Basketball fans have suffered worldwide. That is a fact. Not only are they missing a lot about the game, but also those special rare nuisances that don’t come so often. Witnessing those older guys who might not be around next season makes it so much more bitter for the fans that they can’t be able to see them Live. In a span of 2 weeks in December 2020, two real German basketball legends in the making played a Pro B game against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors in their home BCM gym. The first guy they met was ex national player Johannes Lischka who was only 34 years old then, but it seems like he has been around much longer with all his easyCredit BBL experience he has sampled as well as all the health issues that have affected his life. He helped Giessen beat Frankfurt with a typical 21 points and 11 boards effort. Two weeks later, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors riding a disappointing 0-6 record finally won their first contest of the season playing their first good game for 40 minutes overcoming the Arvato College Wizards 79-75. In that game, there was another German oldie with Rouven Roessler. The guy was an incredible 40 years old and seriously isn’t getting any older. He is still playing this season. He played 5 years in the BBL averaging double figures in the league 4 times and also was on the German national team. Karlsruhe has always been home for the German as he played his 16th season there. He didn’t have one of his best games finishing with 9 points in 34 minutes. Not only can one see experienced vets still battling, but also the real young gems of the future like then 16 year old Joshua Bonga (190-PG-05). On the court the players are all the same, but when one really observed the ages, there was an incredible 25 years difference in age between Roessler and Bonga. Bonga equaled the 9 points that Roessler achieved. ‘That is a pretty big extreme. We are a young team. I don’t think that it is a huge adjustment for Josh, because everybody is young on the team. I think that if we had some older players on the roster, it would be different. I remember when I began 7 years ago, we had older guys like Max Merz, Tim Oldenburg and Marius Nolte. It was good for me learning from them, but at the same time, I also had to fight for minutes’, remembered Fraport Skyliner Junior Konstantin Schubert who was the veteran on the squad in his 7th season last season. The aggressiveness that Joshua Bonga showed on the court against young and old defines the kind of player he is, but that also has to do with his extreme youthfulness not typical in the Pro B. ‘I like Joshua a lot. He is always prepared and never gives up. He gives everything. The best thing about him is that he isn’t afraid of anything. He just loves to play’, warned Fraport Skyliners Juniors head coach Miran Cumurija last season. The Fraport Skyliners organization was able to enjoy that special unworried no fear attitude and love of the game of Joshua Bonga. But that didn’t continue this season in Frankfurt as he surprisingly didn’t go the same route as Isaac in Germany and signed with Euroleague team BC Zalgiris Kaunus.

Joshua Bonga was born on January 13th, 2005 and grew up in Koblenz. When one reads the name Bonga, it quickly rings a bell for any German basketball fan. Joshua’s older brother is Isaac Bonga who played his third NBA season with the Washington Wizards and now is with Toronto. The older Bonga began his basketball career in Koblenz and came to the Fraport Skyliners in the 2015-2016 season playing his first NBBL season. Joshua also has another older brother who is a professional soccer player in Germany. His parents are both from Congo, Africa and have been in Germany for more than 20 years. The initial plan of the family was to emigrate to Canada, but they wound up in the beautiful city Koblenz that lies on the rivers Rhine and Mosel. The youngest Bonga came to Frankfurt a lot earlier than his brother did. His natural ability quickly was noticed as he has belonged to the top talents of the German basketball Federation for his birth year of 2005. He is a young man who has always known exactly what he wants. When asked in 2017 when he was only 12 years old if he could imagine seeing 2 Bonga’s on the German national team, he explained. ‘The national team is a dream for me. It is realistic to see two Bonga’s in the future. We are both Bonga’s and Bonga Bonga just fits’, said Joshua Bonga in a DBB interview. My first Joshua Bonga experience was in June 2019 when I had the pleasure of calling the German U-14 final between Eintracht Frankfurt and TS Jahn Munich. Bonga played a big role in winning the 2019 U-14 title defeating TS Jahn Munich 95-75. His teammate Jamaal Phatty now with the EPG Baskets Koblenz may have led all scorers with 32 points, but it was the all around play of Bonga that stood out. He finished with 24 points, hauled down 15 boards and dished out 6 dimes. He also excelled on the defensive end always harassing the opponents with his aggressiveness and undenying quickness. He was only 14 and played the 2019-2020 season with the JBBL (U-16) team and also saw a little action for the Frankfurt NBBL ( U-19) team. He had a great JBBL season averaging 16,0ppg and had 5 rpg. He won the JBBL rookie of the year as well as best defender. In NBBL play he showed early signs of his brilliance being able to compete with 18 and 19 year old young men. He averaged 2,2ppg and 1,9rpg, but demonstrated in 2 games that he can play with the older kids and that filling the stat sheet will be on his menu in the future just as his brother Isaac always did. He netted 7 points against Heidelberg and had 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 2 blocks

In the 2020-2021 season he received the promotion to the Fraport Skyliners Juniors. In a way he profited from COVID-19 simply because the Regionalliga 2 and NBBL seasons were canceled. In a way if he had been able to play more levels with the NBBL with more younger guys and the Regionalliga 2 with grown men, he could of seen another side of basketball and it may have helped his development in different ways. COVID-19 had it’s positive and negative effects with the athletic German playing only in one league. He would finish the season though getting promoted to the easyCredit BBL team playing three games ‘I think a positive is that with Corona, he didn’t always have to have to pick what he will play on the weekends. When your playing 3 competitions, you can’t do all on one weekend. A positive was that with Corona and the whole economical side, he has profited that an American isn’t here. He has gotten more minutes. But at the same time, it is bitter that he can’t play NBBL. I remember my NBBL time and it was great. He would have gotten added self confidence had he been able to play NBBL and Regionalliga 2’, stated Konstantin Schubert. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors had had a tough start to the 20-21 season as they lost their first 6 games. A big reason was their age. The average age of the roster was 19 years. The oldest player was Noah Kamden who was 22. There simply was little experience on the team and having that strong American guard and older guys like Marius Nolte and Tobias Jahn or Americans like Travis Thompson and Dennis Mavin to be there and be mentor figures like in past seasons were really missing that season.

In 2020-2021 his first in the Pro B he averaged 3,4ppg and 1,3rpg in 9,7 minutes per game. He scored his first pro bucket in his first game against the Basketball Lowen getting a long court bounce pass ala Rajon Rondo from Felix Feilen making the easy transition basket. It was a lot of fun to watch the young kid play as he was always good for a big play for the highlight film. He definitely has many early going qualities as a player the same way his brother Isaac had in 2015. ‘He has unbelievable athleticism and his game understanding is very good for his age. Another huge plus in his game is that he is a big competitor and always wants to win. He won’t hide from anybody and always goes out and plays hard. Also his self-confidence is very high. A good example of that was the game in Hanau. ‘He made his first three pointer, but then had two airballs. He didn’t get scared, but his confidence allowed him to keep shooting and he made his next three pointer’, remembered Neu-Isenburg native Konstantin Schubert. A big strength is his drive as his first step is so quick that he can easily beat anybody off the dribble. But the Hanau game clearly showed that his three pointer is still a work of progress. ‘He needs to work on his shot. It isn’t consistent yet. He is a good shooter, but is streaky’, stressed Konstantin Schubert. He shot 29,7% in the Pro B going 5/17.

Another big strength is his defensive play. He made a monster block in the second half in the win over the Arvato College Wizards. The potential for him just like for his brother Isaac five years ago is very scary. He was able to profit a lot from his 4 year older teammate Maxi Begue who had the potential to become the Fraport Skyliners best defender in the future, but decided to go to the rival team Giessen for the 2021-2022 season. ‘Josh has unlimited potential on defense. His long arms allow him to always be able to pressure his opponents. He will get even cleverer on defense, but that will come with age. Begue was a good role model for him. But they have different games on defense. Maxi shines more with his physicality and Joshua more through his quickness’, warned Konstantin Schubert. His athleticism is something that sticks out as much as does Lebron James’s non stop power, but another aspect of Bonga’s game that is so vital for him as a point guard is his very mature basketball IQ for age 15. ‘His pick and roll isn’t always so good, but he reads the game well and reacts well to the defense. The Pro B is a lot different to the NBBL. Sometimes he reacts to slow or overreacts when reading situations, but that will also get better with experience’, stated Konstantin Schubert. Joshua Bonga profited from COVID-19 in April 2021 as the easyCredit BBL team Fraport Skyliners had five players out and had to promote some Pro B players to the first team. Bonga made his debut in Ludwigsburg and three days later became the second youngest German player to score a field goal as he produced 7 points in 11 minutes in a loss in Bonn. Fraport Skyliner captain Quantez Robertson was impressed with his play, but knows exactly who to give the nod to as the best at age 16 concerning the two Bonga’s. ”Isaac was better at that age. Joshua is the better shooter, but Isaac was taller and the better ball handler. Joshua was fierce and ready to play. He played to the best of his ability and handled the situation pretty well’, expressed Quantez Robertson. Everything went a little quickly and unplanned for the sudden rise of Joshua Bonga to the easyCredit team, but the more experience he gets the better no matter how old he is. Even if he has made his easyCredit BBL debut, that special unworried no fear attitude is still there. Now he has a new challenge with Euroleague team BC Zalgiris Kaunus. This season with the BC Zalgiris farm team he is averaging 2,1ppg, 1,3rpg and 1,5apg. ‘Joshua is a very courageous boy that chose a decision in order to reach his goals. His time in Frankfurt was very valuable and am glad that I could witness his first BBL steps. I have experienced few players in his age that can make it everywhere. He will make it to reach his goals’, stressed Hakro Merlins Crailsheim head coach Sebastian Gleim. ‘He is a great competitor and didn’t back down from a challenge and competed every day. With added playing time, he will be very good offensively because he has a pretty good jump shot. He might even put up a few high scoring games’, warned Fraport Skyliner Quantez Robertson. The kid is still so young and raw. There is no doubt that the Fraport Skyliners will still be able to enjoy his continuing development and special unworried no fear attitude and love for the game from a far.

Written in December 2020 and updated recently

Rashard Kelly (203-PF-95, college: Wichita St.) is a 26 year old 203cm forward from Fredericksburg Virginia playing his fourth professional season and first with JDA Dijon Bourgogne (France-Betclic ELITE ProA). Last season he played with Gaziantep Basketbol (Turkey-BSL) playing 31 games: averaging 11.9ppg, Reb-4 (8.0rpg), 2.0apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 25.9%, FT: 62.7%- Two seasons ago he played with Dolomiti Energia Trento (Italy-Serie A) playing 16 Eurocup games averaging 8.6ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.9apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 53.4%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 61.5%; and 20 Italian Serie A games averaging 10.6ppg, 6.1rpg, 2.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 59.6%. In his rookie season he played with Parma Basket Perm (Russia-VTB) averaging 11.0ppg, Reb-3 (7.7rpg), 1.9apg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 12.5%, FT: 71.6%. He began his basketball career at Chancellor High School and also played at / Bishop O’Connell High School, Massanutten Military Academy and / Hargrave Military Academy. He then played at Wichita State University from 2014-2018 playing a total of 137 NCAA games. He spoke with germanhoops.com before a Basketball Champions League game against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.

Thanks Rashard for talking to germanhoops.com. Welcome to Germany. Is this your first time in Germany? What do you know in general about the country and basketball?

Hey I appreciate you having me. This is about my second or third time actually in Germany all the teams I played from this country just plays hard.

Have you had any friends, ex teammates or opponents play here over the years?

Yeah my teammate Zach Brown is in Hamburg at the moment. And my current teammate Khadeen Carrington was playing in Germany as well. Germany is a great spot for basketball , so I’m pretty sure there are more guys I know that has played here as well.

Your playing your fourth professional season and first with JDA Dijon Bourgogne (France-Betclic ELITE ProA). What kind of experience has it been playing in France after having played in Russia, Italy and Turkey? How would you compare the France Pro A in skill level with all the other leagues you have played in?

I’m enjoying it because it’s been a new challenge for me. A different level of competition and skill I have to tap into personal to be better than my opponent. This is a very athletic and hard playing league. While I also think the competition inside the league is better than recent years.

What kind of an experience has it been playing with diminutive guard David Holston? Have you ever played with a guy that has a heart as big as him?

Yeah I’m fortunate enough to play with David Holston. He’s a great leader and person on and off the court. He’s the heart of JDA and The city of Dijon loves him. I played with very well point guards in my career and always tried to learn from them or pick their brain to understand how they see the game.

Could you imagine him playing until he is 40 years old?

Yeah we actually have had this conversation before. I hope he has a great , safe and fun career until he wants to walk away.

You continue to put up very consistent stats as a professional. What has been your secret to being so versatile and consistent in your career?

I work on all aspects of my game daily and throughout the year. Trying to be consistent and limit my weak spots.

In the NCAA you did all the dirty work. How are you a different player now. How has your game grown as a professional player?

I’m emerging more as a threat not just a guy to rebound and defend. Don’t get me wrong that opened doors for me to be to this point. But I always knew there was more to me. I love basketball so I just try to continue to give it my all.

Last season you played with Gaziantep Basketbol (Turkey-BSL) averaging 11.9ppg, Reb-4 (8.0rpg), 2.0apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 25.9%, FT: 62.7%. You had a great season. You had super games against the Turkish Euroleague games. Do you feel like Euroleague teams have taken notice of your game?

I think they do. Every year I played a Euroleague team and personal won my matchups from my rookie season in Russia to now , I try to prove I can play on Euroleague and even higher levels of basketball. I just need the right connection and right opportunities.

In 2019-2020 you balled with Dolomiti Energia Trento (Italy-Serie A) averaging 8.6ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.9apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 53.4%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 61.5%;in the Eurocup and Serie A averaging 10.6ppg, 6.1rpg, 2.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 59.6%. You aren’t only an impact player on offense but also on defense. How do you feel has your defensive game grown in the last two seasons?

I’ve gotten used to guarding ball screens. And being more mobile. Understanding the game as a pro. Using film to my advantage to polish my game

In your rookie season you played with Parma Basket Perm (Russia-VTB) averaging 11.0ppg, Reb-3 (7.7rpg), 1.9apg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 12.5%, FT: 71.6%. You lost twice to Euroleague powerhouse team CSKA Moscow, but in the second game played a lot better as a team. What memories do you have playing against so many top players like Kyle Hines?

Before I came to Russia I was told I reminded a lot of guys of Kyle Hines from my size and the intensity I played with. I just try to respect the game and I was also able to talk to Kyle at the all star game and try to pick up little things from a player at his level who I would also like to be at. The same level of respect as a Kyle Hines would be an honor one day

What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie in Russia where you knew that you were very far away from home? You lived in deep Russia but was in a big city.

When I first arrived and didn’t have a European adapter for any of my electronics . I knew I was far away from home and had to adjust as soon as possible. My team may have not expected me to play as well as I did because of my college numbers but I kept trusting God every day with these challenges and he helped me prove I was better.

You played at Wichita State from 2014-2018. You reached the NCAA tournament each season. Was the Sweet 16 run in 2015 your most memorable experience?

Yeah my sweet 16 run was pretty awesome or our Junior year run after our NBA guys like Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker left. No one expected us to be any good and we won games by an average of 30. It got so bad they had to switch us conferences my senior year

Was it a big adjustment coming as a big offensive output player at Hargrave Military academy to a guy that only did a dirty work and never averaged double figures in scoring in the NCAA?

Continuing to believe in myself. Adjusting and getting back to my roots. I always noticed I played two different styles of basketball when I was in my college system and when I was free. I enjoyed the freedom better and always was able to produce with it. I didn’t score a lot in college which may of hurt my start to my professional career as far as salary or location. But I will make the best of this journey I’m currently on now .

What memories do you have of teammate Darral Willis. Wouldn’t it be nice to meet him again as Euroleague players?

Machine gun Willis never sees a bad shot. We have had so many talented players on our Wichita State team that year , Connor Francamp who’s at Zenit now , Landry Shamet who’s with the Phoenix Suns , Austin Reaves Los Angelos Lakers , Markis McDuffie another guy who has Euroleague capability. I would love to see all my guys at the euroleague and high level.

What do you remember the most crazy thing that Fred VanVleet did on the court in a game or practice?

He was just a dog everyday. Getting to the rim being a bully. And his work ethic was crazy.

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

Just to work hard. I’m able to take tough coaching and not to give myself to excuses. And enjoying the culture of winning

Darral Willis told me in an interview he would beat Shaquille Morris anytime. How was it for you?

One on one from the wing yeah that’s no problem. I’m not playing Shaq in the post.

Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

Miles Bridges ( Charlotte Hornets ) He was super athletic and in a blink of a eye he’s on the other side of the court with his quickness

Please name your five best teammates of all-time?

No order : Frank Mason Tekele cotton Fred VanVleet James Blackmon Melo Trimble

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

MJ Kobe Lebron Shaq

What is your personal opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time?

We just got to appreciate them all. Mike led the way for all of us. Kobe mastered Mike & Lebron is a combination of both .

Thanks Rashard for the chat.

Ondrej Sehnal (196-PG-97) is a 24 year old 192cm point guard that is playing his first season in Germany with the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig currently averaging 8,1ppg, 2,7rpg and 6,6apg. He previously played his whole career in his home country Czech Republic for USK Prag. He played 115 NBL league games in the Czech Republic. Last season he played 31 games averaging 16.7ppg, 5.8rpg, Assists-2 (8.0apg), Steals-5 (1.7spg), FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 54.4%. He played at the 2021 Olympic games in Japan and spoke to germanhoops.com about his career.

Ondrej thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Before we talk about basketball, talk a bit about how you experienced COVID in the last year and a half? What were the biggest challenges for you on and off the court?

I think that in the beginning was probably the hardest part for most of us because we did not know what was coming and how we were all going to deal with it. Afterwards the toughest part of it was dealing with the restrictions and quarantines during the season. Lately I feel I got used to it, considering the circumstances around basketball.

With everything that you saw off the court, how do you think did COVID made you stronger as a man?

For sure, I tried to look at it from a positive way and took the advantage of the ‘longer summer’ to get better like a player. I was practicing individually with my trainer two times per day for 4 months, so I think I got the best from that situation.

You had a very interesting and successful summer helping the Czech Republic qualify for the 2021 Summer Olympics as well as taking part. What was the best part of the summer?

I would say that the best part was beating Greece in the Final of the qualification and the moment when we realized we were in Tokyo.

You helped beat Canada and Greece to qualify for the 2021 Olympics. Were these the two best wins back to back in your career?

Yeah probably the most important wins of my life so far

This summer’s Czech Republic national team was very special. What was the secret to the success? How much did the overall good friendships that the players have with each other?

I think the most important thing in our team is the chemistry within the team.

What kind of a feeling was it being in the stadium at the opening ceremonies at the Summer Olympics? What will you always remember most from that event?

It was a special moment for me personally. That was the time, when I realized I was representing my country at the Olympics

The Czech Republic lost as expected to France and the United States. What was your summary of how team Czech Republic presented themselves in Japan?

I feel like we could of done better in the first game against Iran. We started pretty good, but unfortunately didn’t finish the game like we wanted. Last two games were very similar. We started the game great, but over time both teams showed their qualities and deeper rotation. In the end I think we can be proud of what we accomplished this summer.

In the 119-84 loss to team USA, you scored 5 points in 12 minutes. Were you in awe on the court seeing all these stars like Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard and Draymond Green?

Surely, it was a great experience playing against the best players in the world.

If you had to choose one player form Team USA that impressed you the most that you may not have thought of before the game who would it have been?

Jrue Holiday. His defense was unbelievable.

Were you able to meet any famous athletes at the Summer Olympics that you had always wanted to see?

I am a big tennis fan, so it was a great experience meeting Czech women players, Stefanos Tsisipas and others.

Congrats on signing with German easyCredit BBL team Baksetball Lowen Braunschweig. How vital was the advice of teammate Martin Peterka for making the decision to move to Germany?

We talked a lot about the club with Martin, but that didn’t really play a big role in my decision in the end.

After playing your whole career at USK Praha how confident are you that you will be able to make the next step in one of Europe’s top leagues?

I am confident in the next step of my career and excited about what is ahead of me

Let’s talk a little about your game. You’re a 192cm point guard. Who were your early role models and if you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

My favourite player growing up was always Lebron James, so I loved versatile players. I didn’t really think about any comparable players to me, but I hope I would be compared to versatile players.

You’re a guard that can really fill the stat sheet and recorded triple doubles in the NBL league. What other strengths does your game have and how would you describe yourself as a defender?

I feel like the strongest attribute of my game is that I can adapt for whatever role in the team. I think I can score and pass the ball at the high level and meanwhile play also good defense.

How much of an influence has your teammate and NBA player Tomas Satoransky been on your game? How do you feel has he been able to help you most with your game?

I have watched his game since I was little and I feel that just being around him in the team helps me to learn.

USK Praha belong to the top clubs in the Czech Republic in terms of developing their youth. How important were your early years for the development of your game?

I think I was very fortunate to come to the USK when I was a kid, I feel like it was the best youth program in the Czech Republic.

How important has Blake Schilb been for your game. You have been teammates with the national team and USK Praha. He is a very versatile play. How much of his game has helped rub off on your game?

It was great experience to be around Blake, listen to his advics and just play the game of basketball with him

Who was the toughest player you ever faced on the court?

Kevin Durant

Please name your five best teammates of all-time.

Tomas Satoransky, Jan Vesely, Jaromir Bohacik, Ondrej Balvin, and Vojtech Hruban, so basically my teammates in the national team so far.

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads.

Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan

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

In my opinion since 2016 it is Lebron James

Did you see the sequel to Coming to America? Should they just have left it alone?

I did not see it

Thanks Ondrej

Parker Jackson-Cartwright (176-PG-95, college: Arizona) is a 26 year old 176cm point guard from Los Angeles, California playing his fourth professional season and first in Germany with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. He played at the University of Arizona (NCAA) from 2014-2018 reaching the NCAA Elite 8 and two NCAA Sweet 16’sand winning three Pac 12 tournaments. He played his rookie season for the G-League team Westchester Knicks and then came overseas playing for the Cheshire Phoenix (United Kingdom-BBL) and last season for the Saint-Quentin Basket-Ball (France-ProB) playing 33 games averaging 15.6ppg, 3.2rpg, Assists-1 (7.1apg), Steals-1 (2.4spg), FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 77.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the big 95-81 win over Brose Bamberg where he recorded a league season high 40 points.

Congrats on the 95-81 win against Brose Bamberg stopping the 3 game Bonn losing streak. What do you feel did Bonn get away from during their losing streak?

I felt that we got away from our principles and our identity. Earlier in the season we did a good job disrupting teams with our defense. During the losing streak, we relied too much on outshooting teams. You never know if you will be on or off during a game. We didn’t go back to square one in practice, but just watched more film and tried to get back to our principles leading up to Bamberg game.

You came in very motivated having 19 points and hitting 6 three’s. Had you ever been so motivated before in this season? Was that three game losing streak eating at you?

Yes it did, but we weren’t panicking yet and it didn’t feel like a three game losing streak. At this part of the season every game is a must win. With how the season is shaping up, we want a cushion going ahead towards the post season. We have injuries and had Covid cases, but we didn’t want to have that as an excuse. We looked in the mirror and we all hav a common goal. We wanted to win. We have to keep moving forward.

Justin Gorham was a real spark plug in the second quarter with 8 points . Is he that classic guy every guy wants on his team?

Definitely a player every team wants on their side. He has a high level pedigree. He has played at a high level his whole life and knows what it takes to win. What has impressed me the most is how poised he is as a rookie. He has had to go through the regular rookie hardships, but he never wears it on his face. He works hard and just does what coach wants. He can shoot, rebound and pass and gives us extra possessions. He is a really good piece on our team. We need him to continue to be aggressive for us to be successful.

In the third quarter you took control scoring 12 points. When you begin so well into a game the way you did, does that make it easier to put the playmaking more on hold?

It all kind of stringed along. I just did what the defense gave me. I just try to simplify the game more and that comes with experience. This late in the season all teams are scouting more so you have to be more diligent and intelligent. I’m still being myself while simplifying things. I’m not trying to think too much, but just try to put my team in the best position to win.

In the fourth quarter, the Telekom Baskets Bonn were able to manage the lead well. What was key on the defense end for preserving the win?

Intensity and effort. I have to give credit to Bamberg. They moved the ball really well. They have really good shot makers and made us work hard on defense. When crunch-time rolls around, you need to give your best effort. We weren’t perfect, but we played hard and our intent was good.

What was it like battling Justin Robinson for a second time and sweeping the season series? How good does it feel for once having that 6Cm height advantage?

It doesn’t happen often. But TJ Shorts is another shorter guy to. For both of us it is really encouraging to be battling each other in one of the best leagues in Europe. We are proving people wrong. He is a great player. I watched him in college and have tremendous respect for him. He brings out the best in me.

When I mention the name Keith Gray does that ring a bell?

No.

The dude has the BBL record with 65 points in a game which he accomplished in 1989. What would you have to do in today’s game and age in the BBL to score 65 points? Is that even possible in a league like that?

Yes I think it could. 65 is a lot of points though. But in a team orientated league like the BBL, I think it will be very difficult. But you should never say never.

You scored 40 points against Brose Bamberg a season league single game scoring high. What does that feat mean to you? It obviously feels different than if you had lost?

Yes it would have. I would have been devastated if we had lost. At the end of the day all that matters is that we got the win. It was a great team win. Karsten Tadda was back from Covid and gave us exactly what we need from a captain. All chipped in in the win.

What was the most points that you scored before you became professional? You must have had some big scoring games in high school or AAU?

I never scored 40 in high school. I had something like 28 in high school, but never 40.

It has only been done twice in over a decade. Last time was a few years ago from current Chemnitz guard Franz Massenat who did it with Oldenburg. How difficult is it to do this in a league like this?

It is difficult, because of the way teams scout now. Teams know your tendencies and the coaches are so good in this league. You have to be very hot. The basket gets very big and nobody gets in the way. It can happen though that a guy gets 40.

How can one seriously rate a performance like this? 40 points on a team like Bonn that has so many able scores?

It speaks volumes of the depth and talent that the Telekom Baskets Bonn have. We have so many able scorers. A Hawkins can go for 30, or a Leon Kratzer could score 25. You can imagine what our practices are like. We have so much talent and rely on our offense for success. Even when we have an off night on offense, then we are still top 3 in offensive rating. Coach always preaches defense because we can already score the ball really well.

Was there a time in the game where you knew early that you were going to be making many shots?

In my mind I didn’t think early on that I could get 40 points. I was aggressive and felt good and wanted to see where It would go to. Once I had that I was able to take it to another level. I wasn’t thinking too much, but just playing and flow with the game. It wasn’t about the x’s or o’s anymore then, but just playing with the wave of the game

What was your favorite moment in the game? You hit so many shots. You must have had a favorite one?

It was a play that wasn’t even mine. It was the play to Michael Kessens near the end. I threw up the ball and I didn’t think like he even saw it right away. It didn’t look like he would dunk, but his long arms helped him. It was an incredible play and my favorite of the game.

Sometimes when a team scores 100 points in Germany, the player that made the 100 has to buy drinks for all. Did your teammates wish something from you after that performance or did they keep quiet?

My teammates teased me telling me dinners were on me.

I have interviewed TJ Shorts and he seems very much focused on his season and Crailsheim, but you can’t tell me that there isn’t this special competitive edge that he feels towards you? Do you feel like a game like that from you will motivate him even more? Is he capable of hitting for 40 points?

I would say so. I put him in a special category. He is a really good hooper. He can shoot the ball and is a real competitor. If he gets hot he could go for 40.

How much fun is it battling him in the head to head MVP race? Would it be surprising if a third guy came in at the end and won it?

I wouldn’t be surprised if someone else got it. From a competitive edge, it is a great honor to be mentioned in the MVP race. Whoever does get it, it will be a complete reflection of their season. There are some other deserving guys like Baldwin or Homesley. There is still so much that can happen in the season.

It is difficult to understand why your third in the MVP race at the moment? For me you should be #1.

I really don’t try to pay attention to the talk. I think picking a MVP is always a hard judgement. There are always two or three guys that deserve it. If I were to be worried about this, then I wouldn’t be focused. My number one job is to be locked in for the team. The success for the team is the most important for me.

How crazy were the back to back games with the Bucs-Rams and Chiefs-Bills. Some have called them the greatest back to back NFL games?

I’m a Rams fan but I love Brady. It is really crazy how football works. Brady leads his team back on a crazy come back, but then loses at the last second on a field goal. The games are so entertaining. The Bills-Chiefs game was one of the best games that I ever saw. That game had two of the best quarterbacks. They made some inhuman passes.

Will Tom Brady come back next season or do you think he will retire?

I think he will return. He won’t leave now. He is a crazy competitor.

Thanks Parker for the chat.

The winning ways of the highly talented and experienced club EPG Baskets Koblenz continue in 2022 as they continued to have a perfect record of 3-0 and were still unbeaten in their new living room CGM arena. The experience and constant growing team chemistry continues to help the team be successful. Their next task to keep their wining streak alive was against pesky Bavarian team Oberaching who in a span of two months had been playing incredible basketball having won 7 of 8 games, but as of late the 8-6 team had lost that momentum having lost two games. The club led by head coach Mario Matic were still looking for their first victory in 2022 and had to break the unbeaten streak of the EPG Baskets in their own palace and came pretty close down only by 2 points with a few minutes left, but just couldn’t get stops to get the victory. ‘We fought defensively for 40 minutes and I’m proud of my team. We threw a lot of defensive sets against them. They overran us in the third quarter, but we fought back. We weren’t able to get our big men into the game today. They made the big points at the end which decided the game’, stressed TSV Oberaching Tropics head coach Mario Matic. A win is a win and one can always be happy for that, but one can’t be too happy about the way the EPG Baskets Koblenz played. How much a factor it was that head coach Mario Dugandzic and Brian Butler didn’t coach and play isn’t known, but the team had problems all game long finding their offensive rhythm. ‘We had rhythm once in the third quarter for five or six minutes. That was enough to help us get the win. We lost rhythm whenever we made new changes with personal which caused us to lose rhythm. We lost self-confidence at both ends of the court when that occurred. We didn’t attack the rim after the big run and just shot three’s which we didn’t hit effectively. We had more rhythm at the end with our starting five’, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz manager Thomas Klein.

The first quarter was a real real ugly affair as both teams were still in bed as after 10 minutes the score was 13-13. Both clubs began the contest not executing on their first two possessions. German scorer and Tropics captain Janosch Kogler who has steadily improved his game the last years under Mario Matic scored the game’s first basket showing why he is such a dangerous one on one player. The EPG Baskets Koblenz then found some spark scoring 5 unanswered points ex Giessen energy player Lucas Mayer scored as did rookie Shembari Philipps drilling home a trey for the 5-2 Koblenz lead. Early on one could see that Oberaching wouldn’t have much team offense as Kogler would be a one man wrecking crew. The German proceeded to take his team on a magical 9-0 run keeping everyone in the arena a bit dumbfounded. He dropped two three’s and made a lay in and one for the 11-5 lead. Oberaching had no team play and only Kogler while the EPG Baskets Koblenz had no ball movement and rushed their sets and had no rebounding force. But towards the end of the first quarter, two Germans Moses Poelking and Jacob Mampuya gave the team the extra needed support and energy. Mampuya cam up big on the defensive end with a steal and block while Poelking made a forceful dunk and key offensive rebound which led to Philipps’s three pointer to tie the game at 11-11. Mampuya then connected on a runner while Koegler scored again scoring all 13 points for his team in the quarter as the game was dead locked after 10 minutes. ‘We weren’t concentrated at all at both ends of the court. We didn’t focus on our athleticism with our 1-1 play and we couldn’t get our transition play to work either’, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz manager Thomas Klein.

In the second quarter the game continued to be a tight duel as no club could get a good offensive rhythm. Mampuya scored the quarter’s first bucket while ex FC Bayern Munich 2 forward Moritz Noeres hit a trey for the Oberaching 16-15 advantage. The EPG Baskets Koblenz then secured the lead back with a Dominique Johnson runner who ran into a wall, but somehow got the shot to fall and a Poelking dunk after getting a sweet shovel pass from Nicolas Sperber for the 21-19 lead. German Thomas Pethran then dead locked the game at 21-21 with a runner. It was surprising how well Oberaching was staying in the game as they got nothing easy while Koblenz had an easier task of getting shots off. German Fynn Fischer gave the guests the 25-22 lead with a jumper, but as usual Koblenz struck back rapidly. Ex BBL point guard Marvin Heckel (190-PG-97) gave his team a spark with a clutch three pointer and a put back after grabbing a noffensive rebound for the 27-25 lead. But as usual Janosch Koegler struck back with an incredible off balance bank shot to tie the game. Mampuya continued to be hot as he gave his team offensive support hitting back to back three’s while Koegler kept pace making a step back jumper and free throws as Oberaching trailed only 33-31. ‘We played better 1-1 attacking the rim, but still not as good as we could. We continued not being able to control Koegler. If we had controlled him better then we would have led by 10-12 points. If we don’t have our rhythm, then they are a very dangerous team’, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz manager Thomas Klein.

In the third quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz finally took total control of the game, but couldn’t keep their overwhelming lead allowing the TSV Oberaching Tropics to sneak back into the contest. Poelking began the third quarter with a free throw which was followed with a difficult lay on on transition by Koegler as he threw a line drive shot that somehow went in as Koblenz led 34-33. Then came the turning point of the game as the EPG Baskets Koblenz exploded on a 18-0 run to extend their lead to a seemingly untouchable 52-34 lead. In the run they got massive aid from Mayer and Johnson who drilled home three pointers while Heckel and Philipps scored in the paint. The team also got to the free throw line well. ‘The rhythm was good, but still not good enough. We attacked the rim better and defended more aggressive’, stated Thomas Klein. The balance of inside out basketball was also better. But the EPG Baskets Koblenz were unable to close out the quarter perfectly allowing a 6-0 run by Oberaching as ex BBL player Peter Zeis connected for back to back three’s as Koblenz only led 52-40. ‘I felt that this quarter was just as bad as the first quarter. When we don’t bring the right constellation, then we lose our rhythm. If we could of kept our rhythm up we would of led by 20 points, but instead led only by 12 points’, stressed Thomas Klein. ‘We didn’t come to terms with the Koblenz aggressiveness on defense during their big run. We did a good job changing up our defense at the end and were rewarded with two three pointers.’, added Mario Matic.

In the fourth quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz continued to be up and down and not know what the word consistency means. They allowed the guests to hang around and almost were scolded in crunch-time for their play. The TSV Oberaching Tropics started off the fourth quarter with a bang going on a timely 7-0 run to cut Koblenz’s lead to 52-47. As usual Janosch Kogler was up to his old tricks scoring twice once with his left hand and on transition showing that he ruled on the court while Noeres made a trey. Koblenz continued not to find a rhythm and just shoot wildly from downtown. The home team then found some daylight getting a spurt of offense as Mayer used his quickness to score on transition and Heckel buried a key three pointer to give Koblenz the 57-47 lead. But Oberaching continued to fight and somehow still conserve energy going on a 10-2 run to cut down the Koblenz lead to only 59-57. In the run, young German Philipp Bode made a lay in traffic as no one could control his quickness, Zeis made an offensive rebound and put back and then hit a three pointer. With only a few minutes to go, the EPG Baskets Koblenz finally put the nail on the coffin going on a 7-0 run getting a basket from Marvin Heckel and a crucial three pointer from Johnson for the 64-57 lead. Mayer added two more free throws for the 66-57 lead. But the game wasn’t over yet as the guests continued to hang around as Koegler and Mateo Jukic hit tough three pointers cutting the Koblenz lead down to 68-63, but there were only 24 seconds remaining. Dominique Johnson sealed the ugly win with free throws. ‘Koblenz hit big shots at the end. We could of held them under 70 points had we not let up the free throws at the end. That isn’t easy to do against a good scoring team like them. We had chances to win the game at the end. The game was even’, warned Mario Matic. The EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Marvin Heckel with 16 points. Dominique Johnson added 12 points and Lucas Mayer 11 points while the TSV Oberaching Tropics were led by Janosch Koegler with 30 points while Peter Zeis had 11 points. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 35% from the field and 38% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 15 turnovers while the TSV Oberaching Tropics shot39% form the field and 38% from outside and had 42 rebounds and 24 turnovers.

After suffering a tough loss to Reutlingen in the Bona Baskets Limburg first game of 2022, they retreated last weekend and shocked 9-4 team Saarlouis and got revenge after the thrilling 121-120 overtime loss to kick off the season. They returned home and met SG Mannheim a club that has had a tale of two seasons. They began great winning three games in a row, but since were riding a 10 game losing streak having lost 4 nail bitters. SG Mannheim wanted to finally taste victory again after last winning on October three and got their wish after starting slowly and then got in gear in the second quarter and never looked back getting the hard deserved 87-77 victory. They were powered by the savage duo of Ingram and Kuhn who combined for 51 points helping stop the team´s 10 game losing streak. After the big win, Alabama native Jeremy Ingram was all smiles, but gave credit to the whole team. “We all played with confidence. When we had open shots, we took them. Our bench really stepped up tonight. We followed our game plan and didn´t allow KJ Sherril to hit for 40 points. And when Alex Kuhn hits his shots then our chances are always good to win. We will celebrate tonight, but then go back to work. We need to keep winning”, warned SG Mannheim guard Jeremy Ingram. The Bona Baskets Limburg had a super start, but near the end of the first quarter allowed SG Mannheim get into the game and then take the lead and never look back. Limburg had to play catch up basketball all night long and couldn´t get over the hump despite a late comeback then fell short. “We have a motivation problem. We play for the top teams but don´t come to play when we play the lower teams. All we had to do was guard two players. We were ready to play against Saarlouis, but not against Mannheim. We had enough points but didn´t play defense. When they collapsed on Sherrill, we couldn´t make our shots”, stressed Bona Baskets Limburg head coach Danny Stallbohm.

                The Bona Baskets Limburg strutted out to a fast start, but then allowed the guests to come back and lead only 21-18 after 10 minutes. Limburg led quickly 16-5 as their offense rapidly found a rhythm. The Bona Baskets Limburg knew that they had a height and physicality advantage and scored all their first 7 buckets in the paint. Lithuanian giant Mantas Bernatavicius scored twice including having an offensive rebound and put back while Westerhaus scored twice, Kljaic, Stahlbohm and Sherril also scored. Limburg was controlling the paint area and had Ingram under control, but with  a few minutes left, they lost intensity and energy and allowed SG Mannheim to come back closing out the first quarter with a 13-5 run. In the run ex Speyer forward Alexander Kuhn who has 81 Pro B games on his resume led the charge with three lethal three pointers. They also got vital production from 38 year old Lithuanian big man Arvydas Vaitekus who scored twice. “We had a bad start because we had to get used to the rims and back board. The ball dies when it hits the back board. We needed a good warm up. Kuhn then got hot and opened up the floor for us”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. The Bona Baskets Limburg shot a hot 50% from the field but 0% from outside while SG Mannheim was at 41% from the field and 57% from outside while Limburg had the 11-7 rebound edge and both teams had 3 turnovers a piece.

                In the second quarter the Bona Baskets Limburg continued to keep the lead while executing on offense, but couldn´t find an identity on defense and lost the lead right before the break trailing 42-38. The Bona Baskets Limburg began well going on a 9-4 run to extend their lead to 30-22. In the run, 2 time JBBL(U-16) winner Noah Westerhaus who was teammates then with L.A Clipper Isaiah Hartenstein got rolling scoring three baskets as he used his quickness and athleticism to score inside. The game began to become a game of runs as SG Mannheim shot back going on a lethal 11-4 run to cut the Bona Baskets Limburg´s lead to 34-33. In the run, it was Alexander Kuhn again who nailed two trey´s while Ingram finally found his groove dropping a trey and getting a lay in. The duo were a one man wrecking crew as they could do what they wanted to against the low energy defense from Limburg. “Ingram is so fast. It is really difficult to stop him. We should have been more clever on defense and fouled him early on transition instead of at the end”, said Noah Westerhaus. Limburg kept the lead for a while longer as KJ Sherrill continued to find his spots making a jumper and lay in on transition for the 38-33 advantage. But Limburg played in spurts and just didn´t present any resistance on the defensive end allowing a Mannheim 9-0 run to end the second quarter. Not only did Ingram make a runner and Kuhn a lay in on transition, but they also got good aid from other bodies as Pascal Klahn dropped a trey and Steven Hartinger a lay in. “We were confident and I just didn´t think that they could guard us. When they played zone, Kuhn hit shots and when they went to man, I took over”, expressed Jeremy Ingram. The Bona Baskets Limburg continued to shoot well from close range, but shot a pathetic 14% from outside while SG Mannheim had a good balance between the field and outside with 44/50%. Limburg continued to have the 21-15 rebound lead, but had 6 turnovers while the guests only had 3 turnovers.

                In the third quarter SG Mannheim kept up the pressure and momentum and led by as much 12 points and after three quarter had the 63-51 advantage. It continued to be a game of runs as SG Mannheim started with a 9-3 run to lead 51-41. The guests got baskets from Ingram, Hartinger, Klahn and a three pointer from Kuhn, but SG Mannheim couldn´t run away with the lead as Limburg struck back with a swift 4-0 run to cut the guests lead to 51-45. In the run Sherrill nailed a 10 footer and Kljaic scored in the paint area. Limburg was up and down on offense and didn´t make good decisions. SG Mannheim closed up the paint area better as Limburg had more difficulty getting baskets. Jeremy Ingram continued to lead SG Mannheim as whatever he touched on offense turned to gold and here and there they continued to get good support from other factors  like Pascal Klahn who hit a trey and Vaitekus made a lay in for the 60-49 lead. Ingram made a tough fade away jumper near the end and a free throw for the 63-51 advantage. Despite scoring 31 points and almost equalizing his season average, coming to Limburg is never an easy task for the ex Alabama A&M guard. “I hate playing in this gym. But I knew that I had to give my all to win tonight. My teammates told me early that I might be missing now, but that I will make them when they count. My teammates had a lot of faith in me”, added Jeremy Ingram. SG Mannheim continued to shoot very well with 46% from the field and 50% from the parking lot while the Bona Baskets Limburg shot 46% from the field and a miserable 7,7% from outside. Limburg still had the rebound edge at 29-25 while both teams only had 12 turnovers combined. “Our bench helped us a lot tonight. Pascal Klahn helped us a lot. We told him to keep shooting after misses. He played with confidence tonight”, warned Jeremy Ingram. “We had no intensity and now will. We lost the game in the third quarter. You can´t train having will. You either have it or not”, warned Noah Westerhaus.

                SG Mannheim kept control, but just couldn´t close out the game as easily as they wanted to after the Bona Baskets Limberg made a little run in crunch-time, but weren´t rewarded. In the first minutes, the guests got points from Ingram and young German Jan Hempel while Limburg got baskets from KJ Sherrill who scored twice while Kljaic used his speed again for an easy basket, but Limburg trailed 67-57. SG Mannheim now tried to ultimately slam the door shut on the Bona Baskets Limburg going on a lethal 12-5 run to extend their lead to 79-62. In the run SG Mannheim continued to get key help from Ingram who added 5 points while Lithuanian big man Arvydas Vaitekus who had a solid 12/7/2 game added two scores as he was always set up very well inside where no Limburg defender could do any harm. Westerhaus made a three pointer and Sherrill a 20 footer. SG Manheim had the momentum and confidence and the game seemed decided as Limburg was too much up and down, but the home team still had some energy and wanted to launch a last hurrah. The Bona Baskets Limburg somehow produced an amazing 15-3 run to cut the SG Mannheim lead down to 82-77. In the run did Limburg not only executed very well again, but also decided to play defense stepping up their aggressiveness which led Mannheim to turnovers and tougher shots. On the offensive end, Limburg received good production from Sherrill and Westerhaus who scored twice to cut Mannheim´s lead down to 80-68, but then came the three point blow as they finally began to get hot from the parking lot as Stallbohm connected twice and Kljaic once and suddenly it was a 5 point ball game. But with time running down, SG Mannheim got a game saving steal from Jeremy Ingram and made free throws as Ingram and Klahn scored to secure the win.  “Limburg came back and finially began to hit shots. They got away with some fouls as well. They began to play better defense and we felt like we had won already. My steal sealed the win”, smiled Jeremy Ingram. “We began our comeback to late. We shouldn´t have lost this game”, warned Noah Westerhaus. SG Mannheim was led by Jeremy Ingram with 31 points while Alexander Kuhn had 20 points and Pascal Klahn had 18 points. The Bona Baskets Limburg were led by KJ Sherrill with 28 points. Noah Westerhaus added 21 points and Matej Kljaic had 14 points. SG Mannheim shot 49% from the field and 47% from the three point line and had 32 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Bona Baskets Limburg shot 48% from the field and 28% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Stanley Whittaker (183-G-94, college: Keiser) is a 27 year old 183cm point guard from Philadelphia playing his third professional season and first in Germany with PS Karlsruhe. He played his rookie season in Lithuania and last season had his break through with UBSC Raiffeisen Graz (Austria-BSL) playing 24 games: Score-2 (21.5ppg), 6.3rpg, Assists-2 (8.0apg), Steals-1 (2.6spg), FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 78.4%. He played his college ball at Frank Phillips (JUCO) and Keiser (NAIA). He teams up every week with Miles Schmidt-Scheuber to talk basketball

PS Karlsruhe began last weekend with a big win over Phoenix Hagen who had been playing good basketball. That had been the fourth crunch-time win in the last 5 games. How much has luck been on the side of the team?

We’d had some luck roll in our favor over that stretch. We’ve had stretches where we play some good basketball but also had stretches where we don’t look as good. Glad we were able to win but we got our work cut out for us if we want to be a really good team.

It was a nailbiter at the end. What was key for pulling out a huge home win?

With our group it’ll always boils down to what we’re doing on the defensive end. If we are getting stops and finishing possesions we give ourselves a really solid chance to win games.

How big is a win like this when the team didn’t shoot particularly well?

I think so, as difficult as it is to win games night in and night out. I think it shows that we can dig deep and figure out how to make plays in moments where it’s really needed.

You had another solid game with 21/7/5 stats. Do you feel like opponents defenses are playing you different where you have to work more at finding solutions?

I understand that defensive schemes are trying to limit me and make things tough for me. I just try to make the right play each time down, continue to make plays for my teammates as well as staying aggressive myself.

You can’t win em all as on Sunday you lost a nail bitter to Kirchheim 76-74. What was key at the end for taking the loss?

We had a crucial miscommunication where we gave up a wide open three on a screen to screener action that gave them the 76-74 lead. But more so we dug ourselves a hole in that first half giving up 45 points and being down 17 at half.

How much did this loss annoy you? You had a great personal game, the team picked up 13 offensive rebounds and only had 8 turnovers?


The loss was frustrating, because I felt we could’ve picked up another 2 points with the win and win the season series against Kirchheim which can create us a little separation from them.

You had another great game of 29/5/5. I can feel that triple double around the corner.


I try to do whatever it takes to give us a chance to win games.

You next play Jena who you lost a shoot out to 113-109 earlier in the season. You have good memories of game as it was one of your best of the season. How big is the revenge factor?

I don’t really feel any revenge or things like that, I just want us to come out with a high sense of focus, energy and execution, so we can compete and give ourselves a chance to win this game. We don’t want to drop 2 straight games.

They have a real strong starting 5. What will be key to splitting the season series?

The key will be how well we communicate and defend. Our energy, effort and focus has to be there no matter what.

Thanks Stanley for the chat.

There have been some great father and son duo’s who have reached the NBA over the years with the most well known most likely having been Rick Barry and sons Jon, Brent and Keith, but there have also been others. For example Del Curry and sons Steph and Seth or Joe and Kobe Bryant or Mychal Thompson and Klay Thompson or Bill Walton and son Luke just to name a few. But there have also been other duo’s where the sons weren’t able to have that bIG NBA career like their dads like Patrick Ewing Jr or David Stockton or Xavier Silas. And then again also those that haven’t reached the big show as Tyrell Corbin who is the son of ex NBA player Tyrone Corbin who enjoyed a 16 year NBA career with 9 teams averaging 9,2ppg and 4,7 at the small forward position. Son Tyrell has played NBA Summer league, in the G-League and overseas and last season won his first professional title. I recently caught him on an episode of Joe Asberry’s entertaining No Plan B podcast. It dawned on me that I had met his dad before in 2016 and taken a photo with him before a game in Boston. I was all proud and sent Joe Asberry the photo. After hearing the great episode, I for once didn’t pester Joe Asberry about getting the guy’s number, but it was actually Joe who sent me it. For one time in my life I wasn’t thinking about that next interview. But that was probably because I’m swarmed with work. Anyway I got in contact with Tyrell and the dude came over as a very friendly guy right away with absolutely no ‘I’m the son of an NBA player’ allure. I told him right away that we had a connection. He answered back with what is our connection. So I sent him the picture with me and his dad, or so I thought it was. He answered with ‘oh wow, Mark is a really good guy’. Boy was I embarrassed. I could of sworn that my photo was with Tyrone Corbin. ‘That’s Mark West. My dad’s teammate from the Phoenix Suns. They are good friends so it’s easy to get them mixed up’, laughed Tyrell Corbin. Even if it was a humiliating start for us, he took it with a smile and a laugh. Tyrell Corbon has never played in the NBA, but seen so much being the son of dad Tyrone and one would think that having that family tie can only be an advantage. ‘ I honestly think it has been the opposite. I’ve missed out on opportunities because people think I will always be okay since my father was in the NBA. When in reality, I’m grinding the same way anyone else would be. One step at a time’, stressed Tyrell Corbin. Even if the family connection hasn’t been an advantage, he keeps grinding and climbing the basketball ladder.

Tyrell Corbin who remembers guys Alan Williams, James Nunnally, Orlando Johnson, Jamaal Franklin and Xavier Thames as his toughest covers in the NCAA was born on September 21st, 1992 in South Columbia. In the 90’s as a young child he moved around a lot as his dad played for various teams like Atlanta, Utah, Sacramento and Miami. His dad had an immense impact on him in early years right up to adult hood. Especially with his game, he has taken on his vital pointers graciously. ‘He’s been a huge influence on my life. Mostly off the court than on the court stuff. His approach to how he takes care of business, always shows up and always finds a way to make things work is what I admire the most. His story is amazing and inspires me daily. With my game, he is responsible for my footwork, jab steps, fakes, shooting form and my defense’, stressed Tyrell Corbin. He was 8 years old when his dad played his last season in the NBA and remembers that as if it was yesterday. ‘I have so many memories. As much as I could, I would go to practices with my dad or to the gym. His last team was the Toronto Raptors in 2000-01. I can remember talking to Vince Carter a lot and being amazed at him’, added Tyrell Corbon.

He began his basketball career at West High School in Salt Lake City Utah where he was a HS All-State selection in 2009, 2010, and 2011, was a HS West Region MVP in 2010 and was HS Mr. Basketball by the Deseret News in 2011. He then played his freshman season at University of California – Davis (NCAA) playing 29 games averaging 6.5ppg, 2.2rpg, 3.0apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 38.4%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 77.9%. It was a solid first year in the NCAA, but that was it after that as he decided to take a few steps back and play JUCO. ‘I remember it being a learning experience for me. I realized that I wasn’t a good shooter yet. I realized that I had to get better at shot selection. Just had to get in the gym and really work on my game to be the player that I want to be. But UC Davis is a great place and I will always have love for it. I chose to go JUCO because I didn’t like the D1 options that were recruiting me and I knew that going back home to Salt Lake would be good. Plus I knew we had a special group coming in for that season’, expressed Tyrell Corbin. His best games as a freshman were against Cal Santa Cruz dropping 16 points and netting 15 points against S Utah. He then played at Salt Lake Community College (JUCO). He led the school to a 29-5 record and to the NJCAA tournament starting 28 of 31 games while averaging 10,3ppg, 3,5rpg and 4,5apg. Taking a step back and playing in JUCO is brutal as it is a place where everyone is trying to survive and get back to higher levels doing anything in order to present their best basketball side. If a player survives JUCO, it is an experience that often carries them to new heights. Every guy I ever spoke to agrees that it was an opportunity that they wouldn’t trade the world for. ‘I absolutely agree with them. JUCO is where you find out a lot about yourself. You’re fighting to get back to D1 and you’re going up against someone who wants the same thing as you. Every game is a dog fight. I was blessed with a great group of guys to go to war with every night and it made our season special. We were the #2 team in the country going into the National Tournament. We all accomplished our goal of going D1. It was great’, stressed Tyrell Corbin. He then finished at California State University Bakersfield (NCAA) playing 31 games as a junior averaging 4.9ppg, 1.9rpg, 2.1apg and played 33 games as a senior averaging 5.6ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 38.4%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 78.3%. He definitely had growing pains there, but that is a part of growing up. ‘I was dealing with things that were out of my control at Bakersfield. But I do think that my game grew a lot there. I was working on my jump shot every night while I was there and had some really good shooting nights my senior year. I would’ve liked for us to win more games and for my play to be more consistent while I was there, but again I was dealing with things that were out of my control’, remembered Tyrell Corbin. He hit High Point for 20 points, had 16 points against UMKC and nailed UTSA for 15 points.

The American’s five best teammates of al-time are Eric Washington (Chemnitz German BBL), Gary Payton II (Golden State Warriors), Danuel House (Utah Jazz), Derek Cooke Jr (Gilboa Galil), Michale Kyser (Hapoel Holon) had a whirlwind of a rookie season splitting time with KK Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje (Montenegro-Erste Liga) playing 11 games averaging 10.9ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.9apg, 3.2spg, 2FGP: 54.5%, 3FGP: 17.1%, FT: 84.4%, and played with SBL Khasyn Khuleguud Becks (Mongolia-Superliga). Coming overseas for the first time is always a test for any American. Most guys won’t be playing for star clubs like FC Barcelona, Milan or CSKA Moscow and live in fancy houses and be dreaming about their future career while traveling to road games in a private jet, but instead most likely will be playing in a lower league, sharing an apartment with 1-2 teammates and possibly not see a Mcdonalds until back in the States. For the American playing in Montenegro was definitely something he had never seen before. ‘My time in Montenegro was a learning experience. I was young and thought that I could play through injury. I shouldn’t have played certain games and I got really sick as well. But,I knew I didn’t want to get sent home. My wake up call was that I had to figure out what to do on my own. Things happened and I ended up going to Mongolia to finish the year’, remembered Tyrell Corbin. His best scoring games in Montenegro occurred against South Centar where he proved that he had their number scoring 23 and 18 points a piece. His rookie season then continued in Mongolia a country that most Americans have never been in before. For those few Americans that get the opportunity to experience a place like that, it is one that their grand children will hear about during story telling on Thanksgiving. ‘My experience in Mongolia was great. We went to the finals that year. But the competition was great surprisingly. A few ex NBA players played. Like Chris Jones who is in the Euroleague now was playing out there as well. They love basketball out there so the games were always crowded and the fans showed a lot of love. I enjoyed my time there. It was really cold there. That’s what I remember about it the most’, stated Tyrell Corbin. Before heading back to the States to get that G-League experience, he was able to get some added playing time with Bima Perkasa Yogyakarta (Indonesia-IBL) playing 14 games averaging 24.9ppg, 6.8rpg, 3.9apg, Steals-1 (2.9spg), FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 25.9%, FT: 69.4%. Here he was able to showcase his total offensive arsenal as it seemed like he was a man playing with kids. ‘That was a crazy year. I can remember being the only import on the team for several games. And I was a man playing with kids haha because we were the youngest team in the league that year. Our lack of experience showed but what I loved about my team is we stayed positive throughout the year and got better daily. We ultimately beat the defending champs in the last game of the season to end it on a high note’, remembered Tyrell Corbin. He had some monster games and explosions against CLS Knights with 50 points, hit Aspac for 39 points and drilled Bima Perkasa for 33 points.

The South Carolina native who has Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and dad Tyrone Corbin on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore then began a new chapter in his professional career coming back to the States and getting a breath of the NBA. It began at the 2017 NBA Summer League in Orlando where he suited up with the Charlotte Hornets playing 3 games averaging 6.0ppg, 1.0rpg, 2.3apg. This was a great opportunity where he could match his skills against top young competition and see how his game stacked up against other guards. ‘That was a great time! I can remember the week of practice leading up to the games and me having a really good week. I knew that my play in practice would carry over to the games. I had a solid game against OKC Thunder. I had the opportunity to go up against Briante Weber, Tai Webster and Gabe York in practice. And during Summer League, I got to play against Pierre Jackson, Marcus Paige and Josh Gray. I can remember my coaches telling me that I had a great week and that I played really well for the Hornets’, said Tyrell Corbin. He then played in the G-League from 2017-2019 with the Northern Arizona Suns and the Stockton Kings. Despite a solid NBA Summer League performance, he got signed very late by the Suns and played only 6 games averaging 1,0ppg. Even if he didn’t see much action, he was able to soak in as much as possible from coach Tyrone Ellis who had had a stellar career overseas ‘Coach Ellis is really cool. Some of my first interactions with him involved us playing 1 on 1. He was a coach but obviously still a great player and I had fun matching up against him. We had a lot of talks during the season and I will always be grateful for his words and for him giving me an opportunity to play for him’, stated Tyrell Corbin. In Arizona he was teammates with talented guard Archie Goodwin who spent some good years in the NBA, but since has also come overseas. Matching up against him on a daily basis helped his game. ‘What I remember most about Archie is that he is a competitor. He wanted to win any drill we had in practice and played really hard in games. His attitude and energy rubbed off on the rest of us that year and made us want to play harder’, expressed Tyrell Corbin. In his second G-League season with Stockton, he played 15 games averaging 2,7ppg, 1,3rpg and 1,5apg. There are so many talented guards that battle in the G-League that have deserved to get a shot in the NBA and don’t. Granted Corbin didn’t get the chance to play consistent minutes to get a real shot, but he had his moments. In his last G-League game, he played 30 minutes scoring 20 points while current Miami Heat Gabe Vincent had 9 points in 30 minutes. Both also played in the same college conference, but worlds separate their basketball careers at the moment. So one has to wonder just how far a guy like Corbin could go for that NBA chance had he received 30 plus minutes on a daily basis in the G-League. ‘Gabe is someone that I still talk to a lot. He is a great player and I think our playing styles are similar. I know that I can still go far. I have mixed feelings about the G-League. I loved the experience and the opportunity to get better every day. As you said, I played well any time I stepped on the floor. I just would’ve liked more time to showcase my game on a consistent basis. I don’t think the NBA is really far away for a guy with my skill level. It’s all about opportunity. All it takes is one team’, warned Tyrell Corbin.

The guard who enjoys watching the games of Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving, Damien Lillard and Jru Holiday continued his career in Noth America after the G-League heading across the boarder to Canada to play with the Guelph Nighthawks (Canada-CEBL) averaging 11.3ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.5apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 33.3%, 3PT: 52.0%, FT: 81.0%. This was another golden opportunity for him to display his improving game in a new league that continues to grow. ‘Guelph was a good experience for me. I was brought in towards the end of the season so I only played the last 7 games. I was given the role of coming off the bench and providing a spark. I shot the ball well and played good defense which helped bring our team back into some of the games that season. I think the league has huge potential. As you can see, there have been a few NBA Call Ups from players who have played in that league and guys who are playing in German BBL, ACB, Winners League as well. It’s a great league’, commented Tyrell Corbin. He had some solid games scoring 15 points a piece against Hamilton HB and Niagara NL. In the past years the CEBL league has had very talented guys and many former players from overseas like Olumuyiwa Famutimi who is still active today as a professional player at age 38. ‘Olu was a great vet to be around! I will always remember how dedicated he was to keeping his body in shape. And watching his routine and approach to everything is why he is still playing today. The most important thing that he told me is that no one can guard me’, smiled Tyrell Corbin. After experiencing basketball in North America for 3 seasons, it was back overseas to Albania where he was able to celebrate his first chip as a professional with team Kamza Basket Tirana (Albania-Liga e pare). This was an experience he will never forget after getting that first taste of COVID and how it could affect the job market. ‘That team was really special to me because I had been sitting out so long because of COVID. I will always be thankful for them giving me an opportunity to come to Europe and continue to do what I love. We had a great team and a great coach who put us in position to win every game. We had a lot of fun’, remembered Tyrell Corbin.

The prolific scorer hasn’t seen the sequel to the classic Coming To America and believes a movie like that doesn’t need a sequel and thinks that Jordan, Kobe and Lebron are the greatest of all-time continues to grind in 2022 even during the hard times with the pandemic. His journey has always been a grind and it didn’t get any easier since the pandemic hit in March 2020. ‘My COVID experience was difficult. I actually was in America when it first started. I had resigned in the CEBL with Guelph but was told that I couldn’t come up because teams were only allowing a certain amount of Americans in the bubble that year. That was disappointing but I just used 2020 as a year to really stay in the gym and prepare for my next opportunity. And now that I’m in Georgia with COVID still out there, just have to stay as safe as possible but I am glad to be back on the court’, explained Tyrell Corbin. Guys don’t only grow on the court, but also off the court as men. With COVID, people have seen the worst possible things and have had to grow in character in order to withstand the difficult times. ‘I grew a lot mentally. COVID affected everyone differently but for me, I took it as a test to see if I wanted to stay dedicated in the gym even when there is uncertainty of ever playing again. I think I did a pretty good job with that’, stressed Tyrell Corbin. A new season, a new team in a new country is just part of the life of a basketball globetrotter as this season he is playing in Georgia with Mega Tbilisi (Georgia-Superleague). He is playing in two leagues with mixed results so far. ‘My experience here has been solid so far. We had our struggles at the beginning of the season and had to deal with a lot of changes with players and even had a coaching change. My first coach wanted to play a slower style and I was asked to be a true point guard. My new coach has a more fast paced system and he wants me to score. I’m comfortable doing both. But we hit a good stride in both Superleague and Caucasus Basketball League. We are on a 11 game win streak’, said Tyrell Corbin. After securing that first dub last season in Albania, his zeal to win the next one is massive. ‘ As a competitor, I love winning. Winning a title last season was a great feeling and it made me want to work even harder this summer to put my team in position to win another one, in whatever country I end up playing in’, warned Tyrell Corbin. He has shown rapidly that he can play his game well in both competitions in Georgia as he hit the Mad Foxes for 30 points and scored 24 points against Cilicia and 22 points against Bavazet. But it isn’t just his scoring that is making waves, but his playmaking is also at the rise at the moment which hasn’t surprised him. ‘I grew up as a scorer and a shooter. But when I got to college, I was asked to be more of a true point guard. So I’ve always had the ability to be a playmaker or scorer on any level’, stated Tyrell Corbin. He also has understood that continuing to diligently craft his game in the lab is one that will continue to help him rise up the ranks. ‘I think every experience makes you better in some way. The G-League taught me to always stay in the gym and ready. I went from not playing a lot to starting games at the end of the season. If I hadn’t stayed in the gym and ready for that opportunity, I wouldn’t have played as well as I did’, added Tyrell Corbin. His game continues to grow and as he is nearing 30, and he knows that his best time is approaching. ‘I think I am nearing my prime. I feel as if I can play at the highest level. It’s all about getting an opportunity to show my game at that level. I’m looking forward to getting on that stage’, warned Tyrell Corbin. It will be interesting to see where his journey will continue to go to. One thing is for sure, his NBA connection hasn’t helped him, but not taking anything for granted in life and just knowing that the grind is what is all about will continue to help him reach his dreams and goals.

John Murry (192-G-95, college: Austin Peay) is a 26 year old 193cm guard from Indianapolis, Indiana that is playing his third professional season in Germany with BSG Grevenbroich (Germany-Regionalliga). Before that he had experience with the Kitchener-Waterloo Titans. He played two years at Owens Community College playing 63 games and two years at Austin Peay State University (NCAA) playing 56 NCAA games and as a senior averaged 16.7ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 81.1%. He and Miles Schmidt-Scheuber talk weekly about basketball.

Grevenbroich suffered another tough loss this weekend to Hamm 104-93. Do you wonder a loss like this how well the team would have played with a full rotation?

Yea it’s all a learning curve, when your back is against the wall, you have got to figure out a way, having only 6 players is tough but still no excuse, we have got to give more to come out with the win.

Everybody knows times are tough now, but it only gets worse when a team has no bench. Grevenbroich only had 1 bench player. How tough was it playing for the second weekend in a row with a totally depleted roster?

It’s definitely tough, but like I said I’m not the type to make excuses, I believe we can make things happen if we all dig in deep and push ourselves just a few extra steps. It’s mind over matter and at the end, we all have to leave it on the floor.

Talk a little about the game. Were there any moments in the second half where Grevenbroich had chances to win the game?

Yes especially when we were winning with 4 minutes left to go in the game, it all came down to extra effort to secure the win.

How tough was the rebound work with 6 players? You lost it as a team 46-23. Could you see the fatigue in the faces of your teammates?

The 4th quarter, I definitely seen some fatigue, that’s when it matter the most which is why I said before we have got to dig deep and figure out a way to get what matters most and that’s the W.

There were positives with shooting an incredible 51% from downtown and having 13 turnovers. What other positives could you take from the game from a team perspective?

We all showed potential, effort, and grit which is things you need to win, and shooting the ball that well can definitely help us down the stretch, we showed that we can be a top contender with more guys being being in the rotation.

You had a massive game with 42/7/4/2/2. This is another game you probably couldn’t enjoy because of the loss. How do you rate your own game and consistency despite the losing?

I honestly felt like I left it all on the floor, playing 40 straight minutes has a significant role on anybody’s game, I gave everything I had in me so I wasn’t to disappointed but not completely happy of course because of the loss.

You next play Wulfen a must win. Grevenbroich is 3 wins away form 12th place team BG Hagen. What will be key to getting the win? Three point accuracy and turnovers were a problem in that game.

Yes just taking care of the ball and making smart decisions down the stretch along with a 40 minutes mental focus and that will get us a win.

Thanks John for the chat.

       For some guys not playing basketball can be as difficult as it is for some New England Patriots fans having to ask themselves each day that football life will never be the same again in New England without Tom Brady. Some players miss a few months or have to sit out a season because of a serious injury, but at least they can come back and battle on the court and continue to play the game they love. But imagine being healthy for the most part and not playing basketball for three years. That is exactly what happened to Demarkus Stuckey who is currently balling in Germany for Pro A club wiha Panthers. He was 19 years old at the time and had just played two years at Grand Rapids Community College. He was at two schools in that time at King University (NCAA2) and Harris-Stowe State University (NAIA). His credits didn´t transfer and he also suffered some health issues. But he didn´t let that adversary eat him up, but just stayed focused, kept grinding in the gym and never lost his love for basketball. 4 years later, he has already seen more countries and basketball then most opponenst who he would have played at that time in the NAIA. He was a stand out at Goshen(NAIA), saw real men duel in the CBA and saw what it is like living in small towns in countries like Kosovo and Montenegro and then saw the warmer side of Cyprus and now is back in the woods in Schwenningen, Germany. He has always been blessed with healthy self-confidence and always knew he could play. It doesn´t matter where he has played, but he has always put up good stats and showed that he can adapt to any country and league. Who knows where he would be today had he not been able to survive those three years of basketball inactivity. “The time sitting out at King University and  in Stowe helped me grow mentally because it showed me what life would be like without basketball and having to focus and really take things more serious if I wanted to play basketball as well as to make a professional career out of it”, warned Demarkus Stuckey. He got a chip on his shoulder at a young age and I´m sure it will never disappear or be taken away in his career.” I play with a chip on my shoulder. The key has been keeping the chip on my shoulder making me stay consistent and work hard and taking full advantage of my opportunity, that has been the key to my success overcoming my adversity in my career”, stressed Demarkus Stuckey.

       Demarkus Stuckey who´s favorite athlete is Steve Nash was born in 1996 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and played two seasons at Grand Rapids Community College. He was able to make basketball strides there as he upped his stats from 14/4/3 as a freshman to 18/5/5 in his sophomore campaign. Playing in the fifth college basketball league JUCO is surely as far away from basketball paradise as the Orlando Magic are from winning a NBA title, but playing in JUCO is super tough because every guy wants to get out, but once you have survived, it has proved to have benefited so many guys that made it across the pond and had careers overseas. “My two years at Grand Rapids community college were great for me being in my home state and playing for two coaches that believed in me and it also helped me sell myself very well from my freshman to sophomore year. My game grew in JUCO because I started taking training serious and working on my game and that helped me become more confident”, remembered Demarkus Stuckey. His patience was rewarded after three years of not playing, being able to lace up his sneakers for NAIA school Goshen where current NBA player Errick Mccullum of the Portland Trailblazers is a legend. He had an incredible senior season at Goshen averaging 21.3ppg, 4.7rpg, 5.0apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 42.2%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 74.8%. “My senior year at Goshen was definitely really good. My game grew because it helped me become a leader as a senior to a team that was pretty young and helped me change the culture to more winning habits”, expressed Demarkus Stuckey. He scored in double figures in 25 of 28 games and scored 20 points or more 16 times and had two major explosions of 36 points against St Francis,In and against Indiana Wesleyen. “The 36 points beating Indiana Wesleyan at the buzzer was definitely the most memorable game at Goshen”, stated Demarkus Stuckey. The Michigan native who loves Eli Gingerich, but knows that his ex teammate would never beat him at 1-1 couldn´t have had the career he had at Goshen without the guidance of head coach John Tropf. “Coach John helped me grow because he trusted me to not only to be a leader but also be a scorer as well as to grow from my mistakes that I made. He was a very good coach for me on and off the court”, commented Demarkus Stuckey.

       The ex NAIA standout who lists ex Iowa State and current Denver Nugget Monte Morris as his toughest opponent didn´t begin his professional career overseas, but in the States in the CBA. He strapped on the jersey in Indiana for the Fort Wayne Flite and had a solid season averaging 12.7ppg, 5.6rpg, 4.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 39.6%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 55.6%. He was an instrumental part of the team reaching the final. It was a good start to his pro career getting a feel and not having to be thrown into cold water overseas where there is a lot of uncertainties beyond a player´s control. “Playing with the Fort Wayne flight was definitely an opportunity just to play competitively and just jump into the professional world playing among grown man and coming fresh out of college”, said Demarkus Stuckey. The CBA was also another place to really test his game against very hungry and driven guys who all know what it feels like to have a chip on their shoulders. “The CBA had a handful of good talent most guys were just trying to get overseas or just actively still playing because of the love of the game”, added Demarkus Stuckey. It´s very rare for guys coming overseas to start at or near the top with a Euroleague or Eurocup team unless you’re an ex NBA player, so the guard who one of his favorite music performers is Nipsey Hussle had to start from the bottom again and continue to play dues playing in countries Kosovo and Montenegro. These aren´t necessarily places where he will find a Mcdonalds on each corner. He began with KB Lipjani (Kosovo-Superliga) averaging 28.6ppg, 6.0rpg, 6.9apg, 1.9spg, 2FGP: 46.2%, 3FGP: 37.1%, FT: 76.9%, and in Jan.'20 moved to KK Ibar Rozaje (Montenegro-Erste Liga) playing in the Balkan League averaging 10.3ppg, 2.7rpg, 2.0apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 25.0%, 3PT: 36.8%; and in the Montenegrin Erste Liga averaged 13.7ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.7apg. “Starting of the season in Kosovo was definitely fine. I had to prove myself and show people that I belong to play in Europe then moving on to play in Montenegro was me showcasing that I could play winning basketball on a good club and be effective in different ways”, remembered Demarkus Stuckey. He totally dominated like a man among kinds in Kosovo scoring in double figures in each game. He scored 20 points or more 13 times and 30 points or more 5 times including 41 and 40 point explosions against Prizreni and Rahoveci. Being able to score at ease and dominate like a Ja Morant was his chip showing it´s best side. “Scoring multiple 40 point games and 30 point games in Kosovo was just me going out with a chip on my shoulder having something to prove and having to be aggressive every night with the team that I was on”, remembered Demarkus Stuckey. Without anyone knowing that COVID would screw up the world, he elected to finish the season in Montenegro which was stopped after less than 2 months. “My time was cut short in Montenegro because of Covid. The positive that I got out of it was playing very good efficient basketball and seeing a country with beautiful land”, said Demarkus Stuckey.

       In his second professional season he was able to make another step up the basketball ladder playing in Cyprus. Cyprus is a country that often serves as a place where Americans love to play in because the league is competitive and the weather is marvelous. Often American players take this opportunity as a stepping stone to move up to higher leagues. He balled for Enosis Neon Paralimni (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) playing 11 games averaging 15.1ppg, 5.8rpg, 4.5apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 49.4%, 3PT: 32.8%, FT: 75.0%. Here he was able to show his abilities on a bigger stage and didn´t disappoint with his game. “Playing in Cypress definitely helped my basketball development because it helped me show more of a leadership role as a guard advancing to the Final four of the Cyprus league and being a big impact on the team defensively and offensively”, expressed Demarkus Stuckey. He won´t forget his time in Cyprus and it was another experience where he could learn a new style of basketball overseas. “Playing here was definitely good.The league is very physical and very team oriented so it helps you play the game the right way. Comparing Cyprus to Kosovo in Montenegro it was definitely more physical but more of a slower pace game grind it out and defense really mattered”, added Demarkus Stuckey. He scored in double figures in 9 of 11 games including 22 points against Apollon and 21 points against APOP. Playing overseas isn´t only about learning to win and develop your game, but also forming relationships that can last a life time like he did with veteran Devaughn Jenkins. “Devaughn Jenkins was a good friend and still is a good friend /brother of mine I was more like the mentor to him but we kind of grew through that situation together. I definitely appreciate it and needed him as much as he needed me”, warned Demarkus Stuckey. 

The basketball journey of Demarkus Stuckey who lists Devaughn Jenkins, Ladon Carnegie , Chase Fairchild , Cam Burhanon, and Titus Robinson as his five best teammates of all-time continued in 2021-2022 as he was briefly with Frederick Achilleas Kaimakliou (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) before landing in Germany with the wiha Panthers Schwenningen. In these tough times in the world, it isn´t self-evident that you will find a job. There are so many guys that haven´t played or have had extreme difficulty finding a job. But he has had fortune always finding jobs, but the whole stress has affected him, but also helped him. “During the time of covid, I would definitely say the toughest was being away from family and having to stay disciplined about being careful of going places to the store or even out to eat and dealing with the isolation. It made me appreciate life more and also to take the time you get with loved ones and cherish that also helped me stay more focused to being disciplined”, warned Demarkus Stuckey. He has joined a very ambitious team that played in the German fourth division 4 years ago, but with so many clubs during COVID have been battling with injuries and everything attached with the pandemic and have been struggling as of late having lost 5 of the last 7 games and currently are in 12th places two wins away from the last playoff spot. So far he doesn´t know too much about Germany other than that Berlin is the capital and that the easyCredit BBL and Pro A are competitive leagues and are respected throughout Europe, but he does know that his new head coach Alen Velcic is a guy that he can trust. “Coach Alen is a Coach that believes in my ability to help this club win games and it sold me on just his confidence in me”, stated Demarkus Stuckey.

       So what kind of game can we await from him who has Lebron,KD,Kobe,and MJ on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore and believes that Lebron James is greater than Michael Jordan, because Lebron is in his time and era has had start difficulties with his new team. In his first game, he was right away put to the test playing 35 minutes in a tough 91-73 loss to Bochum. He was in the starting five and scored 5 points, had 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 5 turnovers. In his second game, he couldn´t be much of a force in an exciting 111-104 double overtime win over Paderborn playing only 7 minutes and hitting a trey and dishing out 2 assists. In the first game top point guard David Cohn wasn´t on board, but in the second game was, plus the signing of new guard Robert Drijencic didn´t help his cause for extended minutes. He is a guy that has proved that he can score and has leadership qualities, but he also brings other attributes to the table. “I am a very good defender willing to defend that can press the ball and as well as a good rebounding guard”, said Demarkus Stuckey. In his first two games he showed that he has a nice passing game and watching mini Steve Nash David Cohn surely will only be an advantage to having in practice each day. “David has a nice game as a play maker. I like to make the right plays always and try to think one pass a head being aggressive attacking and looking to find open teammates”, expressed Demarkus Stuckey. The Pro A is a league that is dominated by very good American guards and this is a massive challenge for him, but he is a player that could also make an impact on the defensive end. “I take a lot of pride on the defensive and especially having a chip on my shoulder being a small college guy is definitely an area that I’m looking to improve as far as steal numbers and just guarding the best that I can every night”, warned Demarkus Stuckey. He has the most talented teammates now and toughest foes on the court that he has ever seen in his career and being able to match his abilities every day will only help him grow, but he also knows putting in the work will be just as important. “Parts of my game I’m working on is being efficient at every scoring level being able to score points without taking a lot of shots and improving in every aspect”, stressed Demarkus Stuckey. It is no secret that Alen Velcic is incredibly ambitious. The wiha Panthers are his baby as he is in his 21st season with the team. There are 13 games left and he wants to make the playoffs. He wants to have the deepest roster possible and that means for some, playing 30 plus minutes won´t be a reality. That could be the case for Demarkus Stuckey. Having that role of 10-15 minutes is one that he may find himself in. So far he has been integrated very well and shown that he can sacrifice team for stats and playing time. No matter how many minutes he sees, this guy will do all he can for the team. “I just believe in the work that I put in and also stay confident in my abilities. I know what I’m capable of and whenever I’m on the court I try to display my ability”, warned Demarkus Stuckey. This dude has seen so much adversary and stuck through it. His chip will continue to help him have success even if times won´t always be so easy. His chip helps him conquer every challenge.