For that novice fan that entered a basketball gym for the first time and was scoping the participants on the court might have yelled “hey surfer boy, you might find waves off the coast of Holland, but not the way you are parked in the corner behind that line”. Of course for any one that followed the Beko BBL in Germany in the last years knew that that was no Travis Burke with the long blond hair, but really German basketball player Robert Kulawick who only sported that look after games as on the court he always had his hair in a bun. Kulawick will no longer sit in the corner waiting for the pass and amaze fans with his unorthodox shooting style and golden smile as he has decided to hang up his sneakers in the Beko BBL. The 30 year old 192cm guard has decided to head to Berlin and concentrate on his family and life there. “In the end there were more points that spoke for Berlin than against it. It wasn´t an easy decision and it wasn´t a decision against Goettingen. I have much ties to Goettingen and have many friends here so one will see me here again. I had many nice and successful seasons with Goettingen with the Eurochallenge win or the last game of the season. That will stay forever”, warned Robert Kulawick. The German really picked the perfect time to go as he was instrumental in helping the club remain in the Beko BBL as on the last game day where the team had to win to hinder moving down to the Pro A, he stepped up and rattled the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg with 20 points and called it his best season and career game.
Author: Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
Alex Foster (RheinStars) When I Got To Germany All I Could Do Was Shoot But Coach Woltmann Helped Me Develop More Abilities Which Make Me A Better All-Around Player
Alex Foster is a 23 year old 203cm forward that grew up in Portland, Oregon and also has the German citizenship and completed his professional rookie season in Germany with the RheinStars(Germany-ProA). He played at Emory (NCAA3) from 2011-2015 playing a total of 108 NCAA3 games and as a senior played 20.1ppg, 7.9rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 39.9%, FT: 79.8%. He was able to improve his scoring and rebounding average each season. He spoke to German Hoops after the season ended before getting a contract extension.
Thanks Alex for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how have you been enjoying your early summer vacation?
I’m back in my hometown, Portland, Oregon. After my season finished, my girlfriend and I did some traveling. We went to Greece and then saw some friends and family in the US South, both of which were really nice. I already miss my team in Cologne though!
The German Pro A season has been over for you since many weeks. Has this time seemed like an eternity or has it passed by quicker than say 6 weeks during your rookie season?
The offseason definitely goes by slower than the season. I stay busy with my own workouts and training, but time flies when you’re preparing for new opponents and competing on the weekends.
The Super Super Mario Matic Era Comes To An End In Nordlingen
At times one could imagine that the bald figure barking signals and hope from behind the Giants Nordlingen bench could enter the court himself at any time and help push the team forward in some way, but the 37 year 202cm ex player Mario Matic has found a home giving advice from the sidelines instead of on the court in the last seven years as head coach and has done a successful job. However sometimes success and passion for something you cherish is put on the back burner for family love. After seven years of coaching the Giants Nordlingen, the ex BG Leitershofen big man has decided to step down from the job. So often in professional sports the ego far outweighs the rational mind, but for once it hasn´t as Matic has proved. Matic hasn´t stepped down to take a better coaching offer, but has done it for family reasons and has set other priorities in life and decided to move to the beautiful Starnberg lake in Bavaria to his partner in life.
Ricky Kreklow (There Was Much More Us Americans Could Have Done To Help Our Team Besides Scoring)
Ricky Kreklow is a 24 year old 201cm forward from Columbia, Missouri that completed his professional rookie season in Germany with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen. He comes from a sports family as his Father is head coach of the Missouri women’s volleyball team and also played 25 games for the 1980-81 NBA World Champion Boston Celtics, while mother is former head women’s volleyball coach at Missouri and current Director of Volleyball Operations. He played at three colleges in four years with Missouri as a freshman, California in his second and third seasons and with Creighton as a senior. He played a total og 98 NCAA games at the three schools and despite much movement was able to improve his scoring and rebounding average each season in the NCAA. As a senior at Creighton he played 31 games averaging 7.5ppg, 3.1rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 72.9%. He spoke to German Hoops at the conclusion of the season
Ricky thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?
I am currently at home in Columbia, MO. Summer has been great so far. Been training and spending time with friends and family.
Your season ended at the end of March. Has the time from then until now felt like an eternity or has the time away from games flown by?
But the time away from the game always goes by slow. You are always just waiting for your next opportunity to play again.
The Miles Basketball Minute: 2016 Beko BBL Final Playoff Preview: Brose Baskets Bamberg-ratiopharm Ulm 3-0
If anyone wants to doubt that the Brose Baskets Bamberg aren´t a genuine German basketball dynasty that was briefly derailed by FC Bayern Munich in 2014 obviously have been clouded by the seemingly never ending healthy arrogance of Germany´s most famous club or just been not paying good attention to the Beko BBL season by season. Facts don´t lie as the Brose Baskets Bamberg have won five of the last six Beko BBl titles and if nothing seriously goes wrong in the next two weeks where key members of the team are inflicted with massive food poisoning or ratiopharm Ulm all of a sudden acquire super basketball powers that not even Lebron, Curry or Durant possess then the Bavarian city that likes to call itself Freak City will win their sixth league title in seven years and second in a row. The team has always been stacked with overwhelming talent and an undeniable strong team basketball and chemistry that just grew over the years. That also has been the case last season and this season as the team has had the best overall talent and deepest bench in the league and one Brad Wanamaker who has led the club to success with his prosperous playmaking and leadership qualities that are one of a kind in the Beko BBL. After a stellar career at Pittsburgh(NCAA), he turned professional and played his first two seasons in Italy, D-league and France before making that first step in the 2013-2014 season with Giorgio Tesi Group Pistoia (Italy-Lega Due). Since 2014, he has been in Germany in the Beko BBL and belongs to the absolute superstars of the league. Ex Alba Berlin head coach Sasa Obradovic even called him one of the three best players that ever played in the Beko BBL. The two time Beko BBL MVP is on the verge of leading Bamberg to a second consecutive league title and the question is can he make the next step to the NBA this summer? Current Portland Trailblazer Brian Roberts who has played 279 NBA games won three league titles and three cups from 2009-2012 with Bamberg before making the jump to the NBA and didn´t have as much of an impact on his team as Wanamaker does. If Wanamaker doesn´t make the jump to the NBA, he definitely should be kept in Bamberg at any expense, because the name Wanamaker is like a synonym for dynasty, but head coach Andrea Trincheri knows that. Most important now is to be focused and win the title even if everybody really is thinking sweep and by just how many points Bamberg will beat ratiopharm Ulm game by game?
The Fraport Skyliners Have Historical Season Climbing New Heights But Come Up Short At The Last Peak
In the third year of the Fraport Skyliners three year plan where in the first year the club focused on giving the young German players more minutes, in the second year reaching the playoffs, everything came true to plan as head coach Gordon Herbert had preached at the start of the season proclaiming that the team would become a top 5 team, reach the cup Top 4 and win the Fiba Europe Cup. However after all the enormous success that the organization Fraport Skyliners had in the regular season steam rolling over the competition for long stretches of the season and losing only twice at home and winning the Fiba Europe Cup and being only the fourth German team to ever win an international tournament, everyone in Skyliner country got a bit greedy and even had the audacity to predict capping off the season with the Beko BBL title and for some reason boldly neglecting to remember that the 31-3 Brose Baskets Bamberg were the team to beat. One could compare the successful climb up the Beko BBL standings and towards the Fiba Europe Cup title a bit to the worlds most famous mountain climber Reinhold Messner. Messner is best known for being the first guy to climb Mount Everest without Supplemental oxygen and the first mountaineer to ascend all fourteen peaks over 8000 meters above sea level. The Fraport Skyliners climbed up many difficult steep hurdles this season with the most adventurous and most bothersome at the Fiba Europe Cup Final 4 in Chalon, France where they had to win back to back games against Enisey and Varese to clinch the clubs third club title. However the Fraport Skyliners met their most crucial challenge in the playoffs with ratiopharm Ulm in the semi finals and were continuing to climb new heights and fighting to reach the final and despite being down 2-1 in games and having a 6-1 record in do or die games, the 2004 Beko BBL champion were near the peak, but came up a little short. Whereas a Messner has to battle weather problems when they occur in order to make the perfect climb to the peak, the Fraport Skyliners were denied by the clock and a deflection on the last play from Jordan Theodore to Mike Morrison that ended their season.
Richard Williams (I Want To Win A Championship This Season)
Richard Williams is a 28 year old 178cm guard that completed his first season with the Kirchheim Knights averaging 15,5ppg, 4,2apg and 8,0rpg. He recently played for the Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt (Germany-BBL): EuroChallenge: 2 games: 9.0ppg, 3.5rpg, 6.5apg, 2.0spg; German BBL: 9 games: 8.2ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.0apg, 1.4spg, 2FGP: 40.6%, 3FGP: 48.0%, FT: 70.6%, in Jan.’15 moved to SC Rasta Vechta (Germany-ProA): 12 games: 4.6ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.3apg, 1.0spg. He is a very fast guard that can play either one or two. Great at pushing the break. Can score by shooting the three or using his explosiveness to beat his man. Gets to the basket and scores in traffic. A specialist in steals that uses his quickness to intimidate on defense. Great ball control. Gets the whole team involved when playing the point but can takeover a game at any time. He started his basketball career at San Diego St. (NCAA) in 2005 where he played until 2009. In his senior year he played 36 games: 7.2ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.5apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 40.9%, 3Pts: 37.5%, FT: 64.2%. In 2009-2010, he started his professional basketball career for The San Diego Surf (ABA), in Jan.’10 moved to FSU Selfoss (Iceland-Express League, starting five): 8 games: 27.5ppg, 8.1rpg, 3.4apg, 2.8spg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 46.2%, FT: 72.7%. In 2011-2012, he played for UBC Hannover Tigers (Germany-ProB) 33 games: 18.3ppg, 5.1rpg, Assists-4(5.7apg), Steals-2(3.2spg), FGP: 48.1%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 75.8%. In the 2012-2013 season he played for SC Rasta Vechta playing 38 games: 15.6ppg, 5.2rpg, Assists-1(6.7apg), Steals-1(2.5spg), FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 79.9%. In the 2013-2014 season for Vechta he played 34 games: 14.6ppg, 4.7rpg, 4.4apg, Steals-3(1.9spg), FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 82.7%. He spoke to German Hoops at the end of the season.
Richie thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?
My summer has been going well so far. I’m back home in San Diego enjoying the company of friends and family before I get back to work.
Your season ended in April. Has the time from then until now felt like an eternity or has the time away from games flown by?
The time away has flown by. I’ve been constantly moving since I’ve been home trying to catch up with people I haven’t seen in the past year.
Virgil Mathews (BV Chemnitz) My Numbers May Have Been Pretty Good But I Always Feel I Can Do Better
Virgil Matthews is a 32 year old 188cm guard from Federal Way, Washington that completed his second season with BV Chemnitz. Last season for BV Chemnitz he played 30 games averaging 14.3ppg, 5.7rpg, Assists-2(6.1apg), Steals-4(1.8spg), FGP: 56.5%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 71.4%He played at Montana (NCAA) and in his senior year played 31 games: 10.1ppg, 4.6rpg, 4.0apg, 1.7spg, FG: 49.8%, 3PT: 48.4%, FT: 76.1%. In 2006-2007, he turned professional and came to Germany and played for KICKZ Muenchen Basket (Germany-2.Bundesliga): 29 games: 18.0ppg, 6.1rpg, 5.2apg, 2.6spg, 2FGP: 57.3%, 3FGP: 31.8%, FT: 66.5%. In 2007-2008, he played for Tacoma Jazz (IBL). In 2008-2009, he returned back to Germany and played for Schwelmer Baskets (Germany-Regionalliga). In 2009-2010, he played for Olympia Reign (IBL, starting five): 21 games: 23.1ppg, 7.2rpg and for Seattle Aviators (NABL).In 2010-2011, he played his first season for Erdgas Ehingen playing 32 games: 11.6ppg, 5.3rpg, 3.6apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 57.6%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 71.3%. He would play until 2014 with Ehingen playing 126 games with three seasons in the Pro A an done in the Pro B. He spoke to German Hoops at the end of the season.
Virgil thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?
I’m still in Chemnitz at the moment leaving next week. Summer has been good weather has started to get better so its nice.
Your season ended in April. Has the time from then until now felt like an eternity or has the time away from games flown by?
Its really both days are long not having practice and things like that, but I’ve been keeping busy so time has also gone fast.
Dan Oppland (Rent4Office) I Don’t Feel Like We Ever Reached Our Peak
Dan Oppland is a 32 year old 203cm forward that completed his second season for Rent4Office. He started his basketball career for Valparaiso (NCAA) in 2002 where he played until 2006. He started his professional basketball career in 2006 for Hanzevast Capitals Groningen (Holland). He then played in countries like Poland and Sweden before coming to Bayreuth in 2008. He then played for seasons four Allianz Swans Gmunden (Austria-A Bundesliga) where he won three titles. Two seasons ago, he played for Namika Lahti (Finland-Korisliiga) 47 games: 15.7ppg, 7.9rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 72.0%. Last season for Rent4Office he played 30 games averaging 8.1ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 51.3%, 3PT: 20.8%, FT: 52.9%. He spoke to German Hoops after the season ended
Dan thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?
Hello Miles. Great hearing from you. I am doing great. I have been traveling a lot lately. I was in Rome last week for four days and then the week before I was in America visiting my family for about 2 weeks. I am preparing a trip to Barcelona this weekend as well.
Your season ended in April. Has the time from then until now felt like an eternity or has the time away from games flown by?
The time has gone by pretty fast for me since the season ended. I feel like it always goes this way in the offseason. I usually keep myself busy, so time seems to fly by.
The Fraport Skyliners Practice 9 Lives And Follow The Golden State Warriors Down Narrow Comeback Trail
After the seemingly alarming 85-54 annihilation of ratiopharm Ulm, the Fraport Skyliners didn´t have their usual big celebration routine when they all lie on the floor and perform the Humba dance to the delight of the fans. Instead the players were more reserved and in business like mode which wasn´t surprising since the club still had their backs to the wall and still on a steep climb to get over the annoying hump that ratiopharm Ulm had inflicted upon them. Jordan Theodore had a different mimic than usual as he wasn´t so much the confident tell all story teller about the game, but more reflective and thankful that his season was prolonged and just looking forward one game at a time while his teammate Mike Morrison had his usual post game demeanor of gliding through the arena corridors in a graceful, but quiet manner having unending thoughts about the game and just looking forward to the next challenge in Ulm. In his thoughts, Morrison might also have had NBA player Mareese Speights who has some similarities with the Frankfurt big man in that both come from the beautiful coastal city of St Petersburg in Florida, play the center position, have been at some point in their careers journey men in the NBA and Europe, but as of late found a second home in Oakland and Frankfurt as Speights is playing his third season with the Warriors and Morrison his second with the Fraport Skyliners. The other crucial similarity that both possess at the moment is that they have helped contribute to that 9 lives feeling that both the Golden State Warriors and Fraport Skyliners have had as both have been in a hole with their respective teams fighting to survive in their series. In the last days, it has been Golden State that have set the tone in the comeback trail with the Fraport Skyliners following their lead winning slowly digging themselves out of desperation. With Golden State down 3-1 in games, they showed a strong effort at home winning 120-111 as Curry and Thompson combined for 58 points, but also got an all-around solid effort from Speights with 14 points in nine minutes. The Fraport Skyliners followed this masterful performance with their own fabulous performance with the slaughter against ratiopharm Ulm where they got a total team effort and Mike Morrison flourished with 11 points in 14 minutes and like Speights was very efficient and just dominated the paint as Ulm had no way of keeping him in check. Golden State then followed the Frankfurt lead 10 hours later with a heroic and courageous win on the road coming back from 15 down and winning 108-101 as Klay Thompson exploded with 41 points and Steph Curry quietly added 31 points to deadlock the series at 3-3. In order to keep this perfect fairytale alive, the Fraport Skyliners now have to follow in the Warriors lead and on Tuesday to even the series at 2-2. “We hang out in the summer and workout together and play together also. Mareese Speights is someone who I definitely look up to. His tweet about how the series was far from over was inspiring and helped me keep my mind in the right place”, stressed Fraport Skyliner Mike Morrison. Cats might be jumping from trees and dodging cars on more of a regular basis than Frankfurt and Golden State are staying alive on the court, but they do it daily while the two basketball clubs only have to do it three more times in their respective series and then hope with less backs to the wall in the next series, but more command and leverage against their next opponent. “I think it is possible that both the Warriors and the Skylines can come back and win their series. Both teams have won their last games and have good momentum and confidence going into the next game. If they can use this to their advantage and come out and take care of their business everything will be ok”, stressed Saarlouis guard Rickey Easterling.
German Hoops 