Aris Thessaloniki

Will Cummings (Aris Thessaloniki) Europe Is A Stepping Stone To Still Try And Make The NBA

Will Cummings is a 24 year old 188cm point guard from Jacksonville, Florida playing his second professional season and first with Aris Thessaloniki (Greece-A1) averaging 15,2ppg, 3,6rpg and 3,7apg in Champions League play. He played at Temple(NCAA) from 2011-2015 amassing a total of 111 NCAA games and as a senior played 36 games averaging 14.8ppg, 4.1rpg, 4.2apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 22.9%, FT: 80.8%. As a rookie last season he played for the Houston Rockets (NBA), released in Oct.’15, then moved to Rio Grande Valley Vipers (D-League): 52 games: 20.5ppg, 3.6rpg, 4.7apg, 2.0spg, 2FGP: 53.7%, 3FGP: 37.7%, FT: 78.5%, in Apr.’16 signed at Dolomiti Energia Trento (Italy-Serie A): 4 games: 9.5ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.3apg, 1.0spg. he spoke to eurobasket recently after Aris had beat the Fraport Skyliners in Germany in Champions League action.

Welcome to Germany Will. Is this your first time in Germany? What do you know about the country and it´s basketball?

Yes that was my first time in Germany. I don’t really know too much about their basketball since this is really my first year playing basketball overseas. I just know Germany has great cities to live in and visit.

Do you have any other friends currently playing in Germany besides TJ DiLeo?

I think another former temple player Ryan Brooks might currently be playing in Germany. I know he has in the past.

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The Fraport Skyliners Hand Gordon Herbert Welcome Back Present With Massive 81-74 Champions League Win Over Aris

There are some players that play in the Fraport arena like German national player Per Guenther who has been annoying the Fraport Skyliners since 2008, but then again there are players that played there once and then don´t return for many years as Michael Jenkins did. Jenkins came into the BBL in 2009 after playing at Winthrop(NCAA) and his rookie season with BC Buducnost Podgorica (Bosnia-1A) and then made a splash with the Walter Tigers Tuebingen averaging 14.0ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.3apg, Steals-3(1.9spg), FGP: 47.9%, 3PT: 39.0%, FT: 72.6%. In the time from 2009-2016, the Kinston, North Carolina native gathered valuable experience in Belgium for two years, Italy for two years and in Turkey for two years. He even had a taste of the NBA being a part of the Oklahoma Thunder in training camp in 2014 and playing catch and picking the brains of future NBA legends Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. A little more than 85 months ago on October 18^,2009 Jenkins made his first appearance in the Fraport arena getting plastered with Tuebingen by Frankfurt 98-66 as he supplied the losing squad with 11 points. Back in that game he had teammates like Lebron James friend Romeo Travis and Bane Ratkovica that are still playing today while Frankfurt had guys like Aubrey Reese, Greg Jenkins, Seth Doliboa or Dominik Bahiense De Mello all retired now. Jenkins also battled against Pascal Roller and Marius Nolte who usually watches the Champions League game from various area´s in the arena. Dinosaur Derrick Allen was also on the floor and is still chugging around in the paint in Germany displaying his never aging ballerina moves. There was only one player on the floor from 7 years ago that was also present in 2016 with Frankfurt and that was current Fraport Skyliner captain Quantez Robertson who was a young pup fresh out of Auburn(NCAA) and was a rookie showing the BBL his first taste of his freak athleticism as he finished with 10 points, eight boards and three steals. Both guys met again with the biggest difference that Robertson has called Frankfurt his home since then while Jenkins has gotten around. The Fraport Skyliners were reeling finally to get a win again as their 6 game BBL losing streak had effected the club and had to meet up with Greek powerhouse Aris the ex team of Gordon Herbert and they came up with a special welcome back gift for their coach who had been out for a while as they stepped up in crunch time shocking Aris 81-74. After the big win Quantez Robertson was already playing daddy for Autumn on the court, but had big words for Michael Jenkins whom he opposed as a rookie in 2009. “I really didn´t even remember him until assistant coach Klaus Perwas said during video that he played in the league once. He made some tough three´s and got going early and stayed with it until the end”, stressed ex Auburn(NCAA) guard Quantez Robertson. For Michael Jenkins there was no happy return to the Fraport arena as his record there fell to 0-2, but remembered Quantez Robertson. “It doesn´t only feel good to play here, but just being able to play each day is a blessing. It is always good playing against familiar faces like him and being in Germany in general”, added Aris guard Michael Jenkins.

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Michael Jenkins (Aris Thessaloniki) Durant And Westbrook Treated Me Like A Guy That Belonged There

Michael Jenkins is a 30 year old 192 cm guard from Kinston, North Carolina that currently is playing his ninth professional season and first with Aris Thessaloniki (Greece-A1). Last season he played for Turk Telekom Ankara (Turkey-BSL): 17 games: 15.1ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 38.9%, FT: 86.2%; FIBA Europe Cup: 13 games: 12.3ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.0apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 41.9%, FT: 88.9%. He played at Winthrop(NCAA) from 2004-2008. He didn´t play as much his first two seasons, but got increased playing time in his junior and senior years. As a junior, he averaged 14.8ppg, 3.8rpg, 3.2apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 45.9%, 3PTConf-1(41.5%), FT: 70.2% in 34 games. In his senior year, he played 34 games and averaged 13.9ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 41.6%, 3PTConf-6(36.8%), FT: 71.3%: and finished his career as the 10th leading scorer in Winthrop history with 1,253 points. With Winthrop, he was the Big South Conf. Regular Season Champion in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and won the Big South Conf Tournament from 2005-2008. He was named to the Big South Conf. All-Tournament Team in 2007 and 2008. In his first professional season 2008-2009, he was drafted by the Albany Patrons of the CBA and in November 2008 signed with the Albany Patroons playing 3 games and averaging 6.7ppg, 2.0rpg, FGP: 47.4%, but left during the season and moved to BC Buducnost Podgorica (Bosnia-1A) . In the 2009-2010 season he came to Germany and played for the Walter Tigers Tuebingen averaging 14.0ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.3apg, Steals-3(1.9spg), FGP: 47.9%, 3PT: 39.0%, FT: 72.6%. In the 2010-2011 season he played for Belgacom Liege Basket (Belgium-D1) playing EuroCup Qualifying Round: 2 games: 11.0ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.0apg, 1.0spg; EuroChallenge: 6 games: 12.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 40.7%, 3PT: 36.8%, FT: 84.6%; Belgian League: 13 games: 12.6ppg, 4.3rpg, 2.5apg, Steals-1(2.8spg), FGP: 43.8%, 3PT: 29.6%, FT: 78.3%. In the 2011-2012 he played for Optima Gent (Belgium-D1) playing 29 games: 13.0ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.5apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 42.2%, 3PT: 33.1%, FT: 75.6%. In the 2012-2013 season he played for Centrale del Latte Brescia (Italy-Lega2): 38 games: 17.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.4apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 46.1%, 3PT: 41.1%, FT: 79.6%: In the 2013-2014 season he played for Pallacanestro Cantu (Italy-SerieA) where he played 33 games: 10.0ppg, 2.4rpg, 2.1apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 87.5%; Eurocup: 16 games: 11.4ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 39.2%, 3PT: 45.1%, FT: 63.6%.In the 2014-2015 season he started the season with the Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA), released in Oct.’14, in Nov.’14 signed at Oklahoma City Blue (D-League): 14 games: 13.7ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.1apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 50.0%, 3FGP: 44.3%, FT: 84.8%, in Dec.’14 moved to Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediyesi (Turkey-TBL) 15 games: 15.5ppg, 3.9rpg, 4.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 39.6%, FT: 87.0%. Last season he played for Turk Telekom Ankara (Turkey-BSL): 17 games: 15.1ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 38.9%, FT: 86.2%; FIBA Europe Cup: 13 games: 12.3ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.0apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 41.9%, FT: 88.9%. He spoke to German Hoops before the Champions League game in Frankfurt against the Fraport Skyliners.

Welcome back to Germany. You have been busy in your career with German Hoops as this is your 18th interview with me. It´s always a pleasure to talk with you. How are you and do you feel that you are in your prime now at age 30?

What’s up Miles, and thank you! It always feels good to be back in Germany whether for a game or just during a layover in the airport. Gives me a chance to buy an apfelschorle and eat some currywurst (lol). I’m doing very well. A lot has changed in my life since we last spoke I’m sure, and being 30 now is definitely one of the biggest changes. I still feel like I’m 26 or 27 on the court though, so that’s definitely a positive.

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