Jordan Brangers is a 188cm guard that was born in Radcliff, Kentucky and attended North Hardin High School. He played his professional rookie season in Germany with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven averaging 12,7ppg, 1,7rpg and 1,9apg while shooting a respectable 34,7% from outside. The club released him at the end of 2018. He began his basketball career with South Plains JC (JUCO) and in his second year played 30 games averaging 16.0ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 44.2%, 3PT: 39.9%, FT: 74.4%. He left school after only two years and could be the first player ever to come out of JUCO and reach the easyCredit BBL. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

Jordan thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

I am currently in Miami, Florida working out and playing in the Miami Pro League. My summer has been pretty solid so far just a lot of workouts and trying to get better at a couple things.

It has six months since the surprising release from the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven. Was it at that time a shock or unexpected or was it something that you thought might happen due to the poor season that the club was having?

Honestly, I think it was a little bit of both. Didn’t think they were going to release me, but then did end up letting me go and I would say some of that had to do with the amount of talent we had and just didn’t live up to expectations and won games like we should have.

How tough was it dealing with this experience? How did you deal with it going into the new year and how did you remain positive after having your moments with the club?

It was very tough knowing that playing in the BBL was a big step for me and it could help along down the road and then I ended up getting released kind of blew my spirits up. Just told myself I got to keep working hard and can’t let clubs decision effect how I approach my next job opportunity.

In the very short press release by the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven then head coach Dan Panaggio lauded you as being a very talented young player, but criticized your defense. Do you feel like having that flaw was justified for giving you your release?

I don’t think defense was a problem for me playing in the BBL. At the time I felt like they were blaming a couple team issues and problems on me and believe I was the cause for the club losing some games.

The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven were struggling from the start. The club was defending poorly and there were enough other guys that weren’t doing the job on the defensive end. Do you think like the club used you as an escape goat?

Definitely thought they used me as a escape goat. 100% feel like that and with it being my 1st time in Europe I’m sure they thought they could use me and the majority of the problems. Honestly, I don’t think the whole team was defending at all. That’s just my opinion on the situation.

You had great moments on offense like your 29 points against Science City Jena. Despite being a rookie and having to play in Europe and a totally different style, how content were you with your offensive game?

Wasn’t content with my offensive game at all. Although, I had a couple really good scoring games I felt like I 100% could of played a lot better, but being a rookie I didn’t think I got the opportunity to showcase what I could really do.

Your big strength is your shooting, but you have the whole offensive package with the mid range, getting to the hoop and passing. Do you feel like you could show your whole offensive arsenal when you were in Germany or was everyone blinded by your outside shooting?

I’ve got the whole package, but I think everyone was blinded by the shots I was taking and how deep the 3’s were I was shooting. Honestly, I don’t think the BBL has seen someone shoot it so deep like I was doing in a couple years from what I know.

After this experience with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven, what did you learn about your shot having played at a high level in Europe? Will you change anything up on how you continue to work on continuing to perfect your shot or will you continue to do what you have been doing the last years to be the player that you have been?

I’ve learned a lot of things that I definitely needed to understand about how the game was played over there, but as far as changing the style of how I play I don’t think I will ever change that. I believe my style is unique and it’s been effective my whole life. Playing in Bremerhaven in the BBL my rookie season taught me a lot about playing in Europe and how things are run.

Despite playing only three months in the easyCredit BBL, how do you feel did your game profit best?

Yeah, I think my game fit pretty good. I don’t think I lacked anything and I adjusted to the speed fairly quickly. You know some people don’t really adjust when they first get over to Europe, but I thought I did a good job of that.

You had the chance to play in one of Europe’s top leagues with the easyCredit BBL. What positives do you feel did you get out of the whole experience?

I thought it was positive. I had some really good games over there and I had the chance to play against some really good players and teams. Munich, Bamberg, Vechta, and Etc. But I really felt like the biggest thing that was positive for me was being able to showcase how special my scoring abilities are.

The Eisaberen Bremerhaven had many veterans and guys with a lot of experience in the NBA and Europe. Was there a particular teammate that stood out who helped you in your short time there

You know it’s pretty cool you asked that. Darnell Jackson, Chris Warren, and Elston Turner all helped me out when I was there and basically steered me into the right direction on how to do a lot of things and how playing in Europe works. I’m very thankful they were there when I was there it was a good experience. Also Gilbert Brown helped me along the well as well for his short time there, but we left around the same time.

You’re a guy that has a lot of self-confidence. How confident are you that you will be playing your second professional season

I’m very confident. You know I’ve worked very hard my whole life and I have a lot of confidence in what I can do on the court, but I’ve been very excited and looking forward to what my 2nd professional season brings me.

How have you been keeping busy in the last six months? Has it been mostly about staying in shape and being ready for that next opportunity or did you experience some other things beneficial to your career?

I’ve really just been working out and trying to stay in the best shape as possible. That’s all you can really do at that point, but I know I usually play in a couple Pro Leagues during the summer so that always helps.

On what parts of your game have you been working on most in the last six months? Did you take extra effort in working on your defense so if you get another job in Europe, you will be ready?

I’ve really been working on my passing and decision making. I really think it’ll help me at my next spot wherever I am at. And I really haven’t worked on defensive I honestly think I’m a very capable defender.

Is Germany a place that you would like to return to? If a German Pro A team gave you a chance, would you take back a step or is the easyCredit BBL the main goal?

Yeah, I really liked Germany. Now if a Pro A team gave me shot who knows I might take or might not you never know what will happen. My main goal is the NBA, but if I was to get another shot at the BBL I would love that.

Who was the toughest player that you faced in the easyCredit BBL?

Wow. That’s a easy one. Tyrese Rice from Bamberg.

What is your summary of the 2019 NBA Draft? Were there any surprises and what sleepers do you see coming out of it?

Thought the 2019 draft was a pretty solid draft, but there’s always some sleepers that come out of the draft every year. My sleepers are Kevin Porter JR and Carsten Edwards.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Last movie I saw was ‘Love and Basketball’

Thanks Jordan for the chat.

 Decorey Jones is a 29 year old 201cm forward that played at Faulkner (NAIA) and has had a solid professional basketball career since 2012 having played in countries like Malaysia, Mongolia, Canada, Spain, Australia, Norway, Argentina, Chile, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and Armenia. He recently got the Chilean citizenship and spoke to egermanhoops.com about his basketball career.

Decorey thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and how has your early summer been? 

Thank you for having me Miles. I am currently in Bolivia. My early summer has been good and productive, its always good to secure a summer job to keep me in great shape leading in to the fall season market. 

Our last interview was in September 2014. Since then you have continued to travel the world and have played for many teams in various countries. What have you enjoyed most about the basketball globetrotter life? 

What I have enjoyed most was the relationships and connections that have crossed my path. Its bigger than basketball and its amazing some of the people I have come across are now family, some are business partners, and also experiencing the different types of cultures. These are values you take with you your whole life. 

In our last interview you stressed that to play in Germany would be a big dream for you. It still hasn’t happened. Have you had any offers in the last years and do you think that it will still happen? 


Germany is still a big dream of mine. I have never had any offers but I have faith it will still happen, my resume has built up since then, this business is about connections and who you know, Im sure it will happen with timing and the right people in my corner. 

In 2014 you were amazed how far you have come and in the last five years you have continued the grind that has taken you to places like Norway, Australia, Japan, Chile, Argentina, Indonesia, Thailand and Armenia. What is your secret to be able to be so active as a player and always get jobs? 

My secret is keeping my profile proactive. I constantly network and promote myself on all social media platforms to agents, coaches, gms, management, and my fanbase. When I do get a opportunity I leave my mark. I am a humble hardworking American Import. Attitude goes far in this business and teams know what they are getting when they sign me. 

Your last team was Aragatz (Armenia-League A) I think out of all my interviews in my career I never spoke to a guy that balled in Armenia. Your stay was short. What were you able to take from this experience? 

My time in Armenia was interesting. They signed me for a 20 day contract with the goal to win the Championship. After I played my first game I was informed the team registered my papers past the league deadline and they had no choice but to release me because of their mistake. I played a total of 3 games. 1 playoff 2 cup games. That country is just in its 2nd year having a league, and 1st year with imports so you would expect amateur errors like this. The country and league has a lot of potential but I hope they get more education on how to handle imports and league structure. 

You began the season with Club Deportes Espanol de Talca (Chile-Liga Nacional) where you had played for a few years earlier. The pay is supposed to be very good in South America as there have been countless ex NBA players make a living there for years. Is the money and culture there satisfying enough to play a whole career there for some guys? 

Yes guys who come to Latin America usually stay in this market because of the large salaries. Salaries range from 6 figures in top leagues to the smallest leagues making 3k or more. In Europe you can play in a respectable top league and make 2k or less. It only makes sense to go where the money is. The game is changing and its not about what continent you played in last, money talks and players are realizing this concept. 

You had your first experience last year playing in Indonesia and Thailand. What kind of experience was that and please describe some experiences you had off the court that were memorable? 

I won my second championship in Indonesia playing in one of the biggest tournaments the country has (Jawa Pos Honda Pro Tournament) for the BBM Warriors. After I won the Championship I received a phone call 2 days later to play for the CLS Knights of the ABL one of the biggest leagues in Asia. It was a dream come true and my life changed. When I finished that chapter I went to Thailand to compete in the summer leagues TBSL and TBL which were great leagues to play in to prepare me for the fall season. Asia is an amazing market and is overlooked. Off the court there was something always going on from running camps, clinics, coaching, and the asian culture was something I will always cherish. The food and the sight seeing, was amazing. Asia is quite a beautiful continent to go to for basketball for an all around experience. 

Recently you played for Iwate Big Bulls (Japan-B League D2) playing 13 games averaging 5.9ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 29.2%, FT: 60.0%. You had experienced a lot before going to Japan, but was that like a culture shock for you or was the adjustment to the culture easy for you? 

Japan was difficult for me as a 3. That league is based on bigs, teams usually get stretch 4s and big time 5s. The import rule was 3 on a team and only 1 could play in the 1st quarter, 2 in the 2nd quarter, back to 1 in the 3rd, 2 in the 4th. It was difficult for me to adjust to the minute restriction and also dealing with the coaches game philosophy. I know I can play at that level but that situation was not ideal for me, the team and I agreed to part ways because it was just not a good fit with the mix of players they had. 

In 2016-2017 you played in Argentina and Australia and also had your first tour of duty with Club Deportes Espanol de Talca (Chile-Liga Nacional) playing 38 games averaging 12.0ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 51.1%, 3PT: 21.5%, FT: 68.5%. It was the first time you played with Americans Stanley Robinson and Tyran Walker
.You played with them again a few years later. Are these two guys that are like brothers for you?


It is amazing how the game of basketball spirals in a full circle. Stanley I met in Canada playing for the Moncton Miracles in 2014, and when I found out we were going to play on the same team I was super excited. As for Ty I met him through a connection because the team asked me for assistance finding a a big. Since then these guys have became my brothers. Playing on the court with your Brothers is automatic chemistry and no team can compete with that. 

In 2015-2016 you played with Nidaros Jets Trondheim (Norway-BLNO) playing 20 games: Score-5 (21.7ppg), 9.7rpg, 2.9apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 25.3%, FT: 74.4%. You had a great season. Why has it been so difficult for you to get jobs in Europe or have you preferred to play elsewhere? 

Im happy you asked this question. After my successful season in Norway, I went on to continue to play in Australia after. My mom received a letter in the mail stating that I was banned from the Schengen Area for 2 years due to working illegally. The team did not handle my visa papers properly having me on a tourist visa and playing at the same time. This is a major crime. Unfortunately when I pleaded my case I lost, and there was nothing i could do. I had little effort and help from the GM who was responsible for the visa process. But the Norwegian government stated It was my responsibility. 2 years banned for something I had no control of! I had to take my talents to Asia, South America, and Australia. The ban is now over and I can compete again on Europe soil. I want to get back to that market in a top league hopefully. 

Out of all the leagues you have played in as a professional where would you rank the BLNO of Norway against all the others?

BlNO was a solid league. It would rank in the mid tier of all the countries I played in. The most difficult countries I have played in was Argentina and Japan. 

How do you feel has your game continued to develop since 2014 when we last spoke? Where on the offensive and defensive end do you feel have you made the most strides?

Since 2014 I am a much smarter player, more skilled, and experienced. Defensively I am sill aggressive and have a lot of energy, but I’m more smarter with how I defend players, before I just played, now I watch more film than ever, I study player trends, and I also study myself more. 

You won one professional title with Club Deportes Espanol de Talca (Chile-Liga Nacional) in 2017. What did you cherish most about this season?


I cherished a life value that many people will never get to experience. I had got cut in Argentina and I was really at a low point in my life at that time, my agent at that time found me an opportunity with Espanol 3 days later I had no idea what to expect, my main goal was to finish the season and be the best player I could be for them, I wasn’t expecting to win a championship actually nobody did. Thats what made the season so magical and special. The life lesson on everything happens for a reason and when 1 door closes another and better one opens!

One thing that one notices about you is that you are always looking for a playing opportunity like playing in Australia over the summer. Is that an option that you will do again this summer or will you spend more time at home in the states?

I love summer ball! No matter which country. When you can play basketball and make a living over the summer and stay in shape? Your not living a bad life. I focus on the summer market with my perspective of a paid offseason! I am currently playing in Bolivia for the summer. 

Your turning 29 in July. Are you in your prime now? On what things are you working on most now to keep improving your game? 

I’m coming in to my prime! Im still waiting on the big opportunity in a big league where the coach lets me play my game! My time is coming I have faith! my game has improved I am more efficient, I’m smarter and I now know the game and how people work in this business. The biggest thing that I I constantly improve is my mentality. Also I now have duel citizenship as I have a child with an chilean woman. Now I can play as a local in some South American leagues. 

You stated in our last interview that you worked out a lot with ex professional player Chuck Eidson. Do you still have that strong relationship with him and what is he up to today? 

Yeah I still try to stay in touch with him and his dad, and other peers connected to him. The last time we spoke he was on the golf field lol. He is relaxing to the fullest. He will play a pick up game here and there but he’s now more focused on taking care of his family. 

Have you started to give any thought about what you will do one day after your professional career is over? Many professionals get ready for life after basketball during their career. Have you been able to do that or are you 100% focused on basketball at all times?

Thoughts about life after basketball is always scary for us hoopers. Its all we know its all we have done to provide a living for us. Luckily I have built up great connections along my globetrotting journey and I defiantly will pick up a coaching gig after I’m done playing. Rather its an academy or individual skill training with professional teams, I can’t see myself not being around basketball anymore working a 9-5. 

Please pick your five best teammate of all-time? 

Nathan Fisher, Marcus Douthit, Kevin Van Hook, Stanley Robinson, Jammar Johnson.

Who are the five best players in the NBA right now by position in your own opinion? 

Steph Curry, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Lebron, Nikola Jokic.

If you had to name your NBA Rushmore which 4 heads would you pick? 


Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Shaquille Oneal. 

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

Michael Jordan can’t be replaced and never will. He changed the game forever and set a bar that no NBA player will touch, maybe get close but never touch. He is a basketball God! 

What was the last movie that you saw?

Avengers End Game movie of the year! watched it twice! 

Thanks Decorey for the chat.

Seger Bonifant is a 25 year old 201cm forward from Berlin, Ohio that just completed his third professional season and second with Team Ehingen Urspring (Germany-ProA) playing 29 games averaging 14,9ppg, 2,0rpg,2,6apg and shot 51,8% from outside. He will play in Holland next season with Den Bosch. Last season with Team Ehingen he played 30 games averaging 12,6ppg, 2,0rpg and 2,5apg while shooting an astounding 48,7% from outside. In his rookie season he played for Cocinas.com CB Clavijo Logrono (Spain-LEB Gold) playing 32 games averaging 9.2ppg, 2.0rpg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 45.3%, FT: 82.9%. He played at W.Liberty St. (NCAA2) form 2012-2016 playing a 126 games and improved his scoring, rebounding and assists average each season. There he established himself as a real sniper as he shot over 50% from outside for a season three times and as a senior played W.Liberty St. (NCAA2) playing 35 games averaging 25.5ppg, 5.3rpg, 3.0apg, FGP: 58.4%, 3PT: 49.6%, FT: 83.5%. He spoke to German Hoops at the end of his second season with Ehingen.

Thanks Seger for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you at the moment?

I am at home right now in Berlin, Ohio. Everything is going well for me! It’s nice to be home and with my family and loved ones.

It has been a year since our last interview. How has basketball time flown by for you in this time?


It has really flown by since the last time we talked! It was a great year of basketball though and I learned and grew so much.

Congrats on helping Ehingen reach the Pro A playoffs. The team had a massive turn around from the season before. What was the secret to the success this season?

I think the secret to the success this season was that we just played so hard for one another. We obviously had some really good talent, but we communicated well with each other and we all wanted to win more than anything and that was the key.

After remembering your season with Ehingen last season reaching position 15, what would you have said if somebody had told you in preseason that the club would finish in seventh place?

It definitely would have been hard to believe that’s for sure. But after going through preseason with this squad and getting to know all my teammates I knew that we could do special things if we played together and played the right way.

Ehingen didn’t have an easy playoff foe with Heidelberg who swept you. After getting swept do you feel like the team underachieved a bit in the playoffs and should have given them a better fight?

There’s no excuse for getting swept by Heidelberg. They are a very good team and a well coached team. It hurt that I didn’t play game 1 because of an ankle injury and also our starting 2 man (Tim) didn’t play the whole series with an ankle injury. Regardless, our team never quit and we played hard every game.

You came into the playoffs with the third best offense averaging 83 points per game, but against Heidelberg averaged only 69 points. Do you feel like the offense let you down or did Heidelberg defend better than what you expected?

In the playoffs the game slows down a little bit and I think that helped Heidelberg with their rhythm. We were very good when we played fast and did automatics. So with the game being slower it definitely helped them.

Ehingen played with a slim rotation in the playoffs. How much of an effect did that have on your success?

Having the slim rotation helped for sure. Due to injury, Tim and I were both out for the last 3 regular season games and then I missed game 1 of the playoffs and Tim was out the rest of the year. So having that slim rotation is nice when everyone is healthy, but when injuries come it’s not so inviting.

You missed a game and in the other two games couldn’t explode. Do you feel like the lethal Seger Bonifant was missing and if present would have turned the series into a different one?

I don’t think I was missing. Defensively, I played Shy Eli very well. Heidelberg is one of the best defensive teams in the league so I knew going into the series it was going to be tough.

It was a very special season for Team Ehingen. How vital was the team ability to always get up and being successful in certain down times of the season?

I think that reflects with everyone’s character on the team. We had great chemistry and great leaders on our team. It was vital to the success!

The team played it’s best basketball in January and Feburary winning 8 of 9 games. What was the team doing so well in this time that they couldn’t always do in other stretches of the season?

The season is long. 8 months of practices and ball everyday. It’s a grind. I think after the Christmas break we really clicked. Obviously the schedule was nice to us as well in those games and that is a major reason we were clicking. We were just playing good basketball man.

Let’s talk about your teammates. How special was it playing and getting the ball from Rayshawn Simmons? He was near averaging double double stats. What did you appreciate most about his game?

Ray is a great player and even better person. It was great catching his passes! He was always looking for me and telling me to be aggressive so having him as our floor general was obviously a vital reason for our success.

You have seen many very talented point guards in the Pro A. Do you believe he has what it takes to get a chance to play in the BBL?

Yes I do for sure. His IQ is what separates him and I believe if he gets a chance he can make big things happen.

Another guy that has made huge strides is German Kevin Yebo. In our last interview you stated about him. ‘I think the best part about Kevin’s game that improved the most over the season was physically. He got stronger throughout the year and he was grabbing more rebounds and got more stops on defense as the year went along. The future is very bright for him if he keeps working hard and getting better’. What further strides did he make this season and is he ready for a BBL opportunity?

Kevin Yebo is definitely ready for the BBL. He really improved his offensive game and he is way more well rounded now. He is so athletic as well and that’s just icing on the cake. The future is bright for him and I’m excited to see where basketball takes him.

What kind of experience was it playing with versatile forward Tanner Leissner? He also showed that he can shoot the ball. Is a sniper like you able to pick up things from his shooting?

It was a blessing playing with Tanner. He is a great person and we will be friends forever. He is just a workhorse. He is obviously very skilled, but I think the best part about his game is that he just will outwork whoever is guarding him.

Talk a little about the development of German Dom Uhl and Gianni Otto. What strides did the make and what did you appreciate most about their games?

Both of those guys got better over the season. Gianni grew a lot over the season. He went against Ray everyday in practice and they battled and both of their games grew because of it. I’m excited to see both of those guys continue to grow.

Let’s talk about your game. You improved your scoring and three point shooting. How content were you with your game?

I’m never content with my game. I know I can always improve and that’s what I’m going to use the summer for. My goal this season was to improve my defense. My defense really got to the next level for me. It’s so important to get your game to the next level and if you can lock guys down and play great defense that will always help the team win.

Rayshawn Simmons said this about you in my interview with you. ‘Seger is the best shooter in the league in my opinion & the best in game shooter I’ve ever played with’. How often do you hear teammates or opponents say something like that and how do you remain humble?


I respect Ray so much and his opinion of the game of basketball. So hearing Ray say that really helped me to push myself and try to get even better.

In our last interview you stated that you got better at rebounding and defense. What do you feel did you improve on in your second season with Ehingen?

Coach Dom is great with developing not just German players, but anyone who is in the system. I grew so much as a Pro in Ehingen on and off the court. I can’t thank him enough. My total game went to another level this past season and I can’t thank him enough for having confidence in me to lead those guys.

In our last interview you stated ‘My goal is to make every shot that I shoot. I know that is a very hard goal to possess, but that is my goal. I have great confidence in my shooting and scoring ability so any time I miss a shot I know that the next one is in. So that is my mentality in a game’. You shot 56% at West Liberty and 51% this season. How do you keep staying motivated and not feeling the pressure being able to continue to be an amazing special shooter.

I know all the work I put in during the season and in the offseason. That gives me the confidence I need to be able to say that if I miss a shot the next one is in. That’s always been my mentality and it will be until the day I’m done playing ball.

You have stated in the past that you respect guys like Kyle Korver and Klay Thompson. What shooters have impressed you in the past few years that have come up in the NBA and do you continue to soak up things form different shooters?

As a Cavs fan it’s hard to like Klay Thompson haha ! But I respect his game so much. He locks people up and the average basketball fan has no idea how good he is. He is one of the best pure shooters in the NBA, but that’s not all he brings to the table for his team. I really enjoy watching his game and trying to implement some of his into my game.

You had many superb games this season. I guess your 39 point explosion with 9 three’s in the win over Tuebingen was your biggest game. What are your memories of that game?

That game was obviously special. My teammates knew I was feeling good so they were looking for me all game. It was a little rivalry as well with Tuebingen being so close to Ehingen so it was a very fun game.

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

There are a lot of great players in Pro A. Shy Eli was always fun to play against and we had some battles. I really enjoyed playing against Chemnitz as well. They play great team basketball and are very hard to beat and I respect the way they play the game.

What is the next step for you? Do you feel like your finally on the radar of BBL teams? You deserve a chance. Do you share my feelings?

I do share your feeling. I know I can play at the BBL level and I hope I get a shot. All I can do is keep improving my game and trusting God with the plan.

On what things will you be continuing to work on in the lab this summer as you continue to improve your game?

I’m going to continue to improve getting stronger and faster. That is my main goal. Attacking the rim and creating space can always go to the next level.

If you had to pick your personal favorite starting five of teammates over the years which players would you chose?

I would go with the starting five we had last season. It was a special season to me and all my teammates I would go to war with any time any day.

What is your personal opinion about the never ending debate of who is the greatest between Michael Jordan and Lebron James?

My opinion is LeBron. I believe he is the greatest to ever play.

What is your early opinion where Luka Doncic will end one day in the NBA? Could he be one of the greatest Europeans that ever played in the NBA when all is said and done?

I definitely believe he can be one of the best Europeans to play in the NBA. It’s going to be hard to top Dirk, but he has a shot.

What was the last movie that you saw?

The last movie I saw was Detective Pikachu

Thanks Seger for the chat.

Nick Hornsby is a 24 year old 201cm forward that was born in Irvine, California and completed his second professional season in Germany and first with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen helping them win the pro A title averaging 12,1ppg,7,5rpg and 3,4apg Last season as a rookie he played with Giessen 46ers II (Germany-ProB) playing 23games averaging 13.9ppg, 7.6rpg, 2.9apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 38.6%, FT: 70.3% He also played 2BBL games for Giessen. He won two high school titles with Tustin and then played at Sacramento State from 2013-2017 playing a total of 123 NCAA games and was able to improve his scoring and rebounding each season. As a senior he played 31 games averaging 11.3ppg, 8.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 53.4%, 3PT: 38.0%, FT: 71.2%.He spoke to germanhoops.com at the end of the 2018-2019 season.

Nick thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Before we get to the incredible season, I have to ask you about your stomach. When you touch back down at home what will be the first eatery that you will visit? 

The first place I’ll probably go eat at is either chronic taco or in and out . Those are usually my go to places once I land. 

Congrats on winning the 2019 Pro B title. How good does it feel winning the title and where does this rank in your basketball career highlights? 

Thank you. It feels great to win this especially with such great teammates to enjoy it with. It ranks pretty high I have won some titles before though back in high school. 

How was the celebrations? Did the team do something special afterwards? Was there anything you learned about certain teammates in the celebration that you never would have dreamed of?

The celebration was great we all spent time together after the game that night and also a couple days afterwards. We all went bowling together as a team which was actually really fun. 

It was the first time that the arena was sold out since the legendary game 5 against Frankfurt in 2008 which I luckily was at. Please describe the atmosphere and what your feelings were after the buzzer sounded? 

That atmosphere was amazing especially seeing how the crowd began to grow more and more with every game. Everyone has always been loud and supportive no matter what time of day it was. After hearing the buzzer go off I was ecstatic! Knowing that everything we worked for had just come into fruition felt great. 

After Munster played you tough in game one, the Bayer Giants Leverkusen came home and destroyed them. Was there anything special that head coach Hansi Gnad stressed before the game or was it pretty clear after a 28-2 season what had to be done? 

No there wasn’t anything out of the normal Hansi said. We just all agreed that we had to do a better job with our defense and guarding the 3point line. 

The Bayer Giants Leverkusen played a great game 2 at home hitting 11 three’s and outrebounding Munster by 26. How much fun was it playing this game at home and what will you always remember from it?

I’d say every game at home is exciting and fun. The most memorable thing for me will definitely be the fact that everyone got in the game and scored. I was really happy to see Jacob go in there and score. 

Let’s talk about the season. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen came out strong and finished consistently until the end. Is this the greatest team that you have been a part of in your career? 

I would say this team is tied with my old high school team. We had a very similar season and I have been blessed to be a part of both teams. 

You stressed in our first interview this about the secret of the success. ‘The chemistry this team has together is great. We are all comfortable with each other and have a great time during every practice’. How do you feel was the team able to grow from the start to the end of the season? 

I feel like we consistently kept that chemistry which was huge. We also learned how to adjust from game to game to different teams and situations. 

It is never easy to have such a consistent season after teams keep gunning for you each weekend and the pressure builds. What was most key for the team being able to cope with the building pressure week in and week out?

I don’t believe we ever felt pressure at all which was nice. We just all wanted to go out there and get the job. We wanted to be successful and reach our goals as a team. 

How much of a challenge was it for the team being the team that everyone guns for you. How do you feel did the team grow in character during the season? Did you see teammates make a special transition in their character just through this incredible season?

Like I said there was no pressure for us we were just excited and ready to play. I’d said people I saw make a good transition were both Lennart and Lars. They both grew and got better throughout the year. 

Obviously the team chemistry was huge, but what part of the team’s game do you feel improved most over the course of the season?

I’d say our rebounding improved . We were always big but there were games we would rely on Dennis a lot. I think some guys stepped up in that aspect both while he was playing and once he got hurt. 

The team had so many massive highlights during the season like the 103-101 win over Giessen, the exciting 94-92 playoff win over Schwelm or the crazy come from behind win in Bernau 101-97. What was your personal favorite team moment? 

I’d say my personal favorite game would be the Bernau come back. As a team we had every emotion going through us. Definitely one of the best come backs I’ve ever seen and been a part of. 

You stated this about head coach Hansi Gnad in our last interview. ‘Hansi is a great coach. A player’s coach as most people would say. He always gives me confidence in the things that I do which is great. The plays he has created for our team are great with the players that we have. He is a very good coach especially because of how successful he was in the past as player’. How do you feel did he grow further as a coach this season?

It being the first time he coached on this level he definitely grew more in a way of just understanding and trust certain decisions players made. He always gave us a chance to explain ourselves and just talk about what we thought would work. 

What was your most special moment with Hansi Gnad this season. Was there a specific tip he gave you on or off the court where you will be forever grateful for?

I wouldn’t say there was a really special moment but he and our assistant coach Jacques helped me gain more confidently in my shot throughout the year.

Let’s talk about your teammates. You stressed this about the guard duo Nino Celebic and Alexander Blessig. ‘It’s very different to have two point guards on the court at the same time but I’d say they are the best duo in the guard spot. I have a lot of confidence in those two guys and trust them completely’. Would the Bayer Giants Leverkusen have been so successful without them? 

That’s hard to say they are both really good point guards. We always did well with both on the court and even just one on the court at the time. 

How vital was captain Tim Schonborn. He is a player where you will always get 100% and that lethal three pointer. Is there something you picked up from him in the leadership area? 

Tim was very vital. He is a great shooter and brings a lot of energy with those shots. I would say I learned some different ways to look at the game talking to him. 

The club had many young Germans like Lars Thiemann or Lennart Winter. Which player so you feel made the most strides this season? 

I would definitely say both Lennart and Lars made huge strides. I’m proud of both of them because they play for three different teams and I know it’s trying and hard on the body and mental.

Let’s talk about your game. You led the team in scoring, rebounding and steals. How content were you with your personal game on the court?

I was very content. I feel like I had a solid year but I couldn’t do it without my teammates and coaches they made me feel comfortable and that’s huge. 

You had a slow stretch in December, but in 2019 really picked up your game scoring in double figures in 13 of your last 15 games and had a massive playoffs. What was key in you making this turnaround in your game? 

I would say the difference was just putting more time into the gym and giving myself more confidence. I’d also try not to force things if situations weren’t going well. 

How do you feel did your game grow this season in a huge winning culture? Your stats didn’t change that much from last year despite playing 5 minutes less this season?

I’d say my game grew in a sense of licking and choosing better moments to attack. Also my confidence in my own ability grew as well. Playing less time never bothered me. I just knew I had to do the best I could and give everything I had with the time I was given. 

You always strive to shoot over 40% from outside. This season you were close at 37%. How do you feel did your shot selection improve this season playing in a very team orientated offense with Leverkusen? 

I’d say my shot selection was a little different from three mainly because I’d have to pick and choose when to shoot them more. We had great shooters on our team so I knew if I needed to make that extra pass I’d do it. 

In our last interview you stated this concerning the BBL. ‘I think my hunger grows every day to be at that level. I know it takes time and I have things to improve on but it would be great to get there some day’. Are you the guy that will continue to go step by step? I’m sure the Pro A is suitable for you now? 

Yeah I am definitely the guy that is trying to make the step by step process to get there. If the opportunity ever presented itself that’d be a blessing. 

Even if you had a huge game in Bernau, I can imagine your buzzer beater in Munster was your season personal favorite game? 

I would honestly say my favorite game was Bernau. I was extremely proud and happy that we were able to pull ourselves together and win that game coming back from down 21.

Please take me through that last shot against Munster. It seemed like you never looked at the shot clock. Was this whole experience just automatic? 

What’s funny is I actually caught the ball and looked at the clock. Once I shot it though I thought it was going to bank in so did my teammate Michi. Sometimes in practice when we have breaks I mess around and shoot shots like that actually. 

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

The toughest player I had to play against was probably Rasheed Moore. He was a good scorer and very athletic. 

What is the next step for you? I can imagine you will stay in Leverkusen or will you seek another opportunity in another country?

I haven’t decided what my next step is. I am just happy to be back home with my family and friends right now. 

On what things will you be focusing most in the lab this summer as you continue to look to improve your game?

I’d say something I want to work on this summer is my shot more. Also some more athleticism and strength. 

Please name your five all-time best teammates in college and pro’s

That’s hard to do honestly I like all my teammates I’ve had . I’ve been really lucky with not having someone I don’t get a long with.

What was your most special Dirk Nowitski moment that you remember? 

I never really watched basketball when I was younger so I don’t have one honestly. 

What was your reaction when you heard that Lebron James named himself the greatest of all-time? 

I wasn’t surprised honestly. To me different eras will have their own greatest players of all-time. In my opinion he’s up there with Jordan for sure.

Charles Barkley recently proclaimed that Tom Brady Is more of a GOAT than Michael Jordan. Do you share his opinion? 

Tom Brady is a winner but I don’t know enough facts about his entire career to answer that. 

What was the last movie that you saw? 

The last movie I saw was Avengers End game which is probably a top 5 all time for me.

Thanks Nick for the chat.

It´s been almost 24 years, but for the older generation the OJ Simpson trial remains a time where pretty much everyone remembers where they were when the verdict was called and there were also numerous memories from the trial that stuck out. One of those was the famous Johnnie Cochrane line “if it doesn´t fit, you must acquit”. He was referring to the glove that visibly was too small for the massive hand of OJ Simpson. The Simpson lawyer there pretty much described that if the glove didn´t fit then there is no way that the ex football great could have committed the crime and must be not guilty. So what does all this ancient but unforgettable trivia have to do with the Fraport Skyliners point guard discussion? Really nothing, except for the key word fit when concerning new point guard Anthony Hickey, one should not jump to early non researched conclusions and condemn the veteran player about his abilities. The season is still months away, but people have had the audacity to already judge him merely from where he has played and from his abilities, but shouldn´t the guy get a fair chance to show his goods on the court first? The Fraport Skyliners recently completed their 20^th season and will be going into their 21ist season with American Anthony Hickey running the point. Over their stellar history, the club granted have had their great finds like Pascal Roller, Dashaun Wood, Justin Cobbs or a Jordan Theodore to name just a few, but also have been plagued by busts, but that is a common occurrence with every organization. Sometimes it just fits and sometimes it just doesn´t. In the case of Anthony Hickey the early scouting report fits so please don´t condemn the guy. He surely is no Jordan Theodore, but the guy has put up respectable stats in his career, has experience and displayed good point guard qualities in the Greek league and put up decent numbers against the two Euroleague powerhouse teams Athens and Olympiakos. Sometimes you don´t always have to reach out to the coaching staff of the players new team, but just inquire about some needy insight from a guy like Toddrick Gotcher who has played against him numerous times at the professional level and even in the NCAA. He is a 26 year old 190cm guard that had a stellar career at Texas Tech and as a rookie was the fifth best scorer in the Greek A-1 league with ASA Koroivos Amaliadas, played a season with Cholet Basket (France-ProA) and is going into his second season with Ifestos Limnou (Greece-A1).

            Anthony Hickey is a 26 year old 180cm point guard from Hopkinsville, Kentucky that will be entering his fifth professional season and first with the Fraport Skyliners. The American played at Christian County High School winning the state title as a senior and winning the prestigious Kentucky Mr Basketball were he is in illustrious company with guys like ex Bamberg forward Darius Miller and ex NBA greats like Rex Chapman, Allan Houston, Darryl Griffith or Wes Unseld. He played three seasons at LSU best known for having Shaq parade up and down the floor back in the day and as a freshman already showed that he could compete with the best of the best netting 10 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals in a tough 61-50 loss to Kentucky playing against 7 future NBA players like Anthony Davis, Darius Miller, Terence Jones and Michael Gilchrist just to name a few.  As a sophomore he had steady stats averaging 11,2ppg, 3,5rpg and 3,8apg while getting almost 3 steals per contest third best in the NCAA that season. He registered 8 steals against Texas A& M and 7 steals against UCSB. He suffered a tough 75-70 loss against Kentucky, but played very well again netting 15 points against future NBA players Nerlens Noel and Archie Goodwin. In his junior season he averaged 8.4ppg, 2.8rpg, 3.7apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 36.8%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 57.5% and even if he went 1-2 against powerhouse Kentucky, he had two very good games including 11 points, 2rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals in a 87-82 victory, and a 20 point, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals in a brutal 77-76 OT loss. He left the school averaging 2,5spg in his three years there and then got further experience at Oklahoma State (NCAA) playing 32 games averaging 9.8ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.4apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 45.9%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 41.4%. He finished his NCAA career at Oklahoma State playing 32 games averaging 9.8ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.4apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 45.9%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 41.4%.

            He began his professional career in 2015 that has carried him to countries like Poland, Cyprus and Greece. He has been a solid scorer everywhere and a lethal scorer in Poland where as a rookie with Asseco Gdynia (Poland-TBL) he played 34 games averaging 14.1ppg, 3.4rpg, 2.8apg, Steals-5(1.8spg), FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 33.5%, FT: 52.8% and in his third professional season with Spojnia Stargard (Poland-EBL) played 15 games: Score-2(21.1ppg), 5.0rpg, 4.1apg, Steals-1(2.3spg), FGP: 56.9%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: 57.1%. He was also on fire in his sophomore campaign in Cyprus with Enosis Neon Paralimni (Cyprus-Division A) playing 20 games: Score-1(18.8ppg), 5.6rpg, 4.5apg, Steals-1(3.3spg), FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 58.0%. He had a 37 point explosion against APOP in a tough 76-74 loss. He was solid in Greece in his second season with AS Apollon Patras (Greece-A1) playing 25 games averaging 9.2ppg, 3.4rpg, 2.5apg, Steals-2(1.9spg), FGP: 36.2%, 3PT: 34.2%, FT: 51.6% and hit PAOK for 26 points. He now comes to Frankfurt and the strong easyCredit BBL having finished last season having to go to Greece in mid season and flourished with Rethymno Cretan Kings (Greece-A1) playing 12 games averaging 12.9ppg, 3.9rpg, 5.3apg, 2.5spg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 28.1%, FT: 52.9% and had a rare triple double of 14 points, 10 boards and 16 dimes against Kolossos HH to boast when he arrives in Germany.

            Even If Toddrick Gotcher and Anthony Hickey never played together on the same team, they have battled numerous times in their careers and the Dallas native remembers his first meeting with the new Skyliner and was immediately impressed with his skill set. “We played against each other in Greece that first year and I remembered him from college. My first impression was he is a lightning quick guard that can defend the basketball. He can get his shot off at anytime. Plays with a good pace”, stressed Toddrick Gotcher. Hickey is a player that can fill up the stat sheet with ease especially the steal category and is a player that is unknown in Germany to the normal fan, but it didn´t take Gotcher long to find the perfect comparison to an NBA player for the new Skyliner to give a better idea of what type of player he is. “If I were to do a comparison, I would likely compare him to Eric Bledsoe. Strong and can defend and get to his spots”, added Toddrick Gotcher.  There has been a special kind of respect from Gotcher for Hickey as being opponents and watching his game grow from a far in his first in Greece. “What I knew he was an all around player and could help his teams win with whatever he has to do. The Greek team benefited because they needed him to handle the ball and create for others. He did a good job of doing that for them”, expressed Toddrick Gotcher.

                When looking at the game and stats of Hickey, one quickly notices his scoring abilities, but he also gives 100% on the defensive end and can be a game changer at both ends of the court. “He can definitely score the basketball. He also is a willing passer that creates for his teammates. He will slash and finish at a high percentage inside the paint”, stressed Toddrick Gotcher.  His three pointer continues to be a work in progress, but he has had his moments. He shot 40% from the parking lot in his senior season at Oklahoma State and as a professional has always been between 30% and 35%, but last season for his last team in Greece with the Rethymno Cretan Kings shot only 28%. Gotcher has confidence that the American will pick up his shooting as he continues to get more experience and opportunities. “I think he will become a better shooter over time. Once he sees shoots go in, then his confidence builds and he makes more”, warned Toddrick Gotcher. But he doesn´t only excel on the offensive end, but is an aggressive defender that could of fit well into Pedro Calles´s system in Vechta, but with Frankfurt will surely form a fierce nasty duo with freak athlete Quantez Robertson. It isn´t only his quickness that helps him excel on the defensive end, but his mentality of wanting to always make a difference with his aggressiveness. Gotcher also knows what makes him stand out from the rest and why he isn´t just a good defender, but a great defender. “Always being in the right spot makes you a good defender. Whether it is on help side or on the ball. If you are in the right spot, it always helps you become a great defender”, warned Toddrick Gotcher. After playing against him many times and watching him, he also knows how else he will help Frankfurt excel at one of their strengths with the fast break. “He is a good rebounder for a guard. And once he gets the rebound, he can start the fast break which is good for the team”, added Toddrick Gotcher. The two Americans played against each other the last time on April 13^th, 2019 and Hickey got the slim exciting 80-77 win over Ifestos and Gotcher pouring home 19 points, hauling down 5 rebounds and dishing out 5 assists. “He played an amazing game and we didn’t guard each other, but it is still team defense. But he did his part to help his team win”, added Toddrick Gotcher. This time had been an amazing stretch for Hickey as he had achieved that rare triple double in the Greek A-1 league the game before the win over Gotcher. “The triple double did surprise me. There are not too many players that can get a triple double. So it is always impressive to see. He is very versatile on both ends of the floor”, stressed Toddrick Gotcher. Gotcher played against him in the NCAA as well as at the professional level and has had a real pleasure following his development and has seen progression in his game over the years. “He has developed in all areas. He understands the game better and makes plays every game now”, expressed Toddrick Gotcher. A big goal of Toddrick Gotcher is to play in the easyCredit BBL one day, but that will have to wait at least one more year as he is returning back to Greece A-1 this season, but he will never forget his duels with Hickey and hopes to resume them in the future. “My fondest moment is just battling with him in games and talking a little trash to get the best out of each other. I love to compete”, warned Toddrick Gotcher.

It is mid July as I reach current team Canada associate coach and Fraport Skyliners consultant Gordon Herbert in Vancouver, Canada as he is relaxing with his parents before the preparations begin for the 2019 World Cup in China. The 2004 BBL champion didn´t have much input in the acquisition of Anthony Hickey as he was sent a tape of the player about a month ago and was asked to give current head coach Sebastian Gleim the plus and minuses of the new player and that was about it. Getting the right fit at the point guard in the easyCredit BBL can be as difficult as predicting which of the new formed NBA teams with the super stars with Brooklyn, both L.A teams and Houston will do the best this upcoming season. The Fraport Skyliners have had some real fortune picking up the right players in their 20 year history, but also had misfortune with the wrong choices like Kwame Vaughn a few years ago. A very talented player in his own right who has had success as a professional, but with the Fraport Skyliners was unable to lead the team to the playoffs. Gordon Herbert has seen both sides with the fits and non fits in his coaching career and takes the successes and failures in strides as a part of the business. “We take risks with the budget that we have. Sometimes the player works out and sometimes he doesn´t. In the case of Anthony Hickey no one will know until we see the kid play. Then people can make their judgements. It´s all about how well the player fits into the team with his skill set and toughness. There are always a lot of variables. Some kids don´t play well in one system, but play better in another and vice versa. Dashaun Wood also started off slowly with us and then got going”, warned Gordon Herbert. Toddrick Gotcher is confident that Hickey´s time has come for the easyCredit BBL. “I think he is ready and he will make a great impact for the team. I know he is ready to showcase what he can do as a player in the BBL”, warned Toddrick Gotcher. 24 years ago the glove didn´t fit giving OJ Simpson a huge advantage in his hopes of being acquitted and in 2019-2020 the Fraport Skyliners hope that Anthony Hickey will not only fit into their system well but have another type of steal at the point guard position like they did 10 seasons ago with Dashaun Wood.  

Malcolm Delpeche is a 23 year old 203cm forward that was born in Wilmington, Delaware, but also has the British citizenship and completed his second professional season with the WWW Baskets Muenster averaging 12,1ppg and 6,5rpg. He played at Bates (NCAA3) from 2013-2017 playing a total of 100 games. In his senior year at Bates, he played 24 games averaging 13.2ppg, 8.8rpg, 1.5apg, 3.1bpg, FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 63.1%. Last season as a rookie he played with BSG Grevenbroich (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 24 games averaging 13.9ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.2bpg, 2FGP: 51.7%, 3FGP: 37.5%, FT: 64.0%, in Mar.’18 moved to Bristol Academy Flyers (United Kingdom-BBL) playing 12 games averaging 6.2ppg, 4.5rpg, FGP: 54.5%, FT: 70.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com at the end of his season in Germany.

Malcolm thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you at the moment?

I am currently in Grevenbroich at the home of my German ‘adoptive’ family. These guys have fully supported me since my Grevenbroich Elephant days and have traveled to almost all of my home games in Muenster this season. Paying them a visit and spending time with them is the least I can do. With our season ending just last week, at the moment, my basketball life has been really slow. I’m taking a short little break from basketball so I allow my body the necessary recovery and attack the training in the off-season with full force. 

Congrats on an amazing season with Munster. How long was the disappointment after being crushed in Leverkusen? Did the club realize that despite the loss, it was an amazing season and one where one can say the club overachieved a bit as the expectations weren’t that high to automatically move up to the Pro A in one season.I believe that I can speak for almost everyone on my team when I say that the disappointment of defeat was a generally short-lived experience. Obviously we’re competitors first, and hate to lose (especially given THE WAY we lost) but you’re exactly right in that we had an amazing season, overcame unlikely odds, beat expectations, and have nothing to be ashamed of. 

Munster played the Bayer Giants Leverkusen tough in the first game, but got destroyed in the last game. What were the main factors for the club not being able to give them more of a game at their arena? 

I think that the overwhelming success that Leverkusen was able to find in their home gym against us other was simply a result of their home court advantage and momentum that they carried from their first away game win against us. They were playing in front of hundreds of their own fans and shooting on the same hoops that they have all season. Add this to the energy and magic that the playoffs often brings out of players/fans and in this case I believe that it gave Leverkusen a certain edge that we, ourselves unfortunately were not able to take advantage of. 

Did the mental side and fatigue play bit of a role in the last game in Leverkusen? The season was long and then you had to face that never ending deep rotation of Leverkusen? 

I don’t believe that mental or physical fatigue played a role in our struggles against Leverkusen. Our amazing coaching staff and trainers have done an amazing job of keeping the team conditioned and fit for every game. Mentally our team was fully engaged and locked in for every game this season. Playing throughout the playoffs only made us dig deeper and brought the best out of everyone. Despite what the score of the last game might indicate, at the end of the day it really just came down to Leverkusen just playing consistently better, and capitalizing when it mattered most. I don’t believe our mental or physical fatigue from a lengthy season played that big of a effect in the outcome of these games. 

Munster was so close to reaching the finals. What will you always treasure most about having this great opportunity of winning the title? Can you describe the feeling of playing Leverkusen at home in a final game and how you felt? 

The thing that I will treasure the most about this great opportunity that we had was the community that came together behind us in support for our team’s success. At the beginning of the regular season, our home games at Halle Berg Fidel were not packed and we were only bringing in probably 1500 fans per games. Fast-forward to our championship playoff series, we were having our 5th or 6th consecutive sell-out game at home. Not only this, but in our away game at Leverkusen we had around 200-300 Muenster fans who traveled with us to the final championship playoff game. This type of support is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted, and something that I love and appreciate about the Muenster community. Playing in Leverkusen for that final championship game was probably the closest thing to a Euroleague Basketball game in my eyes. The energy from the fans (from BOTH Leverkusen and Muenster) created an atmosphere that I’ve never experienced in my athletic career. Warming up in that gym and listening to our Munster fans go back in forth with the Leverkusen fans gave me an unbelievable rush. I even told one of my teammates, ‘this is what I imagine what war sounds like.’ 

Let’s talk about the team’s season. Would it be fair to say that Munster had a fairytale season or do you see it as having a season where you expected to have this much success? 

I think that our season can definitely be considered a ‘fairytale season’, but I’m choosing these words very carefully as I say them. I call our season a fairytale not in the sense that it was all luck or anything, but rather in the sense that seasons like the one we’ve had given our circumstances, are extremely rare. The most important circumstance being, this was our FIRST season in the Pro B league. We were not supposed to nor expected to be here. Some teams have been in the Pro B league for years, or have invested a lot of money into players, gyms, and coaches in hopes for finally making it to the championship. One would think that the new underdogs in the league would have to wait their turn and wait a couple seasons before making it to the Pro B Playoff Championships. If you look at how our season initially started you would most definitely have thought that we would have to wait a couple of seasons before we would eventually find success. But eventually we righted our ship and found the victories that we knew were attainable. Even though no one else believed in us, we believed in ourselves and we knew what we were capable of. Not sure if I or anyone expected us to go as far as we did, but at the same time it not something that we thought was crazy or unbelievable either. We had all the tools, we just had to make it work. 

The team began slow losing five of it’s first seven games. What were the main reasons for the bad start? Was it the usual blab la that the roles and chemistry weren’t there yet? 

I believe that you’re exactly right in that, our chemistry just wasn’t there yet. We still had to get over the normal issues of learning to trust each other, getting used to each others playing styles, and for the new imports (me included) getting used to playing under this new system in Muenster. Adding the fact that we weren’t where we should of been because of some injuries in the pre season and I think it resulted in the type start of season that you saw from us. 

But the club then made an amazing turnaround winning the last 14 of 15 regular season games. What adjustments were made and what was the secret to the team success?

I think ultimately we just got fed up with losing. A lot of our games were close or we were winning up until the 3rd quarter. But then we ruining our lead and letting the game slip away. Something clicked for us and we never looked back. 

The team did a good job getting by Erfurt and Munich before meeting Schwenningen. When was the point that the club believed that they could reach the Pro B final?

I believed that after our first win against Schwenningen we finally saw the championship as a real possibility. But up until that win we were really just taking these games, one game at a time and never looking beyond the game in front of us.

How important were the characters of the players for the success? Was this one of those season’s where you felt each guy played for the other to gain success? 

The character of each teammate here was nothing short of critical for the success we had this season. Everyone sacrificed, everyone stepped up when we needed, and everyone did whatever it took. This was definitely one of the seasons where I felt that everyone played for each other, there were no selfish characters on our team. 

Would it be fair to say that Munster was a team that didn’t have the most talent, but the most heart in the Pro B? 

No, I wouldn’t say that all. I actually believe that we were definitely a talented team and it was our heart that allowed us to have the successful season that we’ve had. 

What was most special about strapping on the jersey of Munster? What did you cherish most about having the opportunity to play for this organization? 

The most special part about playing for Muenster was playing in Halle Berg Fidel with the amazing fan support that we experienced every game. Win or lose, our fans never stopped supporting us. Their support made or successful season that much more meaningful. The thing, i’ll cherish the most about having the opportunity to play for this Muenster organization would be the support I’ve had from my German Family who have been unbelievably supportive of me and have come to almost all of my games this season. Daniel Dahmen, Nicola Dahmen, Feli Dahmen, and Simon Dahmen are an amazing family! 

I can imagine the team season highlight was the game three win against Schwenningen or was there another game that stands out more? 

Yes this Game 3 win against Schwennigen was crazy for us! That’s when it finally hit us, that we were going to the championship! 

Let’s talk about your teammates. How vital was the play of point guard Jo Jo Cooper for the success? How impressed were you with his immense leadership qualities as a rookie in Germany?

Jojo had an unbelievable rookie season, and his role nothing short of critical for our team’s success this past season. Jojo instantly became a leader on our team and his impact could be felt on both ends of the floor as well as on and off the court. To do all that and have that impact as a rookie is admirable and extremely impressive. 

How vital was it for your game having another big guy like Kai Haenig around. How important was his presence on and off the court for your development?

Kai Haenig was great teammate to have as a sparring partner. He is by far is the hardest guy to play against on both ends of the floor because he’s so big and unbelievably strong. There’s no other player like that in the Pro B League and playing against Kai every day at practice definitely made facing match ups in the real game a lot easier. He makes me have to think outside of the box offensively as well because obviously trying to back him down is something that isn’t going to be easy to accomplish. Kai has also given countless tips and criticisms throughout our games and off the court that has helped me improve my game. 

The team had many Germans, but how key was experienced player Stefan Wess? What special feature did he bring to the table that wasn’t seen from anyone else on the court? 

Wessi is a pure scorer, when he’s hot he’s almost impossible to guard. We saw a prime example of this in the first quarter of our championship game against Leverkusen. A special feature that Wessi has is his upmost confidence in his shot. There aren’t a lot of shots that he’s uncomfortable taking and his height and length make his shots unstoppable at times.

The club had many many talented Germans on the squad. Which player do you feel made the biggest strides on the court this season?

I think that Jan Konig made huge strides this season on the court. He’s an offensive super weapon and I believe that he will only get better after getting one year in the Pro B in Muenster under his belt. 

How did you come to appreciate the presence of head coach Phillip Kappenstein the most ?What do you feel was his absolute biggest quality that allowed the team to have the success in the Pro B coming from the Regionalliga?

First off before I continue I’d like to say that Coach Phillip is a front runner for Coach of the Year in the Pro B. Something that I’ve appreciated about Coach Philip has been his poise as we’ve approached every game. I’ve never seen the man rattled, or overanalyze any team, or stress out in a counter-productive fashion. I think the biggest quality that he has that has helped push the team to the success that we’ve found this season has been his diligence. Coach Phillip and the coaching staff do an amazing job breaking down every team that we played as well as our own games. Come game time, we’re fully prepared and have all the tools we need to beat and compete against every team we face. This diligence ultimately plays a part in his poise that he’s demonstrated this whole season because at the end of the day he knows that he’s prepared us and has given us everything that need to compete. 

Let’s talk about your game? You averaged 12,1ppg and 6,5rpg in 25 minutes per game. How content were you with your game this season? 

I’m happy for the most part especially given my impact in the overall success of our team this season. But I also know that I could contribute more as far as what shows up in the statistics paper. 

How do you feel were you able to develop your game further in an exciting winning culture like Munster this season?

I think that playing with Muenster made me develop my game in a way where I needed to look for a way to move without the ball in order to be effective. In playing for Grevenbroich last year a lot of my contributions were predicated on getting more touches and FGA, but playing here in Muenster was a little bit different. We have a lot of scorers and options on this team so some of the things that I needed to added to my game was being more aggressive in chasing rebounds, looking to make moves off the ball, and looking to make the right reads in the offense. 

What was your personal season highlight with your game? I would imagine your 23 and 13 effort in the fascinating 86-83 victory in game three against Schwenningen. 

Yes, that 23 and 13 performance would definitely be a personal highlight for me. 

What is the next step for you? Could you imagine remaining in Munster or would you consider going to a new country and culture? 

I could definitely see myself doing either of the options. I’ve really enjoyed my season playing for Muenster both on and off the court and see myself potentially coming back here. We will see what the summer will bring. 

On what things will you continue to work on in the lab this summer as you continue to improve as a player?

I will definitely need to focus on developing a consistent short range and mid range jump shot. As well as a 3pt shot so I can also help spread the floor and diversify my attack. I would also need to work on being able to score more consistently with my back to the basket. 

Please list your all-time best starting five of teammates 

Malcolm Delpeche Jojo Cooper Jan Koenig Marco Porcher Stefan Wess 

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

The toughest player that I’ve battled consistently with this season in Pro B has been Kai Hannig from WWU Baskets 

The toughest player that I’ve battled all season would probably be The toughest player that I’ve battled with all season would probably be Kai Hannig from WWU Baskets 

What was your reaction when you heard that Lebron James named himself the greatest of all-time? 

I think it might of been a bad move to publicly name himself the ‘GOAT’ but at the same time I totally agree with his statement. 

Charles Barkley proclaimed that Tom Brady Is more of a GOAT than Michael Jordan. Do you share his opinion?

I think that they’re both GOATs in their own rights and aren’t really comparable because they play two totally different sports and have had two totally different effects on their respective sports. 

What was the last movie that you saw? 

The last movie that I’ve seen was Avengers Endgame.

Thanks Malcolm for the chat.

Jordan Williams is a 23 year old 203cm forward from England that completed his second season in Germany playing with the Giessen 46ers II (Germany-ProB) playing 18 games averaging 9.1ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 42.0% after starting the season with the Surrey Scorchers (BBL) playing 9 games averaging 11.0ppg, 6.9rpg, 2.9apg, 2FGP: 50.6%, FT: 37.9%. He also has gained experience in Belgium and Germany with the Eisbaren (Regionalliga). He spoke to germanhoops.com after his season in Germany with Giessen

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Jordan Williams in Giessen in 2019 after a loss to the wiha Panthers

Thanks Jordan for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how have you digested the end of your season?

I’m back in the UK for the moment. Just getting back on the court and started my workouts to get ready for the upcoming season. I hoped we could have won the pro B but it didn’t work out that way but we have a lot of positives to take away from the season.

Congrats on a marvelous season with Giessen. You had a tough loss against the wiha Panthers Schwenningen. If someone had told you before the series that you would lose both games at home what would you have thought?

Since I joined in November we haven’t lost at home and we played extremely well at home but Schwenningen has a great team and was able to get two Crucial wins.

The wiha Panthers rebounded the ball well and in game three others guys helped step up to secure the win. Both teams fought hard. Did they maybe want it a bit more at the end?

Throughout the series the main goal was to out rebound them and take away their main scorers but in the final game other guys stepped up and hit some big shots to secure the win. 

Let’s talk about the Giessen season. The team lost seven of it’s first nine games, but then turned it around winning 12 of 13 games. You came in December and saw the team turning their season around. What were the main reasons for the huge turnaround?

Since I joined in end of November we only ended up loosing 1 game away to Leverkusen. Each and every day we was invested and came to play hard everyday
As a team it wasn’t because of any individual, we played team basketball sharing the ball and not relying on just one or two individuals.

The team had some serious memorable games like the 76-75 win against Orange Academy, 88-86 win against Wurzburg or the 70-69 victory over the Scanplus Baskets. What do you feel was your most memorable moment with this team?

My most memorable moment with the team was the win over Orange Academy with the game winner on the buzzer. 

Let’s talk about your teammates. How much of a pleasure was it being teammates with ex German national player Johannes Lischka. You probably heard of his basketball story. What did you appreciate most about him and what did you learn from him?

Playing with Johannes was a pleasure, it would have to be his professionalism everyday he was in the gym before everyone else and has a great work ethic. I learned a few things on court he plays hard which made myself play harder and just how much of an impact he has on games and also what it takes to be a professional.

The power forward position was stocked with many guys like Lischka, Tim Uhlemann and Thomas Tshikaya. What kind of a presence did the French player give the team that none of the other players did?

Thomas was a close friend of mine on the team. No matter what Thomas always came to play hard every day even if it was shoot around in the mornings he would practice like it was the game with made me raise my level of play.

How important was highly talented German point guard Bjarne Kraushaar for your success on the court? How good is his court vision and IQ for a 19 year old?

Bjarne is super talented, he isn’t one of the fastest or athletic guys on the floor but his IQ and court vision for a 19 year old is rare and to see a young guy control the tempo of the game and not force a lot of situations. Also he knows how to find guys in right positions.

There were many young talented Germans on the court like Okpara, Pjanic, Uhlemann and Koepple. Which player do you feel made the biggest strides with their game this season?

I can’t name just one. Each of them stepped up this season and since November matured immensely as players. Pjanic has made a transition into the BBL squad and you can see what sort of talent he is and also the other young guys made big shots played consistent and improved throughout the season.

Let’s talk about your game? You’re a 203cm forward from Great Britain. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would fit the best?

I watch a lot of Julius Randle who is left handed and plays aggressive.

You’re a guy that could be described as a walking bucket like Bill Borekambi of Schwenningen. Do you tend to watch and follow a guy like Borekambi more mainly because he is also a walking bucket?

Haha I wouldn’t call myself a walking bucket. Borekambi is in a system where he plays a lot of minutes and the ball is in his hands a lot. His games is built a little different to mine as he’s very active with how he plays and gets a lot of points by just second attempts.

Did you always have the abilities to score in bunches or has that been something that you have continued to develop further as you have your game?

I still have a lot to learn about scoring the basketball. I came to the game late. I started at 16 so everyday I’m still trying to become a better versatile scorer wheather that be from outside or inside. 

You don’t shoot many three’s. Is this something that you will try to incorporate into your game and what are other area’s in your game that you are continuing to work on?

The system I was in didn’t really allow me to shoot 3s as my coach wanted me inside because of my physicality, but definitely something I need to work on and show that’s something I can do which will allow me to become an all rounded player.

What is the next step for you? You had a very productive Pro B season. Will you look for new opportunities in Germany or other countries or are you homesick to England and would prefer to return home?

I’m not to sure yet, its still pretty early. I like Germany a lot. I also have some offers in other countries but I’ll sit down with my agent and see what the best situation will be for next season.

You started the season with the Surrey Scorchers (BBL) playing 9 games averaging 11.0ppg, 6.9rpg, 2.9apg. After playing there for two seasons prior to this season why did you leave after a few months?

My goal has always been to play overseas and the opportunity presented itself so I couldn’t say no.

How would you compare the BBL in England to the Pro B in Germany? How much more skilled are the players in the BBL and how much better is the play?

The BBL in the U.K. I would say is a lot more athletic. Your allowed 3 Americans with so in that sense it’s very competitive on the guard spots. Germany is a lot more about structure and team basketball not as athletic but makes up in IQ.

Last season you had your first experience in Germany with BG Eisbaeren (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 4 games averaging 13.0ppg, 5.3rpg, 3.3apg. It was a short experience. How did you like the first time in Germany and why was this stay so short?

For me going from the BBL in the U.K to Regionalliga was to try and get into a pro b/a team and some unforeseen circumstances the best move to go back to the UK and finish the season in the BBL.

With Surrey you played with very talented American Tony Hicks who is dominating the German Pro A this season. How talented is this guy and could you see him playing in the German BBL and be a guy who can make an impact?

I’ve spoken with Tony throughout the season and he’s very talented and could definitely see him playing BBL. He has a natural ability to score the basketball.

How disappointed were you this season that you couldn’t compete against former teammate Elias Desport who played in the German Pro B this season with Schwelm. Is he a guy that you followed this season?

I spoke also with him throughout the season. We both thought we would play each other first round of playoffs but it didn’t work out that way. I know a lot of guys that I saw that I didn’t know played in the Pro B.

How much of a pleasure was it being teammates with American Alex Owumi who was a top player in the British BBL for years. He came out with a very interesting book. Was he like a type of role model for you and what did you appreciate most about him on and off the court?

Myself and Alex had a lot of conversations throughout the season and being able to pick his brain and listen to some of the situations and life lessons was amazing. Every team I have been on I have always had a older guy that may see things that I don’t see that helps my game or helps me be a better professional and Alex was one of them.

Your from England but played a few years in Belgium as a youngster. What kind of experience was this for you and why did you choose to go this route?

Being in Belgium is what made me the player I am today. I was lucky to have a great coach that wanted me to succeed everyday and gave me his time. It also taught me how to look after myself. I was young in a different country and had to look after myself. As I said before I started basketball late and didn’t really know about the American route and ended up in Oostende.

Have you ever wondered how your career might have gone and where you would be today had you played college ball in the states?

I think about that everyday it’s too late now but I would have seen myself in a D1 school for sure.

Who was the toughest player you ever battled on any court anywhere that made it to the NBA?

I’ve played on the court with a few NBA guys but one that I was able to see day in day out would have to be Malik Beasley.

If you had to construct your very own NBA mount Rushmore which 4 heads would you pick?

Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Magic Johnson, Shaq 

What is your personal opinion about the never ending debate of who is the greatest between Michael Jordan and Lebron James?

Michael Jordan will always be the greatest basketball player of all time just purely on his legacy but Lebron is a better all round athlete on and of the court.

When all is said and done, could Luka Doncic be one of the greatest European players that ever played in the NBA?

Yes definitely he’s 20 doing the things he’s doing as a rookie. His future is bright.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Avengers:endgame best movie so far.

Thanks Jordan for the chat

Andrew Barham is a 28 year old 198cm forward from Memphis, Tennessee that completed his fifth professional season and first in Germany with the Hamburg Towers (Germany-ProA) averaging 14,3ppg, 3,9rpg and 1,6apg. He was an instrumental player in the club winning the 2019 Pro A title. Last season he played with the Maine Red Claws (NBA G-League) playing 37 games averaging 4.9ppg, 2.8rpg. In his previous four professional seasons he gathered experience in Japan, Czech Republic, Romania and Hungary. He began his basketball career with Christian Brothers High School and then played two seasons at Memphis (NCAA) playing 49 NCAA games. He finished his NCAA career at Gonzaga playing two seasons from 2012-2014 amassing a total of 65 NCAA games and as a senior played 36 games averaging 6.3ppg, 3.0rpg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 48%, FT: 64.7%. He spoke to germanhoops.com at the end of the season.

Andrew thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you at the moment?

I am currently in the Hamburg airport, waiting on my flight to board to Tel Aviv for a quick vacation before I head home to the USA. Basketball is treated me well this year. My father always said, ‘Use the game of basketball, but don’t let it use you.’ I think I have used it well this year and met great people in the process.

Congrats on winning the Pro A title with the Hamburg Towers. How blessed do you feel now having made the right step and going to the Hamburg Towers organization?

I am extremely blessed to not only have been in a great environment but to have a great coach that believed in me all year. I’m just trying to live in this great moment and be thankful for all these experiences!

How quickly did you know that you had arrived in a special place in Hamburg? From the top with Marvin Willoughby and head coach Mie Taylor going all the way down the ladder with your teammates, fans and city how special was the basketball culture with the Hamburg Towers?

I knew instantly. You can feel the passion the organization has for their city and their team. Coach and Marvin did a fabulous job in signing great players and high character guys that will do whatever it takes for the team to win. It was a special season. 

The Hamburg Towers played an unforgettable and exciting final series with Nurnberg. After losing the first game by three points, you won the deciding game by five points and title. How intense was the whole atmosphere leading up between games?

It was so much fun! Not many players ever get the chance to play for a Championship. The fans brought the energy and passion and the buzz was unparalleled. It was one for the history books in Hamburg Basketball. 

What kind of self confidence and mentality did the team have going into the last game? How sure were you that you would win the title as a club?

We had confidence in ourselves and belief that we were the best team in the league all year long. We had some ups and downs, but I believe that gave us valuable experience down the stretch. Coach told us every practice that he believed in us and we were the best team, just have to go out and prove it! 

The Hamburg Towers were very tough in the final game and never allowed Nurnberg over the hump in the fourth quarter. What was key for winning the game?

Yes, we were resilient all year long and even more so in that final game. We had players step up and make huge plays for us down the stretch that sealed the deal. 

The Nurnberg Falcons played an amazing and unforgettable season. Nobody had them on the list to move up to the easyCredit BBL. What did you appreciate most about their play?

They played as a team! Great post play and good guards that knew the game. Regardless of how the game was going they never quit playing hard.

Let’s talk about the Hamburg Towers season. At the start of 2019, the club lost three of five games. If someone had told you then that the club would win the Pro A title four months later what would you have thought?

I would have believed them. We did hit a rough patch, things weren’t clicking, we had some big injuries, but we went back into practice and just started to work harder! 

From then on the club had two three game winning streaks and two two game losing streaks. Why was the club a bit up and down in the last months?

We were figuring it out, plus injuries and many different factors. But great teams peak at the right time. 

The Hamburg Towers lost the last two regular season games to Chemnitz and Tuebingen. With what kind of mind set did the club go into the playoffs. Did Mike Taylor do anything special or different that got the team mentally ready for tough series against Rostock and Chemnitz?

Yeah, we were really bummed after the Tuebingen and Chemnitz losses. We believed we gave both of those games away by just making easy mistakes. Instead of going crazy, coach came up with an unreal game plan for the playoffs. We had a whole book to prepare us for what was to come. He refocused us. And had us believing that to be the best, you have to beat the best (which was Chemnitz at the time).

How big was the spectacular game four 98-96 win over Chemnitz? Was that the turning point of the playoffs which helped the team make the last push to the title?

I think it was. It was a do or die game for us and we came out to play. It gave us a chance to play game 5! After that win, I think the momentum shifted to us in the series. They had come ready to celebrate, and we ruined the Chemnitz party. 

What did you appreciate most about having the opportunity to strap on the Hamburg Towers jersey? 

I appreciated the opportunity to play the game in front of people that truly cared about our team and me. I enjoyed the positive atmosphere and it made the game enjoyable! 

Was there one experience in your time that you will for always hold on tight to?

I’ll always hold on to the belief and confidence that Coach Mike had in me. Regardless if I shot it well and had 30 or bad and had 4 points, he always believed I could explode offensively. I want to keep that confidence and positivity the rest of my career and into whatever I do in life.

How special was it playing for Mike Taylor. Was he a coach that gave even when it looked most bleak could get some positively to any difficult situation? How key was his unbelievable emotion that he gives during tough times?

He is one of my favorite coaches I have ever played for. He just gets it. I am blessed to have been able to cross paths and learn from him. His passion and positivity rubs off on everyone. To me, he was the MVP of these playoffs. 

Let’s talk about your teammates. You had some physical big men with Germans Freese and Raffington, but describe a bit how important the versatility of Beau Beech was and how his presence on the floor made a huge difference?

Beau was great for us all season. He was always a matchup problem the way he could space the floor and really shoot it. His sneaky athleticism helped us all year. He really played well for us all playoffs! 

How much of a pleasure was it playing with American guards Tevonn Walker and Carlton Guyton. Obviously their shooting was a big part of their games, but what other traits made them stand out from the opponents that they had to battle against?

Tevonn is an elite defender! I’m not sure anyone could score on him. He brought that toughness and scrappy mentality we needed every game. Carlton aka Scootie is a walking bucket getter! He can score anyway you like. Threes, pull-ups, floaters, post ups. When are backs were against the wall and the lights were the brightest, he shined the most!! Both were great teammates to play along side. 

How did you see the development of young German Justus Hollatz? What kind of interactions did you have with him and how did you help him best with his game?

Justus is going to be one of the top Germans in BBL before you know it. He understands the game, and can fit in seamlessly despite his young age. He has all of the tools, I just encouraged him to go out and not be scared to use them! Watch out for him in the future.

Let’s talk about your game. You averaged 14,3ppg, 3,9rpg, 1,6apg and 1,1spg while shooting 32% from outside. How content were you with your season?

I thought I had a great overall season. I hit a little slump towards the playoffs but anytime you can be leading scorer of a Championship team, you have to be happy! I’m very critical of my game, so there are many things I want to improve on and sharpen up over the summer, but in retrospect it’s been a good season! 

The last two seasons you have been around 32% from outside down from pervious seasons. You stated in our last interview that ‘I shoot when I’m hot, and shoot to get hot. A lot of the %’s has to do with the quality of the shots and the difficulty of them. But shooters shoot, so I don’t concentrate too much on the % but trying to get the best shot up and in to help my team’. How do you rate the season with Hamburg in terms of your shooting season?

I followed my motto, let it fly!! Shoot to get hot and shoot when I’m hot! Obviously before the playoffs I was way up around 38% and would have liked to have kept it there to finish the year but things happen and I learn from them, move on, and most importantly keep shooting! The next shot is going in.

You helped lead the Hamburg Towers to their first title and your first title. How do you feel did you develop further this season in a growing winning culture as the season went on?

Winning is very difficult, regardless of the level or stage you are on. And creating a winning culture is even more difficult. But we all achieved what we set out to do when we originally signed with Hamburg. The goal was win a Championship and move the team to BBL – mission accomplished! 

You had many great personal games on the court. What was your best game this season? Possibly your 28 point effort in the win over Kirchheim?

For me, the greatest games I had were the ones where I hit dagger threes or buckets to help seal or give my team a win. This are the moments I’ll remember and keep with me. 

What is the next step for you? Could you imagine remaining in Hamburg or would you consider going to a new country and culture?

At the moment, I’m not sure what the next step for me is. I am just living in the moment, enjoying this championship and looking forward to seeing my family and girlfriend this summer. I will see what offers I have come though and weigh my options when that time comes. 

On what things will you continue to work on in the lab this summer as you continue to improve as a player?

I will focus on finishing around the rim through contact. Leg strength to have that lift on my shot late in the game and season. And just refine what I already do well, shooting off the move.

Please list your all-time best starting five of teammates.

Kevin Pangos Will Barton Me Tarik Black Kelly Olynyk 

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

Shy Eli 

What was your reaction when you heard that Lebron James named himself the greatest of all-time?

Anyone who has to name themselves as greatest of all time, isn’t greatest of all time. I feel that is a title that is given not self proclaimed. Plus I’m a big MJ guy.

Charles Barkley proclaimed that Tom Brady Is more of a GOAT than Michael Jordan. Do you share his opinion?

I don’t, Michael Jordan changed the sport he played completely. His shoes and style are still selling out worldwide. He changed the way basketball is played now. Brady might had better numbers statistics, but I’m siding with MJ in this argument.

What was the last movie that you saw?

The Greatest Showman – the soundtrack to this movie is fire by the way lol.

Thanks Drew for the chat.

Alexander Blessig is a 25 year old 188cm guard from Berlin that completed his third professional season with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen (ProB) averaging 8,7ppg, 2,8rpg and 3,4apg and shot 44,4% from outside. He began his basketball career with FC Bayern Muenchen (ProA) and also played with Alba Berlin 2. He then played a season with Florida Gulf Coast (NCAA) helping the team win the A-Sun tournament and reaching the NCAA Sweet16. He then moved to Rollins (NCAA2) and played three seasons totaling 66 games. He spoke to germanhoops.com at the end of the season.

Of course, thank you for having me on – I appreciate it. Probably my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Cologne, yum!

It is such an overwhelming and relieving feeling, we still cannot fully grasp what we have accomplished this year. Being ProB champion is a reward not only for the team but also the entire staff, volunteers and management, which fully supported us along the way. All the hard work that we put in together as a team over the course of the season has finally paid off. This season is definitely up there along with the Sweet16 run at FGCU.

How were the celebrations? Did the team do something special afterwards? Was there anything you learned about certain teammates in the celebration that you never would have dreamed of?
The celebrations were exciting! We stayed in the gym after our win to celebrate together with all our fans and the staff, we had a great time. Unfortunately, I was not able to participate until the end, because I caught a fever a few days earlier – needed to get some rest!

The atmosphere was something for the ages. As a player, I have never experienced something like that in a basketball arena. A huge thank you goes out to the Nordkurve12 soccer fans, who brought candles and flags to create a unique spirit during the game. I thought it was second to none, especially for the ProB. The last 5 minutes of the game felt like ages but when the buzzer finally sounded, I experienced pure joy.

After Munster played you tough in game one, the Bayer Giants Leverkusen came home and destroyed them. Was there anything special that head coach Hansi Gnad stressed before the game or was it pretty clear after a 28-2 season what had to be done?

Coming into game one, Coach wanted us to defend hard and take their 3 Point shooters out of the game. We have to give Muenster credit for totally crushing us from three and thus ripping our game plan apart. In our Thursday practice after game one, we focused on our Pick and Roll defense and on not overhelping on their shooters. I think we executed that well in the second game as we only gave up 60 points in total as opposed to 86 in the first matchup. We also knew that Muenster was not going to shoot 50% from three again and that we would not lose our first home game of the season. I want to congratulate Muenster on an amazing season. It is truly remarkable what they have been able to build over there, especially coming from 1. Regionalliga. Bringing 3,000 fans into the gym for a ProB game is second to none in the league, it highlights what their team has been able to accomplish on the court.

The atmosphere and the stakes of the game created a special environment. It was a perfect finals matchup, the first of the north against the first of the south clashing. Having the second game at home to close the series out was a big advantage for us as we are undefeated at home this season. The finals were definitely a great advertisement for basketball in Germany.

Apart from the FGCU team 2012/13 and Bayern Munich season in 2010/11, which I did not really play minutes on, this was the greatest season and team of my career. In terms of chemistry and team play this was by far the ultimate roster! I was never really in doubt that we would achieve the goals we set ourselves. Even with multiple key players being out because of injuries during the course of the season, we always managed to compensate as a team.

Over the course of the year, one could feel how we were growing closer together each week, not just certain players but the entire team. We all get along and that visibly translated onto the court. I think our team defense as well as ball movement on offense has benefitted from that. This is what made us strong as a team and gave us a team identity, a sense of togetherness.

I don’t think we viewed our success as pressure but rather as a motivation. The team was constantly hungry, we were never satisfied with what we had achieved up to a certain point in the season. This is why we were able to continue winning in the important Playoff games, stepping up our game when we needed to.

I think we handled the pressure of being the number one team after the regular season appropriately. I wouldn’t say that anyone in particular grew in character, but we as a team definitely improved in that area. Especially in the playoffs, we managed to perform at our best when it counted the most.

Our defense and ball-movement on offense has drastically improved over the course of the season. Our team chemistry became so good, that we would always find the right people at the right time. We basically had a different top-scorer every game, which made our offense so versatile and really hard to scout us for the opponent.

My favorite game was the win in Bernau. Coming back from a 21-point deficit in the second half is very rare and shows the character as well as the fighting spirit of the team. After we beat a decimated but great Bernau team we knew that we moved up to ProA, which was our ultimate goal this season.

Coming in as a head coach I think Hansi did an amazing job. He is a coach, who listens to his players and involved them in his decision making. He is open to advice and makes all his players feel like they are part of something bigger. Being a former standout player, he was able to transfer his energy and winning mentality onto the team. You could tell how he got more confident and experienced as a coach during the season.

I wouldn’t pick out a special moment with my Coach, but there were many instances in which we had 1-on-1 talks. Those helped me understand what he required of me as a player and made me feel like he really cares about his players and their comfort.

Going into the season, we knew that Nick would be one of our key players. Looking back at the season now, I believe he even exceeded those expectations on the court but also off the court. Apart from his endless skillset with the ball, he is also a great person. Nick doesn’t care about his own statistics, he wants to make his teammates better and did so very successfully – I personally scored many points of his passes (he has such good court vision and awareness). He also developed as a vocal leader this season, for example in the Bernau game, when Nick carried the team at a point when we needed it the most. If you ask me, he is he league’s best player and MVP – he leads the championship team, which only lost 2 games all year and won all its home games.

It was awesome playing together with Nino. As the season progressed, we played more minutes together on the court. That way, I was able to learn so much from his experience and skillset. Nino is a special player for our league as he reads the game extremely well, passes the ball like a true point guard and makes the crowd ‘awe’ every once in a while. We shared the starting PG position this year and the great thing about us was, that as soon as one of us exited the game while the other one entered, there was absolutely no drop-off in the game. We were able to play on a high level for 40 minutes.

For sure, Tim was one of our most consistent weapons on the court. He really leads by example as he works hard at all times while staying humble. He is such a good three-point shooter that he opened up the lane for drives from guards and post-up plays for our big men. Whenever I passed the ball to Tim, I knew the ball was going in. I was able to feed off Tim’s desire to win during tough games, which gave the team a huge lift.

I think both of them made huge strides during the season. Coming into the year, they were both kids – mentally and physically. Today I can proudly say that they formed into young men. I think playing with an experienced pro team all season and having a big role on the NBBL team fostered their development as players. I am very proud of both guys and am sure that they have prosperous careers ahead of them!

That’s right. I actually was more efficient than the past two seasons, although I played less minutes. This is a testament to the depth and strength of our team. Almost all of our players played less minutes and had smaller roles than they could have had on other teams in the same league. However, all of us were able to put their egos behind and sacrifice for the team – in the end that paid off big time. Winning above all was the mindset not only for myself this year, but for the entire team.

Over the summer, I really focused on improving my shot by changing a few small things on my technique and getting a lot of repetitions in. Together with Jacob Engelhardt and Valentin Blass, we worked very hard on our game. During the season I made sure to always get shots up after practice or go shooting in the morning if my class schedule allowed me to. Those repetitions made me feel very comfortable shooting threes in the game. I still believe that I can be more aggressive, and look to form my shot a bit more, especially shooting at a high percentage.

I think my leadership abilities have improved the most. This season was my first as the team captain, leading very experienced guys like Tim, Dennis or Marian. I constantly tried to improve team chemistry by talking to players a lot and knowing what was going on in their life. I focused on keeping a positive mindset every day in practice and motivating my teammates so that they can perform at their highest level. With some many good players it was important to keep everyone happy during the year so that no one would get frustrated because of their playing time.

Sure, statistically that was my best game. With Nino not playing that day, I knew I would have to carry a much heavier load. It turned out well as I got into the zone and felt like I couldn’t miss a shot in the second half. The best part was though that we got the close win over a tough Giessen team.

There were many tough opponents we faced. On my position it was probably Niklas Geske, his drives were extremely hard to stop, and he also shot the ball well from deep against us – a very tough cover.

This really depends on the job I will pursue. In about two months I will be done with my Masters so I am currently looking for job opportunities. Once I have figured out my job situation, I will make a decision regarding basketball.

I would like to continue improving my shot, especially off the dribble and in Pick and Roll situations. Additionally, I want to work on my floater and high off the glass finishes. Lastly, I am looking to gain some strength and athleticism during the course of the off-season.

Getting up at night – although having school the next morning – to watch the Mavericks sweep Kobe and the Lakers in 2011. I will never forget that and hope that my mom doesn’t read this!

I am not a huge LeBron fan and I believe that the debate between him and Jordan is a waste of time.

I can’t really answer that as I don’t follow American Football at all. However, to me, there is only one GOAT and that is MJ!

Euroleague-Playoffs or books. I don’t really watch movies.

Thanks Alex for the chat.