Interviews

Julian Gamble (Telekom Baskets Bonn) Beating Bamberg Was A Great Performance For Us Maybe Our Best Of The Year

Julian Gamble is a 28 year old 207cm power forward/center from Durham, North Carolina that is playing his fifth professional season and second in Germany with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. He started his basketball career at Miami(NCAA) in 2008 and played there until 2013 playing a total of 127 games. In 2013 he started his professional career with Saint Vallier Basket Drome (France-ProB): 44 games: 16.3ppg, Reb-3(9.0rpg), 1.1apg, 1.2spg, Blocks-1(1.5bpg), FGP: 59.8%, 3PT: 10.0%, FT: 62.9%. In 2014 he moved to the Basic-Fit Brussels (Belgium-Scooore League) playing 25 games: 17.0ppg, Reb-3(7.6rpg), 1.4apg, 1.1spg, Blocks-1(1.6bpg), FGP: 57.0%, FT: 69.2%. Two seasons ago, he remained with the Basic-Fit Brussels (Belgium-Scooore League) playing 36 games: Score-5(16.6ppg), Reb-2(8.3rpg), 1.3apg, 1.5spg, Blocks-1(1.9bpg), FGP: 60.8%, FT: 68.1%. Last season with the Telekom Baskets Bonn he played 37 games averaging 13.2ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.7apg, Blocks-3(1.2bpg), FGP: 61.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 58.0%; He also played 16 FIBA Europe Cup games averaging 12.8ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 61.8%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 58.2%. He spoke to German Hoops after the amazing 106-69 bashing of Brose Bamberg.

Julian congrats on the huge 106-69 victory against Brose Bamberg. How long did the celebration period go Sunday? Was the atmosphere after the win in the Telekom Dome an extra special one?

The celebration didn’t last long. We enjoyed the victory while we were at the gym but as soon as we left our focus turned to the big game we have tomorrow. The atmosphere was great, especially against the three time defending champion our fans Energy was definitely high. It was a good evening for us all.

If some one had boasted jokingly in shoot arounds before the game that you would crush Bamberg by 37 points what would you have thought?

Bamberg is a good team and you have to be ready to play them. We are always confident no matter who we play and our focus was always to win the game. Someone could say something like this, but just winning the game was our goal regardless of the score.

You had many great wins in your career including beating Bamberg last season in the playoffs 93-92 where you produced 16 points. Where does this win rank up with your all-time best wins?

It was a great win for us, but in the end just another game in the season. Going into it, many people probably didn’t think we would win but like I said we were still confident. We will definitely remember this game but need to use it as motivation going forward to play the rest of our games with this type of energy and intensity.

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Elmedin KIkanovic (AS Monaco Baskets) It’s Too Early To Talk About Titles But We Are On A Good Way

Elmedin Kikanovic is a 29 year old 211cm center from Bosnia playing his first season with AS Monaco Basket (France-ProA). He played the last 2 years with Alba Berlin and last season played 36 BBL games averaging 15.5ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 56.1%, FT: 78.1%; In the Eurocup, he played 13 games: Score-2(19.6ppg), 3.8rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 58.4%, 3PT: 50.0%, FT: 78.8%. Previously he played four years with Enisey Krasnoyarsk (Russia-PBL) and three seasons with KK Crvena Zvezda Beograd (Serbia-A League). He won the 2016 BBL cup with Alba Berlin and played at the 2011, 2013 and 2015 European championships with Bosnia. He spoke to German Hoops after the Basketball Champions League win in Oldenburg.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber interviewing Alba Berlin center Elmedin Kikanovic after a 95-82 win in Frankfurt in 2015 after dropping 12 points and getting 5 rebounds

Elmedin thanks for talking to German Hoops. Welcome back to Germany. With Alba Berlin you never won in Oldenburg. With what kind of feelings did you return back to Oldenburg?

Oldenburg is known as having sa trong home court with great fans and it is always hard to play there. We are having a great season so far and we prepared well and I think our win is well deserved. Oldenburg is a tough team especially on their home court. They have great shooters and play very aggressive defense. In the Bundesliga it is even harder to play them than in the Champions league because their gym is sold out and you know that 6000 fans will be against you.

You beat the EWE Baskets Oldenburg in Monaco and returned back to Oldenburg with an undefeated Basketball Champions League record. Congrats on a hard fought 84-78 win. The game was back and forth in the second half, but what was key for taking command of game in fourth quarter and winning the game?

Thank you. Key was our great energy and aggressive defense. All the teams have special motivation against us because they want to stop our winning series but we don’t want to stop. We were missing Craft and Sy but we found additional energy to win this game.

You played against Rickey Paulding the last years and he hit you for 23 points. It seems like every player can tell some kind of story about him. How did you get to learn about Paulding the player? He will retire from the BBL as one of it´s absolute legends?

He is an absolute legend playing ten years for Oldenburg. He showed a million times what kind of player he is. At the age of 35 he looks like a youngster playing with so much energy putting so much effort pushing Oldenburg in key moments. He is a great leader and I don’t think he will retire soon. Watching him now he could play a couple of years on this level. Big respect for him.

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Othello Hunter (CSKA Moscow) When I Got To The NBA I Always Thought That I Would End Overseas Someday

Othello Hunter is a 31 year old 203cm power forward/center playing his 10^th professional season and first with CSKA Moscow. As a professional he has played for top teams Olympiacos S.F.P. Pireus (Greece-A1) winning the Greek league title in 2015 and last season with Real Madrid reaching the Euroleague Final 4 playing 39 games ACB games averaging 6.2ppg, 3.9rpg, FGP: 60.7%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 73.9%; and 35 Euroleague games averaging 7.6ppg, 4.5rpg, FGP: 65.5%, FT: 68.3%. In Europe he also gained further experience in the Ukraine and Italy where he played with teams like Dinamo Ford Sassari and Montepaschi Siena. He also played in China for the Shandong Flaming Bulls and Jiangsu Tongx. He turned professional in 2008 and played in the States until 2010 playing for the Anaheim Arsena and played 23 NBA games for the Atlanta Hawks. He started his basketball career at R.J. Reynolds High School and in 2004 played at Hillsborough CC (NJCAA) before making the jump to Ohio St. (NCAA) in 2006 where he reached the NCAA final in 2007 and won the NIT title in 2008. In his senior year he played 37 games averaging 9.9ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.5bpg, FGP: 59.6%, 3Pts: 25.0%, FT: 54.5%. He spoke to German Hoops before the Euroleague game against Brose Bamberg in Moscow.

Othello thanks for talking to German Hoops. After winning your first 10 games in the VTB, the club is riding an untypical three game losing streak, but is continuing to play well in the Euroleague where it has a 3 game winning streak and blew two teams away by 100 plus points. Why has the team been struggling in the VTB?

We didn´t come in prepared to the last three Euroleague games and were to relaxed. We had that mentality that we could easily win the games. It was something that just happened. It has been tough games. We have to come into the game against Bamberg with more intensity.

You face German team Brose Bamberg in Moscow tonight. You didn´t play in the first game in Bamberg. Rebounding was a huge key in the first game. What will CSKA Moscow be focusing on most in this game to come away with the victory?

For us the most important thing is always starting well on defense. There have been many games this season where we started games and quickly were down by 10 points. Coach screamed at us and then we turned it up. Against Bamberg we have to do a good job guarding their guards and bigs, run the floor and just play our game.

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Kameron Taylor (Dragons Rhondorf) This Season Has Already Been A Personal Success And Now We Want The Ultimate Goal

Kameron Taylor is a 23 year old 198cm guard from Hyattsville, Maryland that is playing his second professional season and first with Pro B team Dragons Rhondorf and tearing up the Pro B averaging 23,9ppg, 7,6rpg and 5,3apg. Last season as a rookie he played with Team Ehingen Urspring (Germany-ProA) playing 29 games averaging 10.8ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 43.9%, FT: 80.2%. He started his basketball career at DeMatha Catholic and in 2012-2013 started his career at Seton Hill (NCAA2) and as a freshman played 28 games averaging 7.8ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.0apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 40.6%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 70.0%. In his second season at Seton Hill (NCAA2) he played 27 games averaging 12.6ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.6apg, 2.0spg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 43.5%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 77.9%. In his junior season at Seton Hill (NCAA2) he played 16 games averaging 13.1ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.1apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.3%, 3PT: 39.6%, FT: 70.6%. In his senior year at Seton Hill (NCAA2) he played 27 games averaging 20.8ppg, 8.7rpg, 4.1apg, 2.2spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 76.8%. He spoke to German Hoops after the 91-74 win against the Dresden Titans.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber´s first interview with Kameron Taylor after the first home win against the Bayer Giants Leverkusen

Kam, thanks for talking to German Hoops. Congrats on the huge 91-74 win against the Dresden Titans. It´s Sunday and after Julian Gamble supported you watching play did you do the same in his game against the Walter Tigers Tuebingen?

Yes I usually always try to catch a Bonn game and not only support Julian Gamble and the Bonn team but to learn from the game.

When you watch a BBL game like that do you watch a Josh Mayo closely what he is doing or even put yourself in his shoes and draw a picture how you would have handled certain situations?

I know that I’m not the same player as Josh is, what I try to do is see myself contributing my strengths to the team while looking for the weaknesses of not only the Bonn team but the opposing teams as well. To see what both teams are lacking.

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DJ Richardson (BM Slam Stal Ostrow Wlkp) I Would Like To Be On The Same Team Or Competing Against Brandon Paul Again

DJ Richardson is a 26 year old 190cm guard from Peoria, Illinois playing his fifth professional season and started this season with s.Oliver Wurzburg(4,0ppg, 1,7rpg) before moving to BM Slam Stal Ostrow Wlkp(Poland-PLK) where he is averaging 11,0ppg, 17rpg and 1,3apg. Last season he played for Proximus Spirou Charleroi (Belgium-Euromillions League) playing 37 games averaging 13.3ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.3apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT-3(44.7%), FT: 75.4%; In the FIBA Europe Cup:he played 2 games averaging 21.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.5apg;In the BCL, he played 9 games: averaging 12.7ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 63.9%, 3PT: 41.9%, FT: 93.3%. As a rookie he played in Austria with UBC Magnofit Gussing Knights (Austria-A Bundesliga) and then played two seasons in Finland with Kouvot Kouvola (Finland-Korisliiga). He played at Illinois(NCAA) from 2009-2013 playing a total of 138 NCAA games and as a senior played 36 games averaging 12.3ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.6apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 44.4%, 3PT: 32.2%, FT: 81.5%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

DJ thanks for talking to German Hoops.After a short stay in Germany with Wurzburg, you now are balling in Poland with BM Slam Stal Ostrow Wlkp. (Poland-PLK). You have had a steady rise playing in leagues in Austria, Poland and Belgium and reached the German BBL one of the top leagues in Europe in your fifth professional season. How disappointed were you not to make the next step in Germany?

Honestly, I am not disappointed at all. It was my decision to leave the team. There’s more basketball Germany is not the end of the world. I made a quick decision because I wasn’t happy in my situation. The team made an agreement to let me leave.

Do you feel like had you been healthy from the get go that you would still be a member of s.Oliver Wurzburg now?

I had a few early injuries in the preseason and one entering the beginning of the season. I play my best game of the season against Oldenburg playing around 14 minutes. Every day up until the next game I had great practices. Coach told me I was getting better and better every day. Then next game he plays me three minutes. Any basketball player knows being put in a position like that is frustrating. (Especially if your opponent plays with small players). So it was my decision to play somewhere else to be happy. Nothing to do with injuries at all.

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Ethan O´Day (Uni Baskets) My Arms Aren’t Overly Long But I Have Developed Good Timing To Block Shots Throughout My Career

Ethan O `Day is a 206cm forward from Mansfield, Connecticut playing his rookie season in Germany with the Uni Baskets in Paderborn. Currently he is averaging 10,0ppg, 5,6rpg and 1,4apg. He was drafted by the drafted by Raptors 905 (D-League,4rd(71))
and already got professional experience this season with the Sandringham Sabres (Australia-SEABL-South) playing 24 games averaging 15.3ppg, 8.4rpg, 1.0apg, 1.0spg, Blocks-1(2.7bpg), FGP: 60.4%, FT: 42.4%. He started his basketball career at Northfield Mount Hermon and played at Vermont (NCAA) from 2012-2016 playing a total of 123 NCAA games. As a senior he played 34 games averaging 11.4ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.3apg, 2.0bpg, FGP: 54.4%, FT: 61.0%. He recently spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Ethan thanks for talking to German Hoops. Welcome to Germany. How excited are you to be playing your first season in Europe? What expectations do you have?

I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity to play in such a talented and well-respected league as the Pro A here in Germany. I want to adjust to our teams system and start creating chemistry with teammates as quickly as possible so I can help us win games right away. I expect to do whatever I can to help this team win games and ultimately make playoffs.

What do you know in general about the country Germany and it´s basketball. Do you know any guys playing here besides Armani Cotton?

I’ve only head good things about the basketball in Germany through friends that have played here at some point in their careers. Pro basketball in Germany has been described to me as very competitive and having a lot of talent. I have noticed some familiar names of players who played in my conference in college in this league.

You have come in as a player replacement with the Uni Baskets Paderborn. What was most key in joining this organization how did head coach Uli Naechster convince you best about coming here?

After speaking with Uli I knew I would be a good fit for their system as I am very familiar with the pick and roll offense, which we mainly run in Paderborn. Also they were looking for a big man who was mobile and could run the floor and bring some athleticism which are all attributes I use to describe my game.

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Drew Brandon (Czarni Slupsk) I Feel In Every League I Play In I Got Something To Prove

Drew Brandon is a 25 year old 193cm guard from Corona, California that is playing his third professional season and first with Czarni Slupsk (Poland-PLK,). Last season he played with CS Phoenix Galati (Romania-Liga Nationala) playing 21 games averaging 8.8ppg, 5.6rpg, 4.1apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 71.4%. He played his rookie season with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen (Germany-ProA) playing 30 games averaging 10.4ppg, 5.8rpg, 4.3apg, Steals-1(2.4spg), FGP: 39.0%, 3PT: 21.6%, FT: 71.1% He started his basketball career at Sierra College Calif and then moved to E.Washington (NCAA) in 2013 finishing his career in 2015 and as a senior played 34 games averaging 9.7ppg, 6.9rpg, 4.7apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 24.7%, FT: 81.0%. He spoke to German Hoops about his season in Poland.

Drew thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?

Thanks for reaching out basketball has been good to me, progressing in leagues and performances every year and that´s what you want as a pro in Europe but I am currently in Poland.

It´s been a while since we last spoke. May 2016 to be exact as I gave you a season ending interview to your rookie season in Germany with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen. You have gone to play in Romania and Poland. Has time flown by since your rookie season?

Yeah I was thankful for the opportunity Leverkusen gave me to get started over here in Europe but time always flies when you look back.

This season your playing with Czarni Slupsk (Poland-PLK). There have been rumors of financial problems and the that the team will fold. Some of the import Americans Dominic Artis and Justin Watts have departed the club. Can you update the current situation with the team and yourself? The club is trying to do what they can to save the club. Dom and Justin have made the choices that were best for them and their careers. All I can do is still handle business and make the most of the situation in font of me.

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Chris Miller (Giessen Pointers) I Have Showed This Season That I Can Bring A Lot More To The Table Than Just Scoring

Chris Miller is a 24 year old 193cm guard from Brooklyn, New York that is playing his first season with German Regionaliga 2 team Giessen Pointers. He completed his rookie season in Germany with VfL Bensheim (2.Regionalliga). Before coming to Europe, he got semi-pro league experience in the states with the jamestown jackals. He played college ball at Salem international University and graduated in 2015. He spoke to German Hoops recently about his season with the Giessen Pointers.

Chris, thanks for talking to German Hoops. You’re playing your second season in Germany and first with the Giessen Pointers. Last season it was sheer excitement about playing the game you love. What kind of a feeling is it now playing your second season? Has the excitement calmed down a bit or is it still as much there?

Thank you for taking your time to interview me. I still play the game the same way, every day that I get to live out my dream is a blessing and I want to live it to the fullest. The excitement is still the same since I was 13 years old in my first organized game.

You had such a strong season last year with Bensheim, one would have thought you would make the next step to the Regionalliga or Pro B. Did you not get offers from higher teams and what is your goal as a player this season?

After the Season finished I did not have many contacts. Even though I had much success individually, my team did not do very well. In this profession you have to be a winner and I was given an opportunity to lead the Pointers to a championship this year. The offer from the Pointers was great. Under Coach Kostic I felt I could add a lot more aspects to my game before moving to the next level.

How do you stay on the ground now in your second season not taking your success for granted. Do you remind yourself that there are 1000´s of guys wishing they were in your shoes?

Growing up I was always the underdog. I always had to work hard for what I got. I have seen many people before me come and go because they got too comfortable on top. I always told myself I would continue to work hard no matter if I was number 1 or 15 on my team. I do not take it for granted at all. Seeing the guys wishing they were in my shoes also adds fuel to the fire but most of the fuel is from my own passion to be one of the best players I could be.

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James Reid (Phoenix Hagen) Playing Like A Coach On The Floor Has Always Been In My Game

James Reid is a 23 year old 190cm guard from Bend, Oregon playing his rookie season in Germany with Phoenix Hagen currently averaging 12,2ppg, 3,1rpg and 4,5apg while shooting 37% from outside. He got college experience in the states with S.Idaho JC (JUCO), UALR (NCAA) and Boise St. (NCAA). At his season with UALR (NCAA,) he played 31 games averaging 7.9ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 76.9%. Last season as a senior at Boise St. (NCAA) he played 31 games averaging 10.0ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 82.9%. He spoke to German Hopos about basketball earlier in the season.

James, thanks for talking to German Hoops. Thanksgiving just passed and you were in Germany spending this holiday. How did you experience it in Hagen and what did you miss most from this traditional holiday in terms of spending it with your family?

We actually had a nice Thanksgiving style dinner here with the guys on the team Wednesday night, and then Phoenix put together a dinner for us on the actual holiday. It was really special for the organization to go out of their way to celebrate one of our holidays and meant a lot.

You played at three schools and experienced a lot in young years, but you also have seen a lot as a rookie. How has your rookie season changed for you since the passing of head coach Matthias Grothe?

It has been tough. To be in such a tight community and on such a tight team (with 4 guys from Hagen) and have to go through something like that is not easy. There were some extremely emotional days, but I think it really brought us closer as a team and a community. No one prepares for things like that, but his impact on this team and city will live on for a long time to come.

Did the things that you heard before you came to Phoenix Hagen about the club remain true or did the short history and fans totally exceed the expectations that you had before you came to the club?

Phoenix has been great to me since the very beginning. Everything that has been promised to me has been true and the people running things now have done a great job managing the difficulties in coming out of insolvency. The fans are the best that I have seen and it is a lot of fun to play for a crowd like that.

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Vincent Sanford (Sharks Antibes) My Route Was A Little Longer But I Have Built Character And Humility Up Through The Journey

Vincent Sanford is a 27 year old 190cm guard from Lexington, Kentucky playing his fourth professional season and first with Sharks Antibes (France-ProA). He continues to make the next step in his career and development and is averaging 13,4ppg, 2,8rpg, 2,1apg and is shooting 42,0% from outside. Last season he played with TG s.Oliver Wuerzburg (Germany-ProB) playing 10 games averaging 16.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.7apg, 2.7spg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 92.9%, played also at s.Oliver Wuerzburg (Germany-BBL) playing 13 games averaging 11.2ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.0apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 53.1%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 71.4%. In the 2015-2016 season he played with Barrancabermeja Ciudad Futuro (Colombia-Liga DirecTV)Liga DirecTV-1 playing 20 games averaging 14.8ppg, 5.5rpg, 3.0apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT-2(42.9%), FT: 76.8%. He started his basketball career with Georgetown (NCAA) in 2009 where he played until 2011 playing 54 NCAA games. He then played two years at Dayton (NCAA) playing 68 NCAA games and as a senior played 37 games averaging 9.6ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 30.2%, FT: 69.8%. As a rookie, he played for Thor Thorl (Iceland-Dominos League) playing 13 games averaging 22.1ppg, 7.9rpg, 2.1apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT: 73.0%. He spoke to German Hoops recently about his new season in France.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber interviewing Vincent Sanford after scoring 10 points, hauling down four rebounds, dishing out three assists and getting three steals against Pro B team Dragons in Rhondorf.

Vee, thanks for talking to German Hoops You’re playing your third full professional season with the Sharks Antibes (France-ProA). It took you many years of hard work to finally get the real recognition that you deserve for the talent that you have. How good is life for you at the moment playing the game that you love?

Hey miles! Yes all is good I’m enjoying the opportunity to play and do what I love. Far as recognition, we all have different routes in life. Mine just has happened to be a little longer but it has built character and humility up through the journey.

Last season you played in Wurzburg, Germany and this season with the Sharks Antibes. In what place did it take longer for you to find a Mcdonalds or Burger King?

Definitely in Würzburg, Burger King here in Antibes is right on the way to the gym I see it every day before practice.

You are living in paradise. Antibes is squeezed in between famous places Cannes and Nice and Monte Caro. Do you sometimes have to pinch yourself to even understand how blessed you are at the moment?

I have definitely grasped the beauty the south of France brings. And yes it’s a blessing to be in this mild to warm weather seeing the beach and wearing shorts almost anytime I want.

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