Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Siyani Chambers in Frankfurt
John Bryant has seen hundreds of point guards in his career and played with hundreds more since he picked up a basketball in San Pablo, California, but he definitely hasn´t come across a player like Siyani Chambers before in his career as he doesn´t possess only extra ordinary fine basketball skills, but also has another skill that definitely not all basketball players have and something that if he and his current teammates really wanted to get on the back of the Minnesota native could possibly rob a lot of free time and even have him moonlighting from basketball on certain nights. Chambers didn´t only have a magnificent NCAA career at Harvard where he won more titles than most college players in a four year career, but he also learned another trade only because of an injury and a service that isn´t usually handed to a man and definitely something that most men wouldn´t feel proud of doing or want to do it, but it has been done not only by women. In the summer of 2015 the American interned at Adidas in Portland. While playing pickup, his left knee gave out and he tore up his ACL. He withdrew from Harvard for the 2015-16 academic year because Ivy League schools don´t allow redshirt seasons. Instead of getting a typical job that a man would do, he did something very untypical becoming a nanny for Reverend Jonathan L. Walton, Harvard’s Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church. It was a route that most men would have cringed at and thought “are you crazy and why would you do something like that”, but Chambers didn´t go against the norm and found the experience very enriching and gave his life new meaning and also helped him get his mind of the nasty injury. “, I want to thank Rev. Walton and his family for their hospitality and allowing me to stay in their home. Caring for the kids, Zora, Elijah, and Baldwin was not only fun but it also helped take my mind of the injury. As a competitor any injury that will keep you away from the game is tough. I had to learn to be patient and understand that my recovery would be a process, and to mentally stay focused and believe during times when things weren’t as fast as I wanted”, stressed Siyani Chambers. This whole experience wasn´t easy having to sit out a year and be away from competing on and off the floor, but his ex Harvard teammate Brandyn Curry knew exactly what he was going through. “Whenever you are faced with some adversary like that how you respond really determines if it was a blessing in disguise and I think that´s exactly how it ended up being for him. He took that year and worked extremely hard on making the most of it. I had a similar situation when he was a freshmen and I had to take a year off so we talked a good bit when he had his. I think as the years go on he will continue to value that year off more and more just like I have”, warned Brandyn Curry. Should a fan over hear a John Bryant whispering something to Siyani Chambers after a hard fought victory to the words of “hey man how about watching my kids tomorrow night while my wife and I check out that new Spiderman movie The New Universe”, then it will be clear that his teammates have exploited the child caring talents of Chambers and given him a new moonlighting job as a babysitter. Siyani Chambers has the winning mentality and children skills to fit in anywhere.
Fraport Skyliners head coach Gordon Herbert has seen tough times in Frankfurt, but none worse than what he has seen lately as loses and injuries have pilled up and felt as badly as all the firework rubbish around Central Park and Times Square on New Years Eve. The Frankfurt walked wounded list that sits at the side of the bench looks like the waiting room of a hospital which has effected the play of the club as well as the many games in a short time has also given the team fatigue and heavy legs as Crailsheim noticed with the ever growing short shots that Frankfurt was putting up. With the Fraport Skyliners stuck in a three game losing streak, basketball life doesn´t get any easier as 72 hours after their ugly loss to cellar team Hakro Merlins Crailsheim, the team had to continue to do double duty as they faced top Russian VTB team Lok Kuban who came into the Eurocup in Frankfurt with a solid 8-4 record in the VTB and were well prepared having polished off Stelmet Enea 73-41 and came to Germany with a lot of self confidence with ex NBA player Dorell Wright and Jajuan Johnson and nice role players Jamel Mclean, Trevor Lacey and Mateuz Ponitka. A great winning experience would have done the Fraport Skyliners wonders as they waited for some of the injured players to return and were looking for their first Eurocup win in the second stage as they lost the first game in Ulm. The Fraport Skyliners looked very sharp in the first few minutes, but then allowed Lokomotiv Kuban to play their game and take a big lead and maintain it to the end winning 92-69. The many injuries, turnovers and simply real serious inconsistency plagued the Fraport Skyliners all night long. After the loss ex Georgetown(NCAA) guard Jason Clark tried to explain why his team was unable to put some kind of scare into the Russian team. “We got outgunned tonight. We started out well. But then we had a three minute dry spell and allowed them into the game. I believe that if we had continued to play the way we started, it would have been a totally different game. We have way to many injuries and turnovers. We have been talking about this for weeks. We need to find a way to get it done. We have to find the energy and motivation to get it done”, stressed Jason Clark. The Russian side won their first game in the second stage to move to 1-1 and for long lengths of time displayed excellent team basketball and execution that helped them get the victory as 6 players scored in double figures. After the win ex North Carolina State (NCAA) guard Trevor Lacey reflected on the win and in his tone one could easily notice that it was just another day at the office for the team. “We had a short rotation with some guys missing, but we played together for 40 minutes and executed well down the stretch”, stated Trevor Lacey.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and ex Boston Celtic Jajuan Johnson after he dropped 10 points in the win
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Mateusz Ponitka in 2018 in Frankfurt after a Lok Kuban 92-69 win in Eurocup play
Mateusz Ponitka is a 25 year old 196cm guard that is playing his first season with Lokomotiv Kuban (Russia-VTB). Last season he played with Iberostar Tenerife CB Canarias (Spain-Liga ACB) and played 33 ACB games averaging 13.6ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 62.1%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 78.4%;and played 16 BCL games averaging 11.1ppg, 3.8rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 59.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 80.0%. He started his basketball career in 2008 with Kasprowiczanka Ostrow Wlk. He then played three seasons with Tempcold AZS Politechnika Warszawa (1Liga). In the 2012-2013 season he made the jump to Asseco Prokom Gdynia (PLK) playing 34 games averaging 8.7ppg, 4.2rpg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 27.2%, FT: 70.7%; and played 10 Euroleague games averaging 8.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 61.0%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 38.1%. He then played two seasons with Telenet BC Oostende (Belgium-Scooore League), a season with Stelmet Zielona Gora (TBL) and a season with Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir (Turkey-BSL). He spoke to germanhoops.com before the Eurocup game against the Fraport Skyliners.
Mateusz thanks for talking to germanhoops.comWelcome to Frankfurt. Two years ago you didn´t make the trip for a BCL game against the Fraport Skyliners. Is this your first time in Frankfurt? What does the city and it´s basketball mean to you?
First time in the city so I cant say anything about it.
In the last six years you have played many times against German teams in international club competition against Alba Berlin, Ludwigsburg and Artland to name just a few. Could you guess if you have a positive or negative all-time record against these teams?
I know I lost once to Alba and once to Ludwigsburg for sure but I believe it´s positive
I will help you. You have a very respectable positive record of 10-3. What do you believe has been your secret to having so much success against German teams?
I don´t know if there is some secret. German teams most of the time play very physical and tough. I like those kinds of games. Plus many times we are coming during the summer with the national team to Germany so there were already few places I played. Unfortunately Frankfurt is my first time.
It isn´t slowly ten to midnight yet for the Dragons Rhondorf, but rapidly getting very close to the gong as the club is looking to be saved somehow of their poor season as they are caved into the Pro B south cellar with a record of 3-11. Shortly before Christmas the Dragons Rhondorf hauled in 36 year old basketball dinosaur Anish Sharda who came from ASC Theresianum Mainz (Germany-Regionalliga) after never averaging less than 18,9ppg in the last four years in the Regionalliga. The American who recently got the German citizenship brought 137 career Regionalliga and 116 Pro B games to the Dragons Rhondorf and scored 11 points in his first game in a loss to the RheinStars right before Christmas. Over the years he has had some nice battles against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors and had a 4-3 record against them scoring in double figures in four of the seven games coming into the game in Frankfurt. Sharda could be that key new component that will help get the Dragons Rhondorf out of the cellar as his consistent scoring and strong playmaking will be a huge advantage. Sharda led the Dragons Rhondorf to Frankfurt and met a 9-5 team that have been playing good basketball as of late having won three of their last four games. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors had won the first contest in Rhondorf 75-68 thanks to 11 three´s and a strong Pro B debut by Swedish shooting star Elijah Clarance who scored 21 points while the Dragons owned the boards. In the first contest of 2019, both teams had their ups and downs during the course of the 40 minutes, but the Fraport Skyliners Juniors controlled the game and allowed a massive fourth quarter come back by the Dragons Rhondorf, but were able to salvage an overtime period getting a last second sprint and bucket by Elijah Clarance for the 83-81 win. After the tough loss Dragons Rhondorf head coach Thomas Adelt had that look as if he had seen a basketball ghost as for the third time in a row his team was close to winning, but were denied again. “We had too many turnovers in the first half and got in a hole because we were too sloppy. In the second quarter we fought and pressed well and were in a good position to win the game. It´s tough to lose the game on a last shot. We have worked so hard to win these games, but then we lose. I think that in the deciding moments we aren´t there mentally”, warned Thomas Adelt. Frankfurt was lucky that they escaped with a win. “This wasn´t our best game. Our ball movement wasn´t consistent today. We started off well in the first few minutes, but then their press made us play hectic. We had more ups and downs in the second half. We were a little sloppy at the end, but came out with the win”, added guard Len Schoormann. It was only Anish Sharda´s second game and he still getting used to things, but he had his moments hitting for 8 points and making some nice plays at both ends of the court. “I thought that our press was great and it kept us in the game. But we could of overall executed better on offense”, added ex TV Langen guard Anish Sharda.
The holiday season is always a memorable one off the court for the players, but in the last week, it was anything but noteworthy as the Fraport Skyliners had to face ratiopharm Ulm twice in the easyCredit BBL and Eurocup and lost both games. The first game cost the club rookie Trae Bell_Haynes and Akeem Vargas who will be out for a long period of time. The 2016 Fiba Europe Cup winner had had enough of the ratiopharm Ulm team and now had no other choice but to come home and have to take care of business with cellar team Hakro Merlins Crailsheim who came into a game with a 1-12 record while the Fraport Skyliners were doing their own type of balancing act in 12th place with a 5-7 record and three wins away from the last playoff place. The game also remarked the return of an old Skyliner friend Konrad Wysocki. The last time the German who played at Ivy League school Princeton wore a Skyliner jersey, Barack Obama was just beginning his first term as president, Derrick Allen was his teammate and still in his twenties and Dennis Schroeder was a huge basketball talent on the Braunschweig playgrounds. The 36 year old Wysocki played for the then Deutsche Bank Skyliners Frankfurt (Germany-1.Bundesliga) playing 36 BBL games averaging 6.0ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 59.6%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 43.8%. He returned back to the Fraport arena having a BBL record of 3-2 against his old time since his departure in 2009. He was perfect with the EWE Baskets Oldenburg posting a 3-0 record and winning two nail bitters by two points, but had lost both contests with the Hakro Merlins Crailsheim. It was pretty much a game that both sides had to win badly with Crailsheim a tad more and did as the Fraport Skyliners despite having injury problems and fatigue gave an unsatisfactory performance losing to the Hakro Merlins Crailsheim 91-77. After the big win a relaxed Konrad Wysocki exited the locker room with a big smile and was right away greeted by his ex team attendant Wulle Buhr and after rapping about the good old days, he greeted me and commented on his return back once again after a few years in the Pro A. “Obviously the faces change over the years, but then you see some of the familiar faces from then and the memories return. This was a big win for us. It has been a tough season losing some close games. We really needed this win very much. Maybe this is the start of seeing more wins”, stated ex Fraport Skyliner Konrad Wysocki.
The Fraport Skyliners continue to struggle through the season and it showed most against the lowly Hakro Merlins Crailsheim as they had good moments on offense, but their defense continues to be their achilles heel as they can´t rely on this part of their game. Of course the many injuries as well as the many games they have had in recent weeks have had their toll on the club, but still showing effort is something that doesn´t take the most talent and is something any team can always display, but that is something the club has had problems sticking to. After the loss ex Georgetown guard Jason Clark had a long face as he tried to digest another loss after losing back to back games in Ulm and explained what went wrong this time. “We can´t give fatigue as a reason why we lost this game. Every team goes through stretches like this where they have injuries, but this is what we play for. We have to find a way to win these games. Yes were tired, but we can´t have a performance like this. We have to do the little things right and show effort. I have a lot of respect for Crailsheim and they played a hell of a game, but at the end of the day we are a way better team than what we showed. We have to win these kind of games. This game was winnable”, warned Jason Clark. After the huge victory, the diminutive 180cm point guard Dewayne Russell who seems like a few centimeters smaller felt a lot larger than he was after the game even if he didn´t show it as his hot shooting third quarter where he scored 15 points carried the team to the win. The ex Grand Canyon(NCAA) stand out was as humble as could be about the performance of his team. “We played well. This was one of the few complete games we have played this season. Coach did a great job preparing us and our veterans Wysocki and Turner kept our heads up. We did a good job staying together when they had runs. We executed very well what we wanted to against their different coverages”, stressed Dwayne Russell.
Post game interview with Crailsheim guard Dewayne Russell who led his team to the win with a game high 22 points including 15 in the third quarter
Jonas Sauer is a 19 year old 187cm guard that is playing with the ScanPlus Baskets Elchingen (ProB). He began his career with the ratiopharm Ulm U19 team (NBBL). Last season he was German NBBL Group 4 Regular Season Champion and reached the German NBBL Semifinals. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.
Jonas thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and ho is basketball life treating you at the moment?
I’m with ScanPlus Baskets Elchingen, playing for their 1st and 2nd team. The 1st team plays ProB Germany. Besides that I’m in my senior year in German Highschool. Basketball life is treating me pretty good right now.
Talk a little about how you found a love to basketball and your early years? Was basketball always your first love or did you enjoy other sports?
Since I was a little kid I always had a basketball with me, no matter where I went. Since my dad played at a high professional level I kind of had the love for basketball in my genes already. I started playing for Ulm since I was 6 years old. Besides basketball I did gymnastics when I was like 7 and then started with track & fields and did that for quite some time.
At this time last season, the Dragons Rhondorf were in a way living in a fairy tale as they had experienced a great start to the season which carried them until the new year and had many jolly faces in the Dragon Dome. They were playing great team ball and most important winning games something that hadn´t been the case two seasons ago in the Pro A and the season before that left them in the playdowns saving their season with severe effort that almost bit them in their butts. A big reason for their success last season was there once in a century perfect acquisition in Kam Taylor who was the all around player any Pro B coach would love to have. A guy that filled the stat sheet like a mini Russell Westbrook and the kind of guy that had those perfect white teeth for that Crest commercial and had the jovial friendly smile that would invite any person from 8-80 to go out and have a tasty dinner and talk about life with him. Kameron Taylor was the team last season, but one can´t forget that head coach Thomas Adelt also had the correct supporting cast as unsung hero Viktor Frankl-Maus was one of the top point guards in the league and guys like Thomas Michel and Valentin Blass were the perfect supporting cast that had consistency and team play plastered into their heads the way Kyre Irving has that next Uncle Drew commercial in the off season. Times were great a year ago and overall the season was a good one even if their playoff run ended way to early. A year ago the Dragons Rhondorf had a 10-4 record and was one of the top teams in the Pro B south with the ScanPlus Baskets and a year later they are in the Pro B cellar with a 3-11 record and reeling for their basketball lives. The Dragons Rhondorf have had numerous problems this season that have reflected their current standings position in the Pro B south and problems that the club just haven´t been able to correct so far. The Dragons Rhondorf desperately need to quickly conjure up victories at 10 to midnight to save the season.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber interviewing top Pro B big man Zygimantas Riauka
Kellon Thomas is a 25 year old 180cm point guard from Indianapolis, Indiana playing his rookie season in Germany with EVL Baskets Limburg (Germany-2.Regionalliga). Currently at the mid season mark, he has led the team to a 8-3 record averaging 32,0ppg, 6,0rpg and 5,0apg. He began his basketball career at Southport High School and in his senior year averaged 21.4ppg, 5.6rpg, 4.3apg and also played quarterback on Southport’s football team. He began his NCAA career in 2012 and played four years there playing 106 games. His best season was his last season where he played 32 games averaging 12.3ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.6apg, FGP: 41.8%, 3PT: 31.5%, FT: 72.6%. He played on emore year of ball at IUPUI (NCAA) playing 31 games averaging 9.6ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 35.1%, 3PT: 34.8%, FT: 90.6%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball before the start of the season.
Hi Kellon thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and how was your summer?
Hey Miles, I am in Limburg Germany at the moment.
Congrats on signing with German Regionalliga 2 team EVL Limburg. You could have been a rookie last season but wasn’t. What were the reasons for not being a rookie? Did you need time to find yourself or didn’t the right offers come?
Last year I sat out and didn’t play because of issues with my previous agent. It was a misunderstanding.
There are so many players in the world and also a lot of teams, but still many more players. Do you feel after looking back at your NCAA career where you averaged 12,3ppg at a very good basketball institution and Kent State that teams in general didn’t see your true abilities until now with EVL Limburg head coach Danny Stahlbohm? When I played at Kent State, I had my best year stats wise and I think some people or coaches do not understand the sacrifices some players have to make for their teams. Just because a player doesn’t average big numbers, doesn’t mean he isn’t capable. It just means he did what the coach told him to do or whatever was needed for the team to win.
Connor Wood is a 25 year old 193cm guard from Guelph, Ontario playing his second professional season and first in Germany with the Uni Baskets Paderborn. Currently through 15 games he is averaging 12,2ppg, 2,3rpg and 2,7apg while shooting an astronomical 47,1% from outside. He played his rookie season with Niagara River Lions (NBL Canada) playing 44 games averaging 9.2ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 74.2%. He played at Carleton University (CIS) from 2012-2017 playing a total of 124 CIS games. In his senior season he played 23 games averaging 17.4ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 48.3%, FT: 79.5%. He won 5 CIS titles and 2 OUA titles. He spoke to germanhoops.com before his arrival in Paderborn.
Hi Connor thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and how was your summer? Currently I’m in Paderborn doing preseason with the team. My summer was good got some time to travel and continue training.
Before we get into the heart of the interview, I have to ask you what is the secret of becoming an amazing shooter at Carleton (CIS)? So many guys have done it in the past not to mention your ex teammate Philip Scrubb?
I think it’s all about reps just making sure you are shooting the ball enough. It’s different for everybody but if you get enough shoots up anybody can become a great shooter.
After playing your rookie season in Canada last season with the Niagara River Lions (NBL), you will be making your debut in Europe in Germany with the Uni Baskets Paderborn. What do you know in general about the country Germany and it’s basketball? Did you talk to the Scrubb brothers or Tyson Hinz about their experiences in Germany to help make your decision easier? Yea I talked to them and heard good things mostly talking about the cities and experience. Tyson told me to make sure I’m comfortable with the coaching staff and how they’re running things which I think I’ve found a good spot here in Paderborn for that. I enjoy the ball movement and pushing to get the best looks on offence since that was what I was used to at Carleton.
How did you personally experience your second summer transfer period? After a solid rookie season in Canada with what expectations did you go into this summer and did you get many offers and how thankful are you of Matt Slan’s work of getting you the Paderborn gig? It was a much more detailed experience last summer I was just training not sure what was going to happen where this summer with Matt I knew we were going to work hard to find a good opportunity overseas. I was getting some looks and got a good offer by Paderborn welcoming me to their team. I’m very thankfully for Matt’s work! Last year I was waiting till fall without much interest so it was a nice change to have interest a lot earlier and actually get an offer overseas. Which is thanks to the effort Matt put in.
Brian Harper is a 33 year old 208cm forward that is playing his 12th professional season and third in Germany and first with the Tigers Tuebingen. He played two seasons in Germany playing 66 BBL games combined with TBB Trier averaging 11.0ppg, 4.8rpg, FGP: 51.8%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 60.3% and with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (Germany-BBL) averaging 5.9ppg, 4.0rpg, FGP: 46.7%, 3PT: 34.9%, FT: 62.7%. He also played four seasons in Japan and also played in countries like Norway, Korea, Lebanon, Cyprus, Estonia and Israel. He began his basketball career at Paine (NCAA2) in 2003 and played 108 games in a four year career and as a senior averaged 16,6ppg and 6,9rpg. Last season he split time with Hapoel Ramat Gan Givataim (Israel-National League) playing 4 games averaging13.0ppg, 4.3rpg, in Feb.’18 moved to Cytavision Apoel Nicosia (Cyprus-Division A) playing 12 games averaging 12.8ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 58.5%, 3PT: 43.3%, FT: 75.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Brian welcome back to Germany. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?
Hey Miles, thanks I’m happy to be back. I’m currently in LA but will be in Germany soon. Life is great and Basketball is always good.
Welcome back to Germany. You were away four seasons away. What did you miss the most from the country Germany and it’s basketball?
The thing I missed most about Germany would have to be its people. As for basketball I would have to say the level of professionalism and the quality of basketball. Also the fans in Germany always make it great to play there, they are some of the best in the world.
We have done 7 interviews in the past. Has time flown by since your playing time in Germany that brought to new places like Cyprus, Estonia and Israel? Yeah time has flown by for sure. I’ve had a good time playing in many different countries these past 4 years, but I’m really excited to be back in Germany!
You signed with Pro A team Tigers Tuebingen of the Pro A. What were the main reasons for signing with the team that once played BBL? I am super excited to be joining the Tubingen Tigers! I was looking for a situation this season where I could play for a great organization and compete with a team looking to win.
How difficult were the last months? At age 33, you were unsigned. Did you ever have any thoughts about possibly calling it quits as a professional?
Ask any professional basketball player it’s always tough waiting for the deal that you feel is right. I was lucky enough to have some opportunities come up these past few months, and even more fortunate to have found the deal I wanted. There are a lot of good ball players looking for a job so I’m thankful for this opportunity.
What do you remember from your duels against Tuebingen with Trier and Bremerhaven? Could you off the top of your head remember your record on the court against them? You must remember the first meeting since it was your first BBL game.
I remember the arena was packed with fans and it was a great atmosphere. I don’t remember my record against Tubingen, but I do remember playing them in my first BBL game and winning that game.
You had a 2-2 record in Germany against Tuebingen. Is there a game that still stands out or does their pink gym still remain active in your mind?
My first game against Tubingen stands out because it was my first BBL game so there is no way I could forget it. Out of all the gyms I’ve played in the pink gym is one I’m sure I’ll always remember.
Your coming to a struggling team that really needs wins. The club doesn’t want to say it, but it seems like you are a type of savior coming in. How excited are you for this new challenge?
I’m really excited to be joining The Tubingen Tigers! Every season has it’s challenges and obstacles, and as a team we will look to be successful throughout the rest of the season. My goal is to come in and do everything in my power to help the team win games.
You will be playing for head coach Alexsandar Nadjfeji. What memories do you have of him on the court? He was one of those guys that never seemed to get older and was still playing at a high level well into his 30’s I remember Coach Nadjfeji always playing hard and being a great competitor.
What kind of role do you see yourself having with the Tigers Tuebingen? You have always been a consistent scorer. Is this something that will be a big focus besides other things?
I’m looking to come in and do whatever Coach Nadjfeji feels the team needs from me. I’ve always been able to score the ball, but I’m also looking to provide multiple things on both ends of the floor.
The BBL remembers you well with your amazing flights to the rim back in the day. How well has your athleticism been holding out as you continue to play into your 30’s?
My body feels great and I still feel like I’m athletic and explosive. I think fans can still expect to see some of the high flying they remember.
How has your game developed further in the last years since you last played in Germany. What do you believe are you doing better now than when you were balling in Germany? I feel like my game has grown a lot in the last four years. I have added more to my offensive skill set and also have grown into an even better defensive player.
When guys get older, it seems like they can’t rest, but actually have to do more. There are many guys in the BBL that are old like Julius Jenkins, Derrick Allen, Immanuel Mcelroy that are still playing very well in their late 30’s. Are these guys role models for you as your return to Germany and continue to want to play well at a consistent rate?
Yeah those guys have set a blueprint on how to continue to play at a high level well into your 30’s. That’s for sure a goal of mine, and I’ve already had the pleasure of playing with and watching Derrick Allen work during our time in Bremerhaven. He is an ultimate professional and one of the hardest working players I’ve played with.
On what things are you still focusing on now to get better at? You shot the three extremely well in Israel and Cyprus last season. How much pride are you putting into your shooting now as you get older?
I’m focusing on continuing to get better at everything. I feel like if you stop trying to get better you are doing yourself an injustice. I definitely take pride in shooting the ball well. Shooting the 3 at a high rate is one of those things that I continue to stay focused on. Last season it definitely paid off .
You also played with Tartu Ulikool/Rock (Estonia-Alexela KML) playing 22 games averaging 12.6ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.0apg, Blocks-2 (1.3bpg), FGP: 61.1%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 55.0%; and played 11 FIBA Europe Cup games averaging 11.0ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.7%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT: 66.7%;and played 6 Baltic League: games averaging 12.8ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.5apg, 1.5bpg, FGP: 53.6%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 88.0%. What kind of experience was it playing with top Estonian veteran Janar Talts? Did you exchange any BBL stories as he was teammates in 2004 with NBA player Marcin Gortat?
I had a real good time playing with Janar Talts. We did end up spending some time talking about our experiences playing in the BBL. I enjoyed my time in Estonia and learned a lot that season. I had a good time competing in the FIBA Euro Cup, and Baltic League!
You returned to Japan in 2016 to play with Tokyo Hachioji Trains (Japan-B League D3) averaging 14.6ppg, 8.4rpg, 1.1apg, Blocks-3 (1.3bpg), FGP: 55.7%, 3PT: 27.6%, FT: 63.2%. You played four seasons in Japan. What do you remember most fondest about the culture and the way basketball is played there?
I love the Japanese culture and my wife and I enjoyed our time there. My fondest memory of my time there would be my wife and I getting pregnant with our first child while living in Tokyo. The style of basketball is up tempo and more one on one basketball in most cases. I’ve been able to have some success in both styles of play so I enjoy playing in both.
When you played with TBB Trier you were teammates with Canadian Jermaine Bucknor. He is still with them. What do you remember most about his game and character? I am sure he is a guy out of the 100’s of teammates you have had that you won’t forget.
Jermaine is a great basketball player and an even better person! The thing I remember most about our time together would have to be the battles we would have in practice. We would push each other to get better and it always prepared us for the upcoming game. We stay in touch and are good friends and our families are close.
Who was the toughest player that you faced in the BBL in your two year run with Trier and Bremerhaven?
There were so many good players when I played in the BBL it’s hard to just pick one. One of my teammates in Bremerhaven proved to be one of the toughest. Darius Adam’s led the league in scoring and could facilitate and defend.
If you had to pick your all-time starting 5 of best teammates which 5 players would you pick?
I’ve played now for 12 seasons as a professional basketball player and have played with so many great players. It would be almost impossible to only pick just 5. I’ve been blessed enough to be a part of some special teams. The team that I won a Championship with in Cyprus, and the team we had in Trier would be two of the better overall teams I’ve played on.
If you had to construct your very own NBA mount Rushmore which 4 heads would you pick?
Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant
What is your personal opinion about the never ending debate of who is the greatest between Michael Jordan and Lebron James? I think Lebron will go down as one of the best of all time, but Michael Jordan in my opinion is still the greatest.
German Hoops 