Jordan Theodore (182-PG-89, college: Seton Hall, agency: Network Sports International) is a 31 year old 182cm point guard from Englewood, New Jersey that is playing his eighth professional season and second with Unics Kazan. Last season he began with Besiktas Istanbul (Turkey BSL) averaging 13,8ppg, 2,8rpg and 6,8apg in the Turkish league and 11,8ppg, 2,8rpg and 5,6apg and then moved to Unics Kazan playing 16 Eurocup games averaging 6.4ppg, 2.4rpg, 4.1apg, FGP: 43.7%, 3PT: 23.3%, FT: 71.4%. In the 2018-2019 season he played with AEK Athens (Greece-A1) playing 20 games averaging 8.6ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 55.0%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 80.0%; and played 8 BCL games averaging 9.4ppg, 2.4rpg, 4.5apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 40.4%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 71.4%. Three seasons ago he played for EA7 Emporio Armani Milano (Italy-Serie A) playing 20 games averaging 10.4ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.9apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 75.0%; and played 23 Euroleague games averaging 11.6ppg, 2.0rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 86.5%. In the 2016-2017 season he played with Banvit Basketbol Kulubu (Turkey-BSL) playimg 31 games: Score-3 (18.4ppg), 3.7rpg, Assists-1 (7.2apg), 1.2spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 81.2%; In the BCL, he played 19 games: Score-4 (16.2ppg), 4.1rpg, Assists-1 (7.5apg), 1.2spg, FGP: 45.7%, 3PT: 29.7%, FT: 76.3% In the 2015-2016 season, he had his most successful season as a professional winning the FIBA Europe Cup with the Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt (Germany-BBL) playing 37 games: 14.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 4.7apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 83.1%; FIBA Europe Cup: 18 games: 14.4ppg, 3.4rpg, 4.6apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 90.2%. He started his basketball career in 2008 with Seton Hall (NCAA) where he played until 2012 127 NCAA games and as a playing a total of senior played 32 games averaging 16.0ppg, 3.1rpg, 6.6apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 41.2%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 82.7%. In 2012, he started his professional career with Antalya Buyuksehir Belediye (Turkey-TBL) playing 29 games averaging 15.8ppg, 3.6rpg, Assists-for Mersin Buyuksehir Belediyesi (Turkey-TBL) playing 27 games averaging 12.3ppg, 3.3rpg, 4.1apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT: 29.7%, FT: 73.5%. In the 2014-2015 season he played for JL Bourg Basket (France-ProA, starting five )playing 17 games averaging 12.7ppg, 3.6rpg, Assists-2 (6.1apg), 1.4spg, FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 21.6%, FT: 87.2%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Jordan for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing with Unics Kazan. This is the second team after Antalya where you have been a second season. Is this club like a second home for you?

Every one from management to the coaching staff to all the Russian players have made me feel like home. Also Jamar Smith who has been here four years and all the new guys have shown me nothing but love and respect. Nobody has shown any dislike. It really feels good to play here.

What makes playing for this organization special and different than for other teams that you have played for?

It’s a close-knit family. It is a family run business run by the son and daughter of the president. The coaching staff have been here for a long time. The chemistry is really good.

What was for you personally the most challenging thing that you had to cope and master dealing with COVID in the last year?

I think that the biggest adjustment in the last year has been adjusting to all the different rules that your confronted with. I have been very fortunate that my family has been with me the whole time. The family part hasn’t affected me as much as other guys overseas. It has been tough with the rules. Having to wear masks and wash your hands every where has been life changing.

With everything that you have seen off the court with COVID how do you feel has COVID made you stronger as a man?

COVID has shown me much love and compassion toward people that you love. These times have shown me that you need to reach the people you love more. COVID has affected people in many different ways around the world. It has taught me to love and care for the people that you love most.

Unics Kazan is playing another great season. Your playing for the VTB title. You have a better record than CSKA Moscow. How good does that feel? What has been your definition of the secret of the team success?

I think that the main thing has been our chemistry. We have come together well and have understood that having success hasn’t been about one person, but a team thing. I came a little late and the team had been affected by COVID. They were one piece away until I came. We then started to click. I came in and helped the team. Despite losing the Eurocup final, we still had a great season. We finished top 3 in VTB which had been one of our goals.

The team is so deep and talented. Does it feel like a Euroleague type of roster in terms of talent and depth?

Of course we feel like we have a Euroleague roster. We feel that we can compete with any one at any level. We are two deep at every position and guys could start for any other team. We have a lot of experienced players that have been through wars in Europe and had ups and downs. The experience has been the biggest reason for our success.

The older Russian players aren’t scoring much, but how valuable is their experience for keeping the ship running?

Kolesnikov is my guy. He has a ton of experience. Guys like Sergeev and Antipov also have been around for a while. Klimenko was able to show this season just how good he really is. He really has stepped up in the paint as have other guys.

How beneficial has it been having ex NBA player Isaiah Canaan 235 games for 6 teams as a teammate a guy that can score and do playmaking?

Isaiah has been great. This is his first year in Europe. He is still trying to understand the game and it isn’t always easy coming from the NBA to Europe. It has ben an adjustment to the style, country and travel. It also has been life changing for him. He has done a great job spacing the floor for, because he is such a good shooter so I can get to the rim easier. I feel his creating is very underrated. He has had some big games for us.

Can a scorer like you learn anything new from sniper Jamar Smith in the scoring department?

Jamar has it all. He is 34 and just won the Eurocup MVP award. He has had a great season and played point guard earlier in the season. He is our leader and captain. He has become like a brother to me. I don’t know too many players in Europe that can put the ball in the basket the way he does.

You have so many experienced guys around you. How has a Nate Wolters been able to rub off his playmaking skills on you?

I like Nate very much. He is a nice guy. He is a little quiet and doesn’t speak much, but he comes to work and gets the job done. He is a guy that can score. When I came in, we had to split time and he had no problems with it. He plays well and is respected.

Unics Kazan lost a tough series to Monaco for the Eurocup title. As a guy who has won 5 titles, how much did this loss hurt?

Losing the Eurocup final hurt a lot. I have had my shares of wins and loses over the years. I reflect a lot before big games and understand that getting an opportunity like that doesn’t come that often. It is hard to be on a team where there is 100% chemistry and to get to the final. It really hurt the way we lost getting swept. I feel like I could of played better. I will have to live with it.

How confident are you that you would have won the title had Jamar Smith not gone 0/4 from outside. Obviously he isn’t at fault as every player can have an off day. Did you have some soothing words for him after the loss?

I had no soothing words for him. He has played well all season. Our team has that next man up mentality. When a guy had an off night, other guys stepped up all season long. It is never about one person. We know that we all could of done better. Our great defense that we have played all season didn’t show up and we also didn’t communicate well.

You had your best game with Kazan against ex coach Gordon Herbert and Avtodor. Were you extra motivated to play against your ex coach?

It is always fun to see Gordie. He is still my guy. We talk like two to three times a month. Our relationship now is still as strong like when I played for him in Frankfurt. I had a good shooting night. It is always fun killing Gordie.

Were you surprised he was fired considering the club wasn’t playing that bad, but I guess the expectations were very high?

I was very surprised he was let go. He was only a few games out of the playoffs with five games to go. I think that the move surprised everyone.

Do you remember some kind of words he told the team in the last minutes against Varesse in the 2016 fiba Europe cup final?

He didn’t say anything. He is a coach that is great with motivating players as well as with tactics. In crunch-time after he draws up a play, he screams the defense that we should run. He expected greatness out of us and I’m sure he knew that we would win the final. He also always knew exactly when I would shoot. He didn’t really have to say much, because we always knew what had to be done.

Your having a solid season but not putting up massive scoring stats. Is your role different this season than usual?

My role has changed. People know me as a scorer and facilitator and a guy that knows how to fill up the stat sheet. This year we have a lot of weapons on the team. I have taken a back seat and put my pride on the side and have done what is best for the team. I will do anything to win if that means taking two or five shots. If they tell me to get five or six assists, I will do it. I do that in my sleep. I know that people know that my stats are down, but that doesn’t bother me. I’m happy that I’m on one of the best teams in Europe. Numbers don’t matter when your winning.

Your three pointer continues to be a work in progress. How much does it bother you that you haven’t become that lethal 40% shooter?

It’s all about the shots that I have to take. In Gorden Herbert’s system, I was more of a spot up shooter. That is one of the reasons why I shot so well and it was one of my best three point shooting seasons as a professional. Now all my three pointers are more off the dribble and at the end of the shot clock which is why my three point percentages are down. I shoot a lot of bombs. But that doesn’t bother me. When it’s time to make shots, I make them.

If you were to call Gordie Herbert and ask for advice about winning a title, what would he say?

That is a funny question. I don’t know the last time where he won a title?

It was the 2016 Fiba Europe Cup with you.

I don’t know. That’s a weird question.

Chris Paul recently passed Magic Johnson for fifth all-time in assists. Where do you rank him with the best point guards all-time despite never having won a ring?

Chris Paul is a pure winner. He is top five in assists. He is in his 17th NBA season. He has won everywhere where he has been. He is top six if not top five all-time. His numbers don’t lie. It isn’t easy to win an NBA title.

Dino Radja recently said he couldn’t see Russell Westbrook leading a team in Europe to success. Do you agree?

I don’t agree. There aren’t a lot of guards his size that can push the ball, find the rim, have the power and athleticism that Russ has. I don’t see anyone stopping him. Bigs don’t challenge him in the NBA and I don’t see it happening in Europe either. There aren’t too many bigs that can stay in front of him off the pick and roll. He would need an adjustment period in Europe, but once he figured it out, he would win.

Draymond Green recently said he is the best defender of all-time. Do you agree?

I like Draymond and what he does. He is all over the place on defense and offense. But It is hard to say if he is the greatest of all-time. A guy like Tony Allen guard edKobe and Lebron and they said he was one of the best defenders that they ever saw. I remember watching Bruce Bowen and Dennis Rodman who were great defenders and the list goes on and on. There are plenty of great defenders. He would definitely be in the conversation for top 10 all-time.

Have you seen the Coming to America sequel? It has had mixed reviews. Shouldn’t they just have left it alone?

I didn’t see it. They should of left in alone. The first was a classic and I still like watching it. The second wasn’t needed.

Thanks Jordan for the chat.

Darryl Middleton (203-F/C-66, college: Baylor) is currently an assistant coach for top Euroleague team CSKA Moscow. He can look back at a long and illustrious professional playing career that spanned 4 decades as he played from 1988-2013. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks. He played the majority of his career in Spain spanning 18 years and 12 years in the top European league ACB. He also played in Turkey, Italy, Greece and Russia. CNN Sport Has namned him as one of the most famous american players in European basketball history. He played at Baylor (NCAA) from 1984-1988 reaching the NCAA tournament in 1988. He spoke to germanhoops about his Baylor days and the special basketball magic there.

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

Baskeballt has been great to me,the last 7 years since I stopped playing. I have been here in one of the biggest clubs CSKA Moscow. I have learned so much by being here with coach Itoudis and our staff, We won 2 euro league titles and 6 Russian titles as well so it’s been great being apart of this plus now we are preparing now for another euro league final 4 this month as well as the Russan league playoffs.

You have been assistant coach of top Euroleague team CSKA Moscow since 2014. What kind of an experience has that been and have you never had aspirations of being a head coach?

I think any assistant coach would love to be a head coach. It’s a lot of work as well because then I would be in the front seat making very tough decisions. A head coaching job is not just coaching players, but you have a lot of other responsibilities as well. You have to make sure all the players understand their roles. Some players have big egos and feel they should be able to do more, want to play more minutes or whatever the situation may be, and as the head coach you have to keep everyone on the same page and sometimes,it’s very difficult.

CSKA Moscow is playing a great Euroleague season, but were only in fourth place in the VTB a league you win almost every year. How do you explain this? Are teams especially fired up for you this season?

I believe it’s dificult for a lot of players to have the same motivation to play in Euroleague, which is the top league and when they play in the VTB league, they don’t play with the same motivation. I think it’s wrong to play like this because players are paid to play and not to choose what league they should be more motivated to play in. It’s sad to see this as a coach because you know your players and when they are not playing like they should in VTB, it makes the coaches very frustrated because you are doing something that you love to do, why should players lower themselves like that just because it’s a different league. Once they get on the court in whatever league, they should play100%. It’s their job and when they play below their standard, it makes them look really bad

You played an incredible 27 professional seasons until you were 47. Did God bless you with the perfect body?

I played 27 professional seasons. I can’t believe it myself that I played until 47 but it wasn’t easy from the start. I worked my butt off every summer to prepare myself for every season. I always felt that I had something to prove once I came to Europe so that was a good motivation for me to prove to people that I can play. I always wanted to be the best player on the court on defense and offense. I wasn’t a gifted player so I had to really work hard every summer to improve my basketball skills. Yes, I was blessed to have played for so many years and most importantly I stayed away from injuries. I think by training so hard in the summer, that really helped me to get through the season without any injuries

You have won 20 titles as a player and assistant coach. What part of your title genes do you believe have rubbed off most on your players?

I have won 20 titles in my career, and not many people can say that and for sure not many people in the club or players knows this but it’s something to be proud of for sure and shows what hard work can give you.

Let’s talk about your alma mata Baylor. They won the 2021 NCAA title. How did you feel the day after the win?

I was very excited to see my Baylor Bears win the NCAA title and not only they won it but how they won the championship. They played 2 great games from start to finish. They had a goal to win this title. you could see it in their body language, and in their eyes, that they wanted this title and they came out very motivated especially in the final.

Playing overseas is always a problem when you want to catch NBA and NCAA games. Did your schedule permit you to stay up and watch history being made? It must have been early morning in Moscow when the game started so you could of watched it.

I dont have much time to watch college games or NBA games because of our schedule and because of the time difference. I would have loved to watch more of Baylor games but I just watched some of their games during their season and the final 4.

You played at Baylor from 1984-1988. You reached the NCAA tournament in 1988. At that time that had been the school’s first appearance in 38 years. What was special about that team?

It seems like a life time ago but we had a great group of guys. My 4 years there and by the time we all became seniors,we were really playing well and after 38 years we went to the NCAA tournament, It was a great achievement for us and for the school. We put Waco Texas on the basketball map

How proud are you of head coach Scott Drew? Do you feel he will get more respect after this win?

Coach Scott Drew has done a great job at Baylor. He had these guys believing that they can win a national title. He had two of the best players in college hoops there with leaders Mitchell and Butler. These guys played great as well as the rest of the team. It was a great final 4 to watch and now with 4 main players leaving, they will need to start to rebuild again but for sure with this national title, they will be able to recruit some very good players for the upcoming years.

Have you seen Coming To America 2 yet? The reviews have been mixed. Shouldn’t they just have left the original classic untouched?

I haven’t seen coming to america 2 yet. It will be a summer movie but I liked the 1st one.

Thanks Darryl for the chat.

Michele Vitali (196-G-91) is a 29 year old 196cm guard from Italy playing his first season in Germany with Brose Bamberg. He began his basketball career with La Fortezza Bologna (SerieA) and also played with teams like Pasta Reggia JuveCaserta (SerieA), Germani Basket Brescia (Serie A), Banco di Sardegna Sassari (Serie ) and MoraBanc Andorra (Spain-ACB). He also played with the Italian U-18 and U-20 teams and also has been a member of the Italian men’s national team. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the 83-69 game one loss to Ludwigsburg.

Michele thanks for talking to germanhoops.com com. Brose Bamberg lost game one 83-69. How challenging is having this 2-2-1 game format?

It’s playoff time and the best time of the season. You always have to reset and be ready.

How much has the injury to Devon Hall hurt the team? He runs the team and is the team’s MVP.

We lost the team’s best player. It is a little unlucky with his injury but that can always happen. We have to be able to play well even when he isn’t on the court. We have to do more than before and help the team make plays. If a player is ready mentally and knows what he will do, then we will be fine.

Both teams battled in the first quarter as Bamberg had the 22-18 advantage, but in the second quarter the MHP Riesen got way winning the second quarter 22-11. It seemed like Ludwigsburg did the most damage inside.

I feel that we were playing a great game and good defense, but we gave up too many offensive rebounds and second chances. We have to be ready and the second point is that we have to have the focus of grabbing the ball first and also getting the 50/50 balls.

You cut the Ludwigsburg lead down to as much as seven points in the fourth quarter, but you couldn’t get over the hump. How key was Ludwigsburg doing a good job of controlling the paint area and getting 20 offensive rebounds?

We have to be more focused on the boards. We can’t let them take so many offensive rebounds again. We have to find a way to out beat them on the rebound. We play good defense, but we have to restart and do a better job getting the defensive rebounds.

When you look back at the 40 minutes in game one what positives can you take from the game?

I thought that there were many positives things in the game. We were ready to play and never gave up. We always have to reset and we need to learn from our mistakes so we can do it better in game two.

Stealing a win in Ludwigsburg in game two will be vital. What things have to get better with the Bamberg game?

We have to be quicker in making decisions. When we slow down on offense, then they are able to react too quickly on defense. We do a good job creating open shots which then gives a good chance to get the rebound. When we are able to share the ball well then we play well.

How much fun has it been playing with talented German Christian Sengfelder? He just resigned for two more years.

He is a tough player that knows how to play the game. When all of us are on the same page, it is a lot of fun to play together. You feel blind because you know where every one is on the court. He is a great player.

What kind of an experience has it been playing with other talented German Kenneth Ogbe? He has had his problems this season but had a great performance in game one. How vital is his performance for the success of the team?

He is also a great player. One can always have ups and downs during a season. The most important thing is how you react to down moments. He is a player that has been able to adjust in down times. He has been very important for us.

Another experienced player has been Alex Ruoff. He hasn’t been able to show his game the way he knows how. How vital is his basketball IQ for the team even when he isn’t on the court?

Alex was injured for a while. It is a lot of fun playing with him. He has been very helpful with suggestions. He sees things that we players may not see on the court. The great thing with this team is that all are on the same page and help each other. We all are able to react to problems.

I love the aggressiveness of Tyler Larson. He had a tough injury this season, but is back again. How confident are you that he could be a consistent impact player now what the team needs to badly?

Tyler had a tough injury. It is never easy to come back after a long time being out, but right in his first game against Saragoza, he gave all he had and did a great job on defense and getting rebounds. A great thing about Tyler and everyone else on the team is that no one is selfish and all want to share the ball.

Your playing your first season in Germany and your second time away from your homeland Italy after also playing a season in the ACB with Andora. How would you compare the BBL with the Serie A in terms of style, competitiveness skill and players?

I really like the BBL. I’m glad I came here. When I came here I expected the league to be very physical. It is physical, but it is also a league where many tactics are played and there are so many different kind of coaches from different countries that bring a special philosophy. You always have to find different ways to win.

You have been known for being a very good three point shooter. You’re a guy that doesn’t go crazy shooting three’s. How important is your picking your spots for your success?

I think the key to shooting at a high percentage is to create a good shot. That way you have more possibilities of it going in. But it isn’t only me, but every teammate has the same focus when shooting.
Your known as being a very good shooter, but what other part of your game do you wish you would get more recognition for?

I try not only to be a shooter, but also try different things like involving my teammates. I really like to find the open man and create for my teammates.

Last season you were teammates with another great shooter David Walker. Can great shooters become good friends during a season?

Yes of course. I love being able to share things on and off the court. I enjoyed my season with David.- He isn’t only a great shooter, but a great athlete and guy. It was my first year out of Italy and it was fun being able to spend a season with him. It was also great playing against him this season. You never know if something like that will happen again.

What was the last movie that you saw?

I’m watching dynasty at a moment a series. In these tough times me and my better half have tried to find ways to be active at home. We sing and play piano and also do yoga together.

Thanks Michele for the chat.

Jeremelle Fraser is a 33 year old former 186cm professional player that currently works as a development skills trainer and coach. As a player he played with St.Thomas Aquinas (NCAA2) and New York State University – Maritime College (NCAA3). Before ehading overseas he played semi-pro ball in the States with teams like the NYC Thunder ABA,, Jersey G-force (IBL) and Westchester Dutchmen (EBA). In Europe he played with teams like Drita Gjilan (Kosovo-SuperLeague), BK Nova Hut Ostrava (Czech Republic-NBL) and Malbas Malmo (Sweden-Superettan. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

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

Hi Miles and thank you. At the moment I’m in Orlando, Florida enjoying good weather. Basketball life has been up and down obviously due to Covid and I think it’s been like this for most unfortunately.

 In our last interview several years ago, you were a former NCAA Division Three Point Guard and just played your rookie season in Kosovo. KB Drita Gjilan (Kosovo-SuperLeague) playing 7 games averaging 18.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.6spg, FT – 80.2%, 3FG – 28.7 %, 2FG – 48.6%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas ?  Also, Your story is quite different from others- taking the semi pro route and doing camps prior etc. What advice could you give to players in your shoes who may not have that attractive resume and want to pursue professional basketball ?

Yes time flies when you’re having fun ! But honestly it was a struggle and the odds we’re definitely stacked against me. I remember trying to adjust to the food and most of my teammates didn’t speak much English. There were some money problems which was frustrating but typical- I don’t know any player that played overseas who didn’t experience this . But basketball wise I learned quickly that I needed to put extra work in and study more film not only of my opponents but I’ve myself dissecting things ! My advice to players like myself is if you love the game and you’re passionate go after what you want. If you can, try to get an agent who has experience and has helped similar players with the same background successfully, get seen via exposure camps etc Hard work and some luck lol and understand the business and how things work. But most importantly BE PREPARED physically from conditioning to the Pro game itself-particularly in Europe and the style of play. As it is not the same as college.

 You then played with the Idaho Stampede (Utah Jazz D-League), only pre-season in the Fall of 2014. How was that D-League experience? 

I think it was a huge turning point for me Miles. I was the only division three player on the roster. However, guys like Jack Cooley (Notre Dame) and Kevin Murphy (Tennessee Tech) made me feel comfortable as they were pretty much the leaders and had that real NBA/D-league at that time. Head Coach Deane Cooper was a good coach and better person. Very transparent. Two things I remember from Coach Cooper. One day at the end of practice in the huddle – He said at this level we have to just play and don’t be indecisive. Also after our final preseason game the next day he had to sit down with the 5 players he was releasing. He told me he didn’t know who the hell I was at tryouts but I impressed him and that I was a PRO. I had a good understanding of the game and to keep playing. The season prior I believe he was an assistant with the Houston Rockets, Kevin McHale was the Head Coach. So that definitely gave me a lot of confidence to keep pushing. It also gave me insight for what deep down I know what would be next coaching, as I took a lot of mental notes during training camp !

 Every spring/summer you would return to the States and work at BIG APPLE SPORTS with well known NYC scout/coach TIPPY MCTERNAN. How did you develop as a player development coach and scout there ?

Well Tippy had been like a mentor to me since college. If it wasn’t for him showing me how to workout and get ready I wouldn’t have stuck. For 20 years plus Coach Tippy has helped changed lives and sent guys to school Juco, Division 1 etc All the college coaches respect him. I didn’t realize it, but he was molding me. He would have me lead workouts and coach in tournaments he put players in etc Then for our annual exposure event which is still runnning – I would help in selecting the players, connect with over 100 college coaches, and basically coach/help run the event the day. Every year during the week of the event, myself and the rest of the staff would be in Tippy´s office until 1am or 2am preparing lol- all to give kids an opportunity.

When did you know in your life that working with players and being a coach would be your calling? 

I knew this when I was a player in Europe. I would always watch the U16-20 teams of whichever club I was a part of. Then I offered to help out during the practices. Soon after, I would sign contracts to not only play but to coach the youth teams.

 Your love to play again was so big that you returned to Europe in 2017 to play with Malbas in Malmo, Sweden. Your last professional playing gig. What memories do you have of this stint and what was your fondest memories playing in Sweden ?

Sweden was definitely one of my most favorite countries to have lived in. The people were very nice and it had been a fairly smooth adjustment. My fondest memory playing were the fans. The energy and atmosphere from all the clubs were great.

 There you also worked with the U-16 and U-19 teams reaching the Final 4 in Swedish Championship games. What are the major differences with working with European kids opposed to American kids?

Yes it was a good season. I think we all got better. Especially for me as a coach. Those boys put the work in daily and I still feel that both teams were good enough to win it all ! But the major differences of working with European kids and American kids l feel is work ethic. They both have the same dreams and aspirations. But, for the euro kids it’s obviously much tougher logistically and I think they know they have to work that much harder. Most don’t grow up playing streetball, they enter a club/team at an early age with coaches who stress the fundamentals etc Why ? They are not as athletically gifted or talented as the Americans are, this is my opinion.

You have an amazing basketball development and coaching resume. It just grows and grows. What do you enjoy most about helping kids?

I have been blessed to come from the Mecca of basketball. I have notebooks full of so much valuable information. I’m grateful to have been around so many great coaches near and far. What I have enjoyed most is knowing that all the things I teach as a coach will have a direct correlation and impact on their players lives. When you coach for the right reasons, you know that it is more important to get to know “the person” rather than “the player” if that makes sense !

 You have worked with Hall of Fame Coach Bob Hurley at Hoop Group basketball camp. What important words of wisdom did you get from him ?

Make sure the players understand what it is that your teaching and how it relates to the game and make sure they do things the correct way !

 In 2019 you worked at the ZAZA PACHULIA BASKETBALL ACADEMY. What was the best experience that you could get out of this time there?

I will always appreciate ZaZa and the opportunity he gave me. ZAZA and I met believe it or not in Madison Square Garden a few days before I left to his country. He explained what was needed, expectations etc but most importantly he gave me the freedom to do things my way. In the end we won two championships (U18 and U20). We sent 2 players to top 100 camp and we got at the time the best female player in the country a full scholarship to a D1 junior college in Wyoming. I also got to work with in the summer Goga Bitadze (Pacers), Sandro Mamukelashvilli (Seton Hall) and Giorgi Bezhanishvili (Illinois)

In 2019-2020 you worked at Montverde academy in Florida as a Assistant Varsity Coach/Player Development Coach. You helped develop three McDonald’s All-Americans Plan – Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State (#3 ESPN) – Scottie Barnes, Florida State (#4 ESPN) – and Dayron Sharpe, North Carolina (#11 ESPN). What was most challenging working with these massive prospects?

For me in the beginning, it was really identifying what those guys needed from me and Coach Boyle, who I feel is a Hall of Fame Coach assisted well with that. With these players you can’t waste time and you have to know your shit. All three of them very talented and they really just needed fine tuning in certain parts of their game. The most challenging was motivating them on a daily basis to do the daily repetitive regimens which would not only prepare them for college but the Pros. They made it easy because they loved and respected the game so much !

 How do you believe Cade Cunningham profited most from your basketball wisdom?

Well I was a point guard since 5th grade, it’s the only position I played lol so all of our talks and work we put in was from that standpoint. At 6’8 with handle, jumpshot and I think his biggest strength IQ, he definitely made it easier for me ! Because of his size and again IQ Cade can also play other positions and that’s what makes him so valuable !

Who do you talk to in terms of decision making and give some credit when it comes to your professional basketball journey from a coaching standpoint ?

Tim Shea. I call him “Don Shea” lol But Tim who is originally from New York but lives in Lugo, Spain. He has been a sort of mentor for me the past few years. He is a former NBA Director of International Scout with Charlotte Bobcats, Phoenix Suns, Knicks. He also coached in the ACB (Spain) and was a part of the Nigerian National Team staff in 2012 that qualified for Olympics. I can’t thank him enough for his words of wisdom and not only basketball but life coaching. We talk pretty much daily.

 You are truly a basketball globetrotter. Where will you be next? What are your goals in the next years as a coach?

I love the game. I love to teach. I love inspiring and motivating players. I’m truly blessed at all the relationships I’ve built throughout all these years. It looks as though what’s next for me is college or the pros. It’s just a matter of timing and the right situation. I still have a lot more to learn and I hope I remain humble and stay a lifelong learner. My goals as a coach these next few years is to contribute and win a championship at the NCAA level or NBA level and again to continue to grow until I eventually get my shot as a Head Coach at one of these levels.

 Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Players:

Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Lebron James

Coaches:

Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Hubie Brown, Doc Rivers

What was the last movie that you saw

Above The Rim

Thanks Jermelle for the chat.

Jaleen Smith (193-PG-94, college: UNH) is a 26 year old 193cm guard from Freeport, Texas that is playing his fourth professional season and second with the MHP Riesen currently averaging 15,7ppg, 5,2rpg, 5,5apg and 1,8spg. Last season he played 28 games averaging 10.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.4apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 53.1%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 82,8%. In 2018-2019 he played with the MLP Academics Heidelberg (Germany-ProA) averaging 12,7ppg, 3,9rpg and 2,7apg. In his rookie season with Heidelberg he averaged 7,6ppg, 2,8rpg and 2,9apg. He had a stellar four year career with New Hampshire (NCAA) from 2013-2017 where he played a total of 120 NCAA games. He improved his scoring, rebounding and assists average each season and as a senior he played 32 games averaging 15.8ppg, 6.4rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 78.1%. He spoke to before the start of the 2021 easyCredit BBL playoffs

Jalen thanks for talking to eurobasket. Before we talk about the playoffs, I have to ask you about the ending to Munich-Ulm. Do you feel for your neighbors ratiopharm Ulm for being robbed at the end on Wade Baldwin not getting a technical foul?

I was actually talking to someone when that happened at the end of the game That was a big change in the sequence of events in the game.

This does not shine a light on the league. Do you feel like the game or fourth quarter should be replayed?

I feel that the refs and the scorers table have to know when a player has five fouls. There just wasn’t enough time to make up the game.

The 2021 playoffs are here. With what feelings are you going into these playoffs in that there won’t be a bubble?

It will definitely be different. Now we won’t be playing in a neutral site, but the fans still won’t be there. Having two home games first throughout the playoffs is huge for us. We know that we will always have two games first and then we can steal one on the road.

The MHP Riesen finished the season at 30-4. How impressive is this record truly when you think of how screwed the season was with COVID being around?

Having the kind of record that we had was impressive. All 34 games were practice games without fans, but we still had to stay mentally strong and focused. We did a good job always getting the job done no matter what.

One can’t say that you ended the season great after losing two different one point games to Bamberg and Berlin on the road. What kind of an effect did these two loses have on the mentality of the club as they head into the BBL Playoffs?

I don’t think that these two close loses affected us mentally. Our goal after we clinched against Bonn was to stay fresh, but not get anybody hurt. It was a blow to Bamberg that Devon Hall got hurt. We wanted to prevent that and just finish the regular season in rhythm.

You didn’t play in the last loss to Bamberg. How motivated are you personally to battle in this series?

When that game was played, my son was born. I remember watching the second half. I’m so motivated now and just want to get the show on the road.

You split with Bamberg this season. What kind of a series can we await?

It’s a new season. They are a really tough team. They have a lot of guys that can shoot. They have good inside out bigs and we will have to key in on them. We know what their guards do and it will be on us to stop them. If we play the way that we are supposed to then we will get the job done.

What memories do you have of battling diminutive Benet Hundt. A pest like that would fit perfectly into John Patrick’s defensive philosophy.

Yes for sure. He would help especially in the full court press. He gets a lot of calls for his feistiness. You tend to see a lot of guys who could fit Patrick’s system. You have to wonder if JP is ever thinking about that player.

How proud were you of the only 4 team turnovers in the 94-93 loss despite you not even playing in the game?

We pride ourselves on getting on the offensive glass and taking care of the ball. When we do that good things happen. A guy like Jordan Hulls does a great job handling the ball. That speaks volumes for how good we take care of the ball.

Could the two team’s guard play determine this series? What will be key to reaching the semi-finals?

I think that the guard play will determine the series. If we do a good job guarding their guards well then good things will happen. On offense we have the green light. If we can make shots and plays will be the difference in this series.

How proud are you of your ex team MLP Academics wining the Pro A title and reaching the easyCredit BBL?

I told all my teammates how excited I am for them to reach the BBL. This is Frenki’s big chance. He always wanted to coach in the first league. I will continue to root and follow their games. Reaching the BBL is a blessing and experience for them.

Who will advance in the Alba Berlin-Hamburg Towers series? Will this be a Alba Berlin sweep despite Hamburg having swept the season series?

I think that Hamburg could win a game. It all depends if they will have Kam Taylor. If he plays then they will have a good chance, if not then they could get swept.

How do you see the Oldenburg-Ulm series. Could this go 5 games?

I could see this series going 5 games. Oldenburg is experienced and have guys who have been through it all. Ulm is playing hot now. I think that if Troy Caupain had still been in the game against Munich, then they would have won. Ulm didn’t have a guy who could make plays at the end. I think that Ulm will surprise a lot of people.
Are the Crailsheim Merlins pooped? Despite FC Bayern’s slumping in the BBL, could they sweep this series?

I believe Munich will sweep them, but Crailsheim will give them one tough game. It all depends how well Trae Bell-Haynes plays. He was awesome in the first game, but in the second game he had a tougher time. I believe that Crailsheim’s coach will have them ready and give a fight.

Did Russell Westbrook lose some haters since beating Oscar Robertson’s triple double record or will the haters continue to hate until he wins a title?

I think the haters will continue to hate until he wins a title. Most Wizards teammates have said that he was the best. He is always challenging guys. It is crazy how the narrative of the media is always twisting things and making him out to be the bad guy. Guys that barely know him praise him. That speaks volumes for how he stays true to himself and not have outside noise affect him.

Where do you see the journey of the Brooklyn Nets going in the post season? Can they reach the finals?

I don’t watch a lot of NBA, but when you see the roster that they have, then they have to reach the final. It is crazy how deep they are. But in the playoffs, you need to play defense. I’m sure the first round will be easy, but in the second round there is always some team that makes it tough. It will be interesting how well they can deal with adversary.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Cheaper by the dozen.

Thanks Jaleen for the chat.

There aren’t many German players playing in the NBA, but it has grown in the last years. You have Isaac Bonga in Washington, Moritz Wagner in Orlando, Daniel Theis in Chicago, Dennis Schroeder living the glitz world in Los Angeles with the Lakers, Maxi Kleber in Dallas and Isaiah Hartenstein now in Cleveland. But there is a big difference to how these players are living in comparison to how Isaiah Hartenstein was in the Mile High city Denver recently. The young German kids in Washington and Orlando re alone while Theis and Schroeder have their families, but none of them have their father living with them. Isiah’s dad Florian has taken a break from the coaching world while still looking for that new opportunity and has accompanied his son while he continues to make new strides as a NBA player. In the summer of 2020, Florian flew down to Houston to help his son seek a new address in the NBA. Isiah signed with the Denver Nuggets and Florian was by his side in Denver. Even if Florian was a professional player for 13 seasons and has been coaching for 6 seasons, he also can boast about having another massive talent that he gave Isiah during his time in Denver that helps him be the best possible professional player off the court. Eating right is something that very athlete needs to have locked into their brain and dad Florian has aided his son with the right diet. ‘ It started last summer where I cooked on a regular basis for him and he then asked me if I could be in charge of his diet to make sure that he eats enough portions, carbs and vitamins. He really liked it in Houston. Since I did not get a new job he wanted me to come to Denver to be in charge of all of his food. I like to eat good food and so I’m in the process to leaner new and different recipes to make sure that he eats good and healthy food. I watch what and how much he eats and everything is made from scratch to make sure we know what goes into his body. There is no more ordering food for him. If he is lucky he can order once a month, but that would be it. Only home cooked food. That is way cheaper then hiring a full time cook. He really liked Bolognese, which I don’t understand. It is the easiest dish to make. He is not a picky eater. He eats what I give him. He does not have a choice’, laughed Florian Hartenstein (6’9”-C-77, college: Oregon). Florian Hartenstein is hungry for a new Coaching challenge but also content having been in charge of son Isaiah’s diet.

Let’s rewind back to November 2019 where the world in many ways was still all right as COVID-19 wasn’t born yet. However on the basketball front the coaching run for Florian Hartenstein with his club Artland Dragons came to an end. Hartenstein was born in Mainz, Germany in 1977 and began with basketball at age 12 and then made the long trek across the pond in1996 where he played a year of high school ball at Thurston in Springfield Oregon and then played at Oregon State from 1997-2001. He played under head coach Ernie Kent and was teammates with future NBA players Fred Jones and Alex Scales and as a senior saw young freshmen Luke Ridnour and Luke Jackson make their first steps in the NCAA. He then returned back to Germany and had a long professional career starting with the Giessen 46ers where he played from 2001-2009 playing a total of 227 BBL games. My fondest memory of him in a Giessen jersey was his amazing game against top Euroleague team FC Barcelona in the summer of 2008. It was an exhibition game where he took control of the game in one half and was the best player on the floor as top players Juan Navarro, Ersan Iiyasova, David Anderson and Fran Vazquez witnessed his game and took a back seat. He then played three more years in the BBL with the Artland Dragons from 2009-2012 playing 42 BBL games and 17 Eurochallenge games. He then wasted no time of making that transition from player to life after beginning his coaching career in 2012 with Artland. He quickly showed his ability to be able to coach young talented German players and help them develop. He helped lead the 2013-2014 JBBL (U-16 team) to the German national title with son Isiah who put up staggering 24/12 season stats and gobbled up the season MVP and Final 4 MVP awards. He then also coached the NBBL (U-19 team and Pro B and Pro A teams.

In November 2019 he was relived of his duties as head coach with the Artland Dragons. A few months later came the next blow with COVID-19. The last 18 months haven’t been an easy time for him. ‘Being let go was not a good experience for me, especially since it was the first time. But they say you are not a real coach until you get fired at least one time. The season was just followed by a lot of bad luck. The amount of injuries we had was crazy. We had to practice with 4-6 guys, and there were times l had to help out in practice just so we could do a drill. When you lose more games than your supposed to, then the club will look for a change. That was letting me go. At the time of the release I was pretty down. I had worked for the Artland Dragons for 10 years. 3 as a pro Player in the BBL and the rest as coach for every level from U12-U18, Regio league, JBBL,NBBL, Pro B and Pro A. It was hard to let go from something I had built for a long time. Especially the youth part hurt the most. After about a week away from the Dragons I decided to start traveling to meet new coaches and watch their practices to learn and get new Ideas. Luckily a lot of coaches let me sit and ask questions and learn. Some of the teams that I visited were Berlin, Ulm, Crailsheim, Real Madrid and a couple others. I really enjoyed that time and learned a lot in that time. With the new ideas I also wrote my own defense concept that I believe will work best for my style of coaching. So I believe that I used my off time very well to learn and make more connections’, warned Florian Hartenstein. Then COVID-19 exploded on the world while Florian Hartensetin was trying to develop further as a coach while being able to experience different coaching philosophies with different coaches and teams. Even if COVID-19 effected and wrecked havoc on the world, the German was able to take positives from it. ‘Covid -19 gave me the chance to focus on myself for the first time. As a coach my only concern was to make sure the players, teams and the club were doing good. I used a lot of my free time in the gym with players, helping them to get better. With not having a coaching job and Covid, I focused on me and spent a lot of time working out and getting in good shape. I used the time spending quality time with my grandson and the rest of my family. After Isaiah left the Houston Rockets I went to Houston and helped him to get ready for the next opportunity. So I worked out with him and took care of his diet, to make sure that his body was ready for the new Team. ‘, warned Florian Hartenstein.

It is never easy letting go when you have been with an organization so long like the Artland Dragons and experienced so much at so many different levels and won titles. Sometimes a player and coach will return back as one has seen in Frankfurt with Gordon Herbert, but sometimes simply too much happened and even if both sides left on good terms, sometimes one just has to let the past rest in peace and accept that that chapter is over. ‘I am close to most of the players I developed of the years. I am not that close to the Organization anymore since a lot has changed over the years. We separated peacefully but I am not in close contact with them anymore. With the change from the BBL to the Pro B, the organization also changed management and some sponsors. The Person that I am still real close with is Gerd Meinecke. He had the same future vision when it came to the youth program and development. He was a big part of organization for me in the first couple of years to build a good youth program. When I started with the Pro B and later Pro A I was not allowed to control the youth part and the quality went down. With the cooperation with Vechta JBBL and NBBL it sadly killed the level of talent in Quakenbrueck. With that I see no future when it comes to youth work for the Dragons. With that I see no reason for me to go back. To do good youth work you have to be dedicated to the kids and offer full support in all areas like school, travel support and developing their body. That is not given anymore in Quakenbrueck. My satisfaction comes from the development of youth players no matter girl or boy and see them become pro players at the end. At this moment I see no chance that I would work for the Dragons. The focus for the Artland Dragons is only Pro A, youth has become only a requirement to get the league license. I do not see myself there anymore’, warned Florian Hartenstein. Being able to witness so many different levels with the Artland Dragons as a coach made him better as a coach. ‘I believe that I got better every year. I basically started from scratch almost every other year. Since I never had the chance to watch other coaches or talked to them or work under a coach. I had to learn by doing. At the same time it was a lot of fun. I was lucky that I was free to really express the way I believe a youth program should be run . For the first 4-5 years the program was run the way I wanted to and we went to top 4 every year with at least one team. I am very proud that I was able to change a program that before my time everybody laughed at, to one that was competing with Alba, Bamberg and even beat Bayern for the JBBL championship. That was the best youth game I ever saw and coached! Competition between Isaiah und Richard Freundberg was great. If anybody still has the video of the game. Let me Know ( League video is not available)’, smiled Florian Hartenstein. As he focused on Isaiah in Denver that he has the right diet on a daily basis, he is also dreaming of where that next coaching job will be. ‘As a coach you always wait for the next opportunity. With Covid it is hard to find something. Teams have lower budgets and don’t want to do many changes since they don’t know what the rest of the year will bring. I don’t want to waste my time sitting and waiting, so I focus on Isaiah and try to help him. He really liked me taking care of his diet by making sure he eats all fresh stuff and the right amount to make sure he doesn’t lose muscle during the season and has all the energy his body needs for good performance. That way he can focus 100% on basketball. There are one or two other projects that I am working on that I will explore to see if I want to go those directions. It is basketball, you never know what will happen, you have to be open for new things and be ready at the same time. But I am for sure still looking for head coaching or assistant coaching jobs at a higher level. But I really enjoy the time with Isaiah so that could also be a long term situation’, added Florian Hartenstein.

Isiah Hartenstein came to the United States in 2017 after being with B.C. Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL) and was drafted at #43 by the Houston Rockets. He spent his first season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (NBA G-League) playing 40 games averaging 9.4ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.1apg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 60.7%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 69.0%. That rookie season in the United States, he already showed flashes of excellence as he scored in double figures in 18 games and had 7 double doubles. In his second season, he made the jump to the NBA with the Rockets playing 30 games averaging 1.9ppg, 1.6rpg, and also continued playing with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (NBA G League) playing 31 games averaging 20.2ppg, Reb-1 (15.0rpg), 3.5apg, 1.8bpg, FGP: 67.6%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 66.5%. He scored in double figures in 28 of 31 games and had 23 double doubles. He produced 20 or more rebounds 5 times and exploded against Texas for 42 points and 21 rebounds. He also had a triple double against Salt Lake City with 12 points, 16 boards and 11 assists. He got into the NBA door, but didn’t get a real chance to show his skills with decent minutes. In his third NBA season with Houston his minutes increased a bit from 7,6 to 11,6 as he played 23 games averaging 4.7ppg, 3.9rpg. He scored in double figures in three games including 19 points and 9 rebounds against New Orleans, 16 points and 12 boards against Denver and 17 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks against Minnesota. He also continued to get good minutes and playing time with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (NBA G League) playing 14 games averaging 24.9ppg, Reb-1 (14.8rpg), 4.2apg, 1.4spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 66.3%, 3PT: 26.1%, FT: 66.1%. He had an explosive 34 points and 19 boards against the NAZ Suns and 25 points and 21 rebounds against Austin. After three years, it was apparent that he wasn’t going to play a role with the Rockets small ball concept. He played a total of 58 NBA games and papa Hartenstein saw his son develop further in this time despite coming from Europe and having to adapt to a different style of basketball. ‘I believe one of the main things in the beginning was the speed. That is very different in the NBA than from Europa. A lot faster, less offense structure. Finding your role in the system you play for is very important. It doesn’t matter what you can do. It is about how you can fit your skills into the system’, stressed Florian Hartenstein. There is so much stuff happening on a day to day basis in the NBA off the court that one would love to be a fly on a wall. In the last years the rise of German players reaching the NBA has been high. There will always be the utmost respect for the German legend Dirk Nowitzki, but really how well are the current German players really accepted by the other non European NBA players? Guys like Dennis Schroeder, Daniel Theis and Maxi Kleber are established and respected, but what about the few others. In Isaac Bonga’s rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers, there was a scene where he slipped a few times on the floor and you could see half the Lakers bench cracking up led by superstar Lebron James. When asking dad Florian if son Isiah could form a good relationship with ex BBL player PJ Tucker who played in Bamberg in the 2011-2012 season when Isiah was 13, and if there were any interesting stories with eccentric James Harden, the elder made a rapid and direct answer. ‘I have no story for that one. You can cut this question’, stressed Florian Hartenstein. There will obviously be only be one Dirk Nowitzki and a be a huge and long gap between him and the rest of the German players.

Even if Isiah Hartenstein paid his dues with the Houston Rockets, coming to the Denver Nuggets was one that was very well thought out. ‘I believe that the move was right for Isaiah. The basketball culture is by far more a family. He is getting regular playing time. Isaiah still has to learn and Jokic is a great player to learn from. He is still in the beginning of his career and his time will come. He is happy in Denver and the goal is long term. We will see what the future will bring. But so far it has been positive’, warned Florian Hartenstein before his son’s move to the Cavs. It wasn’t easy getting good minutes with bigs like Michael and Porter Jr around. ‘As a player you always want more playing time. If you don’t you should not play basketball. He is not competing with Porter so there is no problem. Coach Malone and Isaiah talked before he signed with Denver and he told him what role he sees for him. It is a new team that also means to fight for every minute and wait for your chances to show your talent’, stressed Florian Hartenstein before his son’s move to the Cavs. One of the hardest things to observe in the NBA is how quickly guys can go from being a starter, to playing only 5 minutes to falling out of the rotation. One of these guys that has tasted this is Isaac Bonga who was a starter with the Wizards, but now is only playing very little. ‘It is really hard for a lot of players. The NBA is a league of opportunity, taken chances and being confident. That one chance can come from one game to another. You have to be on every night, no excuses. If you are a role player you have to be ready every second. If you are not, the next one is waiting behind you. It is hard but the reward is high once you make it and that is what I believe everyone wants to the NBA’, warned Florian Hartenstein. When looking at Isaiah’s game he still hasn’t been able to develop a three pointer yet, but that also has to do with the fact that he played in a system in Houston where he didn’t have to. ‘It is not that he can’t shoot the 3 pointer. He is playing the role that the team wants him to be. For now he will play more as a true 5. But he continues to work on his 3 so that he can use it in the future. If you watched the Play-off sand finals from the G league, there he showed that he has range, the time will come again where we will see him shoot more threes again’, said Florian Hartenstein before his son’s move to the Cavs.

Isaiah Hartenstein has many strengths, but one that I think is a bit off the radar is his mental toughness. That helped him survive in Houston and kept him strong with the Nuggets. Not only has dad Florian helped him in this area, but his vast experience also has aided him in having that ability to be very mentally tough when times are difficult. ‘Isaiah grew up in the basketball world. He had seen a lot of different situations in basketball. Not just from me. But he has been close with good pro players that told him them about their experience and what works and what not. He had seen the good and the bad part of basketball at an early age. He has had a clear goal since age of 14. Play in the NBA and do anything to get there and be a bigger part of it. He has the typical situation when the teacher asked him, what you want to be when you grow up. His answer, a NBA player. Teacher responded with think about getting a real job where you can make money. Now he makes more money than most of us. Getting into the NBA is one thing, being part of is what Isaiah wants. That takes time, focus and patience. I believe that the time in Kaunas really made him mentally tough and got him ready for any tough situations. You have to be mentally tough in the NBA, one day your down and the next day could be your best day. You have to be ready every day to make sure you use your chance’, warned Florian Hartenstein. In order to keep improving his game and wanting to be that house hold NBA name, the 22 year old 213 cm German big man grinded at the Nuggets training facility, but also put in extra time with his dad. ‘The last summer I focused mostly on finishing in traffic and finishing with contact. But we pretty much try to cover all areas that he needs to work on. I was not the only person that worked with him. His Agency (Beyond Athlete Managmanet) put people around him that worked him on every situation that could come at him. Big focus was all to put more muscle weight on him’, added Florian Hartenstein. It also helped when you have the best center in the NBA with Nikola Jokic. Not only did he learn about the game, from him but could also soak up some of his good character. Jokic wouldn’t have to spend any time with Hartenstein if he didn’t want to, but as a good guy and role model, he does it anyway. ‘It is still early in their relationship as a teammates. Because of Corona I can only watch the games on TV and there I can see that Jokic talks to him on what he could do better on the court. For a superstar to do that is very nice of him to help. He is the best center in the NBA and Isaiah tries to learn as much and as fast as he can from him’, stated Florian Hartenstein before his son’s move to the Cavs.

The last movie that Florian Hartenstein watched was the Little Ones with Denzel Washington. Isaiah is now in his fourth year in the United States after growing up in Germany, but he didn’t need any time to get americanized simply because he grew up in an American type household in Germany. Father and son have a lot of time to spend together not only in the gym, but also off the court. In Denever they lived in one of the more beautiful areas in the United States, but weren’t been able to explore the way that they would have liked. Because of Corona and the NBA rules, it didn’t allow them to go in public. ‘We have not done anything in Denver other than relax at home. I love the amount of sun in Denver. I was told it has the highest amount of sun of all States That is great for me since I have dogs. So I am outside a lot with my dogs’, smiled Florian Hartenstein. With so much time at home, because of COVID-19 restrictions, you would think Isaiah could have enough time to groom relationships with the other German NBA players, but that isn’t the case as he doesn’t have a special bond to anyone. ‘Not really, they all know each other. They don’t really have much time during the season. With 4 games a week your happy when you get home or to the hotel’, expressed Florian Hartenstein. So when Isaiah is in his apartment kitchen enjoying a home cooked meal, he can rib his dad about the last one on one duel they had in gym. ‘His skill level is for sure better than my skills ever were. Plus I am 43. I can keep up with is physicality. Since I was let go by the Dragons I got myself back in shape and I would say that I am in better shape now than when I was a pro player. In the post it is not fun to play against me. I might foul out but I make sure that I will leave marks. So nothing has changed from my pro time’, laughed Florian Hartenstein. Isaiah was traded To Cleveland and now will hope that three is a charm after he was unable to make the grade in Houston or Denver. In his first game, he got the starting nod logging 26 minutes and scoring 5 points, hauling down 14 rebounds and dishing out 7 dimes. Currently he is averaging 8,0ppg, 5,9rpg, 2,3apg and 1,0bpg. He scored in double figures in 6 games including 16 points and 12 boards against the San Antonio Spurs. Unfortunately a concussion has ended his season. Since Isaiah’s arrival in Cleveland, Florian has remained in Denver waiting out the expiration of the apartment contract. So father and son are separated now from the daily meals which leaves the son with more discipline of having to cook healthy meals for himself. But one thing is for sure, Isaiah won’t make fun of his dad too much about his wins in one on one, because he will always remember where that next yummy homemade meal is coming from once they are reunited again in the NBA or at home in Germany.

Mark Gordon (196-F, college: Keiser)n is a 196cm forward from Mount Dora, Florida played his rookie season for BG Dorsten (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging an incredible 31,7ppg, 9,0rpg, 3,7apg, 2,4spg and shot 45% from outside. He scored 41 points against Herten and 40 points against the Lowen. He began his basketball career with Mount Dora Christian Academy and then played 2 seasons with Daytona State College (JUCO) averaging 11.6ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 66.4% as a freshman and as a sophomore averaged 15.9ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 51.4%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 72.6%. In his junior year he got added experience at Bethune-Cookman University (NCAA) playing 27 games averaging 9.7ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 45.8%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 62.2%. He made one more change moving to Keiser University (NAIA) as a senior playing 27 games averaging 27.4ppg, 6.6rpg, 3.0apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 78.2%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball during the 20-21 season.

Thanks Mark for talking to germanhoops.com. After coming from Florida, and playing there for many schools, has basketball continued to be your best outlet the last days as gloom and a lack of sun has covered your new German home Dorsten?

Basketball will always be my best outlet no matter what

You played your last NAIA game on March 11, 2020 scoring 24 points and getting 13 rebounds in a loss to San Marian, Id. How tough was it for you personally being away from competitive basketball for 6 months. How challenging was this and what did you miss most from basketball?

Well I think the most challenging part is not playing I miss not playing it’s the biggest challenge for me

How much of a challenge was keeping in shape and working on your basketball skills during COVID-19 in 2020? Did you have an easy time with this or like other players have to find ways to do it that you normally wouldn’t have had to?

Well the coronavirus did not stop me since high school I never needed a gym to get better or to stay in shape outside courts was a big jump start to my career

How do you feel did COVID-19 make you stronger as a man?

How do I feel yes If did make me stronger realizing that it can take the game that you love away yes

What were the main reasons to begin your professional basketball career in the German Regionalliga? I am sure this is just a station before heading up the basketball ladder?

The reasoning I came conversations me and coach had were awesome he was straight up about the things he wanted me to do I have family in Germany so that would be a great start of my career and most definitely looking forward to go up that ladder

How tough is it scoring a lot and losing? In your first professional game you scored 40 points and added 10 rebounds and lost. Was it so easy or was it one of those games where your teammates did a great job finding you?

Scoring is something that I always could do I could say easy but I rather say that’s a natural thing for me and it was more of me taking over the game when we were in trouble I wouldn’t be surprised if I go for more of those kind of games that’s the type of player I am and we won that game

Usually in the Regionalliga there is one import an American and the rest Germans. Have you felt that special respect from the younger Germans? What have you learned to appreciate most form your teammates so far?

Yes the younger Germans have lots of respect for me and what I respect the good shooting my teammates have to keep all the attention off me

Let’s talk a bout your game. You’re a 196cm forward. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would bets fit the bill?

I compare my game to Lebron James with scoring passing and rebounding but most people when they see me play say Kevin Durant I also have a 7 foot 1 wingspan

You are a very good scorer, rebounder and three point shooter. What do you feel is your absolute biggest asset on the court?

Well for me the biggest I would say scoring passing rebounding like lebron James I watch him and only him for years before I watched anyone else

You have always been a consistent three point shooter. You have found that way not to overshoot but pick your spots well. How do you feel will you be able to make the next step as a shooter at the pro ranks?

I feel I can shoot the way I do on any level there is I will always take the best shot for me if I shoot it it will always be the best shot for me don’t matter if it’s a step back fade away or however I release it still will be the best shot for me I could also create my own shot as well

Obviously your offense is a big strength, but how much pride do you take on the defensive end? Is defense something that can at times propel your game when your offense isn’t on?

I take pride and defense as well I like to block shots. I rather check the best player on the opponents team I have great help defense and will stunt and get back also love turning defense to offense

On what things did you work on most this summer that will help you most in your rookie season in Germany?

One thing that I worked on the most this summer was my pull up from mid range I will be looking forward to continue to knock that down

Before turning professional, you played at 3 schools in JUCO, NCAA and NAIA. How big is the chip on your shoulder after paying your dues in JUCO, then playing a solid NCAA season and then playing NAIA? Now your in the German 4th division.

I have a huge chip on my shoulder I feel I have been overlooked and overlooked. I’m here to take on any challenge and to prove that I can play on any level there is

How big is your hunger of continuing to move up the basketball ladder? Is your feeling of never being fully appreciated on the court something you will take with you until you retire?

I have always been preparing myself for the big moment never giving up but it is hard to know your talents and being over looked. It’s either give up or keep that killer mentality that’s something a lot of players go through I’m just not the one to give up I will take that killer mentality with me until I retire never a time to relax

In the NCAA you beat Boston University and saw Max Mahoney put up 17/13 stats. He signed in the German Pro A. Does seeing this up your motivation to grind harder each day to fullfill your goals as a player?

Yes it does. It tells me to work harder.

You played 2 seasons with Daytona State College (JUCO). I often hear from JUCO players that the league was real tough, but one of the best times of their lives. How did you experience 2 years of JUCO and how do you feel did your game mature as a young player?

Those two years there were good seasons I feel I could of did much better and still believe I could of did it at any level at that time I feel I was held back and didn’t get to show much of my talents there

You then made your break through to the NCAA playing with Bethune-Cookman University (NCAA) playing 27 games averaging 9.7ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 45.8%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 62.2%. Do you feel like your game was finally respected in the NCAA?

Well I got some type of respect but at the school I was used as a catch and shoot type of player

You proved in the NCAA that you could play with anyone. What did you enjoy most about being able to play at the NCAA level?

What I enjoyed the most was the traveling

You finished your school career at Keiser University (NAIA) playing 27 games averaging 27.4ppg, 6.6rpg, 3.0apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 78.2%. How did you experience coming from the NCAA to the NAIA? How do you feel did your game grow in the NCAA?

My three point shoot grew more I. The NCAA my role was to catch a shoot

You had many incredible games, but where do the 2 exciting wins over Florida National and Warner stack up? Which one is more memorable?

Definitely Florida National

How did head coach Tae Norwood give you that last little push and help to groom and prepare you for a professional career?

Coach Tae Norwood helped me improve the mid range shoot He repeatedly told me to use the pull up jumper before practice games bus rides not only that he believed in me and let me play and use all my strengths plus he didn’t limit my options

Who won a one on one in practice you or Malcolm Mabry?

I most definitely won lol

Who was the best player that you battled in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

Not sure if he went to the NBA but I would say Markus Howard from Marquette university.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Dondre Duffus Isaiah Bailey Leon Redd Cletrell Pope Jeff COULANGES

Please construct your personal own NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present players?

Lebron James Kevin Durant Giannas James Harden. Lebron has the biggest impact and is the greatest player of all times Kd is a unstoppable 7 foot guard and is one of the best shooters and has the best mid range of all time. Giannas is another unstoppable player that will dunk almost anything in the paint. James Harden is the one of the most hardest players to guard 3 level scoring only player that can have a bad game and still have 30

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

Most definitely Lebron greatest

What was the last movie that you saw?

Waist Deep

Thanks Mark for the chat.

Tags : MARK GORDON, BG DORSTEN, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Lamonte Bearden (191-G-95, college: WKU) is a 25 year old 191cm point guard from Germantown, Wisconsin that will be playing his third professional season and first in Germany with the wiha Panthers Schwenningen. Last season he split time with Ramat Gan City Center (Israel-National League) playing 6 games averaging 13.8ppg, 4.0rpg, 5.2apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 54.8%, 3FGP: 36.4%, FT: 75.8%, in Dec.’20 moved to Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin (Israel-National League) 17,8ppg, 5,4rpg, 7,0apg, 1,3spg and shot 43% from outside. In his rookie season he played with Duzce Belediye (Turkey-TBL) playing 6 games averaging 19.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 5.5apg, 2.3spg, FGP: 54.3%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 59.3%. He began his basketball career at Germantown High School. He then played 63 NCAA games at the The University of Buffalo (NCAA) averaging: 8.3ppg, 2.8rpg, 4.4apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 41.8%, 3PT: 26.1%, FT: 74.0% as a freshman and in his second year averaged 13.7ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.2apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 76.7%. He then played 59 NCAA games at Western Kentucky University (NCAA) averaging 11.6ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.5apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 50.6%, 3PT: 32.8%, FT: 82.1% and as a senior averaged 9.2ppg, 2.4rpg, 4.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 38.6%, FT: 69.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Lamonte for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is your off season life going?

Thank you I appreciate you for doing this interview with me. I am currently in Milwaukee working out with a great group of guys at athlete performance. This off season life hasn’t been that bad considering I played in Israel this season and got to get better and experience more

You played this past season in Israel. How did you experience the whole COVID drama in Israel? What were the biggest challenges that you occurred on and off the court?

I played in Israel this past season and it had its ups and downs. There wasn’t really any big challenges besides gyms closing down and not being able to leave your home

With everything that you experienced off the court with COVID, how do you feel did COVID make you stronger as a man?

I feel COVID put me and a lot of other guys in tough positions but made me not take anything for granted. COVID made me realize that one minute basketball could be here the next minute it’s not. It gives you a chance to learn and find other things besides basketball. It also gives you new ways and ideas to workout with the limited access

Aber playing your first two seasons in Turkey and Israel, you now will play your third professional season in Germany with the wiha Panthers Schwenningen. What do you know in general about the country Germany? And it’s basketball?

I have heard nothing but good things about the country Germany. Since I was a kid if anyone said anything about professional basketball besides the NBA it was Germany or France. So I know this will be great basketball for me to get better and further my career.

Have you had any ex teammates or opponents that have played in Germany?

I know a couple of guys that have played in Germany before. Luke Fischer who I went to high school with and won a state championship together. Diante Garrett, Dwight Buycks who are also from my home town. There have been a few other guys that I know and have played with

You signed very early with the wiha Panthers. What was so appealing to join this club?

They seem like a good fit for me. They explained to me that they were trying to become a BBL team and that was a challenge that I wanted. Also the Panthers had a good point guard Nate Britt this past season. Also coach seems like he doesn’t care about anything but winning and I loved that

What kind of talks did you have with head coach Alen Velcic? What did he tell you about his basketball philosophy?

I had a good talk with coach. He talked about how he wanted me to play hard and most importantly be a leader. He told me as long as I came in and did my job we would have a good season

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 191cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

I’m not sure if I play like anyone in the NBA but if I had to throw some guys at you it would be Jrue Holiday, Dennis Schroder, Lou Williams. I like Kyrie Irving’s game.

You’re a player that fills the stat sheet with ease. What would you say is your biggest strength on the court?

My biggest strength is getting to the basket. If that’s scoring it when I get to the basket or passing it. I can shoot the jump shot but nobody can stay in front of me.

You have improved as a professional in terms of overall stats. Your rebounding and assists are up. Is it fair to say that you are a better rebounder and facilitator then when you were a senior in school?

I am working on my vision and my strength to get in there and grab rebounds every day. I think I have grown a lot since high school going through college and now my third year in Germany.

You are a pesky defender. How much pride do you take on the defensive end and can you be that impact player?

I think that I am a good defender and can be great at some times. I think my defense will always turn into my offense so I take pride on defense. Also defense wins games

On what area’s of your game will you be working on most this summer so you come best prepared for the German Pro A?

I will be working on my jump shot and strength. Knowing when the right time to shoot and certain spots to shoot at. My strength will help with everything like finishing and improving my range

Last season you: split time with roni Ramat Gan City Center (Israel-National League) and Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin (Israel-National League).This is a league where players have a lot of freedom. How do you feel did your game grow in this league?

I feel like it was good for me. Me having this freedom I feel like it let me control the game how I wanted to control it. Also having a good relationship with the coach helps those kinds of situations out when we talk about freedom.

As a rookie you played with Duzce Belediye (Turkey-TBL) playing 6 games averaging 19.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 5.5apg, 2.3spg, FGP: 54.3%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 59.3%. What was your wake up call to being overseas for the first time where you knew that you were very far away from home?
I
I think my first game I played is when I realized how far away I was from home. It is a different kind of feeling when you can get a victory with a great group of guys after a long day

You began your NCAA career at Buffalo and won the MAC tournament twice. Which title was sweeter?

I think the first one. The first one is always the best one. We had everyone there from my first year I won the championship. We had Bobby Hurley, Nate Oats, Justin Moss, Jarryn Skeete, Shannon Evans, just a great group

You played for Bobby Hurley. What kind of an experience was it learning from him and how did he help your game most?

It was great playing for Bobby Hurley. He is a player’s coach. He believes in letting his point guard run the team while he guides you. He taught me a lot in the one year that I played for him

As a freshman you played powerhouse Kentucky losing 71-52. You played against 9 future NBA players including Devin Booker who came from the bench, the Harrison twins, Willie Cauley-Stein, Karl-Anthony Towns and Tyler Ullis just to name a few. You held your own with 8 points. What do you remember from this game and really how much difference in skill level was there really?

This was a good game with a lot of good players on the court. I can remember us winning at halftime and after that they turned into a different team. This was an exciting game. There wasn’t much difference in the skill level that night besides they made more shots than we did and were a little bit taller than we were.

You then finished at Kentucky University (NCAA). What kind of a experience was it playing at this school and how did your game grow in your last two years?

It was a good experience playing at Western because it was a bit different coaching style.

How did head coach Rick Stansbury groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

Coach taught me to slow down and run my team for my last two years. I grew on and off the court learning a lot from guys like Martin Cross and Talvis Franklin on hard work on and off the court. Coach taught me how to always work hard. Everything in life I will have to work for. Everything he taught me helped me deal with other coaches or people I may not agree with in life.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Desaun Murray?

That’s funny. I’m not sure I’ll let him have it but I’m not sure if I played him in practice before

Who was the toughest player that you faced in the NCAA that went to the NBA?

Brandon Ingram

Please name your five best teammates of all-time?

Brian Bearden, Jarryn Skeete, Xavier Ford, Tyler Miller, Taveion Hollingsworth

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

I think that they are two different players. Lebron James could easily score sixty points every other night he’s just a team player. Michael Jordan is doing whatever it takes to win. He does care if the team is happy or not as long as they win. In my opinion that should be the only thing that matters so everyone should be happy

Have you seen the Coming to America sequel? It has had mixed reviews. Shouldn’t they just have left it alone?

No I haven’t seen it but I would like to see it. I think it’s always good to do something twice and if your blessed to do it again after that it’s a success.

Thanks Lamonte for the chat.

When you have been in the easyCredit BBL for the length of time that Quantez Robertson (188-G-84, college: Auburn, agency: Interperformances) has, then every now and then you meet up with guys from the past. It isn’t every weekend, but every so often as the Fraport Skyliner legend almost witnessed on the last weekend of the regular season. In a span of 48 hours, he almost played against an ex NCAA foe Murphy Holloway and two days later did battle against ex teammate Johannes Richter. In the 2008-2009 season, Quantez Robertson was a senior at Auburn while Holloway was a freshman at Mississippi. The schools split with Mississippi wining the first game 78-59 at home as Holloway added 8 points and 4 boards while Robertson had 7 points and 4 rebounds while in the return game, Auburn won at home 77-64 as Robertson supplied 7 points and Holloway mustered only 2 points. Holloway had no problems remembering Robertson noting that he remembered his braids and him being a lefty while Tez chuckled when he was confronted with the distant NCAA memory. ‘He was also left handed, but he didn’t go against me. I went against Chris Warren. I remember him being a pretty strong guy. It’s a small world and it’s great when you have the opportunity to play against guys you played against in high school or college’, stressed Quantez Robertson. Then on the last game day he dueled ex big man teammate Johannes Richter who played in Frankfurt form 2013-2016 and since has been able to call many arena’s home in Germany as he bounced from club to club with the Telekom baskets Bonn, Gotha, Wurzburg, Giessen and Hamburg. The American remembered Richter’s break out game in the Eurochallenge where he supplied 15 points and 6 rebounds off the bench and not allowing any honey for the Baaken Bears. After the victory Tez was able to catch up with the ex Bamberg player. ‘I asked him about his wife and baby, but most importantly told him to stay healthy’, said Quantez Robertson. He and the German big man shared the court for many games and also remembers how vital he was during the successful Fiba Europe Cup run in 16-17. ‘He has always been an aggressive player. It doesn’t matter if he is in practice or in a game, he always gives 110%. He was really important in our Fiba Cup run. I remember him always being aggressive in practice and helping the other big men. He pushed the big men and made sure that they played hard in practice’, stated Quantez Robertson.

It was a crazy and special 20-21 season for every team in the easyCredit BBL as each club could write a book about their experiences this season. It wasn’t any different for the Fraport Skyliners who went through seemingly unending quarantines and up and downs, but at the end of the season finished in 11th place and held their heads high. They finished the season with a two game winning streak despite having four players out. ‘I was pleased how we played the last games. We fought, played hard and never gave up no matter what the outcome was’, stressed Quantez Robertson. Despite all the drama with COVID on and off the court, winning games wasn’t easy for Frankfurt this season. They only had a three game winning streak against Vechta, Goettingen and Giessen. All in all it was a very up and down season and it is difficult to seriously rate the season with all the COVID distractions, but there were positive moments especially with a lack of a walking wounded list. ‘I thought the season was a success in that we didn’t have too many major injuries. We were able to have the whole team for the majority of the season. I also think that we would of played even better in the games before the last two game wining streak had we not had the guys in quarantine. I think we still would have been in rhythm after the Crailsheim win. We would have had the momentum from that win and carried into the next games’, expressed Quantez Robertson. Impressive was also that despite COVID, guys never hung their heads. ‘I thought it was great how we played in phases when things weren’t going well. Even when we lost games, we always played tough and stuck together no matter what’, warned Quantez Robertson. The American also had to say farewell to head coach Sebastian Gleim who is headed to Crailsheim as he made the next step. ‘Gleim was a different person than Gordie and also had a different style. It took some time getting used to, but after a while I feel like we executed what he wanted us to do. Even if he didn’t have much success with us, I still think that he had two great years. I believe that he will have success in Crailsheim. He is a great coach’, warned Quantez Robertson.

Every season Quantez Robertson who most likely will visit Chic-Fill-A when he touches down at home plays with new teammates and sees how they develop further and it wasn’t any different this season. One player that had a very solid rookie season was ex Davidson (NCAA) guard Jon Axel Gudmundsson from Iceland. He averaged 12,2ppg, 3,1rpg and 3,5apg and shot 35% from outside. He scored in double figures in 22 games including 25 points against medi Bayreuth and 24 points against the Hamburg Towers. Of course he had his ups and downs, but overall was an important scoring option. Even if top team scorer Matt Mobley took the most shots, at times it felt like the Icelandic player was taking too many shots, but he had had total freedom from head coach Sebastian Gleim. ‘For him scoring was what coach expected from him. He was our spark plug from the bench and when he started. He did over dribble at times, but he also made plays. Coach had no problems with that’, stressed Quantez Robertson. It will be interesting to see what his next step will be. Recently after a game he was seen smiling during a conversation with EWE Baskets Oldenburg head coach Mladen Drijencic. ‘I think like Jon could fit into the Oldenburg system. They like guards who can shoot and attack the rim’, added Quantez Robertson. Another player who made a massive jump in his career was Rasheed Moore. Three years ago the Philadelphia native was balling in the Regionalliga and was as far away from the easyCredit BBL as the JobStairs Giessen 46ers are from wining a BBL title in the near future. He has been one of very few that have made the slow jump from the Regionalliga to the easyCredit BBL via the Pro B and Pro A. In his first season in the BBL, he averaged 11,2ppg, 4,0rpg and 1,3apg and shot 37% from outside. He scored in double figures in 20 games and had 23 points against Wurzburg twice and 22 points against Brose Bamberg. He also had his ups and downs, but finished the season strong scoring in double figures in his last four games. ‘Rasheed is a tough guy. He always plays with balls to the wall. He always gives his all whether if it’s in practice or in games. But we expected that from him. He was one of our leading scorers on the team. He had a very good first season in the BBL. It would be great to have him back’, stated Quantez Robertson.

The young Fraport Skyliners players profited the last weeks as Michael Kessens, Len Schoorman and Bruno Vrcic were in quarantine and Matt Mobley and Konstantin Konga were out, head coach Sebastian Gleim had to juggle the roster bringing guys like Leon Pullen and Philipp Hadenfeldt from their Pro B farm team. Other guys like Alvin Onyia and Maxi Begue had been with the BBL team all season long. In Begue’s first three games, he averaged only 3 minutes per game, but in his last 6 games in the last three weeks, he averaged 16 minutes per game. Quantez Robertson had commented recently that Begue still has to balance when to play fast and when to slow down, but overall was impressed of how he played the last weeks. ‘He did a great job with the time that he was given. He played in games just like he did in practice always played hard. He made mistakes, but we all do. He felt more and more comfortable with the more time he got’, commented Quantez Robertson. Another young German who made huge strides was ex FC Bayern Munich guard Bruno Vrcic who only two years ago was the NBBL finals MVP and now has become a solid BBL role player. He averaged 6,1ppg and 1,4rpg and was easily the team most improved player. ‘I would agree that he was the most improved player. Last season he was barely on the floor and this season he was a key guy off the bench that could score. He is a big spark when he is making shots. He makes our jobs easier when he is standing in the corner and we want to attack the rim. He already got minutes in the bubble last season and he always got more and more comfortable with us’, stressed Quantez Robertson. He scored in double figures in three games including 18 points against Hamburg and 16 points against Crailsheim.

For Quantez Robertson who sees NBA Mr triple double Russell Westbrook as a top 10 player has witnessed another season is in the books as he completed his 12th professional season with the Fraport Skyliners. He averaged 10,1ppg, 4,4rpg, 3,1apg and 1,7spg. On paper, he had another solid Tez season, but the Skyliner legend is his own hardest critic. ‘My game could have been better. I didn’t shoot the ball as well as I should of. Sometimes things don’t go as planned’, warned Quantez Robertson. But the Cincinnati native who now resides in Alabama didn’t check his stats well enough as it was his best outside shooting year since 2015-2016. ‘I was locked in this year and just tried to stay as aggressive as possible. I took open shots and tried to pass up as few as possible’, said Quantez Robertson. His bread and butter has been his defense since his standout days at Auburn (NCAA) and for many could have been an NBA player just with his defensive qualities and he continues to defend with a passion. ‘It’s still fun to play defense. I love having guys pass up a ball or take a tough shot. I love making guys make mistakes’, expressed Quantez Robertson. This summer he will continue to grind in the lab as he wants to continue to age well on the court. ‘I will work on all parts of my game and continue to try to get better. I also will run and stay in shape so when I come back to Frankfurt, my condition is good’, said Quantez Robertson. His two year contract extension was announced yesterday as he will remain with the Fraport Skyliners until 2023 when he will be 38 years old. He has two wishes when he comes back to Frankfurt. ‘I want to stay healthy and win another title in Frankfurt’, warned Quantez Robertson. These could be the last two years and then possibly come retirement. But then again as long as Mr Oldenburg Rickey Paulding keeps playing then there is a good chance that Robertson will also. That won’t bother anyone in Oldenburg or Frankfurt.

COVID-19 has been a massive problem in the German basketball world as it has sent clubs into quarantine, cancelled teams season abruptly after they were trying to make a run in the playoffs and in general just made the season and unpredictable and not enjoyable time.  It wasn´t any different for the Fraport Skyliners who had began a new winning streak in early April after a convincing win against playoff team Hakro Merlins only to see some players test positive soon after which led to a two week quarantine. Lucky for the Fraport Skyliners that they had secured themselves a spot out of the danger places at the end. The two week break didn´t help their fitness or game as they came back to play and were rusty suffering a five game losing streak where they were playing with four farm team players plus their top scorer Matt Mobley was also out. The club finally exited their losing streak and woes and struck s.Oliver Wurzburg hard on the road whipping them badly 95-66  48 hours ago as they got super performances from Skyliner lifer Quantez Robertson and ex wiha Panther forward Rasheed Moore who combined for 45 points. The 2016 Fiba Europe Cup winner wanted to end the season on a positive note as they welcomed playoff team Hamburg Towers for a last regular season game clash. Many may have thought that the Frankfurt crushing defeat over s.Oliver Wurzburg may have taken all of their energy, but they arrived back into their living room wanting to close out the season on a high note and did letting it rain three´s as they nailed 15 shots from the parking lot disposing of the Hamburg Towers 96-89 giving head coach Sebastian Gleim his last win as he will coach the Hakro Merlins next season. Even if Hamburg lost the last regular season game head coach Pedro Calles was rather calm as he knew that the club still had 11 days to get ready for their showdown with Alba Berlin in the playoffs. “Congrats to Frankfurt for the win. We didn´t do a good job on pick and roll defense letting them get the shots that they wanted. We also didn´t do a good job defending in the low post giving up too many points. We will recover in time for the playoffs”. After the win Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson reflected on the huge win. “We have played well the last two games and moved the ball well. Even if we were tired a lot, we always fought no matter what. The last seven games felt like the last seven days. I felt that we rebounded the ball well and even if not everything was going right for us in the first half, we stuck together and fought to the end”. The Hamburg Towers didn´t have it easy being without their two best players Maik Kalev- Kotsar and Kameron Taylor and the organization and overall play was missing a bit from their offense. “We didn´t have the necessary energy today. Frankfurt had a very good rhythm from the start. They played with a lot of self-confidence. We made a push near the end, but it just wasn´t enough”, stressed Hamburg Towers guard Bryce Taylor.

               The Fraport Skyliners continued to have a walking wounded list as Matt Mobley and Konstantin Konga were out while Len Schoormann and Michael Kessens also were out because of COVID. Both teams didn’t have their normal starting lineups. Frankfurt got the early advantage with a bucket form ex Miami (NCAA) center Kamari Murphy, but Hamburg rapidly got the lead from ex Lacrosse player Patrick Spencer who was aggressive in the open floor and scored twice on transition giving the guests the 4-3 lead. The Fraport Skyliners then got the energy spark they needed from the bench as ex Davidison (NCAA) standout Jon Axel Gudmundsson scored five quick points for the 8-4 lead. You always have to guard him closely, because he will beat you on the drive and from outside as he demonstrated with a lay in and three pointer. His energy sparked his teammates as ex FC Bayern Munich guard Bruno Vrcic who came into the game shooting 31% from outside nailed two trey’s for the 16-7 lead. Hamburg couldn’t hit the side of a barn door as they were 0/6 and could only get baskets inside. Ex University of California – Davis (NCAA) guard TJ Shorts who may be only 175cm tall, but he can get to the hoop quicker than most in the easyCredit BBL scored two baskets and ex Richmond (NCAA) forward Terry Allen made a lay in on transition as Hamburg found a little fire at the end going on a 8-4 run to cut Frankfurt’s lead to 20-15 after 10 minutes. ‘Gudmundsson got us going making tough shots. He lit that fire that helped us get going’, said Quantez Robertson.

The Fraport Skyliners led by as much as 14 points in the second quarter, but allowed the Hamburg Towers on a run in the second half of the quarter allowing them to creep back into the game and trail only by seven points at the break. Both teams found their scoring touch early as Hamburg got key help from German 22 year old Osario Rich with a lay in on transition that Frankfurt didn´t combat well at all and got further baskets inside as their three´s didn´t fall from Allen and ex Coastal Carolina College (NCAA) forward Zac Cuthbertson. Frankfurt received a three pointer from ex wiha Panthers forward Rasheed Moore who was all alone in the corner and Murphy took advantage of a mismatch netting a hook shot as Frankfurt had the slim 25-21 lead. The Fraport Skyliners then took control of the game again cruising out on a 18-7 run to extend their lead to 43-28. In the run Frankfurt continued to get impressive support from Bruno Vrcic who contributed 8 points with a three and five free throws. Gudmundsson also remained very aggressive hitting a trey and a lay in. He never hesitates when he is outside. If he sees he has room, he fires away right away  something the world has seen with ex Davidson(NCAA) legend Steph Curry for more than 10 years. Robertson also got a bucket making a great play on a Vrcic airball and reading exactly where it would land and making the easy basket. “I didn´t know that would be an airball when he released it. I just played the shot and was at the right place at the right time. After the play, I told him great pass”, smiled Quantez Robertson. Frankfurt was moving the ball well and not allowing Hamburg to get into their plays as they continued to be cold from outside. Ex Northwestern(NCAA) player Pat Spencer had made the team´s first three at the 5,55 mark. But basketball wouldn´t be basketball without it being a game of runs as the Hamburg Towers didn´t allow the game to slip away going into half-time with a 11-3 run to trail only 46-39. In the run, it was ex Fraport Skyliner center Johannes Richter who made his break through in 2015 in an international game against Danish team Baaken Bears scored six points inside giving Hamburg some more confidence and momentum going into the third quarter. “We weren´t aggressive in their run and didn´t execute. They put more defensive pressure on us and couldn´t get open shots”, stated Quantez Robertson.

              

Quantez   Robertson from down town       

  Both clubs went on runs, but at the end of the third quarter the Fraport Skyliners still had a double digit lead. The Hamburg Towers took that momentum from their second quarter ending run and went on a commanding 12-6 run to cut Frankfurt´s advantage down to 54-51. In the run the Hamburg Towers were led by TJ Shorts who last season as a rookie played with BK Ventspils scored 8 points. Shorts game lives with the drive and mid range as he is shooting only 26% from outside as he excelled from those areas. “Shorts is really quick in the open court. He is quick on the pick and roll and can get to the rim well.  His teammates fed off his energy”, added Quantez Robertson.  Rich also scored as did ex Alba Berlin guard Bryce Taylor. Frankfurt had no remedy how to stop Shorts and got a bit sloppy on offense coughing up the ball and taking hurried shots. After a Frankfurt time out, the players came out inspired and shot back with a 12-2 run to extend their lead to 66-53. In the run Frankfurt connected very well from outside as Quantez Robertson hit back to back three´s. He has shot the ball really well in three of the last five games against Ludwigsburg, Bonn and Wurzburg and it wasn´t any different against Hamburg as he finished shooting 60% from the parking lot. Gudmundsson also continued his hot outside shooting with a trey and shot 57% from outside. Frankfurt closed out the third quarter strong getting five more points from Gudmundsson and a jumper from Rasheed Moore while Hamburg got consistent production from Terry Allen who had five points including a tip in dunk, but Frankfurt led 73-62 after three quarters. “We remained aggressive and attacked the rim well. We made the easy plays and hit three´s. Moore, Vrcic and Gudmundsson all hit big shots”, said Quantez Robertson. “Shorts is a guy that can create for himself and others. He is at his best when he can play his style”, stressed Bryce Taylor.            

The Fraport Skyliners continued to have control of the game in the fourth quarter leading by as much as 15 points, but a late surge by the Hamburg Towers where they cut Frankfurt´s lead down to four points wasn´t enough as Frankfurt could close out the game with supreme shooting. Hamburg found some instant energy off the bat getting a Rich lay in and trey from Allen to cut Frankfurt´s advantage down to 73-67, but Frankfurt then erupted out on a 12-3 run to take the 85-70 lead as their hot shooting was too much for Hamburg. In the run they got clutch three´s from Vrcic and Moore and free throws from Robertson and Murphy. Hamburg also had extreme difficulty stopping the Frankfurt drive as their one on one defense was nonexistent. Hamburg wasn´t able to find an offensive rhythm as they had two turnovers during the run. The Hamburg made one late run going on a 14-3 run to cut Frankfurt´s lead down to 88-84. In the run, Hamburg did everything inside as it seemed like they were too shy or afraid to attempt any more three´s. Shorts and Rich scored on lay ins while Cuthbertson lifted Hamburg with 7 points including a three pointer. Young 20 year old German Justus Hollatz also made a massive two handed dunk with Quantez Robertson on his back door. “I saw a couple highlight videos of Hollatz. He is a young athletic player thar attacks the rim well. If he keeps it up, he will be going places”, warned Quantez Robertson. Frankfurt didn´t allow Hamburg to do anymore damage closing on the game strong with hot shooting getting three´s from Moore and Robertson and a jumper from Gudmundsson. “We weren´t comfortable with our lead. We stayed aggressive and made sure that we took open shots and didn´t overpass”, stressed Quantez Robertson. “Frankfurt is a solid defensive team and did a good job running guys off the three point line. We have to do a better job creating better shots for our shooters”, warned Bryce Taylor. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Jon Axel Gudmundsson with 24 points. Rasheed Moore produced 19 points and Bruno Vrcic and Quantez Robertson added 18 points a piece while the Hamburg Towers were led by TJ Shorts and Tery Allen with 17 points a piece while Zac Cuthbertson had 14 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 52% from the field and 54% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Hamburg Towers shot 51% from the field and 26% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 6 turnovers