James Robinson is a 26 year old 190cm guard from Mitchellville, Maryland that is playing his fifth professional season and first with the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig. Last season he played with medi Bayreuth (Germany-BBL) playing 21 games averaging 10.3ppg, 2.0rpg, 4.6apg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 37.7%, FT: 92.6%; and played 14 FIBA Europe Cup games averaging 6.2ppg, 2.0rpg, 5.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 37.1%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 85.3%. In the 2018-2019 season he played with Bnei Hertzeliya (Israel-Winner League): playing 24 games averaging 9.2ppg, 3.2rpg, 3.2apg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 25.3%, FT: 76.9%. In the 2017-2018 season he had his first tour of duty with medi Bayreuth (Germany-BBL) playing 38 games averaging 9.4ppg, 2.2rpg, 3.5apg, FGP: 47.3%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 84.9%; and played 17 BCL games averaging 10.2ppg, 2.6rpg, 3.1apg, FGP: 47.6%, 3PT: 42.2%, FT: 74.4%. He played his rookie season with BC Igokea Aleksandrovac (Bosnia-Division I) helping them win the cup playing 16 games averaging 15.1ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 61.1%, 3PT-2 (48.8%), FT: 75.8%; He also played in the Adriatic League playing 24 games averaging 12.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 32.9%, FT: 86.3%. Before turning professional he played at Pittsburgh (NCAA) from 2012-2016 playing a total of 137 games and as a senior played 33 games averaging 10.2ppg, 3.2rpg, 5.0apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 40.4%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 75.8%. He spoke to egermanhoops.com after the tough 103-98 OT loss in Frankfurt against the Fraport Skyliners. 

A tough 103-98 OT loss against the Fraport Skyliners. Pete Strobl looked very down after this loss which is expected. What were the main reasons for the loss?

Honestly we didn’t play that bad. It came down to missed free throws and they made the big plays. We were in position to win, but couldn’t pull it out. It was tough losing, but we can’t look back and have to learn on the fly and get ready for Bonn on Tuesday.

It was one of those games where the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig had to play catch up all night long. What do you feel did the team gain from getting some added experience about never giving up?


I felt the way that we fought was a very good sign. We fought the whole game. We have a team of fighters. No mater who we play, we always feel like we can win. We just weren’t able to close out the game. We will grow from this experience and be better against Bonn. 

Braunschweig was down 84-77 with 3,09 to play. How confident were you at that moment that you would come back?

We were confident we could win. We knew the time and score. We didn’t want the score to dictate us. We remained focused and knew that we had enough time left. 

You raved about Lukas Meissner in the last interview. Please talk a bit how well German Gavin Schilling has developed. He had many good scenes in the paint all night long?

Gavin is a crazy athlete. He works really hard at both ends of the court. He is our motor. He has done a really good job stepping into his role this season. I liked his huge 50/50 ball he got in the first half. It is good to see his progression and he has improved a lot already this season. We know that he is capable of giving us even more. 

You hit a huge three to force OT. Fraport Skyliner Rasheed Moore said after the game that great players make great shots. As a good playmaker is it sometimes tough to take the shot when you have a lethal scorer like Bryon Allen?

Not really. Bryon did a good job driving to the basket and then kicked it out to be and I knocked down the shot. It was a routine play. If it was the other way around then he would of shot. All eyes are on him, because he is a good scorer. He is more than a willing and capable passer.

You always look so comfortable and so at ease taking big shots. At times it reminds me of Kam Taylor. Has some of his coolness rubbed off on you over the years?


I would like to say yes. Kam’s demenor is laid back. Neither of us ever gets too high or down in tough situations. That is a shout out to our upbringing. He always stays level headed. If there is a shot to be taken, we aren’t scared to take it. 

My friend colleague and basketball expert Manuel Schust who wrote the book 111 Gründe Die FRAPORT SKYLINERS zu lieben told me during the game a club like the Fraport Skyliners could use you. Is that another good example of how your sound game can fit to many systems?

I think so. I feel like I’m a pretty well rounded player. I rely a lot on my IQ. I do my best to help make my teammates better and get the most out of my teammates to have success. I feel that I can play for any coach, team or organization at any level. That is a big time compliment coming from your friend. 

Luc Van Slooten hit a rare bank shot from the corner. I had to rub my eyes after that. How often have you seen a shot like that before?

I saw that shot one time before. He did it earlier in the season on a buzzer beater in front of our bench. It is his thing to hit the awkwardly good shots. Luc is super talented and is doing a good job finding his way. It is interesting how he is able to hit these type of three pointers. 

Both teams allowed a lot of points. What do you believe did the team do well and what were things that continued to hurt you during the games?

When a game goes into OT, then it will be more high scoring. I felt like both teams did a good job switching on screens and playing the mismatches. I felt like we played solid defense. Frankfurt did go on some runs and Mobley got hot where we suffered some break downs. They hit some tough shots which decided the game. We didn’t play great defense, but didn’t play terrible defense either. 

You don’t have much time to recover and await the Telekom Baskets Bonn at home on Tuesday. They are a talented team that seem to be coming around now. What will be key for the win?


We have to all be on the same page. We need a quick turn around and have to be sure to lock in mentally more than physically. We have to focus on ourselves and execute our offense and play good defense. If we can do that then we will be ok. 

You had a fine performance against Frankfurt with 16 points and 8 assists. Jon Axel Gudmundsson ate rein deer and Matt Mobley a pizza for Christmas. What X-mas dish did you have?

Well we were in the hotel. We were fortunate to have good hotel food. It didn’t rub off on me. As a professional I know what I need to do be successful.

The Golden State Warriors have started very slow. Will they escape this funk?

I think that it all depends on their injuries. With Thompson and Greene out you have to major staples out. They played in a tough environment on Christmas day. I think that James Wiseman played well. He should be a bright spot this season. Once they get more healthy and find their rhythm then they will be ok.

What basketball New year resolutions do you have?

Staying as healthy as possible is always the #1 thing when you play sports. I also want to keep getting better as a player and help my teammates get better.

Thanks James for the chat.

It is never easy playing games during the X-Mas holidays, but when your playing in Europe, that is part of the norm. The Basketball Lowen Braunschweig had a week to recover from their disappointing 108-75 loss against explosive team HAKRO Merlins where the raining of three´s kept a consistent trend all day long from Elias Lasisi and co. On the other hand the Fraport Skyliners only had 4 days to recover also from a loss to Crailsheim, but at least they had had their chances to win the game. But they just couldn´t control their up and down spurts throughout the game and couldn´t withstand the fourth quarter Merlins knock out punch where German sniper Maurice Stuckey demonstrated that he is always good for a shooting clinic. A day after Christmas and digested dinners, the Fraport Skyliners met the talented Basketball Lowen Braunschweig and thanks to a shooting clinic from Matt Mobley who didn´t have anything eccentric like Jon Axel Gudmundsson who ate Rein deer for Christmas, but kept it a bit odd with a Christmas Pizza erupted for 31 points and three massive three´s in overtime to spark the Fraport Skyliners to a 103-98 victory. He didn´t match his career best of 35 points in Turkey, but got over that 29 points hurdle.” I thought I might never get past 29 points, but then I got to the free throw line and did. I didn´t get frustrated after a few misses. My teammates did a good job putting me in good situations to score. I just played my role”, stressed ex St Bonaventure(NCAA) stand out Matt Mobley. The Fraport Skyliners offense is slowly beginning to gel, but the club still haven´t been able to put it together at both ends of the court. “We are happy about the win. We dedicate the win to the fans. It was a tough game. Our offense played well. There were too many times when we tried to get away on offense, but couldn´t due to our defense. We need to get more experience and defend better as a team. We want to put our good defense against Carilsheim and good offense against Braunschweig together”, stressed Fraport Skyliners head coach Sebastian Gleim. The Basketball Lowen played an inspired game, but in overtime just couldn´t keep Matt Mobley in check. “We knew this would be a tough game. We played hard and tried to move the ball well, but it all just wasn´t enough tonight. We are a young team and need to learn from our mistakes”, stressed Basketball Lowen Braunschweig head coach Pete Strobl.

                The Fraport Skyliners came out on fire on offense hitting their first 4 shots executing well in the paint. Ex Auburn(NCAA) great Quantez Robertson scored in the first 5 seconds with a lay in, ex wiha Panthers Schwenningen forward Rasheed Moore went coast to coast with the lay in, ex Davidson)NCAA) guard Jon Axel Gudmundsson nailed a 10 footer and ex Vechta center Michael Kessens scored on the pick and role. Braunschweig also got their offense going getting a lay in from ex Munich guard Karim Jallow and ex medi Bayreuth forward Lukas Meissner scored a trey as Frankfurt had the 8-5 lead. Frankfurt had some serious early foul problems which led to them losing the lead. Quantez Robertson was hit really hard with 2 fouls in 15 seconds which led to another Meissner trey and 12-8 Braunschweig advantage. Frankfurt then got 4 consecutive free throws from ex Miami(NCAA) center Kamari Murphy to dead lock the contest at 12-12. Braunschweig continued to win the lead back getting back to back lay ins from Jallow and Meissner who showcased his fine inside out game early. Gudmundsson tied the game at 16-16 with free throws and a lay in. Moore really stepped it up in the last minute picking his spots well and hitting two 3 pointers in a row. He hadn´t played since the Crailsheim game 96 hours earlier as he had suffered severe back pain and couldn´t practice the days leading up to this game, but the Skyliners medical staff had put him together perfect for the game. Moore finished with 16 points and continues to demonstrate that his rare amazing climb from the German fourth division to the BBL was no fluke. “It has been an adjustment in the BBL playing against top scale athletes. I think that the BBL games and practices have helped. I feel good. I am now where I wanted to be 4 years ago. It is nice to see that hard work pays off”, stressed Rasheed Moore. German top talent Luc Van Slooten ended the first quarter with a buzzer beater trey as the game was dead locked 22-22.

                In the second quarter the offenses continued to shine as the defenses took a break. The Fraport Skyliners offense got even better and allowed them to lead by as much as 10 points, but their defense continued to let them down allowing the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig to rally and come back. The Fraport Skyliners wasted no time to begin the second frame escaping out on a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 31-22. In the run the 2016 FIBA Europe Cup winner got solid support from many sides as Rasheed Moore continued to show his efficiency with a runner while Mobley also executed on a runner and free throw, but the story belonged to German veteran Marco Voeller. Voeller who isn´t the most talented on the team, but there isn´t another guy that works harder scored two buckets including a massive two handed dunk and a beautiful offensive rebound and put back where he allowed his physicality to take total control in the paint. It seemed like this could have been the time where Frankfurt would totally break away, but Braunschweig had other plans not giving up. They fought back getting a rapid 4-0 run getting a fade away jumper from Robinson and Meissner killed Frankfurt on one of many back door cuts on the day as Frankfurt only led 31-26. Frankfurt then got a quick 5-0 run as Gudmundsson nailed a long three from at least 8,5 meters and Voeller made free throws for the once again seemingly comfortable 36-26 advantage. “We don´t practice those long three´s by Jon and Matt in practice. It is nice to see that they can do things in games that we don´t practice in practices”, smiled Sebastian Gleim. But there was Braunschweig roaring right back going on a 8-2 run to cut Frankfurt´s lead to 36-34. In the run, the guests allowed it to rain three´s getting two from Van Slooten who hit a very rare bank shot from the corner and ex George Mason(NCAA) guard Bryon Allen also delivered from down town. Frankfurt held the slim lead down the stretch and Braunschweig stayed in the game with three consecutive Jallow buckets as he made a tip in, one hand dunk and reverse lay up as Frankfurt led only 42-40. The Jallow show would continue in the last minute as Frankfurt couldn´t keep him under control. Despite a Mobley trey, Jallow struck back with a three pointer and lay in on the back door as Braunschwieg trailed 47-45 at the break. Both teams had almost allowed 100 points combined at the break. It was obvious that the defensive end is still a work in progress. “Each team in the BBL have their specialties. Braunschwieg is one of those teams that likes to have 4-5 guys pushing the ball in transition. We gave up way too many transition baskets. That has to get better”, stressed Sebastian Gleim.

                In the third quarter the Fraport skyliners kept the lead, but couldn´t break away. Somehow the Basketball Lowen were able to hang around. Mobley continued to be a one man wrecking crew supplying 7 points in the first few minutes. He nailed a trey and twice was fouled behind the three point line connecting on four of six free throws. Braunschweig got some huge baskets and Jallow demonstrated that he will always be able to create his own shot scoring inside while James Robinson showed the calmness of his buddy Kameron Taylor dropping a three, but Braunschwieg still trailed 56-50. Braunschweig just continued to chip away going on a 6-2 run to trail only 58-56 as Robinson, Jallow and Meissner continued to be the team´s  most consistent performers scoring easy baskets. Braunschweig just couldn´t find some healthy consistency on the defensive end always allowing Frankfurt to get points on the set play with a Mobley trey or a transition basket as Gudmundsson fed Murphy for the perfect alley-oop slam dunk as Frankfurt tried to break free again leading 63-59. A Robertson pull up jumper and Gudmundsson three pointer gave Frankfurt the 68-61 lead. Frankfurt displayed their finest ball movement of the game on the Gudmundsson three as 6-7 players touched the ball. Frankfurt kept the lead, but Braunschweig´s prolific sniper Bryon Allen scored three clutch shots in the last few minutes to keep Braunschweig very close as they trailed only 73-70 after 30 minutes. “The third quarter was built for uns. We had our ups and downs. It was one of those games where neither team could get stops. You just got to keep going”, stressed Rasheed Moore.

                In the fourth quarter both teams took a break from the consistent scoring as only 26 points were scored between the two clubs while in the third quarter they had doubled that output. The Fraport Skyliners always seemed like they were in the drivers seat and would walk away with win leading by as much as 7 points, but the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig hung in there, fought and forced a overtime. Karim Jallow who has made an amazing development in Braunschweig like no other young German in the easyCredit BBL proved again that his three point shot has become a reliable one dead locking the game at 73-73. Frankfurt were more awake on defense as Quantez Robertson leaped into a passing lane made a steal and supplied Kessens for the easy two handed transition stuff. Frankfurt made another stop and then it was Rasheed Moore again coming in the clutch and making a big hook shot for the 77-74 lead. Moore continues to be that reliable hard worker that has established a fine inside/out game. Frankfurt also had been without their scorer Jon Axel Gudmundsson who had suffered a cut and had to be stitched back up in the locker room and never returned to the court. Frankfurt then got to the free throw line twice as Moore connected as did ex Ludwisgburg guard Konstantin Konga for the 81-75 advantage. Once again Frankfurt was attempting to pull away, but Braunschweig always had an answer and continued to hurt Frankfurt in the paint as German big man Gavin Schilling who finished with 12 points and 9 boards used his physicality to his advantage and muscled home a basket to trail only 81-77. Frankfurt then had the next knock out punch flying as Konga nailed a trey and Allen followed with an airball with 3,09 minutes to play as Frankfurt led comfortably 84-77. But Frankfurt just were unable to close out the game allowing the guests on a nasty 7-0 run to tie the game at 84-84 with 29 seconds to play. In the run, Schilling executed again with a tip in, Allen made a lay in and Robinson dropped a clutch trey. “Robinson is a great player. Great players make great shots. We wanted to win, but they didn´t go away. We were just trying to make plays”, said Rasheed Moore.  Frankfurt had one more chance, but Moore coughed up the ball. He erased his mistake guarding Jallow aggressively on the final shot as it didn´t fall. “I made up for my turnover. I knew that I had to cut off the baseline and force Jallow to take a bad shot”, commented Rasheed Moore.

                In the overtime period, Matt Mobley took over letting it rain three´s pacing the Fraport Skyliners to the win. Mobley hit two three´s early, but that didn´t shake Braunschweig as Meissner connected from the parking lot and Schilling made a lay in as Braunschweig trailed only 92-91 with 1,37 to play. Frankfurt then suddenly slammed the door shut on Braunschweig as they went on a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 99-91. Mobley hit another huge trey, Moore made a hard two handed dunk on the fast break and Joe Rahon made a lay in. “I always had a good feeling we would win. Mobley obviously was a big factor, but we got important support from Moore, Rahon and other players”, stressed Sebastian Gleim. Mobley had the hot hand all night long and in the overtime Braunschweig was unable to key in on him better. “At the end of the game the talent of a player like Mobley goes up. Our defense wasn´t always where it should have been, but he did make some tough shots. Plus we didn´t make our free throws”, said Pete Strobl. ”We ran the same play three times. I was surprised they didn´t cover me better”, added Matt Mobley.  Despite late three´s by Robinson and Allen, it was just garbage points as Robertson and Mobley had made their free throws. “Matt is a special player. When he is hot, he is tough to guard. He was in a groove. We have full confidence that he will make his shots”, expressed Rasheed Moore. The Fraport Skyliners had five players in double figures led by Matt Mobley with 31 points. Rasheed Moore supplied 16 points, Jon Axel Gudmundsson 13 points, Kamari Murphy 11 points and Konstantin Konga 10 points while the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig were led by Karinm Jallow with 23 points. Bryon Allen added 21 points and Lukas Miessner 18 points. Th e Fraport Skyliners shot 49% from the field and 41% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig shot 50% form the field and 45% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

James Robinson is a 26 year old 190cm guard from Mitchellville, Maryland that is playing his fifth professional season and first with the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig. Last season he played with medi Bayreuth (Germany-BBL) playing 21 games averaging 10.3ppg, 2.0rpg, 4.6apg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 37.7%, FT: 92.6%; and played 14 FIBA Europe Cup games averaging 6.2ppg, 2.0rpg, 5.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 37.1%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 85.3%. In the 2018-2019 season he played with Bnei Hertzeliya (Israel-Winner League): playing 24 games averaging 9.2ppg, 3.2rpg, 3.2apg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 25.3%, FT: 76.9%. In the 2017-2018 season he had his first tour of duty with medi Bayreuth (Germany-BBL) playing 38 games averaging 9.4ppg, 2.2rpg, 3.5apg, FGP: 47.3%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 84.9%; and played 17 BCL games averaging 10.2ppg, 2.6rpg, 3.1apg, FGP: 47.6%, 3PT: 42.2%, FT: 74.4%. He played his rookie season with BC Igokea Aleksandrovac (Bosnia-Division I) helping them win the cup playing 16 games averaging 15.1ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 61.1%, 3PT-2 (48.8%), FT: 75.8%; He also played in the Adriatic League playing 24 games averaging 12.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 32.9%, FT: 86.3%. Before turning professional he played at Pittsburgh (NCAA) from 2012-2016 playing a total of 137 games and as a senior played 33 games averaging 10.2ppg, 3.2rpg, 5.0apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 40.4%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 75.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a easyCredit BBL game against the Fraport Skyliners.

James thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. How is basketball life for you currently?


Basketball life is good at the moment. It has been a big adjustment not playing in front of fans. But at the end of the day basketball is basketball and I play for the love of the game.

Our last interview seems ages ago. It was in March 2018 when you were with medi Bayreuth. Has time really elapsed quickly since then?

I would say that time has gone by fast. I have been lucky to have met many great people where ever I have been. I was a year in Israel. I have taken my many experiences that I have had over the years and hope for many more.

How tough has COVID-19 been for you in 2020. What were the biggest challenges that you were faced with your basketball life on and off the court?

The biggest challenge was facing the level of uncertainty on a daily basis. Also important was being super safe where ever I was. I had to be as cautious as possible and just be as smart as possible so as not to put any of my family or friends at risk. 

With everything that you have faced how do you feel did COVID-19 make you stronger as a man?


Being able to adjust on the fly. Twice we have had games postponed because of COVID-19 so being able to adjust to those situations have been tough. Also just waking up each day and appreciating what we have. 

Your playing your third season in Germany and first with the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig. What kind of an enrichment has it been playing with a young team where the organization likes to feature young players.

I think that it has been a great experience having the opportunity to be around some of the best young talent in Germany. Of course growing pains and a lack of experience will come, but overall it is a great challenge for us to get better and continue to work hard to achieve our goals. 

As a point guard how much of a duty is it for you not to perform well for owner Dennis Schroeder, but really well?

Regardless of who the owner is, you always want to play well. It is cool playing on Dennis Schroeder’s team. I’m sure what he and the Lakers do this season will be big time. That adds excitement to being the point guard for his team. I want to lead the team as best as possible and help it be successful. 

The club is playing well and recently had a 4 game winning streak. It pretty beat teams they had to and lost to better teams. What do you feel is this teams biggest strength on the court?

We are still trying to find our true indentity but overall our biggest strength is that we play hard, care and want to win. Our biggest focus each week has to be to get that 1 win per week. We will continue to do our best and try to continue to improve each week. 

The club also has really bought into the system and philosophy of head coach Pete Strobl. What have you gone on to appreciate most about his worth ethic and plan?

The thing I appreciate most about coach Pete is how much effort and time he puts in to have us prepared well. He and the coaching staff do a great job doing everything possible so we are best prepared before each game so all we have to do is go out and execute. 

The team is scoring a lot, but also giving up a lot on defense. What does the club have to tweak most on the defensive end to be able to be even better against the better teams?

The biggest thing for us to get better at on the defensive end is our level of consistency. There are a lot of good teams in the BBL and they will come out and have their runs. We have to do a better job limiting their runs. We have one of the best second half defenses in the BBL. We have to translate that good defense more to our first half. If we can do that then our defense will improve. 

You have seen the development of German Karim Jallow in the last years. How impressed are you with his development and where has he grown the most on the court?

I remember Karim from last year and he was our focal point on the scouting report. I really appreciate his work ethic and how much he cares and wants to win. He is a very good leader and what really impresses me is his day to day will to want to improve.

You also saw the development of Lukas Meissner in Bayreuth. He really has the freedom to play his game with Braunschweig. How is he a better player now then last season?

Last season in Bayreuth was a very good experience for Lukas. He showed many flashes of his talent last season. He had a different role to this season. I remember him dominating practices in Bayreuth. This season he has more of a chance to really showcase his talent. He is back home here and is feeling very comfortable. I really enjoy playing with him.

How much easier does a guy like Byron Allen make your game. You have played together with many lethal scorers, but where does he rank with all that you have played with?

He is a really talented player and everyone sees him as the scorer, but I see him as the basketball player. He is like a decoy for me. He is the oldest player on the team and brings a different level of experience to the team. He has Eurocup experience and can do so much more than just be that lethal scorer. He can pass and play defense as well. He is an overall talented player. 

Let’s talk about your game. Your playing a very good season. Your averaging the most assists ever. What do you credit your stellar playmaking success to thus far?

Honestely I credit my success to my teammates. They cut when they need to cut and hit the shots when they need to. They don’t make my job easier, but just help me out a lot. That speaks for their great work ethic. In the system that we play in, it also helps that we know where the other will be. 

How much of a challenge is it organizing an offense that has many young players and not an abundance of Americans something you have been used to where ever you have played in your success?

It really hasn’t been too much of a challenge. My German teammates are so talented, smart and have a high IQ that bringing that stereotype of young Germans is wrong and unfair. We have already developed a good chemistry and want to play well and win. For me it has been nothing but a great experience playing with these talented young players. 

In our last interview you stated that ‘Since I was young, I have had great teachers and coaches. Starting with my parents, they helped me develop a tough minded and winning mentality. They put me in environments where I had to compete and work hard. At DeMatha Catholic high school I competed against and with some of the best players in the country and that same standard continued once I arrived at University of Pittsburgh’. How do you feel did your game grow under Raoul Korner in your two tours of duty in Bayreuth?

His mind is impressive. He did a good job making me see the game in a different way and opening up my mind and helping me see things differently. He definitely has made me a lot better in those 2 years.

You never have been that explosive scorer, but do you feel like you could make more ground as a scorer in Braunschweig?

I feel that I’m more than capable of being that good scorer, but that isn’t most important. I will do what the team needs me to win. If that means being the playmaker and being the vocal leader then I will do that. I want to win at all costs.

Your leadership abilities have always been a big aspect of your game. How do you feel have they came best to form with so many young Germans this season?

Important has been being able to learn from many over the years. Key in Bayreuth was learning from Bastian Doreth. It was big in my leadership development being around him on a day to day basis. I also credit many of my coaches in the States where I have bene able to incorporate that information and put it into effect. 

On what area’s of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to move up the basketball ladder in the next years?


I want to be that complete point guard and do what my team needs to win. I also want to continue to be a good leader. 

In your first professional meeting against good friend Kam Taylor in 2018 you lost to him and 2 years later lost to him again against Bamberg. Has he been getting on you about not winning?

No not all. Secretly Kam is way to nice of a guy to do that. We are family. He currently has the bragging rights. We both know the record. At the end of the win lose or draw Kam is family.

How has Kam Taylor’s game progressed in the last 2 years? Does he have the game to move up to even higher levels?


For sure he can go up levels. When I see what he can do today, it is amazing how much he has improved since high school. His athleticism, coordination and defense has gotten a lot better. He has the complete package. The way he presents himself of the court is very special. He is an even better guy off the court.

Has your relationship grown with your connection to Germany the last years?

I think that our relationship has grown more by default. We have always remained close and are always together during the summer. No matter where we are we talk each day. Our conversations don’t even consist so much about basketball, but more about family and friends. Now that we are both playing in Germany we have more common ground.

You played a season with Bnei Hertzeliya (Israel-Winner League) playing 24 games averaging 9.2ppg, 3.2rpg, 3.2apg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 25.3%, FT: 76.9%. Americans always rave about Israel. How do you feel did your game grow there?

Israel was definitely a different kind of experience. I really liked everything there. I liked the league and team, but unfortunately we didn’t win so much. Having to deal with adversary made the experience tough. At the end of the day it was a good learning experience dealing with adversary.

You were teammates with NCAA champion and ex NBA player Jeff Adrien and ex NBA player Hilton Armstrong. What did it mean being their teammates and what NBA stories did they share?

When I went there, I was really excited to be able to have them as teammates. I remember growing up and watching them play at UConn and watching those Big East battles against Syracuse. I remember them always talking about how difficult it was getting to the NBA and how hard they worked for it. If you had to pick a great veteran and leader for your team then you would pick Hilton Armstrong.

Who wins a one on one today you or Kam Taylor. 

Kam may be family, but I will always say myself. If we play one on one nobody will know the score. 

Can anyone beat the Lakers with Lebron, Davis and Schroeder this year? Where will their journey go?

The Lakers have an impressive roster and one of the more complete rosters. In the NBA anything can happen, but they are one of the favorites.

One of the toughest players you faced in the NCAA was CJ McCollum. Do you feel like his legacy as a player gets lost a little with how Damian Lillard has evolved in the last years?

From a fan perspective possibly. Everyone has seen how Lillard has hit those long three’s and reached celebrity status, but you need to appreciate what McCollum is doing on the court. He is still able to pick and chose his spots and make an impact in the game. 

What are your favorite Christmas childhood memories? Is there something that you really miss about back in the day?


The family aspect. It is tough being away from family overseas, but luckily we have face time.to stay connected. My best X-mas memory is just being around loved ones.

What is your favorite Christmas movie?

Home Alone.

Thanks James for the chat.

DJ Woodmore is a 28 year old 190cm point guard that is playing his first season with the EPG Baskets Koblenz. Last season with Morgenstern BIS Basket Speyer (Germany-ProB) he played 21 games averaging 15.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 60.0%, 3PT-2 (50.0%), FT: 87.3%. In 2018-2019 13.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.8apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 60.2%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 71.6% in the Regionalliga. In his first two seasons with Speyer he averaged 14.5ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 40.1%, FT: 72.1% and 17.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 3.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 76.4%. he played at Virginia Wesleyan College (NCAA3): from 2010-2014 and as a senior played 31 games averaging 20.1ppg, 5.9rpg, 2.4apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 50.3% (219/435), 3Pts: 46.0% (91/198), FT: 76.9% (93/121). Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and DJ Woodmore team up each week to talk basketball.

Thanks DJ for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on the huge 89-82 victory over the Hebeisen White Wings Hanau. How good does it feel to end this horrible 2020 year with a win on the road? 

Thank you as always!! It feels great to go into the shortened break with a win. Definitely not our best performance, but I’ll take it. From all the ups and downs in 2020, just hoping that the new year picks up where we left off! 

After an explosive first quarter scoring 26 points, the EPG Baskets Koblenz allowed a scary 29 points. How disappointing was this second quarter and why did the defense suddenly lose control of the game?

I thought we struggled on their pick and roll plays. Our game plan was to force them baseline as much as possible, but it seemed to be a little harder than we expected. They ran their sets well, and their players made shots. Probably their best shooting night from 3 all season. So I have to give them a lot of credit.

A week before, head coach Danny Rodriguez got loud at the break. Was he even louder in Hanau and what words of wisdom did he give you guys? 


Just told us we need to step it up on defense. Offense is always going to come easy to us. But if we can’t get stops, we can’t win games. He made some other great points about personal and I think we did a much better job in the 3rd.

Your were down by 8 points after 30 minutes. How confident were you that the team would rebound and get the lead? 

Honestely I never doubted that we would win this game. I knew we had gotten Hanau’s best basketball of the season thru three quarters. Once we started the 4th with 3 steals in a row, we knew we had the game back in our hands. It felt like we’ve already been battle-tested for situations like this from previous games. So I don’t think anybody on our team lacked confidence at all. 

The EPG Baskets Koblenz closed out the game with a 12-3 run. Talk a little about that run. It seemed like team basketball came back to life. 


Like I have said, we’ve been in situations like this before already, and it seemed like everybody came together at the right time. Jacob made some clutch shots and passes. Zaire knocked down some free throws when we needed them. And CJ and Brian made some huge defensive stops. I think the key to that 4th quarter was us being in the bonus within the first 2 minutes. this put a lot of pressure on them and we knew we could take advantage of it for the rest of the game. 

Sometimes stats don’t tell the story. You had 18 turnovers while Hanau had only 8 turnovers. Where do you feel was this game won in the stats?

I think the game was won on the free-throw line. We shot 31 and they shot 16. With us staying in attack mode throughout the game, it balanced out their good shooting performance. 

You had 5 guys to score in double figures. What do you enjoy most about being able to share the ball so successfully as a team?


I love that this team doesn’t have any selfish players. Sharing the ball is contagious when you’re playing with a team like this. I think we struggled with it a lot in the beginning of the year, but we’ve found our way now. Once we get Chaed back next game, I’m sure it will only get better. 

Talk a bit about how valuable veteran Edin Alispahic is. He was very efficient in little minutes against Frankfurt and did it again against Hanau. 


Edin is our Captain. We definitely missed him in the few games he missed due to injury. We know we can rely on him to step up and make big shots when things are getting out of our hands a little. He’s going to come in and play extremely hard and be really confident. Been a great leader for us on and off the court. 

You had 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Anotehr solid game for you. How do you summarize your play for 2020 with the EPG Baskets Koblenz?

Consistent. That was my goal coming into the year, and I feel like I’ve done a decent job of it so far. I thought this first half of the year has been pretty good individually. I think I’ve found a good mixture between being aggressive and getting everybody else involved. But I can definitely take my game to another level, and I’m sure we’re going to need that if we want to make a deep playoff push in the spring!! 

Talk a little about Christmas 2020. How tough will this one be for you with COVID-19 effecting life so much? 

This year will be tough for me again. Once Dresden called and wanted to move the Christmas game to February, I thought that would give me a chance to fly back home for the holidays. But COVID had other ideas. Once Germany went into lockdown that meant that the only way I could go home, was to quarantine for 2 weeks once I flew back. And with such a short break between our next game against Speyer, there was no chance. But I’ll spend some time with the family on FaceTime and talk to some friends. I’ll make it work for sure and celebrate Christmas in the summer after the season. 

What is your favorite Christmas movie


I honestly don’t have a favorite, but if I had to pick, I would say Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Absolute classic.

Thanks DJ for the chat.

Nigel Hayes is a 26 year old 203cm forward from Toledo, Ohio that is playing his fourth professional season and second with B.C. Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL). Last season for B.C. Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL) he played 28 Euroleague games averaging 6.3ppg, 3.5rpg, FGP: 43.8%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 75.8%; and played 24 Lithuanian LKL games averaging 7.1ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.3apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 49.4%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 76.7%. In his first season overseas he played with Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) playing 33 BSL games averaging 12.6ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 74.7%; and played 10 Eurocup: games averaging 15.7ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 57.4%, 3PT: 43.2%, FT: 91.7%. As a rookie he played 38 G-League games for the Westchester Knicks averaging 16.1ppg, 6.7rpg, 2.1apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 44.9%, 3PT: 45.4%, FT: 74.4%. He also played 2 NBA games for the Los Angeles Lakers, 2 NBA games for the Toronto Raptors and 5 NBA games for the Sacramento Kings. He played his NCAA career at Wisconsin from 2013-2017 playing a total of 148 NCAA games. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Euroleague game against FC Bayern Munich. 

Nigel thanks for talking to germanhoops.com.com. Christmas is right around the corner. With what kind of feelings are you going into this year’s Christmas?

My main focus is basketball. Just concentrating on getting that next win and getting into the top 8 of Euroleague.

Before we get to your basketball career, I have to ask you about how you experienced COVID-19 in 2020. Your season ended in March 2020. What were the biggest challenges this year in trying to continue to be a basketball player on and off the court?

I was very fortunate during COVID-19 to be able to work out whenever I could. I feel like I got better as a player and also improved my body. I also could take care of things off the court with my investments. It all went very well despite so many in the world being affected. 

With all that you have experienced in 2020 how do you feel did COVID-19 make you stronger as a man?

I don’t really know. I have been very fortunate to say that none of my family or friends were affected by COVID-19. I have anti bodies and never had COVID-19. I’m immune to it. 

Your playing your second season with B.C. Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL). The club is doing very well in the LKL league and is up and down in Euroleague. Where do you see the journey of the club going this season?

We are currently on a good way. We did go through some tough Euroleague loses and some games were very close. We had games where we did enough, but not as much as we could of. Recently we have been doing the little extra on offense and defense and just playing winning basketball. 

What has been your impression of the German coaching duo of Martin Schiller and Arne Woltmann? What has been key in their work that has helped the team most so far?


Both coaches have been very trustful of us and being very positive allowing us to play free and play through mistakes. They also have been good with skill work with us and giving us confidence to be aggressive on the court. I feel like the team has gotten better with their system. 

The club has quite a few players that have played in Germany. What kind of an experience has it been playing with Augustine Rubit? Is the competitive level in practice one that you would call fierce?


It has been good being teammates with a player that is focused on the team. He has been around many teams, players and coaches and has experience. He has shown from day one that he stands behind me and is always aggressive which fits my game. He has that similar shot to Dirk with that one foot knee in the air. His fade away is a money shot and very hard to guard. It has benefited me very much having such a smart and hard working player on the team. 

Last season you played for the Lithuanian legend Sarunas Jasikevicius. What kind of an experience was it balling for him and what will you never forget from his character?

Playing for him has been like a fantastic misery. On the one side he saw me as an interesting player. It was great to see his mind work and observe how his different schemes work. It also is great to see how he makes adjustments on the fly after time outs. The horrible part was that he is just tough to play for. He is a real perfectionist. Even when you did something right, you could of done it better. But the way he coaches makes his players and team better. 

Your playing your third season in Europe. How are you a better player now than you were when you landed in Turkey in 2018?

It isn’t even close. I’m a much much better player today then I was two years ago. Every game that I have played in Europe over the years has made knowing that basketball at home is a lot easier. So many guys that have played overseas as well as in the NBA have also said this. The European game has allowed me to see the game a lot better. When I look at NBA clips now, then I right away know exactly what I would do in that situation. 

As a rookie you played with : Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) playing 33 games averaging 12.6ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 74.7%;and played 10 Eurocup games averaging: Score-5 (15.7ppg), 5.6rpg, 1.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 57.4%, 3PT: 43.2%, FT: 91.7%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being in Europe where you knew that you were very far away from home?


When I landed and got in the car in Istanbul. I realized right away that I couldn’t read anything. Coming to Turkey was a total culture shock for me. People spoke English there, but still Turkish is the main language. They have a totally different religion to what we know and that takes over their culture.

You began your rookie season with the Westchester Knicks (NBA G League) playing 38 games averaging 16.1ppg, 6.7rpg, 2.1apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 44.9%, 3PT: 45.4%, FT: 74.4%.Besides getting sufficient minutes what do you feel was most important in these first pro months that prepared you best for your NBA run?

I did there what I do now. I became more selfish, but in a good way. Becoming more aggressive in my game has made me a better team player and made my teams better. Just like back at home when I was more aggressive, I helped my teams win more here. My time there was one of the greatest time periods in my life. I was in the best present situation then. All the guys around me were fantastic. We all had one mind and bought into it. That rarely happens. 

In your third game you exploded with 37 points against Delaware. Did you take out Trey Burke after that sensational game?

No no I didn’t take him out to dinner. We were all playing for each other. There was no jealousy, we all bought into the system together and always worked hard together. I was super aggressive in that game. When that happens usually good things happen. 

You reached the NBA playing 2 games for the Los Angeles Lakers on a 10 day contract. The team was young. What memories do you have of that brief time and does one notice that your different from the rest of the players on a 10 day contract?


Not really. I was there just analysing the situation as best as I could. Just trying to understand what was going on and how the players act. This happened in all three of my NBA stays my rookie season. I was never permanently on one of those teams. I was always leaving. I learned very much from my experiences in the NBA which have helped me in Europe. 

Did you experience an eye popping experience with the Los Angeles Lakers like seeing a Magic Johnson or Kobe Bryant at the facilities?


Yes I saw Magic. He is one of my favorites to watch. He brings that killer ferocious instinct and then smiles after making that no look pass. The most important thing that he told me was too be aggressive. The story of my career. 

Your next tour of duty was with the Toronto Raptors. Here you had some real veterans. Which player in your short time there made the biggest impact on you?

CJ Miles made the biggest impact on me. He is a great person that took care of me. I will always remember him as being an upstanding human being. 

You then finished the season with the Sacramento Kings going from 4 minutes per game in Los Angeles and Toronto to 21 minutes there. Did you finally feel like you belonged?

No not really. Like I said before, my whole NBA time was a lot of down loading of information that has helped my career since. 

You battled against the Spurs scoring 7 points and getting 9 rebounds going against Pau Gasol, Tony Parker and Manu Ginoboli. What will always stand out most form this game?

I always put myself in the moment. When I was on the court and saw these Hall Of Famers, I had that wow feeling. 

Was it like a candy store for a little boy for you getting the chance to be teammates with Vince Carter? What did you soak up best from him and what lasting impression did he leave on you?

I told my assistant coach Tautvydas Sabonis when we were working out recently about my time with him and how I was just tagging along like a fly on the wall. Really key for me was watching how he would recover and get ready. Like I said before that whole year was a downloading year for me. 

You have played NBA Summer League from 2017-2019. How realistic is the NBA still for you now in 2020?

I believe that it is very realistic, but at the moment I’m not worrying about it. If you do your job and take care of business then the NBA will notice you. They have a million eyes. I watched the Patrick Beverly documentary and in it he said how much he needed to get back to the NBA right away after coming overseas. Then when it didn’t happen he said screw it and told himself to become the best he could overseas. That is then when the NBA called. 

You played at Wisconsin (NCAA) from 2013-2017 reaching the NCAA final, Final 4 and wo Sweet 16’s. Was this some of your best times in your life and what do you miss most about those 4 years? 

Absolutely. My sophomore year was perfect. All that I needed was a NCAA title. You can’t always have what you want in life. But my time at Wisconsin from school, social life, relationships etc were fantastic.

You put up very consistent stats in the NCAA. How vital was the team success for your personal growth as a player at Wisconsin?

In college it’s all about team. That is all that matters. We all bought in. The formula was run the system, and sacrifice for the team. Usually when you do that great things happen. 

In the 2015 NCAA final run you disposed of North Carolina and Kentucky. What do you remember most from beating those NCAA powerhouses?


It was a great experience being able to beat these revered teams. 

How did coaches Bo Ryan and Greg Gard groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

It boiled down to learning the fundamentals. Wisconsin isn’t really a basketball program that brings players to the NBA. This isn’t a knock on the team. They are a school that prepares you to be a disciplined player. Besides the fundamentals also getting an IQ was important. I learned how do things the right way there.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Sam Dekker?

I won for sure. Always.

Who is the toughest player that you battled in the NCAA that reached the NBA?


It wasn’t a guy that I played against, but a guy I always heard stories about before I arrived. It was Doug Mcdermott. He was really tough to guard. He could do what he wanted to. 

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Josh Gasser, 2 of the football players in high school (They are the best teammates because all they care about is winning. Jordan Henriquez, Trevon Jackson

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

Jordan, Kareem, Wilt, Lebron

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

Jordan is better. For me the GOAT are Kareem, Wilt and Bill Russell, but big guys are never seen like that because they aren’t flashy. Jordan reached the milestones that Lebron did in half the time.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Angel Has Fallen.

Thanks Nigel for the chat.

Haywood Highsmith is a 24 year old 198cm forward playing his first season with the HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim (Germany-BBL). Last season he played with the Delaware Blue Coats (NBA G League) playing 43 games averaging 10.4ppg, 6.7rpg, 2.5apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 48.1%, 3PT: 33.7%, FT: 70.2%. As a rookie the ex Wheeling Jesuit University (NCAA2) standout played with the Delaware Blue Coats (NBA G League) playing 45 games averaging 12.3ppg, 6.9rpg, 2.5apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 66.7%. He also played 5 nBA games for the Philadelphia 76ers. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the Merlins 76-64 win where he contributed 5 points, 5 rebounds and 1 steal in 29 minutes.

Congrats Haywood on the satisfying 76-64 win over the Fraport Skyliners. Your 7-1 at the moment. How good does basketball life feel at the moment?

Basketball life is really good now. Anytime you win is good. We played well against Frankfurt. I hope that we can keep up the streak and keep improving.

This was a hard fought win. How taxing were the ups and downs for the HAKRO Merlins?


We knew coming in that it would be a dog fight. Frankfurt was a very good team at both ends of the court. We knew that we wouldn’t run away with the game. We knew that we had to keep fighting. At half time we talked about how we had to come out in the second half and gut it out and do the little things necessary to win.

Quantez Robertson said before the game that they couldn’t allow Crailsheim to play their game. How content were you with how well you were able to perform the game plan?


We struggled a bit at the beginning. We scored only 34 points at half time which isn’t a lot for us. We fixed a few things at the break and then came out and played our style. We had better ball movement, controlled the pace and played great defense. 

After creaming medi Bayreuth last weekend and dishing out 31 assists, how challenging was it coming out and holding Frankfurt to only 64 points?


Frankfurt is a good offensive team. We had to lock in more on Mobley and Gudmundsson. Our defense is similar to Bayreuth’s. We knew that we had to step it up. We did a good job communicating and limiting their transition. We also did a good job not letting their shooters get hot and were physical on defense. 

Crailsheim went on a huge run in the fourth to seal the win. How much do you appreciate the sniper qualities of Maurice Stuckey?

Mo is one of the best shooters in the BBL. He has been around for a while and knows how the game is played. We always believe that every shot he takes will go in. He is a dead eye sniper.

The team rebounded great and had only 8 turnovers. What part of the Merlins game were you most proud of tonight?


I liked the way we fought. We were down by 8 points in the third quarter, but we kept fighting and pushing. We then performed the final knock out punch in the fourth quarter. I was most proud of our willingness to fight, toughness and grit.

What kind of an experience was it playing against top BBL defender Quantez Robertson? What impressed you most about his game?


He is an older guy and knows everything. He knows what space he has to be and knows the type of plays teams run. He gets in passing lanes well. He is definitely one of the best defenders that I have seen in the BBL.

Trae Bell Haynes is a big MVP candidate. His organization skills are excellent. How has he continued to get better in last weeks?

He is a great point guard that is quick. I think that he has improved his shot a lot. I get up shots with him before and after practice and I have noticed that his shot is more fluid and that he is more comfortable. We totally believe in him and he proves each night that he belongs to the best in the league. 

How content were you with your game of 5 points and 5 rebounds. You seem to be coming into your own as a guy that will do anything to help his team?


I’m not having the greatest statistical season, but I’m just glad were winning. I just try to do my best to help the team keep winning. I think that I’m doing my thing on the defensive end well which is good for me. I know that my shots will start to fall. I just have to keep pushing and never get too high or too low. 

Christmas is around the corner. What is your fondest X-mas memory as a kid?


I had older siblings, but I felt like an only child. I got a lot of gifts. I just remember waking up in the morning seeing the presents under the tree. That was a special moment. For me it’s important to give back to people and keep the Christmas spirit going.

What is your favorite X-mas movie.


Home Alone.

Thanks Haywood for the chat.

The Fraport Skyliners have been on the rebound the last few weeks after starting 0-4 and have won two of their last three games. After a very satisfying victory on the road in Chemnitz where they demonstrated a disciplined defense allowing only 70 points, they returned home to lose to playoff team Ludwigsburg and then get a great offensive performance  scorching medi Bayreuth for 104 points. Skyliner identity figure Quantez Robertson was only 6 years old when on December 30, 1990 then Orlando Magic guard Scott Skiles dished out an incredible 30 assists in a 155-118 win against Denver that would break the record of Kevin Porter who had had 29. In the game against medi Bayreuth, the Fraport Skyliners played offense like an NBA team dishing out an easyCredit BBL record 31 assists. “It was cool being part of that record 31 assists. We were playing loose and free all night long. Nobody was afraid to take any open shots”, stressed ex Auburn(NCAA) standout Quantez Robertson. Jon Axel Gudmundsson led the club with 8 assists while Joe Rahon added 7 dimes, Quantez Roberson had 6 assists and even pure scorer Matt Mobley showed some unselfishness with 4 assists. It was one of those games where everything was going so smooth that talk of any records didn´t show up during the game. “Honestly I never thought that we had so many. At the end of the game, I thought that we had something like 20 assists. It felt like Scott Skiles game where he had so many. We were having so much fun sharing the ball”, added Quantez Robertson.  Everybody thought the record was 31, but actually after better scruntity it is actually Phoenix Hagen that has the record of 38 assists and the Artland Dragons once had 35 assists.

                It was a refreshing breath of new air on the offensive end for the Fraport Skyliners  who shot out the lights at 63% from the field and 48% from down town while netting 15 three´s. They also rebounded the ball very well, a part of their game that hasn´t always worked to their content this season. They haven´t always been consistent scoring, but against medi Bayreuth everything came together. Scoring the ball well like in the past has been very distant for Quantez Robertson as remembering those 100 point games is tough. “This was our best offensive performance of the season. This is the first time I can remember scoring 100 points since I have been here. We did a good job being more aggressive on offense during the week of practice. We were more comfortable in practice and that carried over into the game. What we did well in practice, we did a lot better in the game”, said Quantez Robertson. The club has had their point guard issues this season, but the return of Joe Rahon who played for the club last season has made a huge difference. That discipline and consistency has returned back to the playmaking that the club had been lacking the last weeks. “Joe has been a pretty good addition. He doesn´t look so much for the shot, but rather likes to find his teammates. His addition has helped move Jon Axel Gudmundsson come off the ball more so he doesn´t have to bring the ball as much. Joe always has the ability to find the open guys. I feel like we already had guys here before Joe came that were able to get assists. It does get contagious when you have many guys that can find the open guy. Joe´s added playmaking has rubbed off on us”, expressed Quantez Robertson.

                A month ago the season low point happened in Oldenburg as Frankfurt was crushed 86-69 and head coach Sebastian Gleim questioned the mentality of certain players. The team mentality has definitely changed in the last weeks as the focus has team which has become more present. “We aren´t letting each other down anymore. We are playing harder now and want to play for each other”, stressed Quantez Robertson. The team has improved since that ugly loss in Oldenburg, but there is still a lot to do on the court for this club to be able to feel comfortable. “It was tough starting the season playing against 2 top teams. I think that we have shown progress in each game. Even in games we lost, we played hard against top teams that helped us. I think that we have improved on defense by playing against top teams. Talking and helping out on the back line has improved most on the defensive end. We also have been rebounding better. We have been gang banging on the defensive glass and it has shown in games”, commented Quantez Robertson.  Now with some more wins on their belt, they may just be able to find some consistency slowly. “Consistency will come by being more active on both ends of the court. We have to always play hard and believe that we can beat anyone”, warned Quantez Robertson.

                The Fraport Skyliners want to keep their winning streak alive with a victory in Crailsheim against the HAKRO Merlins. The Fraport Skyliners will have a reunion with ex player Canadian Trae Bell Haynes who played with the Skyliners in the 2018-2019 season. Quantez Robertson can name hundreds of ex teammates, but he is really excited to play against him again. “He is a quick crafty point guard that can get to the basket a lot, but also likes to find guys for assists. Now I can finally play him in a real game and not just in practice”, smiled Quantez Robertson.  Bell-Haynes made a massive progression in the last 2 years. Last season he had a solid season in Finland, but it wasn´t explosive. This season he has taken the easyCredit BBL by storm leading the league producing almost double double stats with 21ppg and 9,0apg. Even Quantez Robertson who has a good eye for talent didn´t expect this big rise in play by his ex teammate. “I knew in Frankfurt that he was a good point guard and that he could get to the rim and free throw line, but I honestly didn´t see him being able to lead the BBL in scoring and assists this season. I saw him averaging something like 10,0ppg and 7,0apg. He continues to show that he can make the extra pass and that has showed in Crailsheim”, added Quantez Robertson. Bell Haynes was only a Skyliner for a few months, but Tez does remember the cup game against ratiopharm Ulm. “Trae scored like 20 points off the bench. It was a heck of a game from him”, remembered Quantez Robertson. The game was tight in the end until Robertson hit a big shot which was followed by a big Bell Haynes shot to ice the 78-74 win. Making shots under pressure is something Bell Haynes has always exceled at. ““I have to give a lot of credit to my time in college. I have learned it´s important to be poised down the stretch. Pressure is a privilege. It is a lot of fun and these are the games we live for”, warned Trae Bell-Haynes. The Fraport Skyliners not only have to keep an eye on Trae Bell-Haynes, but the whole team is very dangerous. Crailsheim have a 6-1 record and are second best in scoring in the easyCredit BBL with 93 points. “We have to slow them down and make them play our type of game. They like to get up and down the court. We will have to play very good defense and limit them to one or no shots each possession”, warned Quantez Robertson.

            The Fraport Skyliners won´t have a Christmas break after the Crailsheim contest as Braunschweig comes to town on December 26^th, and then have away games in Giessen on December 30^th and in Weissenfels on January 2^nd. Of course the team will take each game one at a time, but they also know that the next weeks could slowly point the way in what direction the season journey could go. “We can´t look past any team. They may not be high in the standings, but any team can beat anyone. We have to understand that we can´t underestimate anyone. Any team can get hot and go on a wining streak”, warned Quantez Robertson. Robertson is hoping that his team can pull out another win even if it means going against the tough HAKRO Merlins. He will spend a lot of time on Face Time during Christmas as his family is back home. Watching his family open presents and eat good home cooking surely won´t be easy, but in the end he still has his big love basketball and will be focused to keep the Skyliners having positive performances on the floor. He hasn´t been content with his game as he needs to be better for his team to be successful on the court. His scoring hasn´t been as spot on as in other years as becoming more aggressive could be a proper 2021 New Years Resolution. “I will just continue to do what I do on the court. But being more aggressive is important. I will be that no matter what. I have to work more on my shot. Sometimes I overthink when my turnovers go up. I just have to remember not to overthink and just play”, warned Quantez Robertson. Even if he gets bored during X-mas, he could still go on You Tube and relive that magical Scott Skiles 30 assist game for added offensive inspiration for the upcoming battles.

Elias Valtonen is a 21 year old 201cm forward from Finland that is playing his first season in Germany with the Tigers Tuebingen currently averaging 12,0ppg, 2,2rpg, 1,5apg and 1,0bs. He played the last 2 seasons in the States with Arizona State University (NCAA) playing 38 games. He began his basketball career with UU-Korihait Uusikaupunki (Korisliiga). He then played He then played 3 seasons and 71 games for HBA-Marsky Helsinki (1st Division) and in his last season played 31 games averaging: 14.6ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.8apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 52.1%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 74.7%. He spoke to germanhoops.com late in the summer about basketball. 

Elias thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been despite the whole COVID-19 effecting the world

I have been in Tuebingen for 2 days now. My summer has been actually almost normal. In Finland COVID-19 is not the worst so we were able to practice the whole summer with National team. So it’s been pretty good.

How have you experienced the whole COVID-19 crisis in Finland the last months How much did the last 6 months change your life and how much of a challenge was it finding the time and places to be able to stay in shape and be able to work on your game?

Like I previously mentioned, it wasn’t that hard for me since June. From March till June I was just in my hometown Eura and practiced in outside gym and courts. Basically I did a lot of other stuff as well during that time.

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

I feel like it helps me and others respect more little things like access to the gym. Gratefulness.

You played your last game on Feb 20 against Oregon. How difficult was it for you personally not playing competitively for so long. Was there anything special you did from time to time to stay mentally active with basketball?

In our Open Gym practices in Finland we had pick-up games twice a week and in the end of the summer we had National team camps where we prepared for two games against Estonia.

Congrats on signing with the Tigers Tuebingen. What do you know in general about the country Germany and it’s basketball?

Thank you! About Germany I know that it is one of the biggest countries in Europe and has very deep culture of football and basketball. Of course, Nowitzki comes to my mind every time we talk about German basketball.

Head coach Danny Jansson has known you for a while. How was he able to sell you best about joining this organization?


Yea we have known each other a few years. I know how good a coach he is to develop players and he just said that here would be a good place to take a next step as a player.

After 2 very tough seasons in the NCAA with Arizona State, you are very hungry to show your game in Germany. With what kind of expectations are you going into your first season in Germany with?

My expectations for the upcoming season is just to keep improving every day and keep progressing towards bigger leagues. I am hungry to show what the best Elias is capable of.

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 201cm guard that can play the positions 1-4. Your favorite players are Kevin Durant and Gordon Hayward but if you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

It’s hard for me to say any player who I remind. I just like versatile players who can play in both ends.

It is no secret that your biggest strength is your versatility, but what other strengths does your game possess? 

I think I can read different situations well like attack close-outs and push the ball in transition. On defense I think my size helps me to guard multiple positions.

Even though you didn’t play much in the NCAA, you shot the ball very well from outside. How vital was being efficient and shot selection in your 2 years at Arizona State University?

I think ot was very vital. I think that’s one factor why I started couple games last season. Maybe I should have taken few more shots as well.

You’re a very good defender. How much pride do you take on the defensive end and how do you feel will you help the Tigers most on defense?

I take pride on my mach-ups. Basketball is a game of small matches and I feel like if you win those small battles more you have good chance to win. I think when I am active on defense I can force people to take tough shots and get steals.

On what things did you work on this summer the most on your game so you will be best prepared for the Pro A?

I worked most on my shooting this summer. To being able to get to the next level I think I have to be more consistent on that.

You played 2 seasons with Arizona State. You went from 4-13 minutes per game in your second season. What were the biggest positives that you got out of this experience?

I played with a couple NBA guys during that time and I know the level of their daily work. I also learned about competiiveness and more individual style of game. Now I feel it’s good to come back to more familiar team ball for me and come back to Europe.

You scored once in double figures with 10 points in a win over ST Johns. What was your most memorable game in the NCAA?

I would say that game against St. Johns, I had couple good looks in that game and was able to deliver.

How did head coach Bobby Hurley groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

We didn’t talk a lot individually, but I learnt toughness from him and feel like he helped me to understand that basketball could be played in a lot of different ways.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Lugentz Dort

Me of course, Lu is known to be bad defender. Just kidding. I think Lu got couple more 1 on 1 wins than me but I also got couple.

At the U-17 World Championships in 2015, you beat Germany 92-63. In that game NBA player Isaiah Hartenstein scored 9 points. What memories do you have of him and did he look like a future NBA player?


I remember him to be very tall and athletic during that time. I heard he was a NBA prospect during that time and thought that he would make it there.

In that game you also played against a young Oscar Da Silva. 2 years later you played against him and Stanford going 1-1 while Da Silva scored 20 and 15 points. He had a tough injury last season, but how good did he get and could you see him reaching the NBA?


I think if eveything goes right he has chance to make it but he will definitely be a good European player because of the understanding of the game and feel.

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the NCCA or anywhere that went to the NBA?

I think Anthony Edwards, potential top-3 pick in the upcoming draft. I had the chance to start against him against Georgia and I think I did pretty good job with him in that game.

Please list your 5 best teammates of all-time? 

Lauri Markkanen, Luguentz Dort, Zylan Cheatham, Remy Martin and Shawn Huff

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

Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant

What is your personal opinion between the never ending debate between Michael Jordan and Lebron James concerning who is the greatest of all-time?

No explanations, but I will say Michael Jordan

What was the last movie that you saw?

I think I watched movie ‘Escape from Alcatraz’ on Netflix

Thanks Elias for the chat.

 George P. Filkinis is a FIBA Basketball Coach from Athens and well known as a master of the “Running Basketball”as his teams are always distinguished particularly by the extreme speed of development and execution of their offense. His way of offensive basketball is influenced by the presence at Loyola Marymount University next to his “mentor” coach Paul Westhead. He is also considered as a defensive genius as he eminently uses complex and pressing defenses with “traps”, multiple and consecutive rotations that confuse and overwhelm the opponent. Besides , it is no coincidence the fact that his personal record in 701 official games , 496 (70,8%) wins , 205 (29,2%) defeats , while he has conquered 11 (eleven) championships at all levels as a head coach and 6 (six) as assistant coach and defensive coordinator With coach Filkinis we had a really interesting conversation for the friends of germanhoops.com .

•Welcome coach to the site of germanhoops.com. I’d like to ask you to inform us about you and specifically about your style of play . It’s known that you are an “up-tempo” coach but it’s useful our fans to know more details . *

Thanks a lot for the hospitality dear Miles and for the opportunity to contact with many friends and basketball fans both in Germany and elsewhere in Europe . I decided to follow coach Westhead’s way of play first of all because he was my offensive teacher during the period I was in USA and secondly because I found out the last 18 years that the game of Basketball has to change , to become faster and finally I vindicated by the results that my teams achieved and by the fact that even late FIBA decided to establish the rule of 14 seconds ! The basic thought that created the entire offensive philosophy of the “Running Basketball” is purely a matter of probabilities . The more efforts to make shots from your opponent , the more chances you have to beat him if you are simply able to maintain a minimally “acceptable” accuracy . And when we are talking about shooting “efforts” obviously are needed more possessions of the ball than our opponents . As when we are talking about “shots” we mean “open” shots and from specific spots . So when the 99% of the basketball coaches in all over the world are “teaching” their players offensive “systems” and “plays” to face all the possible game situations , general and specific , depriving them the creation and the initiative we “teach” our team how to create “possessions” and “open shots” in 3 seconds with the help of the basketball fundamentals and mathematics . This style of play, has nothing to do with the “common” running game that some teams use at times and if you “adopt” it once you CAN NEVER COME BACK . If you follow this first of all you will not be popular . This is a “radical change” and people don’t like radical changes .

Your fellow coaches, administrators and fans will dislike you . Because it’s too hard for anyone to understand . For example why you are still running when you are up 15 and there are 4 minutes to go in the game and you don’t delay the game ? They can’t understand that it’s impossible to “stop” your team ! Even the officials will absolutely dislike you because you make them work too hard . So why we do this ?

Because it works , has great results , makes our team solid and almost unbeatable and personally I don’t give a damn if they like me or not , if they hate me or not , when my team runs and strangles the opponent ! I don’t give a damn also, because my job is to find “ways” to make my team win the games and this kind of basketball “proven” is the best I ever had ! The philosophy of this “Running Basketball” is that we run on every situation. Turnovers, steals, defensive rebounds, made shots, missed shots, loose balls, up 20, down 20. Non stop running . I’m a strong believer in what Sun Tzu writes in his book ” the Art of War ” When you prepare everywhere you will be weak everywhere . ” So we don’t spend our time in practices to teach our team what to do against personal defenses or zone defenses . Our fast break is all that we do, we run it and that’s it. We have no zone offense as I said earlier , no press offense , no secondary offense , no delay offense . We do one thing and the players know we do one thing and they believe in what we do because they have no choice. They have no choice because there’s no alternative . We have a 7- second offense on missed shots . If we get the defensive rebound we like to shoot the ball within 7 seconds . On made shots we have a 3 second offense. We will get the ball out of the net and shoot within 3 seconds. It takes us 7 seconds to get a shot if the opponents miss and 3 seconds if they make it. Our main goal is to get 100 shots a game when our team is ready. We are more interested for shots and points than in anything else and when we get a lot of points we usually win. We never but never use “scouting” we don’t waste our time to analyze our opponents way of play. Our assistant coaches and all our staff works hard for our team. And in most games we don’t call time outs, we don’t need them as we haven’t anything to say and our players know very well what to do and they have to do only one thing. Deeper than that if a team is scoring on us the worst thing for us to do is to call timeout because we need the clock running to do our game. Dead time hurts us stop our pace and gives breaths to the opponents .This is just a part of my offensive philosophy that gave me till now in 701 official games , 496 (70,8%) wins and 205 (29,2%) defeats and this is my one and only weapon.

It’s really impressive coach this kind of play and I’d like to give us more details and if it’s possible a sample of your defensive philosophy and about your next plans

 Some times even though it seems a little selfish , I enjoy with some who claim , insist and flaunt that their teams are running .You’ve heard about early offense ? Let me inform you that I have and I use a pre early offense ! Everything happens so quickly that sometimes even the guy who operates the game clock , the timekeeper , is confused ! But the most important of this offense first of all is that due of its quickness the opponent teams are constantly in a situation of transition defense and fail to apply against us their well – training defenses and secondly that our players do whatever all the basketball players in every point of the planet like to do : To run and shoot the ball and no one will care or worry if they will make the basket or no It’s normal to play special defenses that will allow us to steal balls , to push the opponent for turnovers and to make easy baskets . Our players like to play aggressive on defense because they know that always a teammate is next to them for help  I always in our practices force the defense to play with a player less , when other teams play 5 VS 5 and believe me that in two weeks with our right guidance and drills , team is quite ready to play a whole game with four players . You asked me about my plans . Thank God I am independent both as a professional and as a person and so I’m not making compromises and concessions ! I had proposals this season but were not tempting not from the financial side but in terms of the quality, the work conditions and the goals.  I’ll continue to choose the teams with which I want to cooperate and I’ll continue to propose myself to groups with “low profile” but which are stick at nothing like me to overthrow forecasts and projections and to succeed where others do not dare even to think I will continue dear Miles , to spread my love to basketball and to face challenges and emotions that only this game can give , as long as God gives me the power ! My hard program and my results are my only credentials . •

As usual coach the communication with you is extremely interesting and the way you play the game impresses . I would like to ask you at this point how feasible it is to put this game mode in any basketball team and how long it takes to consolidate your way .

I am delighted Miles with this question . When I’m going to a new team early in the season and before the start of it’s summer preparation , I always try to locate if the team has already 3 or 4 players, whom I’ll use as a main “trunk”, who like to run , push and jump 120 minutes continuously , with only a 2 minutes water break , because this will be the situation they will face in our practices the whole year . If I’m lucky and find these players it’s easy around them to build my offense , otherwise I have to find them and to bring them to our team . The next step is to explain in great detail to each player individually , what exactly is his role in our offense and what I’m asking from him . It’s very important all players to know their job in the court and to work hard every day to improve themselves and team’s play . But all these are the ” easy job ” as the hardest part of our effort to make our offense to work , is to change initially the mentality of our players and to make them to forget the ways they played in the past and to accept and love the new way of play , which is a radical change in everything they knew and did so far They must consolidate that for us and for THEM offensively our running game is all we have and our main goal is in every single to make it faster and more effective ! And believe me dear Miles that there is not  in all the corners of the earth , basketball players who does not like to run and shoots the ball without agony if he will make it or not as nobody is going to blame him if he misses it ! In two weeks they make certain in action the effectiveness of our game and they gradually begin to believe it and to enjoy it … Generally Miles it takes about ten to twelve weeks more or less for team’s preparation in our new way of play offensively and defensively and to be ready , solid and competitive for the new championship against anyone .

•Thank you George for this interview and for all the answers and the information you gave us. *  Thank you so much Miles for our communication and for the opportunity to inform the basketball fans about the way I work and play the game and for our excellent results ! coach George P. Filkinis Basketball Coach Certified by FIBA Facebook : George P. Filkinis E mail address : gfilkinis@gmail.co

2020 has been a difficult year for the whole world with COVID-19 having changed the lives of everyone and it hasn´t been any different for American baller Tucker Haymond. COVID-19 ended his Pro A season with FC Schalke, left him in limbo in the spring and summer about how his basketball career would continue as well as finding ways how to keep in shape and left him sweating as getting that new contract didn´t happen until November. But that hadn´t been the whole story of his 2019-2020 season as he began in Cyprus, but had to depart early from there. Then he hung out in Cologne where he had played with the Pro B team RheinStars Cologne the season before winning the scoring crown. He didn´t mope about his tough situation and worked out with well known German individual trainer Paul Gudde and had that hard brush with sleeping on the floor. “Sleeping on the floor for the past month has almost been something out of a movie. Going from winning a G league championship to bouncing from country to country, house to house, has shown me what I’m really made of. How dedicated I am. And because of all of these things, when an opportunity arises, I will be ready for it. Because of the work I put in and sacrifice I’ve made. I’m just lucky to have a wife that will go through this with me and support me even when it may look like there’s no way out. She believes in me”, stressed Tucker Haymond. After his job abruptly ended in Schalke, he returned home and had to deal with the whole COVID-19 crisis. He had to deal with finding gym time as well as just hope he would find a new job opportunity. “ My off season training consisted of a lot of dribbling at home and outside. I went weeks where I had no access to a hoop and all I had was a ball. Now that things have started to open back up, I practice basketball 6 days a week, and do strength and conditioning 3/4 days a week. I am in the best physical fitness of my life because I have had so much time to really focus and invest in my body. I´m more ready than ever to get back to playing because I know this is the hardest I’ve ever worked. The transfer period has been very different, it has definitely been challenging because of all the unknowns of what will happen. I knew it was going to be a very special off season due to Covid and me only being able to play 5 games. The only thing I have stayed focused on is making sure I am physically and mentally ready for whenever I get the call. I know I can’t focus or worry on things I can’t control, I´m just very excited for when I´m able to play again. I miss Germany”,stressed Tucker Haymond. The waiting finally ended as German Pro B team SC Rist Wedel called in November But his basketball life would excellerate an incredible 180 degrees as after 2 games he got promoted to the easyCredit BBL team Hamburg Towers who were suffering some injuries and gave him the special BBL 5 game contract. The last year has been a massive rollercoaster for Tucker Haymond, but 2020 has had a happy ending for him as he made his BBL debut against ratiopharm Ulm playing 4 minutes. So there he was on the bench and head coach Pedro Calles looked at him and gave the Washington native the call. “My first reaction was excitement and happiness to get this opportunity so fast after my arrival in the end of November. Together with my agency ATHLEADZ I decided to sign with SC Rist Wedel because besides playing for their Pro B team the organization wanted to give me the chance to practice a lot with their BBL affiliated team Hamburg Towers which we thought would help me a lot to step up my own game by practicing with high quality players like Jordan, Kam or TJ and being coached by head coaches Pedro Calles (BBL) and Benka Barloschky (ProB) on a daily basis. So once I received the news, there wasn’t a lot of time to think about it because the preparation process for Ulm began immediately with watching film and mentally preparing myself for the game, not only for me personally, but how I can step in and do whatever coach asks me to do to help, in whatever way that is”, stressed Tucker Haymond. The American has left sleeping on the floor with no job in Cologne to suiting up with BBL team Hamburg Towers.

            Obviously signing with SC Rist Wedel was a no brainer for Tucker Haymond. Even if he landed back in the Pro B, he had a massive advantage to his other German teams RheinStars Cologne and FC Schalke that he had played with in the past in that SC Rist Wedel was the farm team of the Hamburg Towers. He would have the opportunity to practice with the BBL team on a regular basis. He didn´t disappoint in Wedel with his game as he had his usual sniper qualities present as he scored 27 points in a victory against Lok Bernau and contributed 23 points in a tough loss to Itzehoe. He had been practicing with the Hamburg Towers and then suddenly he got his chance to tackle the BBL level. If his buddy Jan Zimmerman had told him a year ago when he was getting him off the floor to get into the gym that he would inhaling BBL minutes, the American would only have looked up to God. “Thanks for the flowers Miles, but I think I’m not quite there yet. I’m glad I played my first BBL minutes and it was an important experience for me to built on. I still have to study the game a lot to get on this level and I will definitely do my best to earn a chance to get called up by coach Pedro again. But if someone had told me one year ago I think I would have just thanked them and continued to put my faith and trust in God and continued to work hard every day. During those times I didn’t know what was going to happen or what direction God was going to send me, I just knew whatever the path was, it was meant for me. And I was blessed to start working with my agent Robert Cardenas Ruda (thanks to my old teammate Jan Zimmerman) around that time who one hundred percent believed in my abilities, and worked very hard to get me fitting opportunities”, warned Tucker Haymond.

            On December 12^th, he scored 23 points in a loss against Itzehoe and then would give his BBL debut the next day against one of the BBL´s top 5 teams ratiopharm Ulm. All of a sudden he was sharing the floor with BBL identity figure Per Guenther, German national player Andreas Obst, ex Euroleague player Patrick Heckmann and a slew of talented Americans like John Petrucelli, Troy Caupain and Demitrius Conger. There were 2 vital things that he wanted to get out of the few minutes he played as well as being able to make that adjustment as the BBL is a totally different world to what he saw in the Pro A and Pro B. “Important was to gain experience and confidence. Besides speed, physicality and basketball IQ, I think the biggest difference is just overall combined experience in the players on the teams. Most teams in Pro A have a lot of guys who have many years of combined mid or high-level experiences in basketball. Whereas sometimes in Pro B, you can have a very talented young team with most guys 18-21 and they are on their way to getting to those places that the guys in Pro A have been”, explained Tucker Haymond. Another huge advantage that Tucker Haymond has with being able to gain new experience with a BBL team is being able to soak up as much as possible with head coach Pedro Calles who easily belongs to the top 3 coaches in the league. The head coach had a Cinderella season with Rasta Vechta and brought them to a new level and now he is trying to go 2/2 with success as he attempts to guide the Hamburg Towers to new heights where they haven´t been before. “Even in this short time of 2-3 weeks practicing with the Towers I have gained more then I can even type out. He has been patient with me and is a great teacher of the game. Since coach Pedro is known for his high intensity, fast pace, defense and team orientated style of basketball, I have the chance to learn something new every day and I try my best to apply it to my game. Him, coach Benka (AC BBL), and coach Miguel (AC BBL) have been very positive and patient with me, which has helped me learn so many new concepts in a short time. When I also practice with Wedel, it’s more reps at the same system. Coach Benka pushes me on both teams and has helped tremendously in different parts of my game, not just skill wise, but mental and technical parts of the game, too”, stressed Tucker Haymond. He had the family feeling in Cologne with manager Stephen Baaeck and it isn´t any different in Hamburg with ex German national player Marvin Willoughby. “We have connected well, we have a mutual friend in Paul Gudde, who told me a lot about him before I even met him. Ever since my first practice, and before any games for either team, Marvin, Christoph (sport director Wedel) and everyone in both organizations have treated me with nothing but respect and welcomed me to a family like environment. I’m just thankful and blessed to be here”, said Tucker Haymond.

            The American who currently is watching the TV series Your Honor knows that he only has 5 games in the easyCredit BBL to be able to leave a lasting impression for the Hamburg Towers as well as other BBL teams and teams from other high levels. But the guy has an amazing work ethic and is so focused to make the most of this once in a lifetime opportunity. “Practicing with the Towers is great and I try to take advantage of it in every way. Playing with the Towers is a big bonus for me and I’m trying my best to earn it since it isn’t guaranteed. I’m also trying to make my BBL teammates better every day in practice, if I can achieve that, then the team improves and I did a good job. But my main focus right now is winning games in Wedel doing whatever is asked of me to help achieve a win and be a good leader for this young and highly talented group”, expressed Tucker Haymond. He has many excellent teammates like BBL veteran Bryce Taylor and diminutive electric point guard TJ Shorts, but there are so many other key players where he can soak up additional vital basketball knowledge on offense from versatile player Jordan Swing and defensive stopper and pest Max Dileo. “I like how Jordan gets to his spots on the floor with his changes of pace, as well as his angles of attack. He is a very talented player. Practicing/Playing with him and watching him reminds me of another lefty I once played with, with similar playing styles – Darrun Hilliard. With Max, I just try to watch how he uses his body and his different angles he takes on defense, as well as positioning. But his biggest asset on defense is his effort. I’ve never played with anyone who gives as much effort on defense as he does, and its contagious. When he gives high effort, other players on the court match his intensity. One of my main goals for this season was/is to be equally dominant on defense and offense and luckily I have players within the team like Max and Kam which lead by example and force me to perform on a high level every day in practice. You’re always working hard to get better”, warned Tucker Haymond.

            Even though the ex Western Michigan(NCAA) guard has been practicing in Hamburg, he is living in Wedel and needs to make the 45 minute drive to Hamburg. He is so focused on making a positive statement with his game that he probably couldn´t tell you where the breathtaking Alster lake is or where the overwhelming famous harbor is. “To be honest I haven’t seen much of Hamburg or Wedel, once I got out of quarantine by the end of November I started practicing 1-2 times a day, sometimes in Wedel, most of the time in Hamburg, so I spend all my time either at home, in the gym, or on the way to the gym. Definitely looking forward to explore the city together with my wife whenever I’ll have the time for it”, warned Tucker Haymond. Even if COVID-19 is still a pain in the neck for the world, basketball wise Tucker Haymond is sitting on top of the world with this very rare BBL chance. Even if he was only a Pro B player two years ago, you can never doubt the self confidence of a professional player. Most have chips on their shoulders and are always gunning for more and reaching the top of the basketball ladder. It hasn´t been any different for him. As soon as he saw Washington native Peyton Siva in the easyCredit BBL, he knew exactly where he wanted to go in Germany. “Ever since I got to Germany it was a goal of mine to play in the BBL. I gained a lot of experience in Pro B and I was a dominant player in Pro A with Schalke (2019-2020). I grew up watching Peyton Siva back home, he was someone I looked up to as a young kid, so being in Germany I wanted to do the same. I think I’m still on track and I will do my best to get closer and closer to accomplish my goal of being a respected BBL player. God has blessed me with this new opportunity in Wedel and Hamburg and I’ll just continue to work hard wherever I’m at, no matter the situations or circumstances”, stressed Tucker Haymond. Even if 2020 has been a year that no one has ever experienced before, one thing is for sure, Christmas will still be there. It is a time of the year where all the turbulence gets forgotten a bit. A time for Tucker Haymond to reflect on his interesting journey in the past 12 months as well as being able to spend precious time with his wife. “I’ll be celebrating this year with my wife, maybe try to go see some Christmas lights if possible and FaceTime back home with family. Of course watch Christmas movies and just enjoy family time, something I’ve learned to savor this year more than ever. And yes, this Christmas I’m blessed to have a comfortable place to sleep and a team to play on, 2020 has taught me to never take anything for granted, big or small.”, added Tucker Haymond. He has witnessed so much that he easily could of written a book about what he went through and would of easily titled the last chapter of his book concerning his easyCredit BBL experience as Faith & Humility. He has everything he needs in Wedel/Hamburg having his wife and having the biggest professional opportunity with the Hamburg Towers. Only one thing is different this holiday season and that is he will have traded the floor in Cologne for a big comfy bed in Wedel. But then again, if he still has that kid at heart in him, then he may actually risk sleeping one night on the floor on Christmas eve next to the Christmas tree to see if Santa Claus actually makes house calls in Germany.