It is no secret that after a long flight and basketball players can attest to that, the greatest feeling is to be finally at home, set foot back on American soil and jump into the arms of your loved ones. But before landing from a long flight, the excitement seems to grow to finally be home especially when your about to land, but that feeling of touchdown with that back plane wheel touching the ground and the clapping of the passengers seems to sometimes take forever to happen with minutes and minutes dragging on during the approach. That happens when the approach to land takes long especially when your flying to New York that currently has 18 plus million or Mexico City that currently has 21 million plus inhabitants. I wonder what that approach must feel like when your about to land in Tokyo that currently has 37 million plus people running around. In the top 13 cities in the world, I have had the fortune to land at three of them with New York City, Sao Paulo, Brazil that currently has 21 million plus and Buenos Aires, Argentina that has 14 million plus people living there. I can remember the incredible approach to Buenos Aires many times with my 17 visits to the country that brought the football world Maradona and Messi. With the Jumbo jet coming in from the north with the Rio De La Plata river on the left and then seeing the breath-taking unending city line of Buenos Aires as you pass several land marks like the famous River Plate stadium and see the Obelisk statue that stands in the 9 de Julion Avenue that runs three kilometers through the city that at times seems like a Daytona 500 race track with all the pesky black taxi’s trying to squirm between the unending amount of buses. The buildings of Buenos Aires seem unending as you pass the city that never ends. The buildings and houses are present for at least 20 kilometers until the plane finally touches down at Ezeiza international airport which is 31 kilometers from the city. The taxi drive from the airport to Buenos Aires sometimes seems as long as the 12 hour flight from Germany when annoying traffic is present. It is a total event just reaching Buenos Aires, but what about having to live at an airport. Everyone who observed Tom Hanks in the Terminal knows what that is like and so does professional globe trotting player Eric Kibi (198-F-90, college: ACU)i who lived at Ezeiza airport recently during COVID. During the 2019-2020 season, he came to Argentina and played for 2 clubs called Libertad Sunchales (Argentina-La Liga) and BHY Tiro Federal y Deportivo Morteros (Argentina-La Liga) and the COVID struck in March 2020. ‘I got to know Ezeiza airport in Buenos Aires pretty well. I spent two nights in the airport after my flight home was cancelled. I arrived at the airport around 3pm for my 9pm flight back to Canada and unfortunately at around 8pm the president of Argentina shut the countries borders so my flight was cancelled and the border was closed for the next two weeks. Initially they didn’t let foreigners leave the airport so that’s why I spent the 2 nights in the airport until I was able to get to a hotel. I walked around, did a lot of reading, but couldn’t go outside and there weren’t many restaurants open. The Canadian embassy finally sent a repatriation flight two weeks later’, remembered Eric Kibi. COVID hasn’t been easy for anyone as it has brought the world apart and for Kibi he has seen a lot in the last year and not only had to live with COVID in Argentina, but also this season in Holland. COVID has been a very challenging time for everyone on and off the court and it is always interesting to hear the different responses from players overseas how the whole situation has made them stronger as men. ‘My self-discipline was always good but this time it was even much more needed, to discipline yourself to keep getting better or keeping your cardio without any gym access for 3-4 months can be hard but very rewarding’, stressed Eric Kibi. He definitely experienced COVID from all angles including a touch of Tom Hanks and the Terminal.

The Congo national player who feels that Boston Celtic guard Jayson Tatum is ready to take over for the next generation after Durant, Curry and Harden decline definitely has a better feeling for scraping that tough rebound off the glass then predicting how many interviews I have done with him as he thought 7 or 8, but it actually has been 13 since 2014. We still have a way to go to catch the 22 interviews I have done with Mr Euroleague Kyle Hines. ‘It would be great to catch him or even have a career even remotely close to his, but he is a legend’, warned Eric Kibi. As COVID hit the world, he was at the tail end of the 2019-2020 season that saw him ball with Libertad Sunchales (Argentina-La Liga) playing 15 Argentinian La Liga games averaging 14.5ppg, 10.1rpg, 2FGP: 47.8%, 3FGP: 36.4%, FT: 53.0% and then moved to BHY Tiro Federal y Deportivo Morteros (Argentina-La Liga Argentina) playing 15 games averaging 14.5ppg, 10.1rpg, 2FGP: 47.8%, 3FGP: 36.4%, FT: 53.0%. He was able to concentrate on his game before COVID came and was able to make strides in his game. ‘Argentina was my first South American experience so it was definitely an eye opener. The Argentinian game is very similar to the Spanish game, very high IQ players there. I can for sure say my IQ for the game improved’, expressed Eric Kibi. In Argentina he scored in double figures in 15 games including 29 points against Obera TC, 27 points and 16 boards against Echague and 23 points and 15 rebounds against Union Santa Fe. During the summer 2020 the 30 year old 198cm forward who believes that despite not wining a NBA title yet, Chris Paul is an all-time top 5 point guard continued to play ball in Canada with the Ottawa Blackjacks (Canada-CEBL) playing 6 games averaging 6.3ppg, 5.2rpg, FGP: 50.0%, FT: 57.1%

Kibi who hails from Quebec City, Canada has played 9 professional seasons. After getting a good taste of what basketball is like in the States playing at Jacksonville College (NJCAA), University of Arkansas at Little Rock (NCAA) and Abilene Christian University (NCAA2), he embarked on a professional career that has brought him to countries like Germany, Montenegro, Denmark, Spain, France, Slovakia, Argentina and last season Holland. He played with The Hague Royals (Holland-DBL) in 2020-2021. It was an eye opening season for him and his team as they raised many eyebrows in the Dutch first division. ‘We lost a few close games by one or two points that cost us a playoff spot which was disappointing, but this group of guys had so much grit and character and kept battling. We made it hell for the big teams when they came to play us at home. We did finish strong though and won 5 of the last 7, I also think finishing 9th and one place outside of playoffs is a good accomplishment for this first year club’, stressed Eric Kibi. He has seen many leagues around the world and the Dutch league belonged to one of the best he has played in as a professional. ‘ I would say Argentina’s top league was a better league overall but the top 4 teams in this league, more or less have played euro cup in recent seasons (Leiden, den Bosch, Groningen and Zwolle) are all tough and high level European teams’, stated Eric Kibi. He had many Dutch teammates where he had a big impact on, but also on American Casey Lopez who had a similar route like him playing at Junior College in the States. ‘Casey was like my little brother. I see a lot of myself in him from when I was 22. He worked very hard and asked a lot of questions. His work ethic was already there so I didn’t have to do anything there. All I did was show him how to approach the game as a pro’, added Eric Kibi.

The forward who loves the style of the NBA’s all-time triple double leader Russell Westbrook and believes that with his work rate and mentality could lead a team in Europe to success played 20 games for the Hague Royals averaging 13.0ppg, 10.3 rpg , 1.2apg, 1.0spg, 2FGP: 45.9%, 3FGP: 16.7%, FT: 51.2%. Like most players that have a chip on their shoulders, he wasn’t 100% content with it. ‘ As far as individually I am satisfied but I still think I could of played a bit more consistently and especially shot the ball better. I shot it well last season from 3 but this season wasn’t great so I will keep working’, warned Eric Kibi. He has had some monster seasons as a professional as he had massive seasons in Germany early in his career for Pinneberg and Rendsburg averaging 19/9 and 20/15, but that was in the fourth division. In Holland he proved that not only could he have a big season, but that he could do it in a first division. ‘Statistically this was my best season as far as competition and players. But not only just stats but I think I showed that I can guard every position on the court, I guarded Euro Cup point guards this season but I also guarded the league MVP, Center so I think statistically yes but I think coach really allowed be to show my full versatility’, remembered Eric Kibi. He has always been an incredible rebounder at 198cm and has demonstrated it over and over in different leagues. He won the rebounding crown in Holland and met his goal. ‘This was a goal that I set for myself in the beginning of the season so I am happy I achieved it. Not only that but rebounding was a big need on our team because we were a small team, so these weren’t empty stats, It was my job to rebound well or else we didn’t have a good chance to win’, said Eric Kibi. He scored in double figures in 15 games and registered 8 double doubles. He had his two best rebounding games back to back against Almere and Amsterdam producing 25/17 and 11/18 stats. After suffering some pain in France two seasons ago, he came back strong in Holland and his point guard experience helped his game. ‘I played point guard in France NM1 and this definitely helped my game to become more versatile, but it was also difficult so the last two years mainly I think the setbacks I had in France gave me a boost and a wake up call. So if anything it made me work harder and increased my confidence’, expressed Eric Kibi.

The forward who doesn’t believe that Golden State Warrior Draymond Green is the best defender all-time as he sees 10 guys before him had the chance to continue his basketball career after Holland in Morocco, but wasn’t able to. ‘I had originally signed with As De Sale about one month ago for the NBA Basketball African League. I already had my ticket and was set to leave but there were some administrative problems with my passport and FIBA so I was not able to join them in Kigali, Rwanda for the competition. It is disappointing as I was very excited to play on this stage but everything happens for a reason’, commented Eric Kibi. This summer he will continue to work hard in the lab on his shot and add counter moves when his main moves get taken away. He has big plans for the summer and next season and who knows perhaps one will see him balling in Germany again. ‘This summer there is the 2021 Afrobasket in Rwanda. I played in the last edition in 2017 and also won the AfroCan with my national team in 2019. Unfortunately I wasn’t called up for any of the qualifying windows which was disappointing but I hope to get the call in the summer, I think I’ve earned it. Congo is always in my heart regardless. As far as next season, the BBL has always been a goal of mine like I’ve said in the past after starting in the Regionalliga in 2012 but I want to make the best decision for my career that is going to continue to help me grow as a basketball player and reach my goals’, warned Eric Kibi. Besides working on his game the versatile player who didn’t like the Coming To American sequel and feels that they should of left it alone will also continue to follow some of his friends like Deandre Lansdowne of Strasburg who reached the Basketball Champions League Final 8 and is battling for the Pro A title in France. ‘ Me and Dee are high school friends and we still talk often. He has helped me a lot in the last two years with my nutrition and intermittent fasting, as I’ve changed my diet as I’ve gotten older. I’m proud of his success, He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve met. His Euroleague call will come soon but for now he’s doing great things as the captain of a basketball champions league team in the Final 8’, added Eric Kibi. It will be interesting to observe where his path will go next season. He definitely has seen many airports in his career. But if he will sit through ‘The Terminal’ with Tom Hanks is another story. He probably doesn’t need to be reminded about airports. He will see plenty more in his basketball career. But the next one he definitely knows as he will play with the Ottawa Blackjacks (Canada-CEBL) again this summer.

      Even though I wasn´t going to be in the stands for the 2021 Euroleague final 4 in Cologne, Germany, I was still really excited for the weekend, because of two aspects. One I would be watching it on TV and two, I was going to attempt another autograph hunt something that carried me through my childhood in Boston and even accompanied me through adulthood the last years when I was in Boston. Before I could even venture to Cologne to see the top basketball players in Europe, I needed to have the top insider information. There are many hotels in Cologne, but obviously one could have narrowed it done to a few knowing that it would have been somewhere near the Lanxess arena. I had no idea if the four teams would all live in separate hotels or if there was one team hotel. Luckly for me I remembered that I knew someone from one of the clubs that could help me out. Within two minutes, I had gathered all the information I needed from my special contact person. Most importantly, I had found out that there was one team hotel and second probably even more vital was how the security was. My buddy reassured me that security wasn´t difficult. That last line paved my way to going to Cologne. I had decided it would make most sense to go on Sunday. I had people on all four teams that I knew, but I was more focused on seeing teams like FC Barcelona and Efes Pilsen. I had seen CSKA Moscow before and seen guys like Mike James, Darrun Hillard, Joel Bolomboy and Johannes Voigtmann, plus I had covered Will Clyburn way back in the day when he played his first season in Germany with ratiopharm Ulm when he was as far away from the Euroleague at that time as the Boston Celtics are from escaping the Brooklyn Nets in the playoffs. I also could have abstained from seeing AX Armani Exchange Milano. Granted my favorite interview buddy Kyle Hines was on the team, but I had seen him recently and had covered guys like Malcolm Delaney and Shavon Shields in Germany. Two guys I would have liked to have seen would have been ex NBA players Sergio Rodriguez and Jeremy Evans. So there I was on Friday evening watching the semi finals. So all I had to hope for was for Barcelona and Efes Pilsen to win, but deep in my heart I was aiming for a Milan-Moscow final, but it would happen totally different.

                One thing was for sure, the two semi-final games on Friday night weren´t short for real excitement. The games were tight and real nail bitters. One has to wonder how incredible the atmosphere would have been had fans been allowed to be at the game. In the first semi-final, CSKA Moscow gave a real hard fight against Efes Pilsen, but despite Will Clyburn making tough shot after tough shot, his 26 points couldn´t get the Russian team over the hump and into the final as they lost 89-86. I was really excited to see what Tibor Pleiss would bring to the table, but I waited and waited and waited, but no Tibor Pleiss was inserted for the whole 40 minutes. I was disappointed, but he was a bit battered health wise. The German big man who won three BBL championships with Brose Bamberg had just experienced his first taste of adversary this weekend, but his time would definitely still come. The Turkish squad were led by ex FC Bayern Munich guard Vasilije Micic who dropped 26 points and was unstoppable with his lethal penetration. This was a game that either team could have won, but the dagger clipped the hearts of CSKA Moscow as they went back home wondering if Mike James could have been the difference, who had gone on to bigger and finer things with the Brooklyn Nets. In the second game, it was a real clash between Italian side Milan and FC Barcelona. With crunch-time winding down the game was as exciting as the first semi-final as FC Barcelona and Milan as nobody could get away from the other. With time running out, Milan had the chance to win the game, but Mr Kevin “I can hit any crazy shot you wnat” Punter who had kept Milan close all game long netting 23 points, but couldn´t connect on a three when it counted most with 8 seconds remaining. That allowed FC Barcelona one last chance as it was ex NBA player Corey Higgins who danced down the court on transition like the energizer bunny, but having the game clock always in his head and then dropped a pull up jumper buzzer beater with his friend and ex teammate Kyle Hines ready to secure the rebound for OT, but instead saw nothing but net. In a way I was content as I could see Efes Pilsen and FC Barcelona on Sunday. Of course I could have been even earlier in Cologne and also catch Milan and Moscow before they left the arena for the game for third place, but I had decided to catch the final teams as they left the hotel. You can´t have everything in life and I had my wife and son waiting in the car for me so the big kid could go about his business as see some real basketball hero´s. In the game for third place AX Armani Exchange Milan was able to dispose of CSKA Moscow 83-73. Vladimir Micov and Sergio Rodriguez led the Italian side with 14 points apiece, while the Russian side were led by Tornke Shengelia with 18 points. Even if American Euroleague record holder Kyle Hines who had a typical fill up the stat sheet game with 5 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals was denied his 5^th Euroleague title, he was able to rewrite the Euroleague record books. His 3 blocks in the game made him the all-time Euroleague Final 4 shot block leader.

                After an off day on Saturday, Sunday finally arrived. I ventured to Cologne and was at the team hotel at 6:00pm for a 8:30 final start. I was there a bit early, because I wanted to be sure that I didn´t miss anything. With only a 2-3 minute bus ride to the arena, both clubs had set a 6:45 Pm departure from the hotel. There were maybe 10 fans there and all mostly Efes Pilsen fans. In the first 20-25 minutes, it was very quiet as no players excited. Then came a charismatic looking guy out of the hotel that could still have been a player, but it was obvious to see that he had some kind of function with FC Barcelona. He smiled at some fans and then walked towards the bus and stopped for two pictures with people. I wondered who it could be. Then I heard the name Juan Carlos Navarro. And I had my first OMG feeling. I yelled his name and just before he walked on the bus, he turned his head and said “Ill be right back”. Apparently other fans also didn´t recognize him and before he knew it, he had to make the rounds with selfies with many people. I was included in the bunch and also got an autograph. After my wow effect two Efes players came with Turkish big man Sertac Sanli and ex NBA player James Anderson. They were both relaxed and took selfies with the Efes fans and me. It was the calm before the storm and at about 6,35 it began to go bang, bang, bang as the players began exciting out of the hotel. Then came the only disappointment for me on this balmy Sunday night as the breeze made it feel like early summer as a flock of FC Barcelona players departed the hotel. All 8-10 players looked like Lebron James as they were incredibly focused and seemed like they were already on the floor with their game faces on. In that bunch were three players that I really wanted to get selfies of with Corey Higgins, Brandon Davies and Nick Calathes. Even my scream of Corey didn´t get the ex Euroleague champion to flinch as none of those dudes were about to stop for me. I also missed a herd of Efes Pilsen players with Bryant Dunston and Chris Singleton, but that didn´t bother me at all. But I did have some massive fortune after that. With five minutes to go before the buses would go, the last stragglers showed up. One guy everyone was waiting for was Spanish legend Pau Gasol. As always he was a real gentleman and stopped for everyone. I had seen him two years earlier in Boston when he had been with the Milwaukee Bucks and it hadn´t been any different there. Gasol was a little occupied when he signed by two pictures and unfortunately signed with a blue Sharpie on a black portion of my picture so in the end, one can´t really see his signature. I also got a selfie. He had to make the rounds and even signed a Lakers jersey for a fan. The legends continued as Sarunas Jasikevicius next departed who is the FC Barcelona head coach. I really wanted to get a selfie with the ex NBA player who is a legend in Lithuania and won 4 Euroleague titles as a player and won the 2003 European championships. He obliged even if he had an angry look on his face. Now the FC Barcelona bus left the grounds Next came Tibor Pleiss. He saw me and unleased a loud hey. He was happy to see me and asked how I was feeling concerning my cancer. I also got a selfie with him and last but not least came ex NBA player Shane Larkin. He was also a player I wanted to get a selfie with and he was more than happy to. Larkin was the last player to exit the hotel and now the Efes bus was able to leave for the arena

                I was more than pleased with my 45 minutes of work concerning selfies and now was back on my way home. In a way I was for FC Barcelona to win, because Pau Gasol had never won a Euroleague title before, but my heart was obviously more for Tibor Pleiss who had the opportunity to secure that first Euroleague title in his home town. FC Barcelona controlled the game in the first quarter and led by 7 points. FC Barcelona did a great job on the defensive end making everything difficult for the Turkish side. Tibor Pleiss was on the bench, but his shinning moment would still come. The turning point of the game came in the second quarter as Tibor Pleiss was inserted. FC Barcelona led by 10 points, but the German big man gave the team instant energy on offense with 5 points and key defensive rebounds. On defense he was a solid rock and didn´t let any of the FC Barcelona big men or penetrators to get good looks. He played 8 minutes and had 5 points and 3 boards. He had mastered his adversary from Friday not playing with a great stint from the bench At halftime Efes Pilsen led 38-34 and would never look back. Unfortunately Pleiss had hurt himself again in the second quarter and would never come back into the game. Efes Pilsen led by as much as 11 points in the third quarter. FC Barcelona never gave up and made it real exciting in the fourth quarter dead locking the game a few times in crunch-time, but the Turkish side got massive buckets from their dynamic duo of Shane Larkin and Vasilije Micic. Both possibly NBA bound this summer, combined for 46 points and was FC Barcelona´s nightmare in this evening. In the post game interview Tibor Pleiss was all smiles. His smile was so massive, it could have competed with his ex teammate´s Michael Hakim Jordan when he had been with Cologne in 2009. “ The title for Tibor isn´t only a milestone for him personally, but also for German basketball. It is the climax of a great career. His way should inspire many German players”, stressed medi Bayreuth guard Bastian Doreth. He said more than once that this win was the greatest moment in his life. “It is funny to see that two guys that were the centers1-2 in Bamberg in 2010-2011 were in the Euroleague Final 4. I´m very happy how his path has gone. After his NBA dream was shattered, he continued to develop and found a niche with Efes Pilsen. He deserved the Euroleague title”, stressed former Pleiss coach Steffan Weissenbock. Even if the German big man had to face adversary twice on the weekend including getting hurt again in the second quarter, he was able to conquer adversary and the Euroleague title and garner the greatest moment in his life in his home town. That is something that nobody will ever take away from him.

Jaleen Smith (193-PG-94, college: UNH) is a 26 year old 193cm guard from Freeport, Texas that is playing his fourth professional season and second with the MHP Riesen currently averaging 15,7ppg, 5,2rpg, 5,5apg and 1,8spg. Last season he played 28 games averaging 10.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.4apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 53.1%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 82,8%. In 2018-2019 he played with the MLP Academics Heidelberg (Germany-ProA) averaging 12,7ppg, 3,9rpg and 2,7apg. In his rookie season with Heidelberg he averaged 7,6ppg, 2,8rpg and 2,9apg. He had a stellar four year career with New Hampshire (NCAA) from 2013-2017 where he played a total of 120 NCAA games. He improved his scoring, rebounding and assists average each season and as a senior he played 32 games averaging 15.8ppg, 6.4rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 78.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the 101-98 game one victory over FC Bayern Munich.

Congrats Jaleen on the massive 101-98 win over FC Bayern Munich. One would have thought that the MHP Riesen might be tired after having beaten Bamberg 48 hours earlier, but it seemed like FC Bayern Munich was tired. Could the long Euroleague season be their achilles heel now?

Yes they played maybe 60-70 games through the year so they could be tired from the long season they had.

You guys had an explosive first quarter netting 29 points. How key was the few minutes where you let it rain three’s. Hulls, Polas and Brown scored. Do you feel like this phase surprised FC Bayern Munich?

Yeah we played really good offense and got a lot of open looks from pick n rolls which plays to our strengths.

FC Bayern Munich scored 30 points in the second quarter. When they get going, they are able to really pour on the points. Why was it so difficult to make the proper adjustments and then to execute well on the defensive end?

We had a couple of slip ups on defense. We didn’t communicate and a team like Munich they’ll make you pay for those mistakes.

FC Bayern Munich never gave up and made it a real nail bitter at the end cutting your lead to 100-98. How key was John Patrick in helping the club keep their composure in the last seconds?

We knew we needed at stop in the end and we got it. We’ve had games like that through out the year that helped us in that moment.

You made a massive three at the end. How good did it feel making that clutch shot again? How big was your desire to make that type of shot again?

Making a shot like that was big but I’m just glad we got the win in the end. I’m just ready for the moment at all times you never know when you’ll have to step up and make shots like that.

We lauded Jamel Mclean in the last interview. He showed all his class shooting 10/13 and 83%. What did you learn about his game once again?

When he gets to his fadeaway it’s impossible to stop. He was on fire.

How key was it forcing Wade Baldwin to 6 turnovers? Despite him scoring 14 points were you content with how the club followed the scouting plan on him?

Yes I like how we followed our game plan through the game we just played our basketball and nobody likes to play against our defense.

You had another very good game with 18/4/3/2 stats and shot 40% from outside. What do you believe did you capture again in your game that you didn’t have in the last games against Bamberg?

The Bamberg series really prepared me for these next couple of games because in that series I was denied almost every play and against Munich they allowed me to get the ball so I’m allowed more to create for myself or for others. Just thinking about the previous just helped me grow more as a player.

Being able to battle against a club like FC Bayern Munich has to be so special for you. If someone had told you your rookie year in Heidelberg that you would be the MVP of the easyCredit BBL what would you have thought?

I would’ve asked them what is the BBL haha. I wouldn’t believe them if they told me. I would’ve thought they were crazy. I always want to progress over my career and I think I’m doing ok with the steps I’m making right now.

What adjustments will the team have to make for game 2? Munich shot way too many three’s and outrebounded you.

We definitely have to outrebound them next game and limit their3 pt shots for sure. They started getting hot towards the end of the game as you seen

Is the only way the Boston Celtics can get by the Brooklyn Nets if Jayson Tatum continues to be a superman?

I can see it but it’ll be tough next game because Brooklyn will key even more on him then they already do.

Who will win the Euroleague final tonight Efes of Turkey or FC Barcelona? Do you have any preferences?

I think Efes will win their backcourt is the best in Europe by far.

Thanks Jaleen for the chat.

Jaleen Smith (193-PG-94, college: UNH) is a 26 year old 193cm guard from Freeport, Texas that is playing his fourth professional season and second with the MHP Riesen currently averaging 15,7ppg, 5,2rpg, 5,5apg and 1,8spg. Last season he played 28 games averaging 10.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.4apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 53.1%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 82,8%. In 2018-2019 he played with the MLP Academics Heidelberg (Germany-ProA) averaging 12,7ppg, 3,9rpg and 2,7apg. In his rookie season with Heidelberg he averaged 7,6ppg, 2,8rpg and 2,9apg. He had a stellar four year career with New Hampshire (NCAA) from 2013-2017 where he played a total of 120 NCAA games. He improved his scoring, rebounding and assists average each season and as a senior he played 32 games averaging 15.8ppg, 6.4rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 78.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the MHP Riesen game 5 95-73 win over Brose Bamberg

Congrats on the massive 95-73 victory over Brose Bamberg. How good does it feel winning again after seeing adversary twice?

It felt great. The way we played in game 5 shows the kind of character that we have. When the tough get going the going gets tough. We played tough and got back to playing Ludwigsburg basketball.

How tough was that bus ride home after game four. On what things did you think about first about doing better in game 5?

I thought about coming back more focused in game five and make an impression on defense.

Losing two games in a row is something that the club hadn’t witnessed before this season. What do you believe did the team learn from the two Bamberg loss that would help them come out strong in the do or die game?

We learned that we had to be ready to play. A team like Bamberg had nothing to lose. We knew that we had to get that mentality again to get stops to win games.

After losing two games in a row something that never happened this season, did you sense a different mentality with the team as you stepped on the floor for the tip in game 5?

We came into game five more locked in and be more focused on defense than on offense. We knew that if we got back to defending the way we know how we would be able to get out running where we are at our best.

It was like night and day between game four and game five. The MHP Riesen found back to their typical game by getting into their offense via the defense. Bamberg did a good job with the match ups and physicality. Why didn’t it work out at all in game five?

I think key in game five was that Bamberg wasn’t able to bring the kind of physicality that they had had in game three and game four. We used so much energy in game five that they were drained.

The MHP Riesen did a good job really not allowing Bamberg to get over the hump once. You had 8 players that had 8 offensive rebounds. How proud are you of the team the way their heart and desire came together in a do or die game?

It was great getting that kind of support. We were tough and knew that we could of closed out the series earlier had we been more focused.

How much fun is it playing with Jamel Mclean? Should he get a patent on his fade away jumper?

Yes I think so. At the start I kept wondering why he always used that shot, but now I know that it works best for him. That is his thing.

How focused were you coming into the game? You had had a tough 2/16 game against Crailsheim, but also couldn’t find the hoop in game 4 going 2/13. I thought you may have been a bit mentally fatigued in game four?

Yes I have to credit Bamberg for playing good defense on me. I didn’t get easy looks and they where all over me full court. They did a good job making it tough for me to get the ball and took me out of the game. I have to give credit to my teammates for stepping up and making shots.

How did you personally go into the game preparation mentally? On what things are you most focused on with your game after a bad shooting game?

I don’t think about getting more shots, but on being locked in on defense. No matter what happens on offense, play hard on defense and get my guys involved. Picking and choosing when to go or find my teammates is also important.

You didn’t have a great shooting game, but made up for it in other areas with rebounding and playmaking. How vital is it having a deep roster where you don’t have to always worry about making that big shot on every other play?

It is a relief when you know your 8-9 guys deep that can make plays and you never know which guy will go off on any given night. It is fun and relaxing to know that I don’t always have to make that shot.

The MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg next clash against FC Bayern Munich. You split the season series 1-1. What kind of series can we await?

I believe the series against Munich will be even more physical than against Bamberg. They are bigger, but I feel we will be ok if we can use our quickness to our advantage. We are really looking forward to meeting them.

Ludwigsburg have a huge winning streak at home. Will that record still be alive come game 3?

It is tough, but I honestly believe that we will still be undefeated at home. We play really well at home. I feel that we are more comfortable at home than on the road even without fans. Having our families watching us relaxes us.

You had two tough games against FC Bayern Munich. How psyched are you to be going up against ex NBA player wade Baldwin?

If I want to reach the Euroleague or NBA, I have to be able to go up against guys like that. But for me it isn’t about my game, but more the Lubo/Munich match up. I’m more focused on that then individual match ups.

What kind of series can wea wait between Alba Berlin and ratiopharm Ulm. Ulm are a real final dark horse team. Can Ulm make the upset?

I think Ulm could make an upset. Ulm played so well against Oldenburg. Troy Caupain has been playing like a maniac. If he keeps playing like that I can see it happening.

Do you remember German player Kay Bruhnke of medi Bayreuth? He said in the current BIG magazine that if he could have the skill set of one player for a day it would be you. How does that make you feel when a German kid says that about you?

That is crazy. Coming from the States, I have my own idols, but being in Germany and hearing a German kid say that you wouldn’t think that that would be said. I’m still wondering what my skill set is. It is a blessing and so cool to hear.

What was your reaction to how Kwame Brown described how he was treated by the Washington Wizards and Michael Jordan early in his career?

Many rookies seem to go through something like that in the NBA. Some can handle it while others can’t. He was so passionate about how he was treated. It is very sad to hear.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Money talks.

Thanks Jaleen for the chat.

It had been day 7 for me in the hospital in the toughest stretch during my battle against cancer as I was in the middle of my recovery. The pain at times had been unbearable and I was just trying to cope the best way as I could. The hospital experience was harder than the first two surgeries because my pain disallowed me to continue to do my basketball work. It was Saturday night and I was trying best to pass my time. I was either staring straight ahead at the blank white wall thinking about my son’s current new love for sliding down lamp poles on streets, thank you Fireman Sam, or wondering which professional basketball player I was going to interview next, or somehow scrambling out of my bed which can take minutes due to the pain in my stomach area due to the many cuts and just gaze out my window and look at the Mainz football stadium structure hiding through the trees which was only about one kilometer away or looking up to the Lerchesberg at the ZDF TV head quarters and wondering if I could ever be a spectator in their famous Saturday night Sport Studio show which I have never been at. Here and there, I would also be inspecting my cell phone and checking all the basketball sites and also wondering if Chris Paul could lead the Suns to an upset first round upset over the Los Angeles Lakers and if my Boston Celtics had any chance of upsetting The Brooklyn Nets with their trio of stars. On Social Media, I observed a post of Tibor Pleiss (221-C-89). He posted a pretty picture of his home town Cologne river with the head line ‘On more week’. He was referring to coming back home, because he and his Turkish team Efes was one of four teams that would battle in this weeks Euroleague Final 4. It was early evening and I had no idea that Tibor Pleiss would be accompanying me all through the night in thought.

I had adopted a very disciplined sleeping time of about 10,30 since being in the hospital, because usually I do go to sleep a few hours later due to my basketball work and interviews that at times happen with players. After I had received my sleeping pain shot and sleeping pill and had my eye patches over both eyes, I began my quest for getting a good night sleep. While trying to fall asleep, I thought about Tibor and his career. I thought why not trying to do an interview with him before the Euroleague Final 4. I also thought hmmm could be a bit difficult with the short time window to it beginning on Friday and my stay and recovery in the hospital. I fell asleep and then sometime around 4am I was up for a short bathroom break. I climbed back into bed like a 90 year old man as slowly as a snail crosses a street not to feel any pain. Before I knew it, I was in basketball heaven. I don’t often have basketball dreams, but suddenly I was in Cologne and in the Laxness arena and there beside me was the 221cm giant Tibor Pleiss. It was as usual a strange dream, because it showed me and Tibor as well as old flashbacks from the 2006 and 2007 BBL Allstar games that were played in the Laxness arena that I had visited and been able to do play by for radio. What I do remember about meeting Tibor again in 2021 in my dream was me trying to get a picture with him. For all who know me know that I love taking pictures with players more than Russell Westbrook does getting a triple double. We know that Russ is the all-time triple double record holder, but everyone who knows me knows that I will do anything for a photo with a player. As so often in my dreams, I always tend to have difficulty getting that much desired picture and it wasn’t any different with Tibor. I remember he being his friendly self, but I don’t remember getting my photo taken with him. I’m sure with my luck in dreams, I didn’t. I was planning to go to Cologne on Sunday and try to catch FC Barcelona leaving their hotel and get my photo with NBA legend Pau Gasol signed. I had met Gasol two years ago in Boston thanks to ex BBL player Charles Lee who I was interviewing in the Milwaukee Bucks hotel and the giant big man was also having lunch in the cafe so I couldn’t resist meeting him. Getting a Gasol autograph, why not get another picture with Tibor Pleiss. My last one dates back to 2007.

I covered Tibor Pleiss in his early days in Germany and also broadcasted many games of his and have very fond memories of him. I remember seeing him play for the first time in 2006-2007. I remember as if it was yesterday as Tibor made a fancy half court shot right before half-time. The game had been in played in Cologne in the tent as people called it and everyone of the 3000 spectators knew already at that time that he was going places. I remember seeing Michael Hakim Jordan in the stands as he was off from his Italian club Cantu and was visiting his old team who he had helped win the BBL title the season before. I wonder what Jordan would have said to the question in 2007 that Tibor Pleiss would be in the NBA in 2015? Pleiss had been touted early as a young teenager by his mentor and discoverer Stephen Baaeck who managed Rhein Energie Cologne. The 1993 Euro winner with Germany compared him to being the next Dirk Nowitzki. Ok that never happened, but it would be difficult to argue that he has been the best and most consistent German center in the last 10 years. My first and only interview came in the 2007-2008 season. It was a pre Christmas game in Frankfurt and Pleiss was out with an injury. In those days, I called games on radio and was always running around the arena like an injured road runner trying to secure a pre game interview and giving Frankfurt an early dose to what it would be like a few years later when the speedy road runner and MVP Dashaun Wood be having his own track meet during games. So I approached the 18 year old German big man on the bench and just asked him almost shyly knowing he would be a German legend one day and he replied generously with a yes. The interview was a normal pre game one concerning his injury and the state of the game.  I had interviewed his teammate Immanuel Mcelroy with a Santa Claus hat, but had taken it off for the Pleiss interview. I looked absolutely ridiculous with my Santa hat on, but hey it was different times and I liked it. I’m sure Tibor will remember the interview if he saw the photo again. A few years later he signed it.

Pleiss would go on to have a very illustrious career since leaving Rhein Energie Cologne in 2009. He went on to play for Brose Bamberg from 2009-2012. Instrumental in his arrival in Bamberg was Bamberg legend and at then time manager Wolfgang Heyder. He did win his first title in Germany with Cologne, but would 5 more with Bamberg including 3 BBL titles in a row. In Bamberg he made massive steps as a player and developed greatly under head coach Chris Fleming who now is an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets. ‘It was great playing with Tibor in Bamberg. In 2010 he was still trying to come into his own. I know that this weekend means a lot to him playing in his own home town’, added Mr Euroleague Kyle Hines. He became the BBL’s best German center scoring and grabbing rebounds at ease and being one of the top shot blockers. It between he was also drafted by the New Jersey Nets (NBA,2rd (31). ‘He was very young when he came to Bamberg. He was already very focused and ambitious. He always worked hard and did everything to get better. Bamberg was a very important building block in his career. He had coaches like Arne Woltmann and Steffen Weissenbock who challenged him and he got crucial minutes especially in international games’, stressed ex Brose Bamberg manager Wolfgang Heyder. He never hurried with the NBA as it would still take some more grooming before he made it. After Bamberg, he made the next step playing in the best country league in Spain ACB club Caja Laboral Vitoria (Spain-Liga-ACB) and also played with FC Barcelona. In 2015 he then finally decided to make the big leap over the Atlantic to the NBA. Even though he put up solid 12/10 stats with the Idaho Stampede in the D-League, his NBA journey ended after 10 games. One had the feeling that he truly never really wanted to be there. Plus his game was better suited to the European game. His most memorable game was probably his 8 points in a loss against the San Antonio Spurs where he shared the floor with legends like Tim Duncan and Manu Ginoboli plus future legend Kawhi Leonard . Despite having a solid NBA Summer League with the Jazz in 2016, he ended his NBA experience heading back to Europe to become that solid Euroleague player where he played with Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) and Valencia Basket (ACB) and currently is balling with Anadolu Efes Istanbul (Turkey-BSL). ‘He continued making step after step in the last years. Last season, he didn’t only get physically stronger, but was also a stable three point shooter. He also has played for impressive teams like now with Efes that is a top team’, added Wolfgang Heyder.Currently the 31 year old has 239 Euroleague games on his resume and will be wanting to add on to that with two more this weekend including his first Euroleague title. Since leaving Bamberg, he has only won two more titles with the 2017 Spanish Cup and 2019 Turkish league title. ‘He is a great player and one of the more reliable players for Efes in the last couple years and a big reason for their success and a reason for who they are’, warned Kyle Hines. I definitely won’t have it easy who to root for. I obviously want to support my guy Mr Euroleague Kyle Hines who is going for his fifth with Milan and with whom I have shared a special 22 interview relationship since 2011 as well as his ex team CSKA who I have grown to love, but I also will put some strength in crossing my fingers for Pleiss and his Turkish teammates. But back to my all through the night in thought experience with Tibor Pleiss. One thing is for sure if I ever here the classic 80’s song ‘All Through The Night’ by the iconic Cyndi Lauper, I know I will be instantly reminded by my night with Tibor Pleiss in thought. The only problem one seldom hears that beautiful ballad anymore. But I’m not afraid, because my Tibor night in thought will always have a special meaning, because it happened during my cancer struggle. Also with every player I have had dealings with or thought about in my life, I never have had a whole all through the night in thought experience. Believe me I have thought many hours of Larry Bird since childhood, but never had a dream with him. There you go Tibor. You have beaten my Goat at one thing.

With 1,18 to play in a Euroleague do or die game something that Mr Euroleague Kyle Hines (198-C-86, agency: BeoBasket) lives for,his club AX Armani Exchange Milano was in full charge like a Russell Westbrook is at the moment concerning his overwhelming fetish for triple doubles leading 91-79 with 1,18 to play. Some Milan players may have already been emotionally and mentally half way to Cologne where the Euroleague final 4 will be in thought, but then came a surprising turn in the game as FC Bayern Munich buckled down and took charge suddenly making an incredible comeback. The German side began to execute at both ends of the court as Vladimir Lucic nailed a trey and big man beast Jalen Reynolds who is one of the top centers in the easyCredit BBL was worth every penny scoring inside with his brutal physicality and also showed his versatility stepping outside and hitting a three pointer. He isn’t only respected in the Euroleague, but also in Germany. ‘I remember when we played Munich, I was battling Jalen Reynolds the whole game in the paint. He told me man your really strong and your left hand is really tricky’, stressed ex Mississippi (NCAA) great Murphy Holloway. Reynolds had a monster game dropping 19 points and hauling down 10 boards and Kyle Hines who had a solid contest with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks had his hands full with the Munich big man. ‘He is a talented player. His awareness around the court is key for his success. The ball always seems to find him at the right place and at the right time. Going into game five, we knew that we had to limit him. I tried to make everything tough for him’, warned Kyle Hines. FC Bayern Munich just kept fighting executing on offense while Milan made silly plays and coughed up the ball. Ex NBA player Wade Baldwin brought more extra excitement to the Munich bench scoring with 14 seconds to play with a lay in to cut the Milan lead down to 91-89. Munich had gone on a 10-0 run in a span of 1.04. It was really a mystery how an experienced team like Milan could make a sure looking win into a real nail bitter at the end. ‘I honestly don’t know how we gave up that lead. We showed how not too close out a game. But you have to credit Munich, because they never quit making plays and hitting big shots. We did everything in that span that we shouldn’t have done’, remembered ex CSKA Moscow center Kyle Hines. Milan just kept giving Munich extra chances as game top scorer Shavon Shields made a turnover giving Munich the chance to tie the game or take the lead with 14 seconds to go. Then came the massive play by Kyle Hines that saved the day. Baldwin was sprouting with extra self-confidence after his last basket and wanted more as he drove by ex NBA player Malcolm Delaney, but suddenly out of nowhere came this brick wall called Mr Euroleague Kyle Hines that smothered the American. ‘Honestly I blacked out. I don’t even remember the position that I was in. I remember seeing Baldwin drive and I was on the weak side. I slid over and was able to tie up the ball in a very crucial moment’, warned Kyle Hines. Once again Kyle Hines demonstrated why he still belongs to the top players in Europe even at age 34. Shavon Shields made one more free throw for the 92-89 Milan lead and Munich then had one more chance with a wild last second three attempt from ex NBA player Paul Zipser that only hit the side back board.

It definitely had been a very exciting quarterfinal series as AX Armani Exchange Milano had taken a rapid 2-0 series lead which also was benefited from a neat Zach Le Day game winning tap in at the buzzer. But FC Bayern Munich never gave up and knew that they had to deliver at home and did winning game three and four 85-79 and 85-82. ‘In a five game series each game and situation is different. We knew that Munich would make adjustments. We knew that guys like Lucic and Zipser would step up after not having big games in Milan. We couldn’t get it done in game three. I felt that we had game four under control, but we just couldn’t close out the game’, said New Jersey native Kyle Hines. The first quarter of GAme five was tight, but in the second quarter AX Armani Exchange Milano was able to break away and control the game until the last minute allowing Munich to sneak back into the game. ‘I felt that we were able to get back to our game plan. We were a little nervous at the start, but once we settled down we were able to take off and have big lead. Coach Messina continued to always remind us who we were and what needed to be done’, expressed ex Brose Bamberg center Kyle Hines. AX Armani Exchange Milano definitely showed that they were able to cope with pressure in the most important parts of the game. ‘We knew that it wouldn’t be easy, but we had experience and had had some guys who had played in crucial game five games. We just knew what we had to do to win this series’, added ex University of North Carolina at Greensboro (NCAA) center Kyle Hines.

The incredible game five victory by AX Armani Exchange Milano was obviously a team effort, but one can’t deny the fact that Danish forward Shavon Shields was another of many hero’s on the night as he exploded for an incredible 34 points. He has proved all season long that one can count on his scoring as he has scored in double figures in 27 of 32 Euroleague games including dropping 26 points against Khimki and 23 points against Zalgiris. One really has to wonder if AX Armani Exchange Milano would have won this key fifth game without him? ‘He was definitely our leader of the game. He stepped up big time. He showed that he is one of the top players in Europe. He has hit so many big time shots this season. For me it has been a lot of fun to watch his growth and maturity this season’, stated Kyle Hines. In 2016 Shields played his rookie season in Frankfurt with the Fraport Skyliners where then head coach Gordon Herbert’s son Daniel had seen something very special in him after scouting him at Nebraska. After a season in Trento, he now is in his fourth Euroleague season after playing three seasons with Spanish ACB team Baskonia. With his massive 34 point game against Munich and a possible MVP final four weekend, isn’t it about time he gets an NBA gig? ‘He has shown this season that he is one of the rising stars in the Euroleague. He will be on the big stage in Cologne and will have a great opportunity to show his game. Now it will be up to him to see what is best for him. I’m sure after his 34 point game, he will be on many team’s radars even those of NBA teams’, warned Kyle Hines who is very happy for the success of ex teammate Mike James who has been making the most of his 10 day contracts with the Brooklyn Nets recently.

When the buzzer sounded after 40 minutes in the Mediolanum Forum in Milan, there was a huge celebration on the Milan sideline. Team president and world famous designer Giorgio Armani who was sporting all black and a simple white mask was all smiles and so was Kyle Hines. ‘The management and Mr Armani said that he was very proud of the team for the way we played and the way we represented the Armani group and the city of Milan’, expressed Kyle Hines. After celebrating the last 6 years with CSKA Moscow, he experienced a very special celebration with Milan. ‘I think getting to every Euroleague Final 4 is different. It was a great feat in the Milan basketball history, because they haven’t been to a Final 4 since 1996. It was very special for the region that has been hit so hard with COVID and especially for the fans so they can be excited about something. Mr Armani has done so much for the club keeping it complete. We celebrated one of our goals that we had set at the start of the season. This is just an incredible achievement’, stated Kyle Hines. Of course his phone and social media feed was bombarded with congratulatory messages from all over the world including ex Bamberg teammates and German fans who obviously were pleased they had defeated FC Bayern Munich. Kyle Hines wouldn’t be Kyle Hines without his extreme humbleness. The guy has reached a ninth consecutive Euroleague final 4 and is going for his fifth win. There is no arrogance, but just gratitude and having that feeling of being blessed for having this amazing consistent track record in the Euroleague. He doesn’t have that feeling of being invincible in the difficult Euroleague competition. ‘Each season and final four is different. I just have been very lucky to have been on so many great teams and situations. Of course I always want to keep winning titles. I just have been very fortunate the last nine years’, commented Kyle Hines. He is also aware that he could win a new title in the first season with a new title the same way Tom Brady did with Tampa Bay. But he isn’t thinking about the fifth Euroleague title yet. ‘It is still a long road ahead for us. It would be a big achievement to win another one. I have sought out to win every season. This would definitely be an incredible achievement for Milan because it hasn’t been done in so long’. Warned Kyle Hines.

The last movie that Hines saw was the Disney movie Soul now slowly starts to look ahead to the Euroleague Final 4. He knows that he could meet his ex team CSKA Moscow in the final, but before that can become a reality AX Armani Exchange Milano have to take care of business against top ACB team FC Barcelona. AX Armani Exchange Milano don’t have fond memories of their two games this season against FC Barcelona as they lost both games by 16 points. But he also knows that in the final 4 everybody will be at 0 again. ‘It will definitely be a challenge. We had command in the first game and let it slip away and in the second game we had had a down period and had had injuries They are a good strong defensive team. We have to continue to get better in the next weeks and take steps and then see what happens’, warned Kyle Hines. He is also thrilled to compete against ex NBA player and teammate Corey Higgins. ‘We are very close and like family. I am happy for his success with Barcelona. It is always fun to play against him. This will be the fifth time that I will be playing against him. We know each others game well’, stressed Kyle Hines. If he does reach the Euroleague final, he knows that he will be meeting family as it could be his ex team CSKA Moscow or ex teammate of Bamberg Tibor Pleiss who is balling with Turkish team Efes. ‘When ever we see each other, Tibor and I talk and engage in conversation. I’m very happy for his success. It is great for him that he will be returning home to Cologne where his career began and be able to see family’, stated Kyle Hines. Not everyone has appreciated the way AX Armani Exchange Milano has had success and how they play. Recently coaching legend Svetislav Pesic who guided Germany to the 1993 upset Euro win over Russia stated that Milan plays old school basketball and wasn’t impressed with their game. Quotes like that doesn’t faze Hines as all that matters at the end of the day is the win and chip. ‘Every person is entitled to their opinion. I respect his opinion. But at the end of the day our style has gotten us this far. It has been successful for us. It isn’t every bodies cup of tea, but it is our preferred style and we have been successful with it’, warned Kyle Hines. If Kyle Hines can win a fifth Euroleague title and with a new team, he will forever be immortal as a player the same way Tom Brady is. Then maybe a coaching guru like Svetislav Pesic will see that old school basketball isn’t extinct yet.

Omari Knox (187-SG-86, college: Bloomfield) is a 33 year old 188cm guard from Brooklyn, New York that recently completed his 9th professional season and second with TSV Oberhaching Tropics Deisenhofen (Germany-ProB) averaging 15.5ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 87.5%. He has played his whole professional career in Germany including 2 years with OSB Hellenen Muenchen , one season with the RhenStars Cologne and 4 years with the TSV Dachau Spurs. He played 8 seasons in the Regionalliga and has belonged to the top guards in the league averaging over 20 points 5 times and twice averaged 27,0pp in a season. He began his basketball career at Bloomfield College (NCAA2) and as a senior averaged 18.8ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.7apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 40.1%, 3Pts: 40.1%, FT: 71.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com during the Coronavirus in 2020. The interview was misplaced and found again.

Hi Omari where are you at the moment and how is your current mood despite the world turmoil at the moment because of the out break of the Corona Virus?

Hey wassup Miles, I’m doing ok. I’m still in Munich, and handling the current crisis as best as anyone can. I’ve stayed in heavy prayer and been optimistic that everything will improve over time. I am a bit worried still, with my wife and I expecting the birth of our first child, in July but I’m sure everything will be fine.

When you first heard about the Corona Virus did you ever think that it could have such an effect on the world?

I guess none of us knew how bad it would get. It seemed to spread so quickly, but many people didn’t take it seriously. I also figured at worse, it would be a typical winter/flu season and then go away once the weather changed. I would have never thought it would have this much of an impact on everything.

How did you experience the day to day life in Bavaria when you were still in Germany? What things did you notice in the surroundings there that showed that life wasn’t normal?

With everything being closed except for the essential businesses (Supermarkets, Restaurants, Pharmacy’s, Hospitals, etc.) it’s been difficult at times. I’m used to seeing people outside enjoying the nice weather as often as they can, but with social distancing, the streets have been fairly quiet. I’ve just taken the time to get things done, that I had been putting off, and talking a lot more to my family and friends back home in the states.

Did you become more aware about how you handle yourself in public in terms of shaking hands and not being in the line of fire with somebody coughing

I’ve always been a bit of an introvert. I definitely don’t like people coughing or sneezing around me, (whether it’s controllable or not) so I wouldn’t want to expose anyone to it either. Once it got bad, I also stopped shaking hands with people.

Basketball leagues have shut down all over Europe including the Pro A. How disappointed were you about this and not being able to finish the season?

I feel like our team had just found a good rhythm, and chemistry just in time for the postseason. I was excited for the play-downs, because there weren’t many people who thought we would be able to stay in the league. I was looking forward to showing whoever we had to play, that we would be much tougher than our record showed. I understand that health and safety comes before anything else, so it was definitely necessary to shut the leagues down.

Before leagues were shut down there was a BCL game in Bonn against AEK Athens and a Fiba Europe Cup game in Bayreuth without spectators. What is your overall opinion of playing a game without fans?

I think it’s tough to play a game without spectators. It sort of takes the advantage away from the home team, having their crowd behind them to cheer. In terms of getting the games played and finishing the league, this is the best option. Games can be streamed for spectators.

What have you learned about these tough times that has made you stronger as a person?

This crisis has been difficult for everyone. It’s made me grateful more than anything else. Grateful that none of my friends and family have been directly affected. Too many people have died, so I’ve learned not to take the people or things that I do have, for granted. I’m hopeful that there will be better days ahead.

Wil it be a big adjustment having to start 3 months earlier with workouts and basketball skill development? What will be the advantages and disadvantages of this?

I planned to take some time off after the season ended, anyway. This is an advantage for any guys who had injuries, to heal up before the next season begins. I’ll just be working on staying physically fit until things open up, and everyone is allowed back into the basketball gyms. It doesn’t take me too long to get back into a basketball rhythm.

The whole world economy is going to be affected including German basketball. How worried are you about the future of professional basketball. The next season will have many changes. How are you handling this mentally now not knowing what to expect?

It’s a scary thought for a lot of people, but I try to only worry about things that are in my control. I just hope for the best, and have trust in my agent that he will be able to find me the best possible option to play for next season. I also think that in some cities, more businesses may slowly start to open up over the next weeks.

If you had to name another player besides guys from the Panthers that you have been in most contact via Social Media who would it be?

One guy I’ve talked to regularly is Zamal Nixon. We’re actually childhood friends. We laugh about the fact that somehow we managed to bump into each other multiple times over the years, here in Germany (in different cities), without even planning to. Now, we live just 5 minutes away from each other here in Munich. This a very small world.

How has the day to day life been now in the States with the outbreak of the Coronavirus? Have you noticed any differences and are there any differences between the Americans and German people on how they are coping and handling themselves?

Day-to-day life here in Munich has been a lot less stressful than for my family and friends in New York City. One major difference is in the population. Here, I can at least go outside for a walk without the streets being crowded. I feel for all of those in the big cities, who don’t have the luxury of a yard or balcony to sit outside and get fresh air. Many Americans are struggling much more because the numbers are higher. It’s hard to predict when things will get better.

How has your approach to family changed since the outbreak of Corona? What things have you seen yourself do that you may not have done before?

I try to talk to most of my family, regularly. Before all of the crisis, everyone has been so busy and may not have had the time to schedule calls. Now everyone is in the house so it’s much easier. It’s been one of the only good things to come from all of this.

Let’s talk about the season of the TSV Oberaching Tropics. You moved up from the Regionalliga and finished in the Pro B with a 7-15 record in 11th place and were set to battle Frankfurt and Munich to stay in the league. The season left many unanswered questions. How tough is it never knowing what would have happened?

I don’t think about it much anymore. All of my teammate’s and coaches and I had the same goal which was to stay in the league, by any means. However, we achieved that goal under different circumstances. I wish we could have had the chance to play, only to prove the people wrong who doubted we would stay in the league. That’s just the competitor in me.

The club will play Pro B again thanks to the Coronavirus. How content were you with the team effort considering it came from the Regionalliga?

The team’s effort this season was incredible. That’s what made the difference. I believe that if it weren’t for unfortunate injuries, we would have easily been a playoff team.

The club lost 8 of it’s first 9 games. How vital was this bad start for the season going in one direction?

The bad start was difficult. For a newly promoted club that type of start could have destroyed the season. It hurt playoff chances, but I can honestly say that the whole organization kept faith the entire time and believed things would get better.

The club then upped it’s play having a 6-7 record winning 2 of the last 3 games. Did the trust continue to grow with the club and how confident are you that you would have made a run in the playdowns?

Our coaches simply told us not to look at what every other team did. As long as it was still in our own hands, we would get the job done. Every win built our confidence that much more. I’m confident that we would have been able to make a run in the Playdowns.

It is never easy to make ‘what if’ predictions, but do you feel like the team could have made the playoffs had you been on board from the start?

I wasn’t ready to play at the start of the season because of my surgery last summer but I think if I was completely healthy, and played the entire season we would have made the playoffs.

What was the team highlight of the season the win against Orange Academy, Speyer or Frankfurt?

I think the Frankfurt win was the highlight of the season. Shortly before that, we had some really huge loses, and needed a tough win on the road to rebuild the confidence and chemistry. That game helped a lot.

Let’s talk about your teammates. How much of a pleasure was it playing with John Boyer? You had dueled him many times in the Regionalliga over the years. He can do it all. What did you appreciate most about his game?

John is a special player. It was a lot of fun getting the chance to play alongside him for once. He makes the game easier for everyone, and it seems so effortless. He can do it all. His ability to see the entire court and make plays passing the ball, is what impresses me the most. He actually played the whole season long, with a nagging hamstring injury. He was never at full strength. It’s amazing what he was still able to do, while hurt.

Was the solid season of young German Justin Hedley a surprise or something you expected after coming to Oberaching? He came from Hanau and needed no adjustment period. Is he a guy that you mentored a bit and what did you like most about his game?

Justin and I worked out together for most of last summer. We also stayed in touch while he was in Hanau. I told him, once he signed with Oberhaching that he would have a good season, simply because he would be allowed to play his game. He works really hard and I’m glad it paid off for him this season. His abilities to get to the basket, and hit the mid-range shot, are what I enjoy most when watching him play.

What was it like playing with German Peter Zeis who had the most BBL experience on the team. Does the fact that he played some years in the BBL make that competitive level with you bigger in practice despite playing different positions?

Pete and I took some time to click, but I enjoyed playing with him. The competitiveness in him definitely challenged me in practice. It really helped me a lot mentally. I was struggling with trusting my knee while coming back from surgery, but Pete, as well as the other guys didn’t hesitate to let me know they were still going to hold me accountable. That’s what great teammates do.

How good of a coach is Mario Matic and how much of a opportunity does he deserve to coach at a higher level than just the Regionalliga or Pro B?

Mario is a really good coach. He’s a ‘Player’s Coach’. Some might discredit his style because he’s not so technical, and more strategic. He gets the job done. He has been successful at both levels where he’s coached. He definitely deserves an opportunity to coach higher.

Let’s talk about your game. You played your first season in the Pro B 15.5ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 87.5% despite coming back from injury. How content were you with your first Pro B season?

Looking back now, I can say that I’m satisfied with the season that I played. It was very frustrating for me at first. I was forcing things, because I kept thinking about what I would do in the league if I was completely healthy. My coaches and teammates helped tremendously, by keeping me focused on being patient and letting me know it would all come back over time.

After playing most of your career in the Regionalliga, does it bother you today that you didn’t get more shots at a higher level in Germany?

I believe everything happens for a reason. The offers that I did receive weren’t great, so I decided to always stay at the same level to make a better living. At some point, I knew that I would stay in the Munich area so I also didn’t need an agent, which I think could have made a big difference when searching for contracts in the higher leagues.

Your used to having put up monster stats in the Regionalliga like 27,0ppg one season with Dachau. How much of an adjustment was it scoring less in the Pro B and how did you become a better player having had the chance to play in the Pro B?

It wasn’t a huge adjustment for me. The level of talent usually will increase around you the higher the league is, so it was expected that my numbers would go down. I think the same would have been possible in the Regionalliga, had I played with the same group of guys. I did learn how to pick my spots better, when being aggressive.

What is the next step for you? Your turning 34 in November. How much longer do you still want to play and how willing is your body at this point? You have the German citizenship and it would be easier getting jobs with the dual citizenship.

I‘m growing older but my body still feels pretty good. Strangely, before my injury I felt I was in the best shape of my life. I’ve already played 9 seasons but I think that somehow, the years in the Regionalliga helped to preserve my body. Less practices, and less strenuous games than at the top levels. However, I’m looking to make more of an imprint in the pro leagues (whether Pro A or BBL) the next years, as long as my body permits it. The German citizenship should definitely help with opportunities.

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the Pro B this season?

Either Miguel Servera (Hanau), or Marvin Heckel (Baunach)

Luka Doncic had an amazing sophomore campaign. Is he a top 3 NBA player now?

Luka is a beast, but I wouldn’t say Top 3 yet.

Where were you when you heard about the death of Kobe Bryant. You were 12 years old when he began in the NBA. What kind of influence did he have on you during adolescence?

I was at home sitting in my living room when I read the news, and I couldn’t believe it. Kobe had a huge influence on me. He was amazing to watch from the beginning of his career. I love how is game continued to evolve as he got up there in age. Every now and then I’ll still watch an old game of his. He will truly be missed.

How bitter is it that the NCAA March Madness has been canceled? This tournament for some kids is the greatest time of their lives. What advice would you give that senior who worked hard for 4 years and would have had his one and only chance now?

I would tell them that they should still be proud of everything that they did accomplish in their four year’s of playing college basketball, because many don’t even get that opportunity.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Bad Boys for life.

Thanks Omari for the chat.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It was the 2016 Fiba Europe Cup with you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks Jordan for the chat.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks Darryl for the chat.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What was the last movie that you saw?

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

Thanks Michele for the chat.