Coming overseas for the first time for an American isn’t always easy. It really changes from player to player and often it really depends on the character of the guy and exactly where you landed. Things can be a lot easier when you play in a country like Germany where life in general is organized pretty decent, whereas if you land in some obscure town in Romania where the English language is as scarce as Chicago Bull legend Scottie Pippen coming of his bashing off former teammate Michael Jordan, life can quickly become a lot difficult to handle. Another thing that is always useful is arriving on a club that has other Americans where the adjustment period can very much be made simpler. When playing in a first division in Germany, France or Italy, you will have many guys to chose from. Often a team will have 5-6 players where you can find that mentor, but if you land in a more obscure basketball country and lower league you may only have one other teammate or in a worst scenario be the only American and hope the coach runs everything in English which isn’t always the case. In the case of former NCAA champion Kentan Facey, he literally chose the correct lottery ticket landing with Aries Trikalla BC (Greece-A1) in his rookie season in 2017-2018. He was extremely fortunate to land on a team that had quite a few Americans, but when most are rookies, finding that mentor can be difficult. But he was very fortunate to have Ron Ross as a teammate who had seen it all overseas. Ross had played under the legendary head coach chair thrower Bobby Knight at Texas Tech and had carved out a very solid 13 year professional career. When Facey arrived in Greece, Ross was in his last season and would leave before Christmas to finish his professional career in Cyprus. Facey had been super lucky that he could have the perfect mentor in Ross in his first 4 months. ‘Ron was a great teammate, he is one of the reasons I am the player/teammate that I am today. My rookie year I had 4 other rookie teammates from the States, we were an extremely young inexperienced team. Ron joined the team a few weeks after we started, when he got to the team he provided leadership for us, he was our veteran. Ron would teach us how playing overseas works and how to use the opportunity we had to experience new things. He was great for our team because he was a great player and a leader for us. Ron was on my team for a short period of time but during that time he was a real veteran presence who helped players connect better with the coach and also to show us, the younger players, the way to be successful playing in Europe’, warned Kentan Facey. His journey through the professional ranks in the last years haven’t been easy, but Ronn Ross helped lay the foundation of what to expect. UConn NCAA Champion Kentan Facey was clouded by European Basketball at first but Ron Ross helped him become the player he is today.

Kentan Facey who lists Shabazz Napier, Jalen Adams Amida Brimah, Michael Johnson (Jamaican teammate) Niels Giffey, Rodney Purvis and Daniel Hamilton as his best teammates of all-time was born on July 14, 1993 in Trelawny, Jamacia and attended Long Island Lutheran high school playing for John Buck. He was named N.Y. State Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 14.8 points, 13.0 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game in 2012-13 and was also named a nominee for the McDonald’s All-American Game. He then attended the well known basketball school UConn from 2013-2017 and his basketball career could have gone a totally different route had he not experienced the full 4 years. He had technically already graduated from high school in Jamacia by Jamaican standards before coming to Long Island. Originally the NCAA had a rule that one has to forgo two years of eligibility and red shirt a season, but later it would not be applied, because it didn’t want to punish international athletes for getting that academic experience. He was able to attend for 4 years and achieved a degree in Herpetology.’ That was a very uncertain period in my career. I had a great high school career, I ended my senior year being New York State Gatorade Player Of The Year, however I knew I needed a lot of work. As a player who started playing basketball at around age 13-14 I was still a project, if I didn’t have four years of college I’m not sure I would be the player I am now had I not been able to go through that four year process’, remembered Kentan Facey. In his first 3 years he played 89 NCAA games, but due to the rosters always being stacked had problems getting playing time. He did average 21 minutes in his second year, but never averaged more than 4,4ppg up to his senior year. He reached the peak of the mountain as a freshman wining the NCAA title. ‘Winning the NCAA tournament was one of the most memorable, most exciting moments of my life. I was lucky to be on a team with some great players and great leaders. To be a part of that team was great, especially as a freshman. Our fans were extremely happy and they showed that when the team arrived home, we had a parade, parties you name it. That experience is one that I will cherish forever because I use that as a reference when I’m preparing for my season, I’ve seen and been a part of the process leading up to winning a major tournament so I have an idea what that hard work is supposed to look and feel like’, stressed Kentan Facey. He finally came into his own in his senior year averaging 27 minutes per game and 8,5ppg and 7,1rpg. The first three years weren’t always easy, but he always stuck being that great teammate and working on his game. ‘My overall experience at UConn was great. The years I spent there built character and toughness. My first three years were very challenging on and off the court but I learned how to bounce back from tough situations. UConn is a school where if you are not performing well there’s a player who is just as capable ready to take your spot so it was essential to always be focused and prepared. My senior year I was able to play more because I developed as a player and leader and also I had a better understanding of what it took to stay on the court. Playing at UConn was tough, for me it was more tough dealing with the mental aspect of college.’, stated Kentan Facey.

The Jamaican who remembers battling UConn teammate Vance Jackson in one on one and also remembered having many other great teammates like German national player Niels Giffey who was constantly in the lab working on his game and helping the younger guys adjust better to college life. Another one of those was Amida Brimah who has been grinding and trying to get to the NBA: ‘Amida is a good friend of mine. He’s an extremely talented defender and he has added a lot to his offensive game that’s making him a bigger threat on offensive that people are you to seeing from him. Sharing the front court with AB was a luxury because he would be a one man zone, he made everyone’s job easy because he would constantly communicate with us as well as cover our mistakes at the rim by blocking/altering numerous shots. I definitely profited from playing with Amida because guys would settle for outside shots rather than to get to the basket, this made it easier for me to play defense and on offense Amida was such a big pick and roll threat that teams would over help which would help me get open shots’, added Kentan Facey. He wasn’t only influenced by the great teammates around him like Shabazz Napier, Rodney Purvis or Daniel Hamilton, but also head coach Kevin Ollie who prepared and groomed him for a professional basketball career. ‘ Coach Ollie played a huge roll in preparing me as a person and player. Practices were very tough and competitive, this set the foundation to build good habits. Coach Ollie played in the NBA so he knew what the professional side of basketball looked like, he would have certain requirements of the players, for example different players were to watch film breakdowns with different coaches in order to see what we were doing on the court and how we could improve. One of the biggest takeaways I got from Coach Ollie was to show up everyday ready to work hard’, added Kentan Facey. In his 4 year UConn career he scored in double figures in 17 games including a 23/10 game in a 20 point victory over Temple and a 20/12 game in a victory over Tulane. He also won the ACC title in 2016.

The NCAA champion lists current NBA player Jahlil Okafor as being his toughest cover in the NCAA began his professional career in 2017-2018 with Aries Trikalla BC (Greece-A1) playing 12 games averaging 5.7ppg, 5.2rpg, FGP: 53.7%, FT: 55.6%. Despite having a perfect mentor like Ron Ross beside him, he will never forget what his wake up call was to being overseas for the first time where he knew that he was very far away from home. ‘As this was my first year I went through culture shock. I didn’t know what to expect as in the past I only visited 1 country where English wasn’t the first language. My experience in Greece was unique, with the language barrier and the food, it took me a while to get adjusted to the culture there. In regards to basketball, I realized things were a bit different when I played against a few teams in the preseason and after the game the players would hop in a minivan with their wife and kids, to me that was different and that was a wake up call, we were not in college playing against kids, now this is against men who have a family to feed’, remembered Kentan Facey. He scored in double figures in one game netting 14 points against Promitheas and also had the privilege to play against Euroleague Powerhouses Olympiakos that was stacked with well known guys like ex NBA player Brian Roberts and Hollis Thompson and against Panathinaikos where he squared off against players like Nick Calathes, Chris Singelton, Marcus Denmon and KC Rivers. He lost 87-56, but showed his presence on the defensive end with 2 blocks and a steal and also grabbed 5 rebounds and scored a basket in 20 minutes of work. We played against some really good players on those top teams, for me it was more respect for those guys than being in awe, those guys were competing at the highest level in Europe, that deserves some respect’, said Kentan Facey. In his second professional season, he took a step back playing for AEL Limassol (Cyprus-Division A,), but had his break through averaging and showing he can be a game changer overseas averaging 12.8ppg, Reb-4 (8.6rpg), Blocks-5 (1.2bpg), FGP: 57.9%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 61.5%. ‘Cyprus was an amazing experience. I love everything about Cyprus, the weather was great and the people were great. My season in Cyprus helped me to get back on track because I had a tough first year in Greece. I was lucky enough to have a great coach who helped me in many ways, we would work together on skill development everyday and I believe this extra work translated on the court. Cyprus definitely provided and opportunity for me to grow and develop as a player’, remembered Kentan Facey. He scored in double figures in 17 games and had 7 double doubles. Some of his most memorable games in Cyprus occurred against Apoel where he had 27 points and scooped up 16 boards and 18/14 against AEK Larnaca.

After a very promising and solid second season in Cyprus, it was only logical that he would of gotten a deal in a higher league, but instead he found himself in the second division in France with BC Souffelweyersheim (France-ProB). Obviously landing a job isn’t always easy as the competition overseas is extremely brutal, but with his skillset, he sure could of played in a higher league. ‘Overseas basketball is extremely competitive, this was something I struggled with coming out of college. A lot of players coming from the United States and other regions think we have an understanding of what overseas basketball is like however most of the time that idea is wrong. Once you leave college you hit the reset button and you start over. I went to a high level college and my expectations were that overseas would be easier, I was wrong. I believe I landed in a good situation after Cyprus, obviously if it was possible to play at a higher level I would have loved to do that, however I think each stop on my career path is one that I need in order to grow’, warned Kentan Facey. In the last two seasons he played 54 games averaging 10.4ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 54.3%, 3PT: 18.8%, FT: 58.6% in his first season and 11.7ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.2apg, Blocks-2 (1.5bpg), FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 27.0%, FT: 81.4% in his second season. ‘The first division in Greece was very challenging vs the first division in Cyprus. The level of competition in those two countries is vastly different. My experience in ProB France was a good one. The competition in the ProB league is very high, this makes the league interesting because each night a lower rank team can beat a top team. In France I found that the style of basketball there fits my game, I like to be active and athletic when I’m playing and the French league is centered around this style. Even though ProB France is the second division, I think it’s one of the top second division in Europe, I believe it prepares players to assimilate in any of the top leagues’, expressed Kentan Facey. In those two seasons he scored in double figures in 32 games including 23 points a piece against Fos-Provence and Nancy. Sometimes playing in a second division does wonders for a player’s game especially when he doesn’t have to take a back seat on the bench. ‘The past two seasons in France played a very big role in my development. I had a great coach who believed in me and he would allow me to do the things in the game that he sees me working on in practice or individual workouts. Coach Eberlin would put me in situations where I am used my strengths. Playing in Souffelweyersheim helped me develop as a player because I played a lot of minutes and this allowed me to play through some mistakes and get better from those mistakes. I was able to add different elements to my game while I was at Souffel. My self confidence grew with progression, the more I improved the more confidence I had and a big part of this I owe to my coach and my teammates. As things stand right now I would say I am a 4/5 man who can score, defend and rebound at a high level. I’ve also become a better leader and communicator on the court’, commented Kentan Facey.

So now let’s fast forward to 2022. The power forward who like many players believes that the classic film Coming To America should have been left alone was jobless as an injury had derailed his 2021-2022 campaign. In the final game of last season in France, he was injured that required surgery. Of course just like everyone else on earth, COVID also has affected his life. It wasn’t always easy, but he made the best out of it. ‘COVID is new for everyone so we all struggled to find a way to adapt to a sort of new lifestyle. During my time in France COVID caused us to pause our season, reschedule games etc. but overal I think the league did a great job in trying to protect the players and fans by having measures in place to reduce the possibility of spreading the virus. Our biggest challenge on the court was playing without our fans, in Souffelweyersheim we had a small gym but our fans made it feel like it’s Madison Square Gardens lol. Off the court the biggest challenge was the lockdown, during this time it’s easy to get bored, especially when the season was on a pause’, stated Kentan Facey. Covid also gave him the chance to explore new things in life, things he wouldn’t have had had COVID never struck. ‘I think COVID gave us all a chance to explore certain areas of our lives, where if not for COVID we wouldn’t have had the time to do so. On a personal level COVID allowed me to find a passion/hobby outside of basketball. I would agree that COVID made me stronger because I had more time to feed my brain, I was reading more, I spent more time trying to learn the French language and I was able to spend more time with my family’, stressed Kentan Facey.

The Jamaican who’s favorite player is Kobe Bryant, but his goat is Michael Jordan is a 206cm forward that likes to compare his game to Los Angles Lakers big man Anthony Davis. He watches a lot of forwards, but the guy he studies most is the ex Kentucky (NCAA) standout Anthony Davis. ‘He is an extremely versatile forward. I find that there are some similarities in our games where we both are threats out of the pick and roll, we both block shots and guard some smaller players at times. AD scores a lot of his points off non post-up plays and I think that’s another similarity we have’, stated Kentan Facey. He is a big that can score, rebound and block shots, but last season incorporated a three into his game to try to become more of a modern day forward. ‘I spent more time working on being more consistent shooting the three as well as developing the confidence to take those shots in game. I was always able to shoot but normally the teams I’ve played for in the past didn’t require me taking those shots. Moving forward I will only be more confident and consistent shooting the three because this adds another dimension to the team and to my game’, expressed Kentan Facey. Another strength that he has that seems to still be off the radar is his ability to switch on to smaller players and being able to disrupt the ball handler. His quick feet allows him also to be a versatile defender and guard the positions 1-3. He continues to work on his game to become the best player he can. ‘I am currently putting a lot of focus on my shooting mechanics, I’m working on having a more fluid shot. I am also putting a lot of time into my body, I believe if I’m bigger and stronger then I will be a more dominant player’, warned Kentan Facey. After 4 years in Europe, Facey knows exactly what to expect while his game keeps growing. By the way he isn’t jobless anymore as he signed with France Pro B team Saint Vallier. I’m sure if Ronn Ross saw his game and character today, he would be very proud

Evans Ganapamo (6’7”-F-1994, college: PVAMU, agency: One Motive Sports) is a 25 year old 201cm forward from France that is currently in las Vegas playing NBA Summer League with the Milwaukee Bucks. He began his NCAA career with the University Of New Orleans in 2012 where he played 4 seasons. He finished his NCAA career with Prairie View A6M University. He began his pro career in Germany with SB DJK Rosenheim (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 22.9ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.4apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 74.5%. He then played 3 years in France With Paris Basketball (Pro B) and the last two seasons with the Cape Town Tigers (South Africa-D2). He spoke to germanhoops.com on the eve of his first NBA Summer League game against the Brooklyn Nets.

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


Hey how are you, well at the moment I am in Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League. Basketball is treating me well, I am heathy and getting better quickly so I can’t complain.

4 years ago you finished your rookie season in Germany in the fourth league called Regionalliga and in 2022 will be playing NBA Summer League with the Milwaukee Bucks. Do you feel a little like being a Cinderella story?

I guess you can call it that, but I have worked extremely hard. I truly believe that the harder you work the more ‘lucky’ you get.

How excited are you about playing NBA Summer League for the Milwaukee Bucks? Is it like a dream come true?


For sure, if you are a basketball player putting on an NBA jersey is definitely a dream come true not a lot of guys get that opportunity so I am definitely exited to say the least.

After Germany you played some years in your homeland France and recently in Africa. How did this NBA Summer League job come about? Is connections the key word?

Yes my time in France was very bitter, but yes after getting back healthy I played in the BAL for the Cape Town Tigers and I guess you can say right place at the right time.

You must feel like no pressure. Did you see any Lions in South Africa. Your hunger to do well and being able to match your abilities with NCAA players, NBA rookies and veterans must be massive?

I have not seen any lions unfortunately lol. But yes absolutely I feel like I can compete at the highest level, I have put in the work and I am confident in my abilities. Hopefully I get a chance to show what I can do.

Often this NBA Summer League rosters are stacked and sometimes guys don’t even play. Do you have the fear that that could happen to you?

That is something that I try not to think about off course it’s a possibility but I just focus on what I can control.

What is your biggest goal that you want to get out of the NBA Summer League? What kind of play can we see from you on the court?

Well I don’t have a specific goal, I just would be happy getting the opportunity to show that I can play and compete with the best.

One Motive Sports represent you, but how vital will networking be for you at the NBA Summer League?

Yes I am very happy that I have the opportunity to be with One Motive Sports, great people they really care about their players like a family. But yes I feel like I am naturally a person that likes to learn and get better especially getting to know people and how they overcame adversities I think that’s very interesting to me.

One thing that stood out in your resume is that you played only 39 NCAA games and from 2018-2021 only 18 games in France. Have injuries played a big role in your career?

Yes unfortunately, injuries and health issues have really slowed down my progress at the beginning of my career, I guess you can call me a late bloomer because of it.

As a guy from France, how was it that you came to go to Mandeville, Louisiana? How do you remember your first years in the United States? Was it a big culture shock for you?

I moved to the USA with my family to join my dad, who was a doctor at the university of Tulane. My first years were really challenging especially the language, I didn’t know any words. The culture was very different but I got the hang of it and started appreciating it very quickly.

You played at the University Of New Orleans from 2012-2016. You played only played 35 NCAA games. What memories do you have of these years? I guess tougher than easier?

The memories that I have were not all bad, even though I was struggling with injuries and health issues at the time, I still met some great people that I still talk to till this day. I feel that everything that happened made me better.

You played the most games there as a freshman and had some good games against Blue Hills, Nicholls State and had 18 points in 27 minutes against NJIT. What memories do you have of those games where you were able to show your game?

Yes I had a few good games despite of everything, I feel like I had some good flashes. I was able to show my potential a little bit.

Despite not playing much how do you remember learning under head coach Mark Slessinger? What do you feel was the most important thing that you learned from him in your years there?

Coach Slessinger is a great person, I feel like he does a great job at helping players not just on the court. You can tell that he cares because even till this day I am still welcome at the school if I want to workout or use the facilities. He treats everyone that been through his program like family. But to answer your question I learned about the importance of building relationships.

In your second year at New Orleans you lost by 53 points to Michigan State and played against future NBA players like Denzel Valentine, Adreian Payne and Keith Appling. Were you a bit in awe playing against a top school like that? What memories do you have of that game?

No I would not say that I was in awe by any stretch. They were maybe more prepared then us that game and we probably made a lot of mistakes.

You finished at Prarie View (NCAA) and there played only 4 NCAA games. How tough was this season and were there any positives that you could gain from that season?

This season was tough because I was trying to get back from health issues. My body was simply not ready to compete. But the positive thing that I gained was to keep pushing no matter what. I always had this voice in my head telling me that one way or the other, things are going to workout if I don’t give up.

Despite not playing so many NCAA games, do you feel like that career helped you? Do you sometimes wonder how your career may have gone had to stayed in Europe?

Off course it’s hard not to think about other scenarios when things don’t go your way. But I feel like that road being so tough also made me better and I’m proud of it.

Was winning the AMC title your biggest achievement in the NCAA?

Yes that was the first in college history so that definitely was sweet.

You played your rookie season in Germany with SB DJK Rosenheim (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 25 games averaging 22.9ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.4apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 74.5%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a professional player in Germany?

Yes the summer before that season I was finally regaining my strength and my confidence to compete. I was focused on getting back out there and proving to myself that despite a disappointing college career I could turn my professional career around.

You didn’t win many games with Rosenheim but you had huge scoring games like against Treuchtlingen where you had 8 three’s. How much fun was that season for you? What did you enjoy most about being a rookie?

Well what I enjoyed the most was to finally be healthy to be honest. I felt great and knew that I was on a great path.

You weren’t the only potent scorer on the team, but there was also Jguwon Hogges. What memories do you have of him? He recently finished his 8th season there.

I had a lot of great moments with him, phenomenal human being he definitely helped me feel more comfortable when I was there, and he was also the greatest barber in the city so he kept me looking good lol.

You then played 3 years with Paris Basket (Pro B). There you also didn’t play many games. How do you feel did your game progress further after returning back to France?


Well when I return to France I unfortunately tore my ACL, so I had to battle with that and that slowed me down.

You scored 24 points in 23 minutes against Nantes. Why do you feel didn’t you get more of a chance with Paris Basket?

Yes my last season with Paris Basketball I was finally able to feel close to 100% again after having 2 knee surgeries the previous 2 years. I off course would have hoped to have more opportunities but that didn’t happen. I am the type of person that tries to only focus on what I can control.

Your last team was the Cape Town Tigers (South Africa-D2, starting five): Basketball Africa League) averaging 17.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.7apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT: 74.2%. This was the first time again since Germany where you were a main option. What was it like playing in South Africa? What did you enjoy about this league most?

Once again I felt great I finally was back 100% after lots of hard work and was able to enjoy playing at a high level.

You have played the last 3 years for Central Africa and improved your stats. How important is it for you to be able to play international ball and help your country win?

It is very important for me, you know both of my parents were born there and they have instilled to me this sense of pride and every time I have a chance to make my country proud I am more than happy to do it.

You have had very consistent stats with Central Africa. How important has this time been for your self-confidence and do you feel like your game has been able to reach a new level which also helped you play well with Cape Town?

Yes playing with Central Africa national was big for me, the team really believes in me and it just fuels me to perform better

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore.

Kobe Bryant Tracy Mcgrady Michael Jordan Shaquille O’Neal Lebron James

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

Well to me it is Kobe Bryant

Thanks Evans for the chat.

Tags : EVANS GANAPAMO, MILWAUKEE BUCKS, GERMAN BASKETBALL

It was the dog days of summer of 2017 as COVID was still years away, the Golden State Warriors had just won their second NBA title and Steph Curry was continuing to build on his legacy and Lebron James was still 3 years away from giving the Lakers another chip. I as usual was scanning the transfer market in Germany and preparing interviews and writing new articles about players that were landing in various leagues in Germany. For me one of the greatest things about being able to interview players is learning interesting and exciting facts about them. Usually the first thing I check when I come upon a new player is looking what school they went to. Also seeing who they played together with and observing if there were any future NBA players with him is something I have a lot of fun checking. But for once in my life, checking that data was something that didn’t cross my mind instantly when I learned that Evan McGaughey (203-PF-1994, college: Quincy, agency: Slash Sports) was going to play his rookie season in Germany with the ambitious team MLP Academics who were situated in Heidelberg one of the bigger tourist trapes in Germany, but at the same time a place that has one of the top 5 most recognizable castles in Germany. And in Germany one can’t get enough of castles as there are more than 25,000 in the country that gave the world Boris Becker and Wiener Schnitzel. When I read the name Evan McGaughey, I just took a moment to reflect and think how blessed I was to have a 3 month old son named Evan. I mean Evan is already a rare name and there are even less basketball players with that name. The only 2 that I could gather at the top of my head were Evan Turner and Evan Fournier. For the American when he thinks of the name Evan something distinct pops into his head. ‘I usually think of taller people when Evan comes to mind. It’s weird, but the few Evan’s I know seem to be taller’, stressed Evan McGaughey in 2017.Obviously Evan McGaughey will be remembered for many things on the court, but for me it wasn’t the great things that he did on the court that will be my first thoughts when I read his name, but it will be my son. That summer of 2017 seems like yesterday as time always continues to pass by rapidly, but 5 years later the professional career of Evan McGaughey has come to an end as he recently announced his retirement at the age of 28.

The 203cm forward who hails from Carthage, Illinois and today resides in Cincinnati, Ohio began his basketball career at at Illini West High School: averaging 18ppg, 9.1rpg. He became the career leader in rebounds and blocked shots. He also set school records for most rebounds (16) and blocks (8) in a game. He then continued to play at Quincy (NCAA2) where he played for Marty Bell and John Perry, two guys who believed in his potential and he amassed 98 NCAA 2 games. In school he already got comparisons to Kristaps Porzingis and was most proud of helping Quincy having winning records in his last two seasons. He was able to average in double figures in scoring in every season and finished his last 2 seasons averaging 14,0ppg, 8,0rpg and 2,0apg. He really left his stamp at Quincy and had some massive games hitting William Jewel for 35 points and top program Bellarmine for 30 points. He then began his professional career in Germany for the MLP Academics and right away left his mark in his first professional game netting 24 points against PS Karlsruhe. ‘That might be the most memorable game in my pro career. I think those were the best stats I had in my 5 years and everything just felt great that day’, remembered Evan McGaughey. He needed no time adjusting to the European game averaging 11.8ppg, 6.4rpg, 2.1apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 51.1%, 3PT: 41.6%, FT: 65.0%. His rookie season was the best season that Heidelberg had had in their history which unfortunately was ended in the playoffs by Trier who came back from 2-1 down to win 3-2. He played with so many great players as a rookie like top point guard Shy Ely, German veteran Albert Kuppe and Jaleen Smith who went to the NBA and Euroleague in only 3 years after being his teammate. ‘ It was a lot of fun playing along side Jaleen. He’s the type of player that every team needs. He would run through a brick wall for you if you told him to. We lived together this year and we were able to learn along the way. It’s a different lifestyle over here than it is back home in college, and we had to get used to that. Shy is definitely one of the best players, and all around guys, that I have ever played with. His determination and will to win is unmatched, and that’s why he was the best player in the league this year.’, said Evan McGaughey in 2018. Improving was a huge focus for him at Quincy and he did that and he continued to do that at the pro ranks. ‘I would say the biggest step I made my rookie year was understanding the European game. It was a little bit of an adjustment for me, but this was a great year to gain experience. I’ll use everything I learned this year to continue to get better’, warned Evan McGaughey in 2018.

Staying in one place isn’t as usual for a professional player unless your Rickey Paulding who lasted in Oldenburg for 15 years, but most often the temptation of money will steer a player to that next basketball destination. It wasn’t any different for the Illinois native as he would play his second and third seasons for BK JIP Pardubice (Czech Republic-NBL) averaging 7.8ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 49.7%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 66.7%; and in the FIBA Europe Cup averaged 10.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 29.7%, FT: 60.0% and then played for Benacquista Assicurazioni Latina Basket (Italy-Serie A2) averaging 9.9ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 44.1%, 3PT: 35.4%, FT: 59.3%. But it wasn’t so much about the money but moreover being able to explore and learn something about new cultures. ‘It was great to be able to play in the FIBA Europe Cup. I played against a lot of great players and was able to find out how I stack up against some of the best in Europe. Italy A2 is a very competitive league, and you never know what big name you might face there. Brice Johnson was a lot of fun to play against. You are always ready for the games when a big name like that is in the gym. He’s a really good guy too, I was talking to him and picking his brain the whole game which helped me out along the way’, remembered Evan McGaughey.

In his fourth season the versatile forward who lists Shy Ely, Eric Palm, Dalton Pepper, Dwayne Benjamin, and Andrea Ancelloti as his best teammates of all-time found his way coming back to Germany back to an old stomping ground with the MLP Academics. Here he was a member of the Pro A championship team. It’s only logical that Heidelberg will always be a special place for him. ‘A lot of great memories came from Heidelberg, no doubt. Whenever you win a league championship it will be hard to forget that. I met a lot of great people around the world but I’ve made some lifelong friends with my time in Heidelberg. The best compliment I can give them is that this is one of my favorite places I have played at in my career. I love the city of Heidelberg, and the fans are really supportive of the team here. Management and the coaches are high class as well. I’ve always had great respect for coach Frenki and Matthias. It would be hard not to since they were the ones that ultimately took a chance on me out of college. I’ll always thank them for that’, stressed Evan McGaughey.He had a different role than in his rookie season as his stats dipped to 9.8ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 52.3%, 3PT: 36.9%, FT: 73.8%. The club had a dominant guard lineup with Ely, Geist and Nelson who had the ball in the hands most of the time and also took care of a majority of the scoring. He was a true professional and accepted his lesser role. ‘It was an up and down year for sure. You always want to be the best on your team, but with our talented guards this year they carried most of the load. You have to be willing to buy in and be a positive leader throughout every situation. Lead by example and it makes it easier to be followed’, warned Evan McGaughey.

In his fifth season he would split time for the first time in his pro career with 2 clubs with Club Deportivo Valdivia (Chile-Liga Nacional) averaging 9.3ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 30.4%, FT: 0.0%, in Jan.’22 signed at Koping Stars (Sweden-Basketligan) averaging 9.6ppg, 8.5rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 47.7%, 3PT: 38.3%, FT: 56.3%. He quickly saw how basketball life can be when your away from that family type atmosphere that he witnessed with the MLP Academics ‘. I always wanted to be known as a player to stay loyal to the club for the entire season. Chile just wasn’t a good situation for me though so luckily I have a great agent who was able to get me back to Europe where I knew I would fit’, said Evan McGaughey. Even the beauty of Chille wasn’t able to give him better spirits in South America. ‘It was just a different vibe and culture down there. It’s hard to explain until you experience it yourself. That experience as a whole is just something I couldn’t stand being in for an entire season. I wasn’t able to travel much while I was in Chile. The weather might have been the best part though. Walking to the gym in shorts and a T-shirt in December was great. I loved traveling anywhere I could when I played though. It’s really hard to pick my favorite spot off the court with all of the nice places I’m lucky enough to have visited. I’d say that Prague is at the top of the list, but Rome isn’t far behind’, expressed Evan McGaughey. When he left Chille and came back to Europe, it was like night and day as he was able to find a big smile again showing his basketball abilities in Sweden. ‘I would say the best part about Sweden was that communication was super easy. Nearly everyone there speaks English which is the exact opposite of Chile. Even though I was only there for a few months the team and community was very welcoming’, added Evan McGaughey.

I reach the American who lists guys Brice Johnson, Louis Olinde (early in his career you could tell he had a bright future ahead of him) and Jaromir Bohacik (Nymburk) as his toughest opponents in his career just before he was to depart for a family career. A few days earlier he had officially announced his retirement via Social Media. ‘Retirement has been on my mind the last two seasons. People don’t understand how hard it is to be gone for 8-9 months at a time. Especially when my wife was back home and couldn’t visit. With all the downtime by yourself you start to compare pros and cons’, said Evan McGaughey. The money overall isn’t bad, but not great in second divisions in Europe so one could of thought that money and the temptation of getting better job offers off the court at home could have been an issue for calling it quits, but it actually wasn’t. ‘It wasn’t about the money. I was comfortable the last few years with my salary. It was mainly the fact of being back home with friends and family all year around’, stated Evan McGaughey. I honestly feel that he could have had a 10 + year career, but when your always grinding to get to a first division where there is actually good money can be taxing mentally. ‘It does take a small toll on you. Especially when you know you just need that one chance to take advantage of it. In my case though that never happened, but I still enjoyed my entire playing career’, stressed Evan McGaughey. Obviously Heidelberg will always remain close to his heart. He saw as a rookie the steps the club were taking to one day reach the first division easyCredit BBL and then help the organization make their goal is something that he won’t forget as well as coach Frenki with whom he still has contact today. ‘I could see things starting to form there during my rookie year. Everyone was very excited about the new gym being built and realizing that the BBL wasn’t too far out of reach. It made it easy to go back for the second time knowing that a league championship was the goal. I loved Frenki. I still talk to him a few times during each season. In my rookie season he would let me just go out and play my game. He was confident in me to make the right decisions and play multiple positions’, remembered Evan McGaughey.

The ex Quincy (NCAA2) great who sees Chris Paul as a top 5 NBA player all-time now leaves the court and will start a new chapter in his life. He also remembers exactly how it was when he stepped on the court in Heidelberg to how it was playing his last game in Sweden. He definitely came a long way as a player in 5 years. ‘As a rookie I didn’t really know what I was getting into and what my expectations were. It was easier to settle into each new situation from there on out. On the court I would like to think my game progressed and I was able to be that reliable option that teams were looking for’, commented Evan McGaughey. Most basketball players always call it a blessing to be able to play the game they love as a living, but it must be a second blessing when guys can continue to earn a living with basketball after their playing days. It will be interesting to see what route he takes. ‘I’m not totally sure what the next step will be. I will probably find some way to stay in basketball. It would probably be the easiest thing to step into at this point, but I’m always excited about trying new things in that aspect’, said Evan McGaughey. I had the privilege of interviewing him 5 times and will always remember him as a versatile forward who was a great passer and always kept the team moral up. He also hopes fans worldwide will remember him in a positive way. ‘I would like the fans to remember me as a player who always gave it their all on the court. One who never gave up and didn’t try to cut any corners to get where I was. Someone who always respected the game and tried to put on a show for the fans each game’, warned Evan McGaughey. I will always have a special connection with him through his first name. I simply had to be a fan of him. He definitely has the best name a guy could ever have.

Tags : EVAN MCGAUGHEY, KOPING STARS, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Bryson Johnson hails from Nova Scotia and is a former professional player currently an assistant coach at the University of Vermont. He had a stellar NCAA career at Bucknell where he won 2 Patriot league titles. He had a short professional career playing in Germany for the Fraport Skyliners Juniors and also played in Canada for the Brampton A’s. He retired in 2016 and got into coaching. He was an assistant coach at Brown (NCAA) and George Mason (NCAA), graduate manager at Vermont and since 2020 an assistant coach at Vermont under head coach David Paulsen. He worked closely last season with new MHP Riesen guard Ben Shungu (188-G-1997, college: Vermont) and gave the whole truth about new MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg guard Ben Shungu.

Thanks Bryson for talking to germanhoops.com. How are you and how is basketball life treating you?

Life is treating me well. Coaching at the University of Vermont and we just came off a really fun year, winning our league and making the NCAA Tournament. Family and friends are healthy so no complaints on my end!

You had a short professional career playing for the Fraport Skyliners Juniors and in Canada. Do you sometimes think what could have been had you played longer overseas?

I had a lot of fun in Germany and back home in Canada playing. I honestly don’t think about my playing career much at all because I really love coaching and doing what I am doing now. Basketball has given me some pretty cool opportunities and continues to so no need to think in the past too much.

Your an assistant coach at Vermont (NCAA). I always find it fascinating that you see 5-7 guys on the bench all belonging to the coaching staff. What exactly are your duties?

I am an assistant coach here and specific duties can vary based on where you are. Here at Vermont everyone on staff chips in all facets to make the program successful. Our main focus is providing our players support in the classroom and on the basketball court. We do a lot of skill development, film, scouting things like that. Most importantly though build relationships with the young men in the program so they know we are here for them in all facets of life and not just basketball related.

As a former point guard I’m sure that you spent a lot of time with Ben Shungu. What kind of a coach/player relationship did you have and how intensive did you guys work together?

Benny and I grew to be close. He is such a special kid to be around with an infectious attitude that I think everyone who has one conversation with Benny thinks they are best friends hahaha. We worked together this year trying to fine tune his game and just answer any questions he might have. We spent a lot of time in the gym together but so did our whole staff. I don’t know if one coach can be in the gym with Benny as much as he wants to be in the gym. We watched a lot of film and talked a fair bit about the professional process he is going through right now. But, understand this was my first year here and the staff here at Vermont and Benny laid the foundation for his success far before I arrived. Coach Becker, Ryan Schneider, Kyle Cieplicki, Derryck O’Grady, Hamlet Tibbs, all played a far bigger role in his development then I did.

Ben Shungu has signed in German league easyCredit BBL. How happy are you for him and could you give him some advice about Germany?

I could not be more happy for Benny! He has earned everything he has received from the game of basketball. My advice would be to embrace the local culture and try to immerse yourself in it. Germany is such a great country and the people were all great. Benny has an innate ability to do this so I know he will be a fan favourite!

He had a very great career in the NCAA with Vermont (NCAA) helping win the AEC title in 2019 and 2022 and winning the MVP. When you hear the name Ben Shungu what is the first thing that you think about?

Honestly I really just think about Vermont basketball when I hear Benny’s name. He embodies the kind of young men we have had in this program. Work for everything they get, great people, no excuses and about winning. So Benny is kind of the prototype for what our program is about and luckily we have had some others that fit that same mold as well!

Is it fair to say that he took on a steady but not fast development at Vermont? He really broke out as a senior.

Again, my only experience working with Benny was this past year. But I did coach against him when I was at George Mason his sophomore year. We thought he was a good defender, a guy who would come off the bench and provide them with energy and making winning plays. In 3 years, he turned himself into one of the most efficient guards in the country. He had patience and an understanding that his time would come here and worked tirelessly to make sure he was ready for the opportunity and he definitely was!

You don’t see many graduate student athletes. Would you say his character is out of the ordinary? How would you describe his character and approach to basketball?

Benny is definitely abnormal in his approach and work ethic. He has the delicate balance of confidence in himself but extreme humility. He is essentially the mayor of Burlington and is one of the most beloved people in the city. He is just one of those guys who I will never say he can’t do something because if I do, there’s a good chance he will prove me wrong.

He is a guy that fills the stat sheet well. If you had to compare him to an NBA player who would best fit the bill?

Oh boy I’m not very good at NBA comparisons -He actually reminds me of Jrue Holiday because he is an efficient offensive player and an elite defender. Most importantly he is a winner as well.

He can score and fill up the stat sheet. What would you say are his biggest strengths on the court?

He can really shoot the ball. He has the ability to be a deadly catch and shoot player but also can create his own shot. His toughness is unmatched. Mental and physical toughness, the guy will play through injuries and is just a gamer in every sense of the word. He is also an elite on ball defender

He shot very well from outside last season. On what kind of a path do you see him going as a shooter? Did you work with him on his shot?

More of the work on his shot was done before I arrived, I really just tried to help him rep it out with the rest of our staff. He is going to be a very good shooter as a professional because if you try to take away his shot or close out to aggressively, he is too good and comfortable putting the ball down on the floor and scoring in the midrange and at the rim. Unlike some shooters, he is an elite shot maker that is not reliant on others creating for him. I think, he will have very efficient numbers from the field because of how diverse his offensive game is.

Stats don’t always tell the story of a player’s defensive qualities. Would you say his defense is still a work in progress?

No I think he is an elite defender. The only thing that hindered his defense was the burden he sometimes had to carry offensively for us this past season. He has tremendous hands, and is physically strong enough to guard bigger players. Defense in a lot of ways is about toughness and he has all that you could want.

How important was reaching the NCAA tournament for him? He recorded 20 points in a tough 75-71 loss against Arkansas?

I think it was important to him because it was important to our program. He is a team first player and I know he wanted to get together but so did everyone in our locker room. It was a great opportunity for people around the country/world to see just how good our players and team was this past season. It provided him more exposure but seeing him everyday I know how good he is.

He had many great games but was the win over UMBC in the 2022 AEC final the sweetest for him and you?

That was a really fun game and one of those moments that is culmination of all the hard work from the season. My guess is that it was the high for the season but those guys won 28 games this past year so they provided me personally with a lot of good memories.

You spent a lot of time with him. What was your fondest moment with him off the court that you will never forget?

It always goes back to the work ethic whenever I think of Benny. So the fondest memories for me are being in the gym early or late in the summer when the gym is 100 degrees. Those times are when we really got to get to know each other and it didn’t take me long to realize how special of a kid he is! Off the court though it is how he always has time for everybody! He is a genuine and sweet person off the court and absolute monster on the court. I’m telling you, Ludwigsburg is going to love this kid!

Thanks Bryson for the chat.

Foto credit “DBB/Kröger

Gordon Herbert (agency: BeoBasket ) is a Canadian/Finish coach who is currently in his 27th year coaching and is head of the German national team. He has a long coaching resume that includes having coached in Finland Austria, Russia and in Germany he coached Wurzburg, Alba Berlin and was with the Fraport Skyliners for more than a decade. He also coached the Canadian national team and was active with the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the successful double weekend wins over Estonia and Poland.

Congrats on the successful 2-0 extended weekend record over Estonia and Poland. How do you summarize the weekend? How pleased are you with the team’s play?

I was very pleased with the commitment of the players. This was a very difficult windows. You had some guys that had been out for 2 months while a Joe Voigtmann had been out for 3-4 months. It was an honor to coach these guys.

Germany had little problems beating Estonia 88-57. Did you have a feeling going into the game that the team would be very focused after the last days of practice?

The guys came in with a very good focus after 3-4 good practices. Having so little practices and then going out to play isn’t easy. I felt like the work ethic was excellent.

What would you say was the team’s biggest strength against Estonia? It seemed like everyone was there to secure the rebound?

Their work ethic was outstanding. I also thought they defended very well and got the rebounds. Plus they got a lot of the 50/50 balls.

Dennis Schroeder was 0/8 from outside. Did you have some words for him after the game or do you just leave NBA vet like that to himself?

The shots he took were very good. I think that you can still have a good game without shooting the ball well. His defense was good, he made big plays had had 9 assists. I’m more focused on the work ethic and team play. Shooting the ball is like a roller coaster. Sometimes they fall for you and sometimes they don’t. Overall he played very solid considering the few practices he had.

In the second game you beat Poland 93-83. One can truthfully say that the veterans Schroeder and Voigtmann stepped up in the fourth. This game could have gone lost without their leadership and scoring qualities.

Both of their leadership has been outstanding from day 1 in camp. They lead by example and it shows with their work ethic and professionalism in camp. They both made big plays down the stretch. Overal the team played very well. They gave a great effort despite the adversary that they faced. They had a tough flight back from Estonia to Frankfurt that was delayed 3 hours. We then missed our flight to Bremen and didn’t get there until 3am. Then Bonga gets hurt in the first half. The team did a great job staying together against Poland.

The team rebounded the ball again very well. What other aspects of Germany’s game did you like against Poland?

It all started with their work ethic which was very good. Also I liked their will to do the dirty work and once again like you said the rebounding was very good. When you only have a few practices, it is tough to execute the offense. But I felt they all gave a great effort.

Dennis Schroeder had an incredible game with 38 points. How important was AJ Slaughter’s effort. It seemed like Dennis didn’t want to lose that battle?

Dennis took on the challenge and wanted to guard Slaughter with 3 fouls. The way he played and took on the challenge says a lot about his competitiveness.

Many continue to question Schroeder’s leadership. But this weekend it was spot on wasn’t it?

His leadership has been good from day 1. We have had good communication all season long and especially the last month. I made him captain because of his leadership. He has led his team 100% on and off the court. He wants to be here 100 % and play for his country.

What steps did team Germany make this week as you continue to move forward to the Eurochampionships?

We showed that we have depth. We have had guys play the first and second windows and then guys like Ogbe and Schilling who didn’t. The many windows have given guys the chance to show their game. I like how so many different guys have shown commitment and sacrifice to their country.

You last coached Isaac Bonga on a daily basis 4 years ago. What steps has he taken as a player and man since then?

I was very impressed by him in camp. He was one of our best players. His defense is outstanding. He is an all around good player. He has made big steps. It will be interesting to see where he will go from here.

How is your relationship to Johannes Voigtmann now. He looked like a boy in 2016 and now has become a man. Do you have like a blind understanding with him?

Joe is an even better person than he is player. He is an outstanding professional. Back when he played in Frankfurt in 2016, Aaron Doornekamp had a big influence on him. Aaron is the ultimate professional and helped Joe change his eating habits. Both are still close to this day. He didn’t play since February and he continued to work and he came in ready. That says a lot for the work ethic of Joe.

Talk a little about guys like David Kramer and Christian Sengfelder. Any other year where you don’t have 6 NBA players ready, they play.

David is a very interesting player. Back in November he was part of the 24 man roster, but wasn’t part of the 16 man roster. Kenneth Ogbe then got COVID and the rest is history. He played well in Nov and Feb and now is a big part of the team. He has been a nice story. I remember when David was 3 or 4 years old and I was coaching his dad in Austria in 1999. I have good memories of his family. Chris is a warrior and has an outstanding work ethic. Poland’s game plan was to take away Chris’s game, but he found away to play his game with success. He works hard every day and has become a better player. He is big into the mental aspect of the game. Both are main stays and have played great,

Is there any chance a guy like Isaiah Hartenstein will be available? It seems like he isn’t interested in playing for his country?

I won’t talk about players who didn’t play in the windows. My focus is towards those players that played in the windows.

What’s the status of guys like Austin Reves and Nick Weiler-Babb? Do they have any chance for suiting up?

I have no idea about Reaves. I can’t comment on that.

Hammink has had much success in Holland winning 3 titles in 2 years. Can he bring the Fraport Skyliners back to success?

I like Geert Hammink as a person. I have known him since many years. He was a talented player and is an even better person. He has done very well as a coach. He was a great signing by the Skyliners. I happy for them. He was atop player, top agent and top coach. This is very interesting.

Thanks Gordie for the chat.

It was near the end of the 2010-2011 season as playoff team Fraport Skyliners were on the road dueling against BBC Bayreuth who were surviving for their lives to stay in the Beko BBL. The guy that stood out most was Skyliner Dashaun Wood who would be MVP that season as he almost single-handedly won the game for Frankfurt. But on this night a team effort by Bayreuth in OT and Danny Gibson’s interesting post game words stayed in my memory most. After the massive 89-76 victory, Danny Gibson was exhausted and relived and saw eye to eye to what Dashaun Wood had told me previously. ”I would have to agree with Dashaun Wood on dressing up as a woman as something I don’t want to do, but would rather do than have to go down to the second league, but we want to stay in the beko BBL and just wanted it more tonight. We came together as a team and just fought it out’, stressed 2010 Dutch league top scorer Danny Gibson. But there was also something else that I remember from that exciting night and that was Marcus Ginyard (195-F/G-1987, college: UNC, agency: Slash Sports). He was a guy that I had been really excited to watch that season because he had come from top NCAA basketball institution North Carolina. Ok so he wasn’t a Wayne Ellington or Danny Green who would go on to play in the NBA, but still he was a NCAA champion that did his part to help the school achieve greatness in his time there. He had scored 17 points in the Bayreuth loss in Frankfurt earlier in the season and got revenge in OT netting 10 points, hauling down 7 rebounds, dishing out 2 dimes and hitting a crucial free throw late in the fourth to force OT. His rookie season in Bayreuth would be one that he and fans would never forget. ‘When it was announced that Marcus would come to Bayreuth there was a lot of hype. I was super excited to see him play. It was rare for a guy to come from NC and play in Germany. It was a rough season for Bayreuth who had come from the second league after not having been in the BBL for many years. He had a rough start, but then had a very good phase in the middle of the season. He was an allrounder, great defender that always fought on the court and wanted to win. He was a friendly down to earth guy and no one had anything bad to say about him. He was also funny not like typical American rookies who come overseas for first time and are shy He was loved and most appreciated by the fans’, remembered long time Bayreuth basketball follower Fabian Beierlein. His time with BBC Bayreuth will always have a very special place in his heart. ‘It was special for a number of reasons. It was my first professional season, so naturally there will be some strong impressions made during a rookie campaign. But it was also special because I was surrounded by great people. My teammates, coaches, management, and the fans were so supportive, focused, and really concerned with doing things the right way. We played together as a team, and we fought hard as a city! I was extremely blessed to play in Bayreuth’, warned Marcus Ginyard. Marcus Ginyard recently announced his retirement after playing 11 seasons and for 12 organizations in 8 countries.

Marcus Ginyard who lists Golden State Warrior Steph Curry as his toughest opponent in the NCAA that went to the NBA was born on May 8th, 1987 in Rochester, New York. He and his family moved to Virginia when he was young. He was introduced to the game by his mother who played in the marine corps basketball league. He played high school ball at Bishop O’Connell High School and then played at one of the countries best basketball schools North Carolina from 2005-2010 where he majored in communication. He had incredible success there and experienced things that most players can only dream about playing in 4 NCAA tournaments, reaching the final 4 twice, winning the ACC title twice, reaching the NIT final and best of the best wining it all in 2009 at March Madness. It is only obvious that he gets fired questions about that 2009 run. ‘Most people ask what it was like to crush everyone the way we did. And honestly, most people don’t ask anything, they just tell me how much fun it was to watch our team’, remembered Marcus Ginyard. He played with 13 future NBA players and could write a fascinating book about his time at Chapel Hill and have non ending stories about his teammates, but there isn’t a teammate where he could spill the beans more about than Danny Green. ‘We were roommates from our very first day on campus together in the summer of 2005. But the beautiful thing about playing at Carolina is that we are all brothers. All the former players create an amazing fraternity that stays very close’, said Marcus Ginyard. He wasn’t that lethal scorer, but the guy that everyone wants on the team and just can’t do without. His big strength was on the defensive end as he showed his versatility being able to play 4 positions and was defensive player of the game 20 times out of the 107 NCAA games he suited up for. Head coach Roy Williams was instrumental in him becoming the player he became overseas and person off the court. ‘He knew that all of his lessons of basketball would translate to our lives after hoops as well. Roy also took a lot of time to talk to us about being respectful young men as well. I’m lucky to have had a coach that was as interested in our development as men just as much as he was in our development as players’, added Marcus Ginyard. Some of his best stats in the NCAA included hitting UC Santa Barabra for 17 points, hauled down 10 boards at Clemson, and dished out 6 assists against Wake Forest and Arkansas.

He began his professional career in Germany with BBC Bayreuth. So often Americans come over and have trouble getting adjusted to the culture shock. But he found out right away that if he could make a living playing the game he loves, he would have to adapt no matter what. ‘I lived on top of a bakery in my first apartment in Germany. I remember walking in there and no one spoke any English, which now seems so silly of me to think that they would, but I just remember how I felt knowing I had a long road ahead of me trying to figure out how to manage life off the court if I couldn’t speak any German! It motivated me to learn German though, which I did really well that first year’, remembered Marcus Ginyard. BBC Bayreuth had very talented guys, but the team just had a lot of misfortune that season. They began the season very slow losing 7 of the first 8 games and never recovered. Despite not having success, he has great memories of his teammates. He still has contact to them today. ‘This reminds me that I need to reach out to Koko Archibong! I was lucky enough to see Phil Heyden back in 2016 when I came to Germany to visit during a break while playing in France. Jared Reiner actually sent me a message a few days ago when he saw the news about my retirement. Another example of why that year in Bayreuth was so special’, stated Marcus Ginyard. In 2015, he told me that he would love to play in Germany again, because his time in Bayreuth felt like home. Unfortunately he would never play in Germany again. Despite losing so many games as a rookie in Germany, the connection he made there with everyone shows just how much his heart was there and will always be there. ‘I’m sad that opportunity never presented itself for me. I would have never played this long if I didn’t have such a wonderful experience in Germany as a rookie. I want to take this chance to say thank you to Bayreuth, the city, the club, the people. They opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. There are some people from Bayreuth I’m still in close contact with to this day and that means the world to me’, warned Marcus Ginyard. It really doesn’t matter who you talk to in German basketball, but all had a positive memory of him. ‘He was a first class defender and always improved his offensive game. He had a top character. Unfortunately I only had him one season’, remembered then Bayreuth head coach Andreas Wagner.

He played his second professional season with Ironi Nahariya (Israel-National League) averaging 21.2ppg, 6.8rpg, 2.2apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 58.1%, 3PT: 32.1%, FT: 85.8%. Most Americans that I have interviewed that had the opportunity to ball in Israel have raved about the culture, food and weather, but the ex North Carolina Tar Heel wasn’t one of those. ‘Actually, I didn’t love this experience by any means. Israel was a beautiful place to live in for sure, but there’s a lot that goes into a season and it’s more than basketball. How professional was your organization? Were you paid on time? Were the terms of the contract upheld? Was all of your visa and administrative paperwork done correctly and on time’, remembered Marcus Ginyard. In terms of scoring, this was his best season as he scored in double figures in 26 of 28 games, scored 20 points or more 13 times and 30 points or more six times including having 37 and 30 points. You would think he would agree with this being his best season. ‘Honestly I don’t think so’, stated Marcus Ginyard. Early in his career he also decided to see what the D-League is like and played with Westchester averaging 7.6ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.9apg, 2FGP: 55.1%, 3FGP: 36.8%, FT: 72.0%. For some contemplating how hard it could be getting to the NBA back in 2014 in comparison to 2022 is a great discussion at the breakfast table, but thinking what could and what could not have been with the NBA was never on his menu. ‘ I hardly even wonder about that. I have no idea how easy it is to get into the NBA’, stressed Marcus Ginyard. He scored 17 points against Canton and 15 points a piece against Iowa and Oklahoma. He also played a season in the Ukraine with Azovmash Mariupol (Ukraine-Superleague) averaging 15.5ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.5apg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 45.3%, 3FGP: 44.8%, FT: 80.4%; and in the VTB United League averaged 14.8ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.5apg, 2FGP: 64.1%, 3FGP: 27.8%, FT: 80.8%. The VTB is considered a top league in Europe and he played against top Euroleague team CSKA Moscow losing 75-40 and battled top guys like Sonny Weems, Nenad Krstic, Jeremy Pargo and Sasha Kaun. He played against so many great teams in his career, but talent wise none was like this one. ‘ I just remember feeling severely outmatched. They beat us in every single way. I think it could be the best team I’ve played against in my career’, warned Marcus Ginyard. He had great games in the VTB League netting 24 points against Triumph and 21 points against Krasny Oktyabr.I. In the 2015-2016 season, he had his first tour of duty in France with Hermine Nantes Atlantique (France-ProB) averaging 9.5ppg, 3.1rpg, 1.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 68.4%. Sometimes that first time is so sweet that you just have to come back later in your career. ‘I remember how much I loved playing in France. We had a great group of guys. I also remember wanting to get back to France after that which I was fortunate enough to accomplish. Pro B was a difficult league to play in. Extremely physical, a little crazy, but I have a lot of respect for Pro B players and teams’, remembered Marcus Ginyard. He scored in double figures in 17 games that season including 21 points against St Chamond.

The swingman who lists Quentin Thomas Phil Heyden Ruben Boykin Deividas Dulkys Giordan Watson and Speedy Smith as his best teammates of all-time played for various teams in Poland with Anwil Wloclawek (Poland-PLK) averaging 12.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 52.2%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 78.6%, Stelmet Zielona Gora (Poland-TBL) averaging 6.0ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 57.5%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 65.9%, Energa Czarni Slupsk (Poland-TBL) averaging 11.1ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.1apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 45.0%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 86.8% and for Asseco Arka Gdynia (Poland-EBL) averaging 8.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 63.2%, 3PT: 40.4%, FT: 73.3%. You would think that when you played parts of four seasons in a country and reached two league finals that a player must have enjoyed his time there, but that isn’t always the case. ‘I don’t remember enjoying the majority of my time there. Poland was a place that typically paid very late, and there always seemed to be some organizational issues. I always found myself in Poland though, so for some reason I was also back there. It was a lot of fun playing in Gdynia, though. I enjoyed that much more than the other seasons there for sure. Again, there are so many different factors that play into whether I enjoyed my time somewhere. I did meet a lot of great people in Poland, many whom are still friends of mine to this day’, said Marcus Ginyard. He played a total of 142 league games in Poland and scored in double figures in 70 games including 27 points against Siarka, 25 points against Energa Czarni and 23 points against PGE Turow. He definitely left it all on the court and demonstrated again that he could adapt to any new league with his play. In 2017-2018 he won his only pro title with KK Rabotnicki AD Skopje (FYR Macedonia) averaging 15.9ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.2apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 59.8%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 78.4%. This was a season where his scoring and offensive capabilities were in the spotlight. He had some monster games against Shkupi with 37 points, 28 points against Pelister Bitola and 27 points against Kozuv. But he saved his best for last for the final series against MZT Skopje where the last two games were combined decided by 4 points. He didn’t explode on the offensive end like in previous games scoring 11 and 12 points, but let his biggest strength do the talking as he was the defensive stopper steering the team to the win with 7 steals in those last two games and 5 in the last game. ‘That was a crazy series! We had to play game 2 over two days because we had to stop the game due to some fan violence. The next day we started the game from the 3rd quarter without any fans! It was an awesome experience to win a professional title, but it was a pain in the butt to take KK Rabotnicki to FIBA BAT for our bonus’, remembered Marcus Ginyard. Success had to do also with having the right mix of teammates like fellow veteran Sean Evans who like Ginyard was a rookie in Germany a year after him. ‘Sean was a great teammate! I’m happy to see he’s been successful since our time together’, expressed Marcus Ginyard.

In 2018-2019 he was able to experience another new country and league with CSU Oradea (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 8.1ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 55.1%, 3FGP: 23.3%, FT: 75.8%. and in the FIBA Europe Cup averaged 10.5ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.2apg, 2FGP: 65.2%, 3FGP: 47.1%, FT: 64.3%. He helped the team reach the Super Cup final. He wasn’t one of those typical Americans that hangs out in the apartment all day long playing playstation, but wanted to soak in as much as possible from his new home that season. ‘Soaking up the culture wherever I played was always a very high priority for me, mainly because of my experience in Germany my rookie season. When I decided to dive head first into the people, the culture, and the experience of living in a foreign country, that’s when it felt the most rewarding. Scary, for sure, but really rewarding. I saw some very interesting things in Romania, and everywhere else I played’, added Marcus Ginyard. He scored 17 points against Timisoara and in Fiba Europe Cup had 14 points against Turkish team Sakarya BSB and had German team Wurzburg’s number scoring 12 and 13 points. He then closed out his professional career returning to France and balling with Limoges CSP Elite (France-Jeep ELITE ProA) averaging 9.8ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.1apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 48.3%, FT: 80.0%; and 6.4ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 88.2%. He scored 20 points against Bourg, 18 points against Le Mans and 15 points against Monaco. He had fun also off the court having much trash talk with ex NBA player Demarkus Nelson as he was a Duke boy. Talking about the incredible North Carolina-Duke rivalry can help pass the time. He also had good games in the Eurocup scoring 15 points against Partizan NIS and in the Basketball Champions League scoring 12 points against Hapoel Jerusalem.

The Virginia native who didn’t beat Tar Heel teammate Danny Green who isn’t a 3 time NBA champion by accident in one on one’s back in the day had to deal with COVID the last few years just like everyone else on this planet. He had to deal with the new challenges and like most other players overseas got by them. ‘One of the biggest challenges of course with something like that was being so far away from my family and support system. Everyone across the globe was going through a fairly traumatic experience and it was even more difficult being thousands of miles away from my family and friends during that time. However, I was lucky to have some great people in Limoges that helped me tremendously’, remembered Marcus Ginyard. Seeing so much hardship in the world made him see life in a totally new and different perspective that helped him during basketball and will help him as well after. ‘COVID has made me reconsider the importance of certain things in my life and I believe it will make me a better person in the long run. It also provided an intense exercise for dealing with unexpected adversity’, warned Marcus Ginyard. So let’s fast forward to 2022. The time arrived for Marcus Ginyard to retire. Often guys do it because of age and physical fatigue, but he had other reasons. ‘You know, I didn’t look at it from an age standpoint, or physical ability, it really was more about how I felt about professional basketball mentally and emotionally. Spending more than a decade away from your friends and family takes a toll on you. I was very fortunate to have some interesting opportunities present themselves, and I felt that it was time to take on new life challenges’, warned Marcus Ginyard. I personally would have enjoyed seeing him keep playing, because on the floor, he still had the right stuff. ‘I’m glad that you felt like I was still playing at a high level. Physically I absolutely could have played longer. Mentally, I’m not so sure. And I wasn’t prepared to take the risk’, stressed Marcus Ginyard. His decision was definitely one that was well thought out. ‘There were a few factors that over time began to cost more to me than what I was getting out of playing basketball professionally. Before this Christmas I had never been with my niece and nephew during Christmas. I had never been with them on their birthdays. I’ve spent Thanksgiving with my family twice in 15 years. Getting paid late and not in full makes you feel differently at 30 years old than it does at 22 years old. Packing up your life and moving to a new country and a new team every year starts to get old. Missing potential business or job opportunities because I’m not home in the US starts to feel different. Just knowing that basketball isn’t forever, and that there’s a whole next chapter of my career that I would like to get started on made me look at this off season differently that I had looked at a lot of summers previous to now’, said Marcus Ginyard.

The ex North Carolina player who obviously supports Michael Jordan as the greatest of all-time has accepted a job at Medalist Capital in North Carolina as vice president which is a nice new stepping stone right after basketball. ‘My focus was my future, on finding stability in my life to make a big step in my personal growth and development. I felt like I needed to get grounded somewhere, and take on some new challenges that would ultimately lead me closer to my life goals’, stressed Marcus Ginyard. Of course he won’t disappear from basketball. How can anyone do that from the game they love? ‘ I will always be connected to basketball. Basketball will always be in my blood. I’ll start by going to all the UNC games that I can since I’ve missed over a decade of Carolina games’, stressed Marcus Ginyard. He played 379 professional games. I was surprised when I checked that we only did 3 interviews together. Our last was in the summer of 2015. Personally I’m a bit disappointed that we hadn’t done more, because he was always a great read. ‘That’s crazy to think about considering we’ve known each other more than 10 years! I’m glad we managed to connect again for an interview. Thanks for thinking of me. You’ve always been great to work with and I appreciate that a lot’, stressed Marcus Ginyard. It is always sad to see guys retire who you watched a whole career long. For me Marcus Ginyard was a real hard competitor on the court that played until the siren sounded and did all he could to help his team win. Off the court he was a genuine good guy and most important for me never said no to an interview of mine. I wish him continued all the best and who knows maybe he will do more at the Dean Smith center in the future than just watch games.

Tags : MARCUS GINYARD, LI

Anton Ivy (203-F, college: ACU) is a 203cm forward from Peoria, Illinois that played his rookie season in Germany with REWE Aupperle Fellbach (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 14.8ppg, 8.9rpg, 2.5apg, 1.4spg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 63.4%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 44.4%. He began his basketball career at Manual Academy. He then played 2 seasons at Rend Lake College averaging 5.6ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.1apg, 2.7bpg, FGP: 52.3%, FT: 62.5% as a freshman and in his second season averaged 9.3ppg, 8.1rpg, 1.6apg, 2.4bpg, FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 26.3%, FT: 67.4%. He then palyed a year at the University of Charleston (NCAA2) averaging 4.6ppg, 3.2rpg and finished at Arizona Christian University (NAIA) averaging 3.6ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.9bpg. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Anton thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. You finished school in 2019. What did you do professionally the last two seasons and how difficult was it not being able to find a club until 2 years later?

Anton: After finishing school I pursued the chance of playing over in Spain but without proper management I decided not to take the offer and see what I can do the following season. Then of course corona hit and changed everything so, I devoted myself to being ready when things finally opened back up.

Fellbach started off 2-2. What is your explanation for this rapid up and down game?

Anton: It was a learning curve for mostly everyone on the team all season with a bunch of new pieces coming together as the season progresses.

What kind of an experience was it playing ex NCAA player KJ Sherril? How much do you get up for big time players like him who belongs to the best players in the league

Anton: I love playing against great talented players, this is what basketball is about competing at your highest level and trying to get better everyday.

What kind of an experience was it been playing with Fellbach as a rookie? How blessed where you feel being able to call yourself a professional player?

Anton: It was an honor playing for Fellbach, everyone was welcoming and that’s the dream many of us desire to be called a professional.

What was the biggest adjustment for you coming over from the States with adapting to European ball?

Anton: Just learning how they play the game here, its reminiscing to basketball back in the 90’s and 00’s. They play inside out and they do a great job at dictating the pace of the game, whereas in the states everything is usually outside and fast paced.

You’re a 203cm forward. To what NBA player would you best describe your game to?

Anton: I’m not sure who I’d compare myself to but I like to think of myself as a swiss army knife, having a bunch of things that I can do when it’s needed.

You didn’t average more than 4,6ppg in your last two years in school. How cool was it finally playing minutes again?

Anton: Felt great, wasn’t sure why things were how they were my last two collegiate seasons but blessed to be on this stage showing my abilities.

You are a very good rebounder and shot blocker. What other strong points does your game have?

Anton: Defense and rebounding were always been in me since picking up the ball in high school, but also, I believe I’m a great passer and have the ability to score at any level along with great IQ for the game.

On what parts of your game are you working on most now that will help you continue to climb the basketball ladder?

Anton: I feel like I didn’t have a great showing of my scoring ability in college so I focus on being more aggressive.

What is a hidden strength in your game that doesn’t always get noticed right away?

Anton: My IQ, I feel it was slept on mostly in college. The fact that I was able to learn and adapt to how things are played here from the states in a short amount of time should be proven.

You played at 3 schools with Rend Lake College (JUCO), University of Charleston (NCAA2) and Arizona Christian University (NAIA). How do you feel did your game profit most from having played at 3 schools?. What did each school give you that helped you on the court most?

Anton: Each school taught me many different things, I got to learn different playing styles going from east coast to west and being from the Midwest.

You began at Rend Lake College. Every guy I talk to who played JUCO all say it was a tough experience, but one that really helped their development. What did you get most out of this experience?

Anton: Yes very tough but it’s the grit and grind that builds you as a player, with that being most guys first college experience or coming from high major schools.

You then played a season at University of Charleston (NCAA2) playing 24 games averaging 4.6ppg, 3.2rpg. What kind of an experience was playing in the NCAA2? Do you feel like you got a real chance there to display your talent?

Anton: I enjoyed the experience, but I wasn’t able to put my full talents on display.

You then finished at Arizona Christian University (NAIA) playing 34 games averaging 3.6ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.9bpg. How tough was it taking a step back to play in the NAIA? You ha dthat defensive stopper role.

Anton: I embraced the role but as the season went changes were made and I fell out of the conversation of been defensive player of the year. We had a great run their wish we could have brought home that title.

You once had 9 blocks in a game. How would you personally compare that to how many points, rebounds or assists that would compare to?

Anton: anyway I can effect the game I’m going to try to do that.

In your last college game you lost 80-79 to Georgetown KY. You battled Chris Coffey who had 15/11/5 stats. Curently he is playing in germany’s top league easyCredit BBL. Knowing this does that make you want to grind harder every day to get better?

Anton: yes of course

How did head coach Jeff Rutter groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

Anton: A lot of off the court preparations I’m thankful to have had him for.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Anton: all of my teammates have been amazing, they all were there for me at pivotal moments in my life, and they will always be family.

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

Anton: Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson

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

Anton: it’s a tough argument but I think it just comes down to people’s preferences.

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

Anton: yes I did, and yes I think all these remakes of older movies aren’t all that good especially years after.

Thanks Anton for the chat

It was January 2021 and nothing was normal in the world or for me. Covid was all over the place and driving people crazy while I was stuck deep in my Cancer struggle. I will continue to say it to this day. Basketball saved my life. Even with all this pain in the world thank God for basketball. It was January 20th and despite having had chemotherapy only 2 days before and feeling weak, I wasn’t going to miss calling any games. I was calling a routine Pro B game between two of Germany’s best youth programs with the Fraport Skyliners Juniors and Orange Academy in Frankfurt. I had already seen Orange Academy once in December 2020 in Koblenz and in that game a fellow by the name of Igor Milicic really stood out for me. A Polish player with real family history with a well known dad who had had a great career and was coaching in Poland and a younger brother Zoran supposedly even more talented than Igor. In the game Igor posted 19 points and showed his vast versatility at both ends of the court while hitting 4 three’s. I went on two write an article about the flashy Polish player 9 days after my I saw him my second time. I’m known for having a liking of interviewing Americans or just really talented guys who have a massive future ahead of them. It’s no secret that I love to say ‘you see that NBA player, I interviewed him when he was unknown or still young’. I had had a 50-50 chance of picking that player that would blast off like only few would have predicted. It was between Igor Milicic and Jeremy Sochan (6’9”-F-2003) of who I would interview after the game. I made the wrong choice as time would tell picking Igor. At the end of the day, I was really happy to have interviewed Igor because he was a real nice guy and I truly loved his game. But basketball is so fascinating how certain guy’s paths move. 16 months after this encounter, Jeremy Sochan the guy I didn’t interview was drafted at #9 by the San Antonio Spurs at the 2022 NBA draft. I’m not totally sure, but I believe I did talk to Jeremy Sochan after the game and got his email address so I could interview him. It never came to an interview mainly because I misplaced the email address and never found it. That really annoyed me that I didn’t. The big fish got away from me. What did Jeremy Sochan do in 16 months to get drafted by the NBA?. Obviously his choice of going to 2021 NCAA champion Baylor was correct. Orange Academy Definitely was a stepping stone for Jeremy Sochan‘s path to the NBA.

The Polish/American forward may only be 19 years old, but has seen a lot in his young life. He was born in Guymon, Oklahoma. His mother Aneta was a Polish basketball player that went to the United States to study. Early in his life he moved to England in 2005 and got his first basketball experience for the Solent Kestrels youth team and also played for Itchen College in Southhampton. His final club in the UK was the MK Trojans in Milton Keynes. He returned back to the United States and played at the Lumiere School in Indiana. When Covid hit in 2020 he declared to play for Baylor (NCAA), but wouldn’t go right away as he would go to Europe and play for Orange Academy the farm team of easyCredit BBL team ratiopharm Ulm in the Pro B (3rd division Germany). He came to Germany with his first big success in basketball helping the Polish U-16 team win the European championships. He exploded in the tournament playing 8 games averaging 16.1ppg, 9.6rpg, 3.0apg, Steals-4 (3.1spg), 1.5bpg, FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 26.9%, FT: 57.1%. He scored in double figures in 7 of 8 games and had 4 double doubles. He had massive games against Bulgaria with 28 points and hit Hungary for 21 points.

I reach ex Jeremy Sochan coach Anton Gavel on an early Friday afternoon less than a day before he would be officially named ratiopharm Ulm head coach. The athletic forward who can finish with the best of them and is a fine passer first had contact to ratiopharm Ulm in 2017 and visited Orange Campus in 2018. ‘Chris Ensminger gets all the credit for finding Jeremy. We had had him on our radar for a while. We felt very lucky being able to get a player like that for our program’, stressed ratiopharm Ulm head coach Anton Gavel. That first impression is so important in all walks of life, but it may not be quite as vital in sports when a player is young simply because he has time to develop. Gavel remembers exactly how it was when he saw Jeremy Sochan step on the court at Orange Academy for that first practice in 2020. ‘I could see right away that he was very athletic. But like with all young players would need time. He would have that time with us. I saw he had a lot of talent and knew that he could be a great player’, remembered Anton Gavel. He showed rapidly in pre season that he could play and had a few games scoring 20 points, but he then suffered an injury that would keep him out until October 30th when he gave his debut in Germany. In his first game he wasted no time showing that versatility could be a new middle name for him as he had a stat filling game in the exciting 72-70 win over FC Bayern Munich 2 recording 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 4 blocks. ‘What many didn’t see then was that he could defend the positions 1-4. Of course we used that advantage. He was very mobile and very quick off the floor going after his own misses. He was a good rebounder and loved to get in the open court. He still had to work on his shot, but there were also games where he showed a stable three pointer. We liked putting him on the other team’s best player’, remembered Anton Gavel. He had very good outside shooting games against FC Munich 2, Frankfurt and Dresden. There were games where he didn’t take control, but on a young team that had so much talent, Gavel did a super job sharing the team roles well and having a team where many could take over on any night. One of those more quiet nights was against Oberaching where he contributed 6 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 19 minutes. Despite not having a big game, Oberaching head coach Mario Matic saw something special in his game. ‘He was a big and athletic wing player with the qualities of an American in the Pro B. He also could shoot the ball well. I was a bit surprised the kind of development he took. He must have been exactly what the NBA was looking for as a potential draft pick. Jeremy was able to develop further under Moris Hadzija and in the States’, stated Mario Matic. ‘Training Jeremy was a true blessing, from day one. We all knew his future will be amazing. We spent a great amount of time together in the gym and I was glad to be able to have met him as a person. Wonderful human being, humble, and very competitive’, remembered Moris Hadzija.

In his season with Orange Academy the Polish national player averaged 9,4ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.9apg, 1.0spg, Blocks-4 (1.4bpg), FGP: 51.8%, 3PT: 24.2%, FT: 52.5%. He scored in double figures in 12 of 19 games including hitting Dresden for 20 points, had Karlsruhe’s number scoring 16 and 14 points and had 14 points against Giessen. He couldn’t score in double figures against Hanau where he had 9 and 6 points in the two games, but left a lasting impression on American Omari Knox who has been grinding his whole career and has carved out a fine career in Germany in the Pro B and Regionalliga. ‘My impression of Jeremy when I played against him the previous season was that he’s an NBA player. Playing in Europe (Germany), definitely helped him a lot but I see him thriving more in an up and down, fast-paced setting’, stressed Omari Knox. Sochan was able to improve his game with experience in the Pro B, but especially the mental aspect of his game grew simply because he always had the right attitude. ‘I think the most important thing that he gained in Germany was that he always went in with the mentality that he had something to prove. He was never satisfied. He was so competitive and always wanted to defend the best player. He just wanted to beat the best’, remembered Anton Gavel. No player had it easy in the Pro B against him especially when he had his A game on on defense. ‘What really stood out was that he was always able to stand in front of his man. He never became irritated by a cross over. This quality is something I believe NBA teams look for and if he can continue to do that at a high level, then I think he will be a very good defender’, stressed ex Fraport Skyliner Matthew Meredith. ‘I think his biggest defensive asset besides athleticism is definitely his inner motor and drive to win and stop opponents’, warned Moris Hadzija. He also demonstrated with the Polish national team and at the 2020 Addidas Next generation tournament that he is the real deal. He played one national team game against Romania winning scoring 18 points and at ANGT averaged 15.5ppg, Reb-2 (12.8rpg), 2.8apg, 1.5spg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 24.0%, FT: 55.6%. He scored in double figures in all 4 games and had 3 double doubles. He exploded against top Euroleague team FC Barcelona with 16 points and 16 boards and hit Gran Canaria for 15 points and 17 rebounds. ‘It didn’t matter against who he played, he was always able to meet the challenges’, warned Anton Gavel.

After his fine year with Orange Academy he chose to go to the States and test the waters in the NCAA. He had already committed to Baylor (NCAA) in the summer of 2020 and now was ready for the next step. ‘I think that going to Baylor was absolutely the right step for him. He always liked the big stage and knew that the scouts would be watching. He did all the right things’, expressed Anton Gavel. It surely didn’t hurt his mindset or development going to Baylor that had won the 2021 NCAA tournament. Sochan and co who had another incredible team with guys like Adam Flagler, James Akinjo, and Kendall Brown, but were unable to repeat losing a tough battle against top team North Carolina 93-86 in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Sochan had a fine freshman season playing 30 games averaging 9.2ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.8apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 58.5%, 3PT: 29.6%, FT: 58.9%. He was able to booster his game as he could defend 1-5 and even played point guard against Kansas. He helped Baylor win the Big 12 title and achieved Big 12 best sixth man of the year and was named to Big 12 All-freshman team. He scored in double figures in 14 games and had 2 double doubles. He also had 17 games with at least 1 block and 26 games with at least 1 steal or more. His best scoring games were against Alabama, TCU and Kansas with 17 points apiece. He also finished the season strong scoring in double figures in the Big 12 title run and in the NCAA tournament. Despite popping up on various 2022 NBA Mock Drafts, he was able to continue to play his game and develop without letting the hype distract him during the long NCAA season. He and everybody else connected to him knew he would get drafted. ‘The NCAA can either help or hurt you depending on the player, and their goals. For an NBA prospect like Jeremy it definitely helped to raise his stock by playing and performing on the National stage for a year’, commented Omari Knox. The big night for Jeremy Sochan arrived on June 24th and he was drafted at #9 by the San Antonio Spurs. He didn’t go alone from Baylor as teammate Kendall Brown was also drafted at #48 by the Timberwolves and traded to the Indiana Pacers. ‘I’m so happy for Jeremy. He did all the work and deserved it. I really didn’t do anything. I tried to do as much as I could. He did all the work and made it. I hope that he has a great NBA career’, stressed Anton Gavel.

Now he joins a system with Gregg Popovich that likes to feature players that have the sound fundamentals which is exactly what the ex Orange Academy player has. Also if he wants to have a quick coffee with ex Baylor coach Scott Drew who achieved his 5th first round NBA pick with Sochan will only have to drive 2 hours and 45 minutes for a reunion. In a way all basketball players are a big family and genuinely have respect and love for each other. ‘I’m happy for Jeremy. I think the year at Baylor was pretty much just for him to showcase that he could still play with the best of the guys in his class. I saw that he was already a top talent coming out of prep school so I’m not really surprised that he was drafted’, said Omari Knox. He now will have a very exciting and interesting summer as he prepares for his first NBA training camp with the Spurs. He knows that he still has a long way and will have to grind, grind and grind. ‘I think he will be in good hands and his ceiling is huge but if I could choose the elements I would say besides shooting he needs to keep on working on his solution and expanding that part of his game, for example keeping the dribble alive when going downhill or when creating for himself or for teammates’, warned Moris Hadzija. It is no secret that Jeremy Sochan touched so many hearts in his one season in Ulm as everyone will be watching from a far as he continues his rise up the basketball ladder. ‘I will never forget his hunger to get better and enormous will. For example he was waking up almost every day together with Igor Milicic at 5 in the morning so he can attend morning workouts with me before school. I think that says enough about the person he is’, said Moris Hadzija. Even if he coached Jeremy Sochan only for a season, Anton Gavel will always remember the youthfulness that the kid had in Germany which was very refreshing. Now he will be competing with the real men. ‘I remember in pre season seeing how he saw the game as a youth. He walked through the streets like a kid. He played like a kid with us that made mistakes’, remembered Anton Gavel. At the end of my discussion with Anton Gavel, I couldn’t help myself to ask him if he would become the new Ulm head coach. He politely laughed and said that that was for others to decide. He probably knew the decision, but couldn’t say yet. If I were to ask him if he knows if Jeremy Sochan will make the 2022-2023 San Antonio Spurs roster, he won’t know the answer and won’t be able to comment. After a summer of hard work in the lab, time will only tell if Jeremy Sochan will make his NBA dream a reality in October.

Devaughn Mallory (201-F-1997, college: Jefferson) is a 24 year old 201cm forward from Charleston, South Carolina that completed his rookie season with the BBC Twisters Rendsburg (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 19.4ppg, 10.3rpg, 2.3apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 58.5%, 3PT: 34.8%, FT: 64.1%. He began his basketball career with Polytech High School. He played at Delaware State (NCAA) from 2015-2017 playing 53 NCAA games. In his second season he averaged 10.3ppg, 6.3rpg, FGP: 55.4%, FT: 65.6%. he then finished at Jefferson University (NCAA2) playing 59 games and averaging 16.9ppg, 9.9rpg, FGP: 53.2%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 84.1% as a junior and as a senior averaged 18.2ppg, 9.8rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 53.2%, FT: 84.6%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Devaughn for talking to germanhoops.com. You were in the States during the Pandemic. How did you experience COVID and what were the most challenging things you had to cope with?

I’ve experienced Covid as a very serious thing specially since I’ve had a couple friends and family members that ended up catching it last. Also the most challenging things to cope with was always wearing a mask and being very distant from family and friends.

With everything that you witnessed during COVID off the court how do you feel did you get stronger as a man?

I felt like me being off the court due to Covid made me become a stronger man by having a stronger and better mentality of being more patient and always looking at every situation more positive since we already have to fight against Covid for over a year now.

After finishing school, you sat out last season. The BBC Twisters Rendsburg already wanted you last season. How tough was not playing last season? What positives could you still get out of it?

Sitting out last season was definitely tough but again I just looked at the positive side of things meaning I was given more time to work on my game. And time to get stronger physically before actually joining the Twisters team.

Were you able to use more time in the lab to better your game? How do you feel did you make steps in your game during the long break from competitive basketball?

I definitely was able to use more time in the lab to better my game by becoming stronger and faster on the court. Along with working on my IQ, stability, ball handling, and jump shot since thankfully layer through Covid my trainer was able to get permission to reserve a gym for basketball gym. Along with him having his own weight lifting gym too.

Your played your first professional season in Germany with Rendsburg in the Regionalliga. What did you enjoy most about being a professional player?

What I’ve enjoyed most is simply getting paid and being able to continuously play the sport that I love most. Along with building up a fan support system for the games in Germany and becoming a role model for these young kids who dream to follow a similar path as me in their future’s.

You needed no adjustment time to the Regionalliga posting double double stats. What was your secret to being a dominant player?

I don’t want to say too much on my secrets for how I play on the court lol but let’s just say whenever I’m on the court I give 110% and whatever coach says we’re lacking with offensive or defensive wise I accept the challenge to fix it before the end of the game.

What was it like playing with Swedish point guard Andree Michelsson? Did he make your life a lot easier on the offensive end?

It has been a lot of fun playing with Andree Michelsson he’s a great point guard, who creates opportunities for everyone on the court to score, he also talks on the court. And is always can give us a bucket when we need it. Also he definitely makes it easier for my life on the offensive end.

Head coach Bjarne Homfeldt was a big supporter of your game. What did you appreciate most about his teachings to you about the game you love?

For coach I appreciated his support a lot and for his teachings I appreciate him working his system around my game a little, and just allowing me to play the way I want too. Also whenever there’s anything he feels I should work on he lets me know for sure.

Let’s talk a little about your game. You’re a 201cm undersized big man. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the bill?

For an NBA player I would say Paul Millsap or Rui Hachimura.

You can score, rebound and have incorporated a outside shot into your game. What other strengths does your game have?

Other strengths I would say I have is that I’m always talking to my teammates on the court to work hard, and stay positive. Also I’m in very good shape and always out running other bigs up and down the court. Plus I have a quick first step against most bigs that guard me.

On what area’s of your game are you working on most now so that you can continue to improve your game?

Areas that I’m working on most to elevate my game is my shooting range behind the 3pt line and ball handling.

What do you believe is a hidden strength in your game that doesn’t always get noticed right away?

A hidden strength that I have is just being a great rebounder and always out working/ hustling players that are assigned to guard me in the game.

You played two seasons at Delaware State from 2015-2017. You had a very solid second season averaging 10/6 stats. How important was head coach Keith Walker in your early basketball development?

Keith Walker was very important because he had the most faith in me and was the only division 1 coach to offer me a full scholarship. So that I could have the opportunity to play at the high NCAA stage. He also helped me develop on becoming a better rebounder and to always working hard and stay in shape before and after the season.

In your freshman year you played against powerhouse Michigan. What memories do you have playing against some of the countries best players?

Michigan was a crazy/ exciting game and the environment of the fans made the game very fun. But overall it was just crazy seeing the skill set and chemistry that their team had putting overseas players and players in the states together in such short time.

You had many great games in the NCAA. Was your 16 points and the win over St Johns one of the more memorable?

St. John’s game was definitely the most memorable moment that season because it was one of the biggest wins in Delaware States university history. And people had very small confidence of us walking out that night with the win, so we definitely shocked a lot of people around the world that watched that game.

You then transferred to Jefferson University (NCAA2) averaging 16.9ppg, 9.9rpg, FGP: 53.2%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 84.1% and as a senior averaged 18.2ppg, 9.8rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 53.2%, FT: 84.6%. Why did you take a step back after proving you could play in the NCAA?

I decided to step down because me along with 7 other of my teammates that year chose to enter the transfer portal. So if I stayed I would have to play with a whole new team and rebuild chemistry at the division 1 level. Also education is a big thing in my family and Del State didn’t have my college degree there either. Also there was rumors that coach Walker would probably be fired after this season. So I just figured that playing somewhere new that still had a great basketball system along with my major degree was best whether it was D1 or D2.

You were a top player in the NCAA 2. How do you feel did your game grow in your last 2 years?

Yes, I feel my game has grown a lot more along with my atheism and mentality while playing on the court.

You had Wilmington’s number as a senior scoring 31 and 30 points and beating them to reach the CACC final. Were they your favorite opponent?

Wilmington university was definitely my favorite opponent since they were always under sized big man wise against me. So it was easier for me to score on the court along with getting rebounds.

How did head coach Herb Magee groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

Coach Magee just told me that with my skill set and knowledge for the game that once the season ended my senior year a lot of agents would reach out. So choose wisely with who you want to represent you and once I get overseas and have my opportunity for me to go make a name for myself starting the first game.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Prince Hickson?

Crazy thing is that me and Prince never actually played one on one before. But I will say he was our best defender and best defender I ever played with on the court, and I’m just grateful that he was on my team.

Who was the toughest player that you encountered in the NCAA that would reach the NBA?

Toughest player I encountered before that made it to the NBA was either Kyle Kuzma, Derrick Jones jr or Duncan Robinson.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

My five best teammates are Ricky Hicks, Juwan Gray, John Pierce, Donte DiVincenzo, and Eric Laster.

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

My list is Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Stephen Curry.

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

Micheal Jordan is the greatest of all time to my opinion and that has never changed for me.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone?

Yes, I have seen the sequel and I agree that they should have just left the classic along honestly.

Thanks Devaughn for the chat.

Joseph Feraci (180-PG, college: LSUA) is a 180cm guard from Slidell, Louisiana that is finished his rookie season for 1. FC Kaiserslautern (Germany-Regionalliga) in Germany playing 23 games avergaing 14.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.1apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 52.1%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 81.8%. He began his basketball career at Pope John Paul II High School and then played at Louisiana State University at Alexandria (NAIA) from 2014-2018. He won 3 RRAC titles. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his interesting life

Thanks Joe for talking to germanhoops.com. You were in the States and Germany during the Pandemic. How have you experienced COVID and what were the most challenging things you had to cope with?

Luckily and fortunately, covid has not been nearly as hard or challenging on me as it has for many others. I’d say the biggest challenge I faced at the height of the pandemic was lack of everyday interaction with people that I was so used to having, gyms being closed, and not being able to freely travel outside of the country.

With everything that you witnessed during COVID off the court how do you feel did you get stronger as a man?

I think it mostly made me realize how much I may have taken simple things for granted. It sort of gave me a new found motivation to take advantage of every opportunity at hand because you truly never know when you may lose certain things or opportunities.

You finished at Louisiana State University at Alexandria (NAIA) in 2018. Was there ever any thought that you could live the dream of being a professional player overseas despite never averaging more than 4,8ppg in the NAIA.

When I played my last collegiate game I never thought I’d have the opportunity to play professionally overseas. I thought that I could and believed I was good enough but the reality of it all was that I was hurt a lot in college and when I was healthy I didn’t really stand out very often on a team loaded with so much talent and other deserving guys.

You came to Germany in November 2020. Were you already in the army before you came to Germany? Talk a little about what you did after you finished at school?

I graduated in May of 2018 and got married about a year later to my college girlfriend, Katie Lemieux who played on the women’s basketball team at LSUA. Katie decided she wanted to join the Air Force and she had my full support. A few months after she joined we found out that we would be moving to Germany in November 2019.

How did the job opportunity with 1. FC Kaiserslautern (Germany-Regionalliga) come about? Who was your first basketball contact in Germany?

I arrived here in Germany in November 2019 and through playing pick-up at local gyms I was able to get in contact with Coach Mario Coursey and get a tryout with the team for the 2020 season. Things went well but the 2020 season ended up getting cancelled. Fortunately, Coach Mario reached back out to me for the 2021 season and thankfully had a spot for me on the team.

How cool is it living the dream of being a professional player with 1. FC Kaiserslautern (Germany-Regionalliga). You are putting up solid stats. What has been your secret to being able to adapt so quickly?

It has been nothing short of a great time. I couldn’t be more thankful to have the opportunity to play for FCK. The game is a lot different than what I am used to in the States. Players move and play differently and referees even call games differently. I’ve had a smooth time adapting simply through being more confident in myself than I have ever been before. My teammates and Coach Mario have especially made the transition easy on me as well.

How important was veteran Aaron Ellis for you? Was he like a mentor for you since you have been with the team?

Man, having Aaron on the team has been great. He’s a natural leader and with him having played at Wichita State back in the US I feel like we see the game similarly and we have good chemistry together on the floor. He keeps the team and I grounded when things get tough. Couldn’t be happier to have an experienced guy like that on the team helping me through my first year.

Let’s talk a bit about your game. You’re a 180cm point guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the bill?

I don’t know if I would necessarily compare myself to this guy because he’s one of the greatest point guards to ever live but someone I watch a lot and try to emulate is Chris Paul.

You’re a guy that can fill the stat sheet with ease. What do you feel is your biggest strength on the court?

I think my biggest strength on the court would be my shooting and ball handling.

How good does it feel having a central scoring role now something you didn’t have in school?

It feels great. It’s feels like a comfortable role for me.

On what area’s of your game are you working on most now so you can keep improving your game?

I am mostly working on my in-between or mid range game and being able to finish in the paint.

With your good play on the court, how big are your aspirations to keep having a professional career after this season? How much of an inspiration is ex teammate Jordin Williams who is a rare NAIA player that has reached top leagues in Europe?

I have big aspirations and would love an opportunity beyond this year. I am confident that I can play with the best and will look to prove that as this season goes on. Jordin was my roommate in college and we put in a lot of work together. Seeing his dreams come true and the opportunities he made for himself was like a dream come true for me too because I knew the work he put in behind closed doors. So yes his story is very inspiring to me and others.

You won the RRAC tournament 3 times. Which one was the sweetest?

The sweetest RRAC that we won in my opinion was the 1st one we won my freshman year. We were down 20 at one point and came back and won in OT.

How did head coach Larry Cordaro groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

Coach Cordaro has a work ethic that not many other people have and he taught me about what having a work ethic truly means. My dad Joseph Feraci Jr., my high school coach Krisner Green, my college assistant coaches Jay Smith, Casey Apetrei and Daniel Roy, and my good friend and trainer Matt Binder all played central parts in preparing me for this moment.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Jordin Williams?

Jordin has never beat me one on one. I’ve actually taught him every move he knows!

Who was the toughest player that you encountered in the NAIA or anywhere in your life in the gym that would reach the NBA?

I would have to say Stevie Clark was the toughest player I ever guarded in the NAIA.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

In no order I’d say Deangelo Coleman, Jordin Williams, Gilbert Talbot, Codey Davie, and Colby Harrison.

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

Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson

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

I grew up watching Lebron and I’d have to go with him. The physical attributes, longevity, and the peak of his prime are all 2nd to none in my opinion.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone?

I did not see the sequel but I couldn’t imagine it being any where near as good as the original. My blind opinion would be that they probably should’ve left it alone.

Thanks Joe for the chat.

Tags : JOSEPH FERACI, 1. FC KAISERSLAUTER