had interest from two schools South Dakota State and Arkansas-Little Rock. It wasn´t until he led Scott City High school to the state tournament in his senior year where he averaged 20.4ppg, 7.5ppg, 3.0apg, 2.0bpg, 4.6spg;that he was noticed . He led the school to a 25-1 record and scored the winning basket in the 3A title game with a put-back at the buzzer against Minneapolis High. Basketball didn´t only keep him busy as he was a three sport star and quarterbacked the football team and played baseball. Something not to unusual as one has seen top athletes all the time exceling at more than one sport as New York Ranger legend Brian Leetch did at Avon Old Farms in ice hockey and baseball. Baker could have had a try-out at Kansas(NCAA) but declined at the time because he was unhappy with his basketball form that he had at that time. He finally chose Wichita State and one can truly say and the rest is history.

After redshirting his freshman year, he would go on to have a stellar four year career at Wichita State from 2012-2016 playing a total of 123 NCAA games. His achievements there are unending. He won the MVC regular season three times, won the MVC tournament title in 2014 and was a NABC Division I All-District 16 1st Team in 2014 and a NABC All-District 16 1st Team in 2015 and 2016. Not too mention his NCAA tournament runs reaching the NCAA Final 4 as a freshman, and the Sweet 16 in 2016. In the 2013-2014 season he helped the Shockers go undefeated in the regular season. As a freshman he averaged 8.7ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 82.2%. He had scored in double figures the first time with 15 points in a 69-59 victory against Missouri State, but his breakout game came against Gonzaga. Trailing by double figures, he helped lead the Wichita Shockers on a shocking 22-9 run hitting two treys and two free throws and finishing with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 dimes in the come from behind 76-70 win. In the NCAA Eilte 8 victory over Ohio State he posted 9 points while playing power forward. He was by nature a point guard at Wichita State, but one could see his versatility that he had playing more positions. He was primarily a two guard that could shoot it and make big plays and had strong ball handling skills and basketball IQ that many would love to possess. The amazing Shockers run ended in the Final 4 against Louisville 72-68 where he had 11 points and 8 rebounds. There he had to watch Russ Smith post 21 points while ex NBA player Peyton Siva had 9 points. Baker will have a reunion playing against Siva again in the Euroleague against Siva. In his sophomore season with the Shockers he played 36 games averaging 13.1ppg, 3.8rpg, 3.1apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 38%, FT: 84.2%. He bowed out in the NCAA Sweet 16 to powerhouse school Kentucky.

He was able to improve his scoring average again as a junior playing 35 games averaging 14.7ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 38.3%, FT: 75.8%. That season he scored in double figures in 32 of 35 games. His best scoring games was against Drake with 23 points, had 22 points against Seton Hall and 21 points against Memphis that all resulted in wins. He also had a monster 18 points and 13 rebounds in a 19 point win over Evansville. The season ended against Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament 80-71 where he finished with 9 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. In his senior year he played 34 games averaging 14.1ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 34.8%, FT: 79.7%. He scored in double figures in 27 of 34 games. Some of his best scoring games were against Loyola, Il and USC with 25 points apiece. He also hit Tulsa and Emporia State with 23 points apiece back to back. His last NCAA game was against Miami at March Madness where he scored 11 points. The American remembers his fondest moments at Wichita State. “My most memorable games was at the NCAA Final 4 where we lost to Louisville. The stage was set in a 70,000 plus stadium and playing in front of my family. That is what you grow up with trying to get to. Another great memory was beating Kansas my home state in the NCAA tournament round of 32 to get to the Sweet 16.I grew up in Kansas so playing and beating them was an ultimate goal of mine. It will be something that I will remember forever”, warned Ron Baker. Besides his versatile play on the court and dedication, there were a few other things that he will be remembered for. One was a commercial that he shot with teammates and current NBA player Fred Van Fleet at favorite hang out place Mexican café Carlos O Kelley. In this commercial they filmed it at the actual café and in it were all the friends of the players. If Baker hadn´t become a professional basketball player, he could of made a good figure standing behind the camera. The other thing that is still a part of the Shockers way of playing is that play angry mentality. It is something that Baker learned to practice at Wichita State and something he continued to show at the pro ranks. At first glance, one may think that this style of playing isn´t within the rules, but that isn´t the case. Playing angry is just having that feeling of wanting it more than the opponent with hustle and getting to your goal by not allowing the opponent to beat you. Guys that never played with him at Wichita State, but came on after him like current VTB League player Darral Willis of BC Nizhny Novgorod (Russia-VTB) who also will battle Baker this season has only the best words and utmost respect for the ex Shocker. “He has a big legacy there. He was a walk on and earned a spot on the roster. He was one of the best players that ever played at Wichita State. What he did there speaks for it´s self. He worked very hard and became the go to guy. I remember coach Marshall always telling us that he was a gritty player that played with high intensity on the defensive end. He invited me to help him at one of his camps. He isn´t one of those guys that distances himself from their ex school, but he always goes back. I think that if he keeps working hard that we will get back to the NBA. Anything is possible. His hard work will take him a long way”, warned Darral Willis.

The professional route of a player can go in different directions depending on how a player does at the NBA Pro Summer League. In the summer of 2016, he was invited by the New York Knicks and more than convinced management that an undrafted player could play at the NBA level. That summer in Orlando he played 5 games averaging 14.0ppg, 5.6rpg, 2.4apg, 2.8spg. If he hadn´t had that big display, he might never have reached the NBA and rather been balling in Europe since 2016, but the basketball God wanted it differently for the Kansas native. He got the last roster spot as Chasson Randle sustained an injury. He would play parts of three seasons with the New York Knicks playing a total of 96 games starting 14 games and averaging 3,1ppg, 1,4rpg and 1,8apg and got the reputation of being a great teammate that always played with great energy. In his first two seasons, he also had two stints with the Westchester Knicks (NBA G League). The Vampire Diaries and Supernatural fan´s  Knicks stay started well as a rookie averaging 4,2ppg and getting great feedback from the coaching staff, but injuries curtailed his second season and from then on it went downhill. He had the audacity to try to block an Anthony Davis dunk from the wing, but injured himself and his NBA career would never be the same again. In his rookie season he played 51 games and logged 857 minutes, while in his second season his games shrunk to 29 games and 385 minutes. In his last season he played only 11 games and 152 minutes and was gone by December 2018. He scored in double figures in 6 games including 13 points in a loss against Golden State and 12 points a piece in loses against Atlanta and Washington. Then he was released to make roster space for talented Alonzo Trier. A coaching change and his two biggest supporters Phil Jackson and Jeff Hornacek didn´t help his cause. He didn´t get a real chance after the coaching change. His skills of playing aggressive defense and being a solid point guard from the bench was NBA worthy, but his poor shooting and playing off ball didn´t translate to the NBA.

Despite being released, he remembers his time fondly with all the Europeans that he played with in New York. “I played with Europeans like Willy Hernangomez and Mindaugas Kuzminskas. What stood out to me was how they played the game. I always felt like Europeans had a good feel for the game of basketball. You can see spacing, and movement of the ball with European players. I always had a good connection with those two guys in my rookie season. We all started a few games together and always had a good chemistry. We were rookies and going out hard every night. These were great memories. I never thought that I could play together with guys from different countries and be able to relate so well to”, stressed Ron Baker.  He also will never forget his special relationship to NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony. Anthony who isn´t only an amazing player, but also a jokester called him Ron Burgundy from the Will Ferrell movie Anchorman which resulted New Yorkers to dress up as him for Halloween. “I was a rookie under his wing. I had a great experience with him as a teammate. He was fun to play with. Our situation in New York wasn´t the most ideal. I think that everybody knows that there were a couple things going on in the organization that us players had no control over. We just came into the gym every day and did the best that we could. Mello showed up as a pro every day and worked hard. He took care of me on and off the court. Experience wise I couldn´t have asked for a better veteran. Obviously he is going to be a hall of famer. So to be able to tell my family down the road that I could lean on him and play with is pretty special to me”, added Ron Baker.  Despite being released by the Knicks, he quickly found a new home with the Washington Wizards, but that stay was shorter than some Knicks losing streaks in the past as he played his first game on December 22^nd against Phoenix and his last game on January 6^th against Oklahoma. He made a good impression in his first game and got the trust being put into a triple OT win over Phoenix where he played 14 minutes and still had that play angry approach on the court slowing down scorer Jamal Crawford. His fate in Washington was the same as in New York as he was released for another player Chasson Randle getting a guaranteed contract. In 4 games with the Wizards he logged 43 minutes amassing 0 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block.

After 3 years in the NBA, he made the difficult decision last summer to try his luck overseas. He couldn´t have picked a better team than 2019 Euroleague champion CSKA Moscow one of the finest addresses in Europe. “My decision to come over to CSKA and Russia was kind of tough. I had a couple two way options in the USA that I was debating, but I talked to Kyle Hines and coach Dimitris were great on the phone telling me what it was like in Moscow and what the basketball was like. I was just trying to weigh my options. After talking with Kyle I felt like I could have a good year with CSKA. I was nervous though because I had never been in Europe. The first few months have been great and CSKA did a great job welcoming me and made the transition very easy. The American is playing for an organization rich in tradition like the New York Knicks and in the famous Madison garden and has a little bit of the same. His new home arena USH may feel like a small NCAA gym with it´s 5,500 capacity, but in terms of the winning tradition of CSKA Moscow, he can feel something very special there. “When you walk into the arena you see all the banners of VTB and Euroleague titles. The opponents play with a big chip on their shoulders and give it us their best when they play us. You have to show up every night and wear that CSKA on your jersey. Your almost like a target in the Euroleague. You have to show up every day to work prepared and ready to compete”, warned Ron Baker. After having a very disappointing third NBA season in New York and Washington, the ex Wichita star doesn´t have a chip on his shoulder about having to prove something, but has another outlook on the situation. “Playing my first three years in New York was a great experience. I don´t look at having a chip in that perspective, I just look at it as a new opportunity. And a new chance to show the people my personal skills and what I am all about. It actually feels like a long time since I played. This is a great opportunity to show people what I am all about”, expressed Ron Baker.

He already won his first title in the pre-season with the Alona Cup where he contributed 11 points off the bench in a victory against 2019 Euroleague finalist Efes Istanbul. He nailed 3 three pointers, hauled down 4 rebounds and also had 3 dimes. He showed quickly that he didn´t need much adjustment time coming to Russia and CSKA Moscow. “I grew up in a small town and moving to New York was nerve wracking. It was a big adjustment for me and it took time to see how the city moves and how the people went about their day to day lives. Moscow is very big, bigger than New York city and a little more spread out. The biggest wake up call has been the language barrier. I just try to communicate with people the best way that I can. It is tough to communicate sometimes when you can´t express yourself”, added Ron Baker. The American also knew that coming to a well known organization like CSKA Moscow who have huge expectations and winning culture, that his game would only profit with the gigantic talent pool. “Coming to CSKA, I was very excited because I knew that they had some great talent and great team chemistry. Kyle Hines has been here for some time and it evolves around him. He shows up as a professional each day and has been a great player in this league. Clyburn was an MVP type player last season when they won the Euroleague. There are also other guys that I know from the NBA like Darrin Hillard and Mike James.  We are very deep and the great thing about the Europeans and Russians are unselfish and know how to play the game. For me it was the right fit playing the game the right way and doing the little things to help the team win”, warned Ron Baker. So far he has played only 3 Euroleague games and no VTB league games. In the Euroleague he has been efficient in his minutes of 14 minutes per game averaging 4,7ppg, 1,0rpg and 1,3apg. He has had good shot selection and practiced his play angry style and defended with passion. It is also no secret that the guard rotation is deep, but with a skilled roster like CSKA Moscow, it is always difficult to get good minutes, but as soon as an injury occurs, the playing time will look very different for the American. “We have a lot of guards that can handle the ball well. So what is going to be important is giving the ball handler space having a good chemistry on offense. Mike and Danny are both guys htat can handle the ball and create for others. So whenever the ball is swung guys like Janis and other guys off ball get a chance to create then we can do so, but with the great guards that we have, we have to almost take turns to space the floor and create opportunities for them and when you do that it will give us opportunities for kick out shots and different close out situations we can get the defense into”, warned Ron Baker.

                There isn´t only a influx of talented guards and wings on the team, but the club also has top big men. Starting with the Tom Brady of the Euroleague Kyle Hines. The New Jersey native who played in Germany for Bamberg early in his career is going for his 5^th Euroleague title this season with is the most titles of any American to ever play in the Euroleague. The other talented big man is German national player Johannes Voigtmann who was still playing the sport handball as a teenager before he switched over to Basketball. He made his biggest development with the Fraport Skyliners coming in as a raw talent and leaving in 2016 with a Fiba Europe Cup title and the best passing big man in the German BBL and a versatile game that not many could match. Baker is in awe of a Kyle Hines and his game while with Voigtmann he can talk NFL football all day long. “Kyle is all about playing the right way. He is about playing defense and rebounding. He is our head of the snake. It has been great to be around the guys and him. Kyle does the little things and has a lot of experience in the Euroleague. You look at him and you think that he is undersized, but he really uses his strength to his advantage. He gives guys who are a lot taller than him fits on the low post. And what is great about him is that he is just a unique athlete. He can push the break and facilitate. He is really good at being a hockey passer. He can hit you on the short roll and is always looking for his teammates for kick outs and three´s. He just an all around good player. He really knows how to play this game. One guy that I wasn´t familiar with when I came here was Johannes Voigtmann. I knew that he had played with Darrun Hilliard with him last season with Baskona. What really impressed me about him isn´t even about basketball. We are locker buddies. And talk about the NFL. He almost knows the NFL better than I do. We have had a great relationship talking about things in the States. Basketball wise he is very talented. A seven footer that can stretch the floor and is very mobile. He can shoot the three, is unselfish and knows how to play. He shows a lot of talent having good court vision and passing the ball. Those are the type of bigs that you want to play with. As a guard your always looking for him to knock down shots but he and Kyle share the ball”, warned Ron Baker. Baker has only been with CSKA Moscow a few months and focused to help win games, but he knows that that NBA back door will always be there for him. “I am the kind of guy that likes to wake up and take that day head on. I´m a CSKA player and focusing on that. The NBA is not going anywhere. It´s a great organization with great players. If the opportunity presents it´s self next year, then I would like to play in it again. But right now I´m focused on being a part of CSKA. Coach Dimitris really knows how to coach and run a franchise/team and I´m just enjoying this. Things are going pretty smooth now. 3-0 in Euroleague. I hope we can keep it up and continue to build something special here”, warned Ron Baker. Even if he is playing in the second best league in the world behind the NBA with the Euroleague, he has been able to uphold a special bond with the NBA this season. When he had his short stint with the Washington Wizards, he chose to wear #84. He was only the second guy after legendary Michigan(NCAA) and NBA legend Chris Webber to wear that number. The American has chosen to keep the tradition going with CSKA Moscow keeping #84. A special number for a special player.

Curtis Hollis is a 21 year old 198cm forward from Arlington, Texas that is playing his first season overseas and first in Germany with the Dragons Rhondorf currently averaging 20,5ppg,7,6rpg,31apg and 2,9spg. He began his career at Mansfield Summit High School. In 2017-2018 he played with Hutchinson CC (JUCO) playing 34 games averaging 6.9ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 27.0%, FT: 66.3%. In 2018 he played in Lavar Ball’s new league with the Houston Ballers (JBL) playing 7 games: Score-5 (29.3ppg), 11.3rpg, 5.3apg, 2.6spg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 21.2%, FT: 71.8%. He and I will team up every week to talk basketball in the Miles basketball minute.

Thanks Curtis for talking to germanhoops.com Congrats on the big 90-77 win against the Hertener Lowen. Killian Binapfel wore a specially made jersey as his real one got lost. Should he keep wearing that jersey instead of the real one for luck?


Haha nah it was funny he wore that jersey something happend with his. But I think he’s going to keep playing good regardless!

The Dragons Rhondorf started on fire leading 18-0. Was that the most you ever led from the start of a game or have you seen higher leads in your young basketball life?

I’m not sure. I’ve beaten some teams pretty bad before but it was cool we started out hot like that.

You guys practiced a lot of transition defense the week before the game. Was this one of the biggest positives from the win?

One of them yes. We just locked in this week and really worked and tried to get better and work on our mistakes and it paid off for us.

You have a two game winning streak. How are the Dragons Rhondorf a different team now under Yassin Idbihi then when they had Marcus Rowenstrunk as head coach?

We’re more discipled. We run different sets, practice runs different it’s just a different vibe now. Yassin is a great guy and everybody respects him so we just go to work. 

You told me after the Herten victory that Yassin Idbihi is a no excuses guy. Is it less demanding to play for him than the others simply because you seem to have a very special relationship?

I wouldn’t say that because honestly Yassin stays on me and is extremely hard on me everyday even though we have a great relationship. I respect it though because it just shows how much he cares and how much he wants me to be successful.

What has improved on the defensive end since the arrival of Idbihi? What area has been tweaked the best so far?

Just the whole defense. The pressure, off the ball defense, playing the passing lanes just all aspects had to improve and they have so far.

The teammate spotlight today is on Killian Binapfel who scored 29 points against Hagen Haspe and 20 points against Herten. You agreed with me that he could become that sort of glue guy for the team. Please elaborate a bit how key this kid is for the team?


He’s huge for us. Obviously he’s athletic, can score and can really defend but when he’s on his game he opens up another aspect for us and can really help us win games.

You had another normal day at the office pouring in 18 points, but had a slow start. How difficult is it being patient on the court? You’re a guy that is used to having the ball a lot and scoring. Does the anxiousness sometimes to want to perform in a span where nothing is going for you difficult to combat?


I think I’m learning more and more and understanding how I have to score. I have to realize I can’t go back to the bad habits sometimes of forcing and stuff like that when I’m not getting as many touches. But it’s not difficult for me I know me scoring is going to come for me and I’m always going to score the ball so it’s all about being patient and picking and choosing when I need to score the ball.

You had a span in the second half where you scored four buckets in a row. Is scoring in bunches something you feel you can always do at this level or will it get harder once teams see you more and can figure you out?

Yes it’s something I can do at this level for sure. I just know how to score and when my spots are there I’m going to be aggressive so it’s for sure something I’ll always be able to do.

Your were teammates with Lamello Ball in 2018 in a USA select squad. He averaged 40 points in the JBL league. I read somewhere recently that some basketball expert compared him with his game to Luka Doncic. Is that an accurate assessment?

I wouldn’t say that. I think they have different games but I can see why they say that because they both were extremely young and both have unreal passing and scoring abilities but I wouldn’t say Luka. 

You come from Texas. Are you a big football fan? Are the Dallas Cowboys your team or are you a secret Patriots fan? 

I’m absolutely a football fan and a Cowboys fan. I love the cowboys! It’s funny because my best friend is a Patriots fan and I love Tom Brady so I’m a lowkey Patriots fan but it’s Cowboys nation always!

Thanks Curtis for the chat.

 Darral Willis is a 23 year old 206cm forward/center from Madison, Wisconsin playing his second professional season and first with BC Nizhny Novgorod currently putting up strong stats of 17,3ppg and 7,8rpg in the VTB league and 12,7ppg and 7,7rpg in the Basketball Champions League. Last season as a rookie he played with Keravnos Strovolou (Cyprus-Division A) playing 30 games averaging 14.9ppg, Reb-2 (9.7rpg), FGP: 53.9%, 3PT: 26.7%, FT: 78.9%; and played 2 FIBA Europe Cup games averaging 11.5ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.0apg. He began his basketball career at James Madison Memorial High School and then played at Pearl River CC (JUCO) from 2014-2016 averaging 13.8ppg, 7.1rpg, FGP: 62.8%, FT: 77.2%and 18.4ppg, 10.4rpg, 1.5bpg, FGP: 59.0%, FT: 74.3%. He then moved to Wichita State (NCAA) in 2016 playing two seasons playing a total of 68 games averaging 9.8ppg, 5.1rpg, FGP: 54.0%, FT: 73.9% and 10.3ppg, 5.8rpg, FGP: 54.9%, 3PT: 39.5%, FT: 65.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Basketball Champions League game in Bamberg.

Darral thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Welcome to Germany. Is this your first time to Germany? What do you know in general 

I don’t know too much. This is my first time in Germany. I’m learning as I go. I like the structures of the buildings in Bamberg. I like the old modern day look.

How blessed are you to be playing in the VTB and Basketball Champions League? You have come a long way from Madison Memorial. If someone had told you where you would be today and how you got there in the fall of 2014 when you were playing JUCO would you have been surprised?

I would have been somewhat surprised. I just have put in a lot of work and hours in the last years. I believe that the ceiling is still very high for me. I’m still young and working hard. The future is bright for me.

Congrats on signing with BC Nizhny Novgorod (Russia-VTB). How challenging has it been competing in the VTB League coming from Cyprus? Has there been a part of the game that has been most difficult to get adjusted to?

The competition is a lot different. The players are bigger and faster, but so far the whole experience has been a lot of fun. I live for top competition. I love going at it against good players. I am very thankful for my teammates who continue to put me in great spots to excel. 

Since moving up to the VTB in 2014the team has made the playoffs in four of five seasons. Do you feel like the expectations are very high to do more than just reach the playoffs?

The expectations are high, but I think that if we continue to put team over everything else then we can go very far. If we keep working hard like we are who knows how far we will go.

The team kept some Russians, but also got all new Americans. The chemistry seems good in the early going. What has been the secret to having a solid 3-1 record in the early going?

The secret to our early success has been putting our ego’s aside. We are all working hard together and also still figuring each other out. It will continue to take some time, but we have shown that it’s not about ourselves but about the team. We are gelling very nicely. 

You’re the youngest American on the team. How key has veteran Brandon Brown been for your integration period?

On the court he is a very good facilitator and orchestering everything. He puts me in spots where I’m most effective. I can not only go to him for advice, but also to Alec Brown or Chavaugn Lewis. But I also like to get advice from my old teammate Anthony King. I will lean on him for advice. He is a really good veteran.

You are experiencing some hard travel this season with VTB and BCL. Has it been a real test for you so far? What besides diet, sleep and rest have been key for you being able to play so well?

I haven’t really changed anything up to be honest. I try to get at least 8 hours of sleep and eat well. This team has a lot of discipline. I play within the rules and try to help my team as best possible. 

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 206cm forward that can score and rebound the ball very well. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player which guy would best fit the way you play?

I think that the guy that I play most similar to would be Zach Randolph. He is a good lefty. He can score, rebound, sees the court well and plays defense. That is how I play. 

You began taking more three’s as a senior and last season shot 26% from outside. How important is for you to keep incorporating the three into your game?

I pretty much just keep working and working. I really want to incorporate it more into my game and be able to stretch the floor and hit three’s when needed. 

What other strengths does your game have besides scoring the ball and rebounding and what is a hidden strength in your game that doesn’t always get noticed?

I have a mid range game. But more importantly I give good energy and am always there for a teammate. I think my hidden strength is being a good teammate. I am the kind of guy that you would want to play with.

You don’t get many steals or blocks in the stats, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t defend. Talk a little about your defensive game and where do you want it to go in the future?

I hope that I will start to pack on more blocks. It’s not always about the steals and blocks. I think that altering shots is just as important. But there are no stats on those. Important for me is to be a force on defense and help on the weak side. I also want to be able to not let my man score on me easily. 

You have been very consistent scoring in every game in the VTB and BCL leagues. Your self confidence must be very high. How are you currently coping with your success mentally?

I’m not complacent. I think there would be guys in my position that would be totally relaxed. But that is not what I’m all about. My foot is always on the gas pedal. There are still more games to be played. Even if I’m shooting something like 12/18, I think I could be doing better.

Last season you played with Keravnos Strovolou (Cyprus-Division A) playing 30 games averaging14.9ppg, Reb-2 (9.7rpg), FGP: 53.9%, 3PT: 26.7%, FT: 78.9%; and played 2 FIBA Europe Cup games averaging 11.5ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.0apg. What was your wake up call to being a rookie in Cyprus where you knew that you were very far away from home?

My wake up call was just moving up the ladder. I knew that if I could stick out my rookie season in Cyprus then I knew I could do anything. I just grinded out the season and prayed for better days. Those better days came. I’m playing VTB and BCL now and want to continue to move up. 

How important was ex Miami Hurricane Anthon King for you as a rookie. I covered him more than 10 years ago when he played for the Frankfurt Skyliners and he came over as a very quiet guy, but was a very funny guy.

I wouldn’t necessarily say that he is funny. Maybe he was 10 years ago when you covered him, but now he is more quiet. He observes a lot and observed me. He took me under his wing. The best advice that he gave me was not to be sped up, but slow down. Let the game come to you. He gave me good advice about basketball and life. 

Where do you rank your personal performance of 29/17 against Apoel in the 95-94 playoff win last season?

That was a good game, but my best was that season where I scored 40 points to win the cup.

You had a very good high school basketball career, but had to begin at Pearl River CC (JUCO). How tough was it having to pay your dues there, but also how satisfying have had that experience and get better and then be able to play in the NCAA?
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When I look back at that time, I am very thankful that I could play at Pearl River. Coach Oney was a very good coach. He saw a lot of potential in me. Before I had visited Pearl River, I had visited three other schools, but after my visit to Pearl River, I was sure I wanted to go there. Coach Oney said all these things that he would do for me and he stayed true to his word and did everything that he said

You then played at Wichita State (NCAA) from 2016-2018. Was winning the MVC tournament one of your fondest memories there?

Yes that was my biggest moment as well as taking a team tour to the Bahamas. I have great memories of winning the MVC tournament. I remember everyone running on to the court and jumping up and down with joy. Seeing all the happy faces was priceless. Going to the Bahamas was great for team bonding. 

You played in two NCAA tournaments and in your first season at Wichita State (NCAA) lost a nail bitter to Kentucky 65-62. What memories do you have of that game and battling many future NBA players and do you ever watch the ending again?

No I could watch that game, but I just haven’t so far. We were so close in that game. I wish that we would of pulled it out. It is what it is. It was fun watching many good hoopsters going at it. I really felt the March Madness atmosphere. The guy that stood out the most to me from the Kentucky team was De’Aaron Fox. 

How did head coach Greg Marshall groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

The most important advice he told me was to just work, work work. That’s what I have been doing since.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Shaquille Morris?

Of course me. I would definitely beat him. You can quote me on that. He can play me anytime he wants to. 

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the NCAA that is in the NBA or Europe now?

That is hard to say. I played against so many. I honestly don’t know. None comes to mind.

Please name your personal NBA Rushmore?

Iverson, Magic, James, Garnet and Shaq

What is your personal opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Michael Jordan or Lebron James?

Lebron is in my era. I go with him. He is one of the greatest of all-time.

What was the last movie that you saw?

The Mystery Lover with my girl.

Thanks Darral for the chat.

Gage Davis is a 23 year old 193cm guard from Bolingbrook,Illinois. He began his basketball career with Bolingbrook High School. He played at St.Cloud State (NCAA2) from 2015-2019 playing atotal of 108 NCAA 2 games. He put up massive stats in four years with 19.7ppg, 8.0rpg, 3.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 50.9%, 3PT: 42.1%, FT: 76.1% as a freshman, 23.9ppg, 9.5rpg, 4.5apg, FGP: 58.2%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 76.1% as a sophomore, 19.2ppg, 7.8rpg, 3.6apg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 33.1%, FT: 83.0% as a junior and : 26.0ppg, 7.5rpg, 3.3apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 80.1% as a senior. He began his professional basketball career in Germany with the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig, but was let go recently. He was invited to training camp with G-League team Windy City Bulls. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

Hi Gage thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is your basketball life at the moment?

No problem, I appreciate the opportunity to talk with german hoops. I am currently back in the Chicago area with my family. Basketball wise, I came back home and got right to work. Working out on the daily, you have to stay ready. At this level you have to be ready whenever an opportunity presents itself. Staying ready so you don’t have to get ready is something I believe in.

You signed your first professional contract with the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig over the summer and spent the pre-season with the club. Then you were released. How unexpected did this come to you or did you feel like your days were numbered at the end?

I was grateful for the opportunity given to me by Lowen Braunscheig over the summer and preseason. It was a great learning and building experience for me as a player. Being released came as a surprise to me. It was expressed to me that I was doing well and adjusting to the European game at a quick rate. I understand the team’s decision to go with an experienced PG with a young team, and wish them the best of luck this season. 

How disappointed are you that Braunschweig didn’t work out for you? Despite having a very solid pre season where you showed your abilities well, is it hard to accept their reasoning that you weren’t ready for the style of play yet and they didn’t have the time to wait?
At first it was disappointing of course. I felt like I was growing and becoming more comfortable with that style of play. I was told I was doing everything right, so it more of a surprise to me. After showing some of what I can offer in the preseason, it was a little more difficult to accept they wanted to go in a different direction. It was expressed to me that it wasn’t anything against me or my talent, but more the timing so I understood.

After averaging 26,0ppg as a senior at St.Cloud State (NCAA2) do you feel like you were ready to play in the BBL. On what area’s will you continue to work on now so you will be able to show your abilities when you get that next opportunity?

After this past senior season, I felt like I was ready to play at any level and I still believe that. The BBL is a great league and would have been a great opportunity for me to prove myself as well as grow as a player. I want to continue to grow as a point guard, not just a scoring guard. Germany gave me a little glimpse at that point guard position. I want to continue to grow and become a more solid PG, while still keeping that same scoring mindset. 

With what kind of feelings did you leave the club Baskets Lowen Braunschweig? Head coach Pete Strobl stated that the club needed a guy like you. In the end it was a numbers game as they chose the veteran Trevor Releford

At first I was a little upset but it was business, and at the end of the day I can’t control their decision. I left with no harsh feeling towards the club or my teammates. In fact, many of my former teammates from Braunschweig reached out to me when they heard the news. Head Coach, Pete Strobl, taught me a lot in my time with the team and is a great guy. Coach Strobl continually pushed me as a player and really cares about his players. In the end, I thank him for all he’s done for me. 

What overall kind of experience was it being with your first professional team Baskets Lowen Braunschweig? What positives can you take from this experience that will help you at your next gig?

Overall, I would say it was a great learning experience and a chance to grow as a player. I enjoyed Braunschweig and the people around me while I was there. One positive I took from this experience is adjusting to the speed and physicality of play. There is always an adjustment period when transitioning to the next level and this was my chance to make that adjustment. Another positive I take from this experience is learning the business side of the professional world. In my case, it came down to a tough business decision and I think I have a better understanding for that side of the game now.

What kind of experience was it having German Garai Zeeb as a teammate? Could you soak up something from the ex U-20 German national player who will be going into his fifth BBL season.

Garai was a great teammate. His experience in the league made him a great teammate to reach out to when I had questions. If he seen something that would help me, he would come and tell me without me even asking. He has been a PG in the BBL for a five years so he knows the game and helped me adjust to that style of play. He is a good person as well as a good teammate and thank him for all his help.

What is the next step for you? How confident are you that you will land with another club somewhere in your rookie season?

Right now, my options are kind of open and I’m just staying ready for my next opportunity. I’m confident that I will land with another club somewhere this season. I believe in my abilities as well as my agent and agency I’m with. We knew this was a possibility and wanted to have other opportunities if Braunschweig didn’t work out.

You played four years at St Cloud State (NCAA) from 2015-2019 and was a All-NSIC 1st Team selection each year. What were your fondest memories there?

Some of the best memories at St. Cloud State are memories that have nothing to do with basketball and just time with my teammates. One thing I could never forget in St. Cloud are the people. One of my best basketball memories there was playing and winning a game in the NCAA tournament. The school hadn’t been to the tournament in a long time so for our team to get back there, and be able to win was a memorable experience. Another memorable moment for me was finally winning player of the year. After two seasons (sophomore and junior) of what some people would call snubbed out of it, I finally was awarded this achievement. Learning that it wasn’t only good enough to get stats but also winning was what it took to get looked at, at that level. The amount of work and failure made receiving that award more special.

You averaged never less than 19,2ppg in your four years at ST Cloud State. Despite having big time stats from the get go, how do you feel did your game develop in your time there?

Having a good start to my career there made things that much harder. Becoming the focus of other teams early in my career made me learn how to score and produce in different ways. It developed me as a player because every type of defense was thrown at me. I had to adjust and learn how to go against things I hadn’t seen before. Being there also developed me as a playmaker because the ball was in my hands a lot of times. I learned how to read ball screens and the defense to make it easier for my team to be successful.

You had 47 points in a tough 77-76 loss to Wayne State NE. Was this one of the tougher loses in your NCAA 2 career?

Every loss is a tough one but this is one that will stick with me forever. It was the conference tournament my senior year and of course you want to finish your career winning a championship. They put an end to our conference championship dreams and it did hurt. That was a game where you’re trying to do everything in your power to win the game and come up just short. It will stick with me for a long time, but I learned a lot from that game and hopefully it can help me moving forward.
As a sophomore you averaged an amazing 9,5rpg at 193cm. What overall is your secret to getting more rebounds than many centers? It has to be more than just perfect anticipation?

Rebounding all comes down to who wants it more. So a lot of time I crash hard both offensively and defensively seeing if anyone wants it more than me. A lot of times you’ll see me flying through giving my all for a rebound. That’s because I know it’s an important aspect of the game and maybe those few extra possessions win us a game. It also helps I can jump pretty high. 

How did head coach Matt Reimer groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

Coach Reimer believed that I would be a professional basketball player from the very beginning. He stayed on top of me and pushed me every day in practice to become better. He taught me what it took to be a successful player and you couldn’t waste days of practice and time in the gym. He continually believed in me and gave me the opportunities to show that I belonged on the next level and I am forever grateful for that.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Brindley Theisen?

I believed St. Cloud was my sanctuary so you know I had to defend what’s mine. Brindley was just one of the people who had to deal with my own determination to prove it. We had some good battles but Brindley will tell you himself I’m winning that every time. 

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the NCAA 2 that is in the NBA or Europe now?

Well not too many players from NCAA 2 make it to that level, and it’s not that they can’t play it’s just the opportunities aren’t there. One player that I played against, who was pretty tough and played with the Milwaukee Bucks summer league, is Dalton Holmes. He’s a 6’7 versatile shooter, and was NCAA 2 player of the year. We got the win but after they went on to win 20+ in a row. That was one of the guys that has made it to that level who I had a chance to play against while at NCAA 2.

Please name your personal NBA Rushmore?

Micheal Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Larry Bird

What is your personal opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Michael Jordan or Lebron James?

I believe that both are great and understand why it’s a never ending debate. Lebron is such a dominant player and makes the players around him so much better as well. When it comes to Michael, he was just a killer. He could score any way possible and had that fire and competitor in him that made him a killer. His skill package is unmatched, except maybe for Kobe. Along with this Michael has the 6 for 6 to go along with him, which in my eyes makes him the greatest of all time.

What was the last movie that you saw?

The last movie I watched was actually on the plane on my way back from Braunschweig and it was Long Shot. It’s a pretty funny movie, starring Seth Rogan, and it’s about how him and the secretary of state fall in love. It was actually a pretty good movie. 

Thanks Gage for the chat.