Chris Widmer (198-F-2007) is a 19 year old 198cm forward playing for the Skyliners organization with their Pro B team Skyliners and NBBL team Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners. He has played most of his career with the Skyliners, but also played with TV Langen. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his career.
Thanks Chris for talking to germanhoops.com. You live in Germany, but play for the youth Dutch team. Talk about your childhood. You grew up in Germany, but have Dutch roots? Yes for my whole life I have lived in Frankfurt. My mother is D utch and my father Swiss. I always went there when I was on vacation to visit family and friends. So I always had a connection to my home countries and I always enjoy being there. As for basketball I came across some coaches from Amsterdam last season at a pre season tournament. I connected myself and got integrated into Netherlands Basketball.
You played JBBL with Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners, but also played a season with TV Langen. What positives could you get from your Langen season? I made first experiences outside of youth basketball having played a few games in 1. Regionalliga. I had good coaches like Niklas Pons and Tobias Jahn who were able to give me some Input and support me on my basketball journey. They also encouraged me to take the next steps in my career. Overall it was a good learning experience.
How valuable was a player like experienced Henk Droste? What could you learn from him?
Henk Droste was a great teammate and a fun guy to be around. He himself is a good all round player and also very physical. He showed me how important it is to be consistent in what you do. As a 16 year old back then he also taught me fundamental things about basketball that helped me become a better player.
Last season you played Regionalliga in Frankfurt and this season in the Pro B. How valuable was the pro B experience? How did your game grow there?
I earned my first minutes and also scored my first points at some point for which I am very grateful. I didn’t have a big role but I helped out the team when it was needed. I didn’t improve my game that much just by playing Pro b but still learned a few useful things under the coaching of Markus Klusemann.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 198cm forward. If you had to compare your game to a NBA or Euroleague player who would best fit the description? I don´t really know who I would compare to my game, a lot of the times the players are unique in their playing style.
Talk about your strenghs as a player. What kind of an offensive player are you? Are you a guy that also does things that aren´t always seen on the stat sheet?
Offenisvely I try to use my first step to attack the rim and use my body, when I get a good shot I also take 3s. If its needed I can also be used for screens and use my strength for pick and rolls and other situations. Other than that I am good on fast breaks and defense to offense runs.
How would you rate the development of your 3 point shooting this season? You shot 27% in the NBBL. Is it tough developing it when there are others taking the bulk of the shots?
It was better at the beginning of the season but overall I’d say I improved my shooting over the last years. When you have players like Jamie and Ivan but also the other guys like Lukas Smazak for example you have a limited amounts of shots per game. But that´s also how it should be and I have of course adapted to this.
What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of a defender do you still want to become? In my opinion I can defend almost anybody, from guard to wing to big. I want to become even quicker on my feet and maybe be more solid when boxing out. I can anticipate steels of ball pretty well and want to use this when defending on ball.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can keep improving your game?
Definitely fundamental shooting, being able to knock down open 3s is very important for me. Over the summer I want to improve my handles and overall finishing.
You also have been a member of the Dutch U-18 team. How is the state of Dutch basketball? How good is Tayshawn Gipson? His dad played in the BBL around the time you were born? Tayshawn Gipson is a very talanted player with crazy athleticism and ball handling. It was fun playing with him as it also was with my other teammates from nationals. I also met his family briefly, they all are very nice people, it is obvious that he got his talents from his dad and learned a lot from him. Dutch basketball is definitely evolving and starting to get more recognition. Especially with the new generation of players it will only get better from here.
You know players like Endurance Ayiamenkhue and Yanu Slingerland. How good are these 2 players and what do you like most about their games? Both Endurance and Yanu proved that they are one of the best players in European competition. Yanu is a go to shooter with tough athleticism and Endurance a physicall center who can dominate around the rim. I believe in these boys and I’m sure they are going achieve great things.
You played at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket Division B in Romania -2025 playing 5 games. What kind of an experience was that? What was your fondest moment there? To be honest it was more a lesson for me to deal with pressure and having to accept your coach not having trust in you anymore. I lost my rhythm starting the tournament and didn’t play much after that so I had chance to let it sink in and better myself mentally. But all in all I also had a lot of fun with my teammates and made some great connections.
What is your goal as a professional player? Is being a pro a goal? What would be your plan B? I want to see how I evolve in the next years. If I see myself playing on professional level I will give everything to achieve that. My number 1 goal is to become the best player that I can be.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your career that made NBA or Euroleague?
Untill now I’m not sure that I have actually played against Players that already made NBA or Euroleague but there are a number of guys where I’m sure that they will reach one of those two. Take Endurance as an example. Furthermore as I already mentioned I’m confident a few of my teammates will also reach that level.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? Jamie Edoka, Ivan Crjnac, Konstantinos Kapetanakis, Julius Messer und Noah Koch.
Please list your personal NBA, Dutch and Euroleague Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time? Lebron James, Anthony Edwards, Worthy de Jong, Kendrick Nunn
Back 10 years ago, it wasn´t sexy yet for Germans to play in the NCAA the way it is now in 2026 with NIL exploding with crazy salaries. Back then you had a little more than 2-3 handful of young Germans making the trek across the pond and playing in the NCAA as guys like Moritz Wagner, Maodo Lo, Christian Sengfelder and Gavin Schilling did. But there was also another young man from Frankfurt named Roland Nyama (198-PF-1993, college: Stony Brook) who wanted to experience the life in USA as he went to prep school at Holderness and then 4 years at Stony Brook. I remember learning about Nyama making the trip to March Madness after beating Vermont and Trae Bell-Haynes to get to the big dance. I just had to interview him and did before he drew Kentucky. “Reaching The NCAA tournament still feels like a big dream I have yet to wake up from. I’ve never witnessed a celebration like that and it was truly an incredible experience to be able to see something like that happen. That’s why I love college basketball“, stressed Roland Nyama in 2016. Stony Brook and him then played against Kentucky who were led by Jamaal Murray, Tyler Ulis and Isaiah Briscoe. Stony Brook lost by 28 points and Nyama only played 1 minute, but it was an experience that he will never forget and seeing a guy like Murray lead his team to victory was something that would motivate anyone.” It motivates me because those guys, those NBA guys are incredibly under control and very rarely get sped up by the defense. I’ve tried to add that to my game“, said Roland Nyama in 2016. The German returned to Germany in 2017 and began a 9 year pro career and recently retired at age 32. It was time to look back at a fruitful career that took him to 4 German Pro A teams. Hie memory for how many interviews we did in the last 10 years was exactly correct with 5. It was time for a 6th with a farewell interview.
Roland Nyama who lists Kris Dunn, TJ Williams and Maodo Lo as his toughest covers in the NCAA and Kevin Yebo, Victor Bailey, and Tyler Nelson as his toughest covers in the German Pro A was born on July 11, 1993 in Germany, but has Cameroonian roots. He began his basketball career in the Frankfurt Skyliners organization playing youth basketball as well as getting his first glimpse how it is with men playing for Regionalliga 2 team Eintracht Frankfurt and their Pro B squad Juniors. Those were some very formidable years in his development and did he have a special mentor then? “Actually, the entire Pro b team back then took great care of me. Starting with the import Willis Gardner to locals like Fabian Franke and Nico Anders. The guys on the first team like Titus Ivory or Derrick Allen were also great to be around as they were role models as to what a pro should look like on and off the court. I loved my time there because it gave me a little glimpse of what is to be expected as a pro and how much work was still needed to reach anything close to that level”, stated Roland Nyama. He had a very special memory with Mr infectious smile Justin Stallbohm who became a Limburg basketball lifer beating 2 future world champions. “Justin was a great teammate that always had his smile and swagger about him. My fondest memory was winning the U18 German cup against Dennis Schroeder and Daniel Theis with Justin guarding Theis in crucial moments of that game”, remembered Roland Nyama. He then crossed the pond and lived in USA for 6 years being at Holderness and Stony Brook. He went at a time when it wasn´t sexy yet really for an influx of Germans to do that. Now with Nil some Germans made millions. He went to Stony Brook and got an education and played basketball for no money and was simply a very enriching experience. “Playing at Stony Brook helped me become a little bit more mature and purposeful in the way I treat basketball, my body and the world outside of basketball”, said Roland Nyama. He made big strides in his game at Stony Brook and as a senior averaged 10.3ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 27.5%, FT: 68.4%. 9 years ago Nyama said this about his coach then Jeff Boals. “He did a great job looking at places on the court where I’d be the most effective. The plays he ran created miss matches so I’d have match ups that I could exploit. Besides that he always encouraged me and believed in me which I think was then biggest factor to success”. Recently he said this about coach Boals. “I’ve had the privilege to have been coached by mostly great coaches but what stood out with Coach Boals was his infectious energy and enthusiasm. Coach is one of the best humans I know and his love and passion for the game but him caring about his players is what made him a great coach much more than X’s and O’s”, warned Roland Nyama. He battled future NBA player Jamaal Murray in the NCAA and had a great teammate in Jameel Warney, but what player then had the biggest impact on him? “Ahmad Walker. He beat my behind every day in practice and let me know about it then afterwards gave me pointers on how to become better on the court and mentally. His younger brother Jordan greatly benefitted from that as he is currently having a very successful career playing basketball”, remembered Roland Nyama. He had many great games in the NCAA like against Maine or against LIU in New York in Madison Square Garden. How thrilling was it playing in MSG and was that a top 5 basketball experience in his life? “Yes for sure MSG was phenomenal. I’d rank it maybe number 4 on my all time list of basketball experiences with playing in Riga for the Olympic qualifiers being number one”, added Roland Nyama.
The ex forward that lists Richie Williams Dupree Mcbrayer Elias Valtonen Orlando Parker and Benedikt Maukner as his 5 best teammates of all-time then returned back to Germany in 2017 to begin a fruitful professional career and played his first 2 pro seasons with PS Karlsruhe averaging 6.5ppg, 2.2rpg, FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 85.4% and 8.5ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 44.2%, 3PT: 36.9%, FT: 68.0%. He was fortunate to join a very special club that had moved up from the Pro B and even made the playoffs twice and were an underdog type of team. “Well to start I had been thrown into cold water as my coaches and my veteran teammates trusted me a lot more than I was ready for. Richie William and Orlando Parker were constantly in my ear about playing with confidence since I have the skills. Players like Cyrus Tate and later Dominique Johnson brought physicality and toughness that I tried to emulate to the best of my abilities”, expressed Roland Nyama. The team had many special players and it is not weird that guys like Richie Williams and Orlando Parker are in his best teammates ranking of all-time had chips on their shoulders. Did that help him have that chip on his shoulder? Absolutely. Hungry and devoted to the sport. Those two were the best role models a rookie from college could have”, warned Roland Nyama. Another great teammate of his was undersized center Noah Kamdem. He was like an offensive lineman in football. Was he one of the best undersized rebounders you ever played with? “Noah’s athleticism was off the charts and so was his physical gift. For best rebounders that are undersized I would have to give that award to Stephan Fundic though”, said Roland Nyama. He then played 2 seasons with the Tigers Tujebingen averaging 7.7ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 43.9%, 3PT: 27.4%, FT: 87.3% and 10.0ppg, 2.2rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 39.5%, FT: 88.8%. This was during Covid. He became a very reliable scorer in his second season. “Well the key word in the second season was fun. The first season a lot of expectations were put on us to move up, we had internal turmoil and the coaching role after the unfortunate sacking of a great coach was inadequately managed. The second year with Danny Jannson and coach Husbo, we had a clear identity and fun in every practice session which paved the way for a lot of players from that year going on to have great international careers”, commented Roland Nyama. He also had great teammates there like Canadian Tanner Graham who played like Larry Bird and played for up and coming head coach Danny Jansson. Did some of Graham´s great IQ rub off on him and what did he appreciate most about Jansson´s coaching philosophy? “Of course Tanner was a very smart player but also very athletic which caught people by surprise. His very believable shot fake is something that I copied then later on. Jansson had a plan and a read for each situation and trusted players to execute said plan. When a coach gives you confidence and trust the game becomes a lot easier”, remembered Roland Nyama. He then gained further experience with another club and played a season with the Nuernberg Falcons BC (Germany-ProA) averaging 11.9ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 55.8%, 3PT: 44.8%, FT: 78.4%. Despite not making the playoffs, was this his best season as a player? “Stats don´t lie. Unfortunately we were sick with the COVID virus collectively during an important period of the season which derailed our season a bit. As a Player I didn’t feel like this was my best season as I could’ve played better. It was the year of my career where I enjoyed the best coaching I would say”, stated Roland Nyama.
The energetic player who names Dirk Nowitzki, Dennis Schroeder, Robin Benzing and Pascal Roller (Little biased but we move) on his personal German Mount Rushmore then closed out his pro career with the Giessen 46ers playing 4 seasons there. Did Giessen become like a second home to him? “As a Frankfurt kid you’re taught to not be particularly fond of Giessen but I started to love it here. The fans are great and my daughter and wife had a great time here. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it my second home but it’s definitely a city that will have a special place in my heart”, stressed Roland Nyama. In his first season Giessen beat Dresden in the playoffs, but lost to Vechta. It was tough losing to Vechta, because we knew we could’ve played a closer series if any of our starting big men were available. Enosch Wolf couldn’t play due to a clause in his contract and Stefan got hurt right before the playoffs”, added Roland Nyama. In his second season Giessen lost a tough series to his old team PS Karlsruhe. PS Karlsruhe had a very special team that season that went on to win the pro A title. Did they remind him a bit of the old teams that he was on? “They were gritty athletic and fearless. Karlsruhe usually recruits the underdogs and that mentality is what made Karlsruhe a tough opponent. They were well coached and had an answer to most problems that were put in front of them. Similar to when we swept a favorite to move up in Cologne back in 2018”, stated Roland Nyama. In his first 2 seasons in Giessen he averaged 21 and 20 minutes, but in his last 2 seasons averaged only 12 and 7 minutes. I finally was able to visit more games the last 2 seasons in hopes of seeing him play, but he hardly got minutes. It must have been tough accepting the dip in minutes which I never really comprehended. Did head coach Frenki lose faith in him? “At some point you need to put your ego to the side and try to help your team in practice, from the bench or even with the right fouls. It was a hard lesson but one that’ll definitely help moving forward. Well I didn’t either understand the less minutes, but looking back it makes somewhat sense. I’m a player that can give you 20 points and 5 assists on 7 shots but also 3 points on 15 shots with 3 turnovers. The ups and downs probably were too shaky for coach to play me as he was looking to move us up to the BBL with consistency. Consistency that he thought other players would deliver more than I do and I don’t fault him for that. Looking back it’s easier to say “well that didn’t work” but in those situations you have to make a decision and stand by it and that’s what he did. There aren’t any hard feelings, though”, stressed Roland Nyama.He also had experience playing for the Cameroonian National Team the last years. “My fondest memory was my first ever game vs DRC Congo and wearing the number 32 to honor my father who had died at age 32. As the national anthem was played I shed a tear knowing he’d be proud of me representing his country”, remembered Roland Nyama.
The ex Skyliner Junior who believes that Wemby if healthy could become a 7 foot something Kobe recently decided to retire at age 32 and played 9 pro seasons. This is a time where guys surely can retire, but others will play another 5 more years or longer. Did time fly by and could he still have continued playing? “Yes absolutely I still remember signing my first real contract in Karlsruhe like it was yesterday. It’s been a lot of fun so of course time flew bye. I thought I maybe had 4-6 more years in me physically, but the mental side and the business side of the sport that I once held so dear to me, kind of gave me a bad taste and therefore I decided to call it quits”, stated Roland Nyama. Did his less playing time the last 2 seasons play in your decision to retire now in 2026? “Absolutely. I thought I had much more in the tank but those aren’t decisions that are up to me. Maybe it was a sign to look at and for something else”, said Roland Nyama. What is the next step for him? Does he already have something lined up and will he stay connected to basketball in any way? “There are some things in the works that are more long term but short term I’m going to enjoy the odd weekend off and the ability to look at basketball from the view of a fan and I think that’s a beautiful thing”, commented Roland Nyama. He ended his pro career in Germany having played 285 Pro A games and 4 easyCredit BBL cup games. His favorite 3 Pro A games in his career were Artland against Tübingen in 2021, Karlsruhe against Hanau in 2018 and Nuremberg against Vechta in 2021. His answer to how he would like to fans remember him as a player were simple and direct. “As a player that did nothing halfway”, warned Roland Nyama. He was also very nice in leaving some farewell words for me and my work. “For one I have always appreciated the work you’ve put in to promote this sport in Germany. Secondly, I will always remember your tireless effort to not just make great stories but to have real relationships with the players. That humanity that you’ve shown is a fantastic trait”, warned Roland Nyama. Thanks Roland for the very kind words and it was a pleasure watching you play over the years. All the best for you in your life moving forward.
That players get lost in the shuffle with a team isn´t any different for fans and others affiliated with basketball to lose track and memory of a player that once played for an organization. It wasn´t any different for Richard Williams who had a very short stay with the Frankfurt Skyliners in the 2014-2015 season. All in all he played only 9 games and stayed 5 months. His memory may be very minimal for people in Frankfurt, but not as a player overseas. He carved out a stellar and long career having played a total of 16 seasons including 9 seasons in Germany where he established himself as a top 3 point guard in the Pro A season in and season out. The 38 year old who had a great career at San Diego State University (NCAA) is still playing actively and played in Austria last season and currently was still content on continuing his overseas grind. The Frankfurt Skyliners hauled in American player Jaedon LeDee (206-F-1999, college: SDSU, agency: Slash Sports) for the 25-26 season who also had an incredible career like Williams at San Diego State University. Sometimes guys can remember guys who played at their school, but in the case of Ledee, he couldn´t remember about Williams´s history at his school. But then again, Ledee was only 6 years old when Williams was a freshman. It is somewhat unique that both have an association to each other. “I am not too familiar with that name, but once an Aztec always an Aztecs. It’s cool to have that connection. It sounds like he went to Germany and had an impact, which is what I am trying to do. I want to be able to put my imprint on things and be successful”, warned Jaedon LeDee during the summer of 2025. Ledee attempedt to carry the great SDSU tradition of players overseas with the Frankfurt Skyliners, but left during the season to play with the Liaoning Flying Leopards (China-CBA)
Jaedon LeDee who lists Michael Jordan as his GOAT was born on July 25th, 1999 in Houston. He began his basketball career at Kinkaid high school. He was an all-state selection from 2015-2019. He then began his NCAA career at Ohio State and played 26 games averaging 3.0ppg, 1.7rpg. He scored in double figures 3 times including 16 points against Purdue. Even if his NCAA career got off to a rocky start, he was able to gain positives from it. “You never forget your freshman year of college. I made friendships and bonds that will last me a lifetime. I didn’t play as much as I wanted to. There are certain things in life that you come across that can make you stronger, or you can fold. It is one of the experiences I have had that has helped strengthen my faith since I have already been through adversity. I try to find the positive in things. It helped make me stronger and helped me become a man”, warned Jaedon LeDee. His next stop was Texas Christian University in 2019 playing 2 seasons and a total of 53 games. He averaged 2.7ppg, 2.9rpg and 5.8ppg, 3.9rpg in his 2 seasons there. He had severe growing pains again there and just couldn´t find his game as he had to play center which wasn´t his natural position. “TCU was a unique spot as well. I was playing out of position with not as many minutes as I would have liked. It was another place I could have quit and thrown in the towel. I didn’t let it stop me, and I kept pushing. It was the second place I didn’t think I had the opportunity that I deserved. God is too good, and he put me there for a reason. A lot of things in life are mental, so I think those two experiences helped make me stronger”, stressed Jaedon LeDee who will never forget his 1-1 battles with teammate Nate Mansah. “Nate is my guy. I worked out with him this week in San Diego. We had two years of battling – my red-shirt year and the year we played together. I love him to death, and he is a great guy. Nate is a great defender. I like to pride myself on offensive scoring. I like to play defense as well, but Nate is a great defender. We both got better in our battles”, stressed Jaedon LeDee.
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The forward who lists Desmond Bane (TCU), Matthew Bradley (SDSU), Aguek Arop (SDSU), Kendrick Davis (AAU team in high school), and Nathan Mensah (SDSU) as his 5 best teammates of all-time then made another change and then finally 3 was a charm as he joined San Diego State University. His first season was like a Cinderella story as he helped the school reach the Final 4 and the final averaging 7.8ppg, 5.1rpg, FGP: 50.5%, FT: 71.9% in that season. The 2023 NCAA run was incredible. The back to back tight wins over Creighton and FAU were unforgettable. Did he know that Lamont Butler´s shot at the buzzer would go in and beat FAU? “The NCAA run was a great experience. We fought all the way back in that game. I made a few buckets prior to Lamont’s shot. It was one of those moments that was almost magical. Lamont came down and hit that shot. He had made that shot many times before in practice. It was an awesome feeling, and I’m glad we were able to experience that as a team. It’s once in a lifetime for a lot of people, so I am glad we all got to experience that together”, stated Jaedon LeDee. In his second season, he really propelled his game to a new level averaging 21.7ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 57.5%, 3PT: 43.2%, FT: 73.4%. Were these 2 years some of the best times in his life? “Reaching the NCAA finals was an amazing experience. It’s something most college players never get to, so I am very grateful for that. It was in Houston, where my family lives and where I grew up, which made it even more special. My last year at San Diego State was also great. It was the first time in college I felt I was able to showcase my game as a whole and be me. Basketball was going well, and I had a great season. I was happy with my role, and when basketball is going well, everything else seems to be good too”, remembered Jaedon LeDee. In his senior year he scored in double figures in all 35 games and had 11 double doubles. He scored 20 points or more in 23 games including great games against SJSU and Washington. Did he have a favorite game? “ I wouldn’t put any game over the next. I am a very nonchalant guy. I take the business approach to basketball – it’s just another day in the office. I try not to overthink or overanalyze what we do. I just know we have to perform and be professional”, warned Jaedon LeDee. His game made great strides in his 2 years in San Diego and is thankful for the instrumental support by head coach Brian Dutcher. “I think how we do things at SDSU is very professional. I’m not sure what things are like overseas yet, but Coach Dutch is huge on developing us as men. We will go in, but we won’t practice long. Everything is with intention. He believes that if you want to be great, you have to come in outside of practice and put in the hours. As a professional, you have all this time to do things outside of practice and in life. Success depends on whether you choose to come in and do your job outside of required practice times”, commented Jaedon LeDee. He picked up many awards his senior year including All-MWC First Team -2024, MWC All-Tournament Team -2024, NABC Division I All-Americans Second Team -2024, NABC Division I All-District 17 First Team -2024, Sporting News All-America Second Team -2024, USBWA All-America Honorable Mention -2024, ESPN.com All-America Breakout Star -2024, ESPN.com All-America Third Team -2024, Jersey Mike’s Naismith Player of the Year Semifinalist -2024, NCAA East Region All-Tournament Team -2024, and the John R. Wooden Award All-American Team -2024
The Texas native who lists his NBA Mount Rushmore with guys Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe Bryant played NBA Summer League with the Minnesota Timberwolves averaging 2.6ppg, 2.0rpg and then split his rookie season with the Iowa Wolves (NBA G League) averaging 6.8ppg, 5.3rpg, FGP: 53.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 82.8%, in Feb.’25 signed at Salt Lake City Stars (NBA G League) averaging 4.1ppg, 5.4rpg. Every player has their rookie wake up call and it wasn´t any different for him either. “The wake-up call for me that I was not at San Diego State anymore on the basketball side was opportunity. At a certain point, everyone can play and everyone is good. The biggest thing is opportunity – who gets it? G-League teams have guys who they have already drafted and are paying a lot of money. It’s not always who is better than who. I think I woke up to the business side of things the most this year. I try to control what I can control, and when I am on the court, I try to let my game do the talking for me”, warned Jaedon LeDee. He played for head coach Ernst Scott with Iowa. With him he had another Germany connection as Scott played with Trier back in the day. “Coach E was a great guy. He was a straight shooter as well. He was always honest and helped us be the best players we could be. In Summer League and Iowa, he tried to help us become better men and better players. I have nothing but love for Coach E”, said Jaedon LeDee. He averaged 17 minutes with Iowa and 12 minutes with Salt Lake City per game. It is always tough having to compete with everyone else and the minutes What did he do mentally and physically to give himself the best NBA chance on a daily basis? “I tried to control what I can control. Some things are out of my control. I know the coaches and organization has certain things they have to do. The only thing I have to do is come in every day and work. When my opportunity did come, I was able to produce. I am pretty sure that when I got a lot of minutes and a bigger opportunity, I had a double-double or almost a double-double each game. The only thing I can control is my attitude, my effort, and how I perform in my minutes while staying professional”, expressed Jaedon LeDee. Is the NBA still a realistic goal for him? “Of course. I am going with the flow now. Europe is where I am going now. Life cannot be predicted as much as we may want to as human beings. God is in change. I am just going to be the best I can be every day, let my talent, God, and all the work I have put in take me where it needs to take me. I just try to be the best person I can be”, warned Jaedon LeDee.
He began his second pro season and with German easyCredit BBL team Frankfurt Skyliners. Some players will stay in the G-League 2-3 years before heading overseas. But then some guys will come overseas quicker than others. “The main reason is opportunity. I gave it a year. It was my first year out of college. I am fortunate to have had many people who have played and continue to play professionally in the NBA and overseas in my life. I have been able to go off their guidance and listen to what they have said. I feel like going overseas presents a large opportunity for me. I didn’t have the biggest opportunity in the G-League, so I wanted to be somewhere where I could continue to develop, improve my game, and showcase my skills. I gave the NBA a year, and if it’s meant to be later, it’s meant to be”, added Jaedon LeDee. He was excited for a new challenge in Germany and heard only positive things. I’ve heard good things about Germany through my friends who have traveled there and a few people who have played basketball in Germany. I’ve heard great things, like how westernized it is and how it should be an easy transition from what I am used to in the US. With regards to basketball, I know there are a few German players in the NBA; they have had success in the Olympics as well. I’ve talked to a few guys who were on the Skyliners last year and others who have played in the BBL. Everyone says it’s a great league with good competition and a great place to be”, said Jaedon LeDee. He knew that the Skyliners would be an organization where he would know exactly what he could do to make an impact. “My agent brought the opportunity to me, and after I talked to the coach and another representative from the team, I felt I would have a chance to come and be me with minutes to play. I felt I would have the opportunity to come in and change things around. The role and opportunity were really important to me, especially coming from the G-League, where my opportunity was not consistent. I know the importance of opportunity, and if you get the opportunity, you have to make the best of it”, said Jaedon LeDee. He couldn´t of picked a better coach to work with than Klaus Perwas in his first season overseas. “The talks with the Coach went well. We had a great conversation about what my role would be and what I would bring to the team. He was very straightforward, and I really appreciated his honesty. I did not know he was a part of the German staff, which is pretty cool. I have only heard good things about him as a coach and I felt good about our conversation when we spoke”, added Jaedon LeDee,
So what kind of a player did the Frankfurt Skyliners get in Jaedon LeDee who didn´t watch Coming to America 2, because he didn´t like the age gap as Eddie Murphy was very young in the first Coming to America, so he thought it might be weird seeing him so much older in a similar role. One thing was for sure. He won´t be 1-dimensional, but moreover a guy like a Rasheed Moore who could have had versatility as his middle name. “I think my game is kind of unique. It’s one of the things I pride myself on. I am very versatile – I can dribble, I can shoot, I can pass, I can score, rebound, and defend – I can do it all. People I watched growing up were Julius Randal and Carmelo Anthony. I liked to watch them, because they were stronger and bigger guys who can do it all. They can score inside and outside and play make. My favorite player is Michael Jordan. I watched him a lot growing up too. I try to take pieces from each of their games and make it my own”, warned Jaedon LeDee. Coach Perwas described him as a physical player that has an unbelievable will to win. Was that will cultivated mostly at SDSU (NCAA) or did he already have that before that? “I have always been a competitor. The basis of any sport or anything in life is your will to compete and go hard. My family has instilled that in me at a young age. I played football growing up, and I hate losing. I never want to lose. I think that is where it comes from. I try to be the best I can be when I step foot on the court and be the best I can be off the court as well”, said Jaedon LeDee. His three pointer still seems to be a work in progress. He shot 43% in his last season at SDSU, but in the G-League under 30%. He went on to shoot 22% from outside with Frankfurt “My three-pointer is something I want to keep working on. I am a rhythm player – I score in bunches. I wouldn’t say I’m a straight-out three-point shooter. I like to mix it up. I drive, get to the rim, get offensive rebounds, and shoot the mid-range really well. Once I am in rhythm, that’s where, if I get a three, I’ll knock it down. When I was shooting in the high 40s at SDSU, my opportunity was so great that once I was in rhythm, I would knock them down. Any shot felt good. Once I get rolling, I will hit 7/10 threes once I get a feel for things. In the G-League, I was put in a role where I was not touching the ball much and playing off others. That was an adjustment. The teams I was on really only wanted three’s, which was a different role I had to adjust to. Going 5 minutes straight without touching the ball and then having to shoot a three is not the easiest job in the world”, stated Jaedon LeDee. But he planned not only making an impact on the offensive end, but also on the defensive end. “I always want to keep growing and getting better, but I think I am a very good defender. At SDSU, we switched 1 through 5. Pretty much every team I have been on has switched 1 through 5, keeping a body in front of a body, keeping a man in front of a man. If everyone can guard and guard every position, it makes a team every position. That is who I am on the defensive side – I can switch 1 through 5 and compete”, warned Jaedon LeDee. He continued to work very hard in the gym so he could be his best version when the season started. “My mindset is to leave no stone unturned. I like to work on everything in my game. There are things I put emphasis on, like getting a lot of reps on the three. I work on everything every day because you play different teams that have different scouts, and they give you different looks. If someone is one-dimensional, it’s easier to guard you. If you can do everything, how can they stop you? I work on post work, guard work, inside-outside – keeping everything tight”, stressed Jaedon LeDee. Unfortunately Ledee left the club for China instead of remaining with the Skyliners to finish the season. He averaged 17.8ppg, 9.5rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 72.9% and won some games for Frankfurt with his individual class. One has to wonder if the Skyliners would have made the playoffs with his services. They surely would have had a good chance winning some of the close games they lost in the last month. It wasn´t a classy move from him to go, but basketball is a business and sometimes a club will get the short end of the rod. The Skyliners surely learned from this experience as did LeDee. It will be interesting to see how LeDee´s career continues. He may have gotten the big bucks in the far east now, but will surely be back in Europe again soon to display his versatile game.
Mychael Paulo (193-G-1998, college: McMaster, agency: 011 Sports) is a 28 year old 193cm guard from Canada that also has the Portuguese citizenship. He helped the ETB Miners Essen (Germany-ProB) win the pro B title averaging 12,8ppg, 4,4rpg, 2,6apg and 1,3spg. He began his basketball career at Father Henry Carr Secondary School and then played 2 seasons with Williston State College (JUCO) averaging 15.4ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.9apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 48.8%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 75.9% and 11.4ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 40.6%, 3PT: 28.1%, FT: 69.4%. he then played a season at Montana State University (NCAA) averaging 6.2ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 32.9%, FT: 60.0%. He then played at McMaster University (U Sports) averaging 13.3ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.4apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 31.2%, FT: 75.0% and 13.1ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 55.5%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 65.0%. He then began his pro career with the Telekom Baskets Bonn 2 team (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 24.6ppg, 4.2rpg, APG-4 (5.1), 2.5spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 75.5%. In the 2024-2025, he played with BG Hagen (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 19.0ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.3apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 59.2%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 81.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after helping win the 2026 Pro B title.
Thanks Mychael for talking to germanhoops.com. Your 2026 Pro B champion. How good does it feel? Is this your personal biggest achievement as a player? It was a surreal feeling, words couldn’t describe how I felt during the moment. During my 3 year professional career this was definitely my biggest achievement as a player
Essen lost game 1 by 36 points and won game 2 by 41 points. Many are saying this is the greatest comeback in German basketball. How special do you rate this massive comeback? I don’t know much about previous Pro B final games, but me personally I think it’s the greatest comeback ever. This game will be talked about for years to come and motivate teams.
What was the team feeling after the horrible 107-71 loss at Orange Academy? How much soul searching did the team do the days following?
A lot of soul searching was had in between game 1 & 2. We know we didn’t play our best game and got embarrassed and knew that couldn’t happen again.
How key was head coach Lars Wendt? How did he help the team most in the days leading up to game 2? He helped keep us level headed and reassured us we can still win the championship, it won’t be easy but we can do it.
How quickly did the team know that game 2 would see only half of Orange Academy as all the talented youth players wouldn´t play because they were attending the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin?
We didn’t know until minutes leading up to the game, but our mindset/game plan was still the same no matter who was out there on the court playing
Any other team could have underestimated Orange Academy. Why didn´t Essen? We understood that they were a really good team regardless of who was playing for them or they wouldn’t have been in the finals.
What was the focus of Essen going in? I mean did you have a plan how you would come back through out a 40 minute game so you would have more than 36 points? The focus going into game 2 was try to win each quarter by 10 points. We also wanted to muck the game up by blitzing ball screens, full court pressing and trapping whenever we saw fit. Giving us as much possessions as possible
The team began well and led 53-32 at the break. Essen was playing well offensively, but still had to do more on the defensive end. What wasn´t functioning as well so far on the defensive end through the first 20 minutes? In the first half we had a couple errors on our transition defense and not getting back plus we gave them some easy points at the free throw line not being disciplined.
What did head coach Lars Wendt give the team for advice at half-time? He said we’re right where we need to be heading into the second. We just need to stop fouling which is giving them easy points at the free throw line and we need to do a better job getting back on defense because that was the only way they were scoring on us that game.
In the third quarter Orange Academy actually played well for the first few minutes outscoring Essen, but then came a 14-0 run by Essen which changed the game. You made drives and Ben Uzoma a big dunk. What was key in the run for Essen? Just keeping our composure and understanding that basketball is a game of runs and that was theirs.
Essen was up with 32 points with 10 minutes to play. Essen was in the drivers seat. Which player at this moment was a big motivator with words? Both our team captains, Marc Friederici and Niclas Sperber. They told us not to let up and keep our foots on their necks.
Essen began with a 10-2 run to lead 86-46. Now all Essen had to do was manage the lead to the buzzer. Essen then held Orange Academy minutes without scoring. Did you want it more than Orange Academy?
I believe we wanted it more than Orange Academy, during the game we sensed that they were just not trying to lose by more than 36 and we took advantage of that.
Essen outscored Orange Academy 41-21 in the last half. Was this the best defense the team played in the season?
This was one of the better defensive games we played together as a team but we had a couple of defensive outputs like this throughout the season.
Essen held their 2 best scorers Joel Cwik and Namouri Omogto 8/28 shooting and 25 points. How much of a focus was the defense on slowing them down? Our defensive game plan is always to try and neutralize the opposing team’s best scorer or playmaker. So during the game 2 of the finals it was no different because we know if we minimize their touch’s it’s going to very hard for any team to beat us.
Quarshawn Lane had an incredible 28/11/10 game. Did you sense going into the game that he could have a type of game of his life? The MVP did MVP things. Q has been giving us big games like this all season long.
What was your fondest moment in the final in Essen against Orange Academy? The sounding buzzer after the game and celebrating the victory with my teammates and our amazing fans who showed up to support us.
This was such a special season for the ETB Miners. Why was this team so special?
I believe this team was so special because we didn’t care who shined, we were all happy to see the other person eat and enjoyed playing and hanging out with one another
One thing basketball fans rarely get to observe in Germany Live is NCAA basketball. Watching college basketball in the States is something very special and even more unique during March Madness. The NCAA recently got even more interesting and thrilling to watch with the addition of NIL which has made the potential of players joining with the crazy salaries extremely tempting. But to see a NCAA team play in Germany is very rare. It was late Summer in 2017 when the Iowa Hawkeyes did a European tour and played an exhibition game in Heidelberg, Germany to help support Basektball Aid against a special German team that was thrown together of BBL. Pro A and Pro B teams. I had had the great opportunity to call the game and conduct an interview days before with Iowa starting point guard Jordan Bohannon. After 40 minutes Iowa had destroyed the German team 99-65 that had had some interesting players play like BBL legend Alexander Nadjfeji and young German prospects at that time with Richard Freudenberg and Lukas Wank. There were a few guys from that Iowa team that I remembered like dominating big man then Luka Garza as well as future NBA player Tyler Cook. I also remember what kind of a clout head coach Fran Macaffery already had then. He would coach Iowa for 15 ´seasons reaching March Madness 7 times and reaching the NIT Sweet 16 3 times. Last season he coached Penn (NCAA) and won the Ivy League title. I will never forget that game. I saw young American prospects like Garza and Cook do their thing and saw a great NCAA team battle overseas. The only thing I missed in that game was Joe Wieskamp (198-G/F-1999, college: Iowa). He would come to Iowa the season after and have an extraordinary NCAA career and reach the NBA. For him, the whole Iowa experience was one that he will never forget especially playing for Fran Macaffery. “I became a versatile and confident/aggressive playing there. Playing for Fran was awesome. He was awesome to play for and truly helped me become the player I am today. He always had his players backs and put us in positions to be successful”, remembered Joe Wieskamp.
Joe Wieskamp who lists Luka Doncic in the NBA and Chris Duarte in the NCAA as his toughest covers was born on August 23, 1999 in Muscatine, Iowa. He showed already in middle school that he had talents in other sports like football and baseball, but in high school decided to focus fully on basketball. He played 4 years at Muscatine High School and had an incredible career there. He already averaged 18,0ppg as a freshman and upped his scoring average each season going from 21,0ppg to 30,0ppg to 33,0ppg. He finished his career there becoming the state of Iowa’s all-time high school leading scorer; school record holder in career points (2,376), points in a single-game (54), 3-pointers in a single-season (62), scoring average (26.1), and career rebounds (908). He was a HS first-team All-MAC selection in 2015, 16, 17, 18, HS MAC Player of the Year -2017 ,HS Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year -2017, 18, and HS All-State First Team -2017, 18. He then played at the University of Iowa (NCAA) for 3 seasons and played twice at March madness losing to Tennessee and Oregon. “Playing in the NCAA was amazing and something that everyone at the college level dreams of. Special memories forever”, stressed Joe Wieskamp. He got to play with current NBA player Luka Garza and witnessed him transform into a real beast in his last 2 seasons “Luka is an extremely hard worker and I’m so happy for him with all that he’s accomplished”, said Joe Wieskamp. He played a total of 97 NCAA games and scored in double figures in 72 games. He exploded with 30 points against Nebraska and had 26 points against Rutgers. He was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team -2019, USBWA All-District VI Team -2020, 21, All-Big Ten Third Team -2020 NABC Division I All-District 7 Second Team -2020, Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Finalist -2021 and All-Big Ten Second Team -2021.
The forward who lists Doug McDermott, Pascal Siakam, Dejounte Murray, OG Anonuby, and Luka Garza as his 5 best teammates of all-time was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 2021 at #41 and then played NBA Summer League with the Spurs averaging 10.4ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 66.7%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 80.0%. He scored 17 points in a tough 106-105 win over Charlotte in Las Vegas. He then played his rookie season with the Spurs playing 29 games averaging 2,1ppg and also split time with the Austin Spurs (NBA G League) averaging 15.2ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 85.3%. He scored in double figures in 23/27 games and scored 30 points against Salt Lake City. He will never forget his NBA wake up call to being in the NBA. “Playing in the NBA was a dream come true and I’m so grateful for the experience. It was definitely an adjustment. Guarding Luka Doncic and the top star was a pretty cool experience”, remembered Joe Wieskamp. He made his NBA debut against the Sacramento Kings and played 3 minutes and hit one three and shot 100% in the game. Three point shooting is a massive staple in his game so making that first trey will never be forgotten. “Hitting my first NBA 3 is something I’ll remember forever. It was truly something very special”, stated Joe Wieskamp. It is no surprise that a guy like ultra veteran Doug McDermott is in his personal list of 5 best teammates of all-time. “Doug was awesome. Someone I really looked up to and was able to learn a ton under”, said Joe Wieskamp. In NBA 29 games as a rookie, he averaged double figures minutes only 7 times and when he played 20 plus minutes showed his game well. One of the tough things in the NBA are the fluctuations of minutes for players. “It was one of the toughest things that I struggled with. Going from always being a main guy on the teams I played for, to being 16-17th man. I learned that it’s a business at the end of the day and you have to perform at your best consistently to stay”, added Joe Wieskamp.
· The versatile player that lists LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird on his NBA Mount Rushmore played 9 NBA games with the Toronto Raptors in his second pro season and also split time with the Raptors 905 Mississauga (NBA G League) averaging 13.4ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 62.5%, and played also with the Wisconsin Herd (NBA G League) averaging 16.6ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 60.7%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 74.3%. In the G-League he scored in double figures in 23 of 28 games including 30 points against Windy City. With the Raptors he played for Serbian head coach Darko Rajakovic. “It was a good experience. He brought good energy and knowledge”, said Joe Wieskamp. In his third pro season he played with the Texas Legends (NBA G League) averaging 9.3ppg, 4.5rpg, FGP: 61.3%, 3PT: 28.8%, FT: 71.8%, and in Feb.’24 signed with the Maine Celtics (NBA G League) averaging 14.5ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 62.9%, 3PT: 40.4%, FT: 60.0%. He exploded for 36 points in the G-League against Birmingham, but didn´t get a NBA call up. “I felt like I was close to a call up towards the end of the season but unfortunately never happened. I was proud of how I continued to fight and finish the season strong”, commented Joe Wieskamp. After 3 seasons in the NBA/G-League, he decided to come overseas and played with the South East Melbourne Phoenix (Australia-NBL) averaging 11.1ppg, 5.0rpg, FGP: 55.9%, 3PT: 31.5%, FT: 66.7%. It was a solid rookie season overseas where he lost a 3 game playoff series against Illawarra. “The NBL was amazing. The lifestyle there and all that you can do off the court makes it really appealing to play there. We lived right by the beach which was awesome“, remembered Joe Wieskamp. He scored in double figures in 21 games including netting 25 points against Illawarra.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Joe Wieskamp in Frankfurt, Germany 2025
The Iowa native found a new challenge in Germany in the 2025-2026 season playing for Science City Jena who had moved up from the Pro A. “Playing in Germany was a good experience overall. European basketball is different than the US and Australia, so it was a bit of an adjustment but I feel like I’ve grown and gotten better as the season went on”, said Joe Wieskamp. Off the court he took advantage of all the countries near Germany and hasn´t regretted anything. “Jena was definitely a culture shock at first, but the longer I’ve been here the more I’ve gotten used to it. The cool thing about basketball is all the places you get to experience. We went to Austria and Italy during the FIBA breaks which we really enjoyed”, added Joe Wieskamp. It was a tough season for Jena as they finished the season losing 7 of 9 games, but they achieved their goal. “Our main goal was to remain in the BBL and we were able to do that”, stressed Joe Wieskamp. Jena finished in 16th place with 2 more wins than Braunschweig and 3 wins more than Heidelberg who moved down. He had a very solid first season in the easyCredit BBL averaging 16,1ppg and 7,7rpg. He displayed certain valuable parts of his game in the BBL and also knows what still needs to be done to improve his game. ”Shooting, attacking the hoop, and rebounding are the main things I showed this season. I want to continue to grow in becoming more physical and a better overall defender”, expressed Joe Wieskamp. He scored in double figures in 29 games including scoring 32 points against Rostock and 28 points against Oldenburg. After 2 years away from the NBA, is there still a side door open for him to return? “That’s the goal at the end of the day, but I’m just focused on playing at the highest level possible”, warned Joe Wieskamp. Europe continues to be his focus now as he signed a three year deal to ball with 2026 easyCredit BBL champion cteam Alba Berlin. After his potent season in Jena, I´m sure that he will be an instrumental player for Alba Berlin in the 2026-2027 season.
Richard Schmitt (203-F-2007) is a 19 year old 203cm forward playing in the Alba Berlin organization and this season played for Pro B team Lok Bernau averaging 4/1/1 an din the NBBL averaged 11,6ppg, 3,6rpg, 1,4apg and 1,1apg. he also played a easyCredit BBL game for Alba Berlin. Last season with Lok Bernau he averaged 2.6ppg, 1.4rpg, and also played with the Alba Berlin NBBL team averaging 9.2ppg, 3.0rpg, FGP: 60.3%, 3PT: 26.7%, FT: 80.6%:He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.
Thanks Richard for talking to germanhoops.com Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 205cm forward. If you had to compare your game to a NBA or Euroleague player who would best make the description? Maybe a modern forward who can play multiple positions and impact the game in different ways. I don’t have a good comparison.
You’re a guy that can fill the stat sheet well. How big is versatility in your game?
It’s very important. The more things I can do on the court, the more valuable I can be for my team.
Your known as a very good three point shooter, but under 30% in the Pro B and NBBL. What steps are you making in your shooting preparation most daily to continue to improve your shooting? I work on my shot every day. A lot of repetitions, focusing on technique and consistency with different drills to get better and more consistent.
Talk a little about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?
I would say I’m an aggressive defender, who brings energy and can guard multiple positions. I still want to become more consistent and smarter defensively.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game? I work on my shooting, ball handling and decision making, but also off the court a lot on my body.
You were already a fixture on the NBBL team as a 16 year old. How valuable was it for you already playing against the best competition at a very young age? It was extremely valuable for my development, because I learned early how to compete at a high level
Last season you lost to Ulm at the NBBL top 4. What will you always remember from that tough loss? It was a very tough loss, but also a big motivation for the future.
You played ANGT last season averaging 6.0ppg,6.5rpg, FGP: 25.0%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 80.0%. What memories do you still have playing against great youth teams like FC Barcelona? Playing against top youth teams and prospects I would say. Also, how different the level of basketball can be in my age in Europe. This is something I learned a lot from.
This season you made the jump to Alba Berlin playing a BBL and BCL game, What was the biggest adjustment that you had to make playing against grown men? In my opinion it’s the physicality and the speed of the game. It’s so much higher and you have to make decisions so much faster.
You scored your first pro field goal against BCL team Sabah. How cool was that and what will you always remember from that basket and game? It was a special moment that I will always remember.
How valuable has the experience been practicing with BBL team Alba Berlin. What has impressed you most about Pedro Calles? He is a very detail oriented and demanding coach. You learn a lot from him every day.
You also have gotten good minutes in Bernau for Dan Oppland that has a very deep team. How do you feel has your game grown further this season under Oppland? I feel like I improved a lot, especially in my understanding of the game and also how to deal with different situations on the court.
What is your goal as a player? Is there anything else on your bucket list besides reaching the highest level possible? Just improving every day to reach the highest possible level and getting the best version of myself.
Who Is the toughest player that you ever battled in your life that reached the NBA or Euroleague? I don’t really know. I have played against a lot of talented players, so it’s hard to pick just one.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? I have had a lot of great teammates in jena, where I played before and I have also great teammates here in Berlin. It’s really difficult to name only five.
Please name your NBA, Euro (players from Europe non german) and German Mount Rushmore of your favorite 4 players of all-time? NBA: Micheal Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant Euro: Vezenkov, Diamantidis, Navarro, Spannoulis German: Dirk Nowitzki, Detlef Schrempf, Franz Wagner, Dennis Schroeder
Ontario Chapman (193-F) is a 193cm guard who is seeking the professional career overseas. He has experience having played in the States at Anoka Ramsey Community College, Presentation College, Texas A & M Texarkana and William Penn. He took part at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine and spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Mustafa for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. How excited are you to taking part and showing your talent?
I am extremely excited to participate in the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. Basketball is always better when you’re surrounded by other Pro/Future Pros. Being surrounded by other high-level players increases one’s hunger to compete.
How did you find about the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you? I found out about the offer through my professional trainer Ron Howard. I believe this was perfect for me specifically due to the recommendation from Ron. Trusting my trainers’ judgement and being physically and mentally in the right place at the right time sealed the deal for me. Knowing that this combine gives me the opportunity to showcase myself against high-level competition.
What is your impression of the man in charge Ron Howard? Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs? Not only is Ron my trainer, he was also my Coach at Anoka Ramsey CC. Ron is also like a big brother/ mentor to me. I am more than aware of his track record both as a player and the guy behind the scenes pushing and advocating for guys like myself. Ron has had a major hand in my development as a player.
What do you appreciate most about Ron Howards character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career? I appreciate most that he has practiced what he continuously preaches. Not only has he actually been in the field, but he has things to show for it. His drive as a trainer is contagious to any player who really wants it.
Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 195cm wing. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? Even at 195cm, my game is comparable to Lebron James with the all around aggressive game and skill to go along with it.
What are your biggest strengths on the offensive end and do you have a hidden strength in your game that doesn’t always get noticed right away? Offensively, my biggest strength is my ability to attack the basket and always be able to get a paint touch. A hidden strength of mine that isn’t always noticed right away is my passing ability and my overall all round basketball IQ.
Talk about your shooting. Your three pointer is still one in progress. Where do you see it currently and what steps do you still need to do to be an even more consistent shooter? Currently, I do believe that I am a 3 point threat to defenses. I am a volume that, if I am hitting shots behind the arc early then it could be a long day for defense. I am consistently working on my 3 point game to become a complete threat. I believe the only steps that need to be taken are consistency within my confidence and more reps in the gym, there’s always more work to be put in.
Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school and where do you see your playmaking at the moment? My game has grown tremendously since high-school. I was never the most talented but I always knew hard work, when you lack the talent that others have, you have to make it up through your effort. I was once known as a rebounding slasher and now that I’ve transformed into a 3 level scorer, it makes myself and my playmaking ability a threat. I am an E2 type player, meaning I excel at engaging 2 defenders and putting pressure on the opposing team. This has led to being able playmake for others with no issue.
Talk about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become? I take pride in defense, on ball and off ball I like to disrupt the defense. On the ball, I am a very physical but disciplined defender, I am not afraid to make someone uncomfortable. Off the ball, I communicate, I use my length and athleticism to jump passing lanes and I play team defense.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game? I am always working on ball-handling and shooting. These are two things that I believe are currently in a good place, but areas one could never be complacent about.
You finished school in 2024, but didn’t find a pro season the last 2 seasons. How tough has the grind been for you? The grind has been extremely tough. There’s been times I struggled with motivation, but there was never a time that I wanted anything easy. I had a short stint in the TBL, with a team in New Jersey but a few things led to me going home after pre-season, things outside of basketball and out of my control. I have played in pro combines, G league tryouts and realized that I am a Pro and I do belong. Patience is one of my strongest qualities and the road being so tough has made me a man. I enjoy the grind and the journey because the reward will mean so much more, I’ve yet to come across anyone who is willing to outwork me for it.3
How big is the chip on your shoulder? You played at 5 schools and are still seeking that pro job? What keeps you going?
The chip on my shoulder is huge. I have always been one to do whatever it takes for me to be on the court. I don’t know how to quit, I don’t know how to give up, I don’t know how to just go through the motions. That chip on my shoulder is a reminder that I have been a lot of places and played with a lot of people. One thing they will all tell you is once upon a time I wasn’t a pro, but the amount of work I have put in while no one was watching has made me into one. Have you had a 9-5 job to help ends meet. If yes what have you been doing and how tough is it doing that grinding in the gym at night? I did not come from much, everything I have and everything I’ve done I had to earn. Since graduating college I have always had 2-3 jobs at a time while also still making time to hit the weight room and the basketball court. I am active and doing something 7x a week to increase my game. While also working 7 days a week. Right now I am currently a County Case Manager for waived clients with disabilities and I also work as a Recreation leader at a community center, both jobs full time work. There are times I even work as an Instacart shopper during my spare time. Regardless of my work schedule, I make time every day to work on my game on the court and in the weight room.
You played a season at The Crown College (NCAA3) playing 5 games averaging 1.6ppg, 2.2rpg. That was almost 10 years ago. What memories do you have of that time?
This was a very confusing time for me. I was a young boy coming out of high school with a lot of NAIA and Juco offers. Outside of coaches, I didn’t have much guidance and help on where to go. All I knew was that people were familiar with the NCAA name, no matter what the level was so I made a last minute decision to attend Crown. Regardless of it being a D3 school, Crown taught me that there are hoopers everywhere amongst all levels and from all around the world. Crown also taught me how to navigate college politics, while being willing to accept when one’s game needs more work . Crown college taught me at a very young age about accountability.
You then played a season at Texas A&M University-Texarkana (NAIA) playing 3 games averaging 2.0ppg, 2.7rpg. How tough was this time? It was during Covid. How do you remember this time? What were the biggest challenges then? Texas A&M was one of the best programs I have ever been a part of and I learned a lot in my short time under Coach Ryan Wall. I transferred into A&M and second semester and I do believe that had I started the season with the team, my productivity and performance would have been a lot different. I also believe that had I returned to A&M, my college career would have gone a lot different and I would have possibly already been a Pro by now. Being that this was during Covid, all we had was basketball and that’s all we did, the system was meant for winners, the staff were meant for breeding winners, the culture was for winners. Nothing was easy at A&M but everything was worth it. The only challenges I had was trying to find my place after transferring in when the team already had an identity.
You played 1 season at Anoka-Ramsey Community College (JUCO) averaging 12.9ppg, 7.1rpg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 33.8%, FT: 61.8%. What kind of a player did you become in JUCO under Ron Larson? That season at Anoka Ramsey was my best Collegiate season specifically because of the confidence I had gained that summer prior. Going from laying under Ryan Wall, to playing under Coach Larson and Coach Howard was the perfect recipe. I am a 6’4 Guard, who’s been forced to play the forward and center position since I started playing basketball. At Anoka Ramsey, I wasn’t put into a box. I was a part of a system that allowed me to show the work that I had been consistently put in. I was surrounded by a group of guys that trusted me and respected my game and it showed. The coaches also respected my work ethic and trusted me to be an important piece to that squad. I was supposed to play under Ron Larson the year prior but I chose to go to Texas due to Anoka Ramsey not having a season during Covid, the summer before 2021-2022 season at Anoka, I told Larson I wouldn’t be returning to Texas and instead I was coming back to MN. Ron’s excitement at the news told me everything that I needed to know.
Every guy that I have interviewed that played Juco have said that it was a tough grind, but one he wouldn’t have traded the world for. How was it for you? Juco was exactly that. Every teammate and every opponent knew that Juco was survival of the fittest. Every individual in Juco knows that time and work is sensitive and every day matters. Juco was an extremely tough environment on and off the court but it was extremely beneficial towards character development. It wasn’t one I would trade for anything, Juco brings that dog out of you.
You then played a season with Presentation College (NAIA) averaging 7.3ppg, 4.0rpg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 72.7%. What was the NAIA like and what kind of a role did you have there? The NAIA is a lot tougher than most like to give it credit for. After my season at Anoka Ramsey. I ruptured my Patellar tendon in my left knee, suffering the worst possible injury one could do to the knee. The recovery process was one of the hardest mentally, physically and emotionally that any basketball player should have to go through. There was a point where many people believed basketball would be done for me forever, at the peak of my Collegiate career. I only played less than half of the games at Presentation as it took quite a while to get medically clearer. Looking back, I feel as if I was in a rush to return to basketball and I returned to play too early. My role at Presentation was to give the team energy. Outside of pushing my teammates all season long, since I wasn’t completely healthy I do not believe that I had a defined role.
You then played at William Penn University (NAIA) averaging 5.1ppg, 4.8rpg, FGP: 56.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 58.2%. How did Jon Henry give you that last push as a player in your development? Although I did not have the role that I wanted at William Penn and the season did not go as planned, William Penn turned me into a Pro. The culture, the mentality, the play style and the teachings of William Penn basketball under Coach John Henry is what anybody chasing the Pros should experience. Henry didn’t accept short cuts, he didn’t accept excuses, he didn’t accept the loser mentality. Offensively and Defensively, William Penn is a school where any player who loves the game of basketball, loves to win, loves championships and loves to compete is going to walk away with the mindset of becoming a Pro. Coach Henry breeds pros, plain and simple. After leaving William Penn. I didn’t play my normal position during the season, but physically and mentally I was in one of the best positions to seek pro basketball that I could have ever been in. I graduated from William Penn with a killer mentality.
Who won a 1-1 in practice, you or Jason Priah? Shout out to my guy JP, but that goes to me, slaughterhouse.
What is your biggest dream as a pro player? To win a Championship at the highest level. I’ve tasted individual awards, I’ve tasted playoff experiences, I’ve even tasted championship games, but I have never completed the mission. My goal is to not only be a pro, but to be a champion as a pro.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA? Jericho Sims, I went to Community of Peace Academy and he went to Cristo Rey Jesuit, both charter schools. Jericho is a talented freak of nature standing at 6’10 and extremely mobile. For someone only 6 ‘4 and at the time in High-school I was 6’ 1, very tough cover.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? This is tough because I played with so many great teammates but I will make this list based on who were certified killers.
Isaiah Cabrera Kobe Powell Keegan Oyugi Edward Milton Kemba Bell Honorable Mention ( D’andre Caster, Bryant Jefferson, Davonte Craven)
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time?
1.Lebron James 2.Derrick Rose 3.Carmelo Anthony 4.Michael Jordan
Who is your GOAT? LEBRON KING JAMES
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone? I don’t think I was able to watch more than 10 minutes of the movie.
Dan Thornton is a 180cm guard that has gathered valuable experience at Tennessee Wesleyan University and Tennessee Southern. He spoke togermanhoops.com before playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine.
Thanks Dan for talking to germanhoops.com. You’re playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. How excited are you to taking part and showing your talent? I’m very excited to be invited and allowed to participate in the upcoming Las Vegas Overseas Combine. I’m looking forward to showing my talent and what I can do on the floor.
How did you find out about the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you? I was looking for a lot of opportunities this summer, whether it was going overseas or finding a great place to showcase my talent. I wanted to play in front of people who could help put me in a better position basketball-wise, and I felt like this was the right opportunity because of Coach Howard’s background and everything he has accomplished.
What is your impression of the man in charge, Ron Howard? Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs?
I think Coach Howard is a great guy. I appreciate him working with me to help get me here. At first, I wasn’t fully aware of his track record of helping players get overseas jobs, but we’ve had conversations about it. I’ve had some financial burdens in the past that kept me from pursuing certain opportunities, but now I’m focused on maintaining good relationships and taking advantage of every opportunity. Coach Howard has been great to work with.
What do you appreciate most about Ron Howard’s character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career?
I think Coach Howard’s ability to find diamonds in the rough and put them in positions where they can showcase their talent is amazing. He gives players an opportunity to prove themselves.
You played at Tennessee Wesleyan University and at the University of Tennessee Southern. Do you have any previous pro experience?
My closest experience to professional basketball would probably be playing semi-pro before college. It was an eye-opener to the next level. I haven’t played professionally yet, but it’s something I’ve been chasing for a long time. College was a great experience, and now I’m ready to take my game to the next level.
You finished school in 2024. How do you make a living? Do you have a 9-to-5 job and grind on your game at night?
After I finished school, I tried a few different career paths. I enjoyed coaching, but now I mainly work in logistics. I wanted something that wouldn’t put too much wear and tear on my body because I still want to play professionally. Working in logistics allows me to continue training, improving my game, and keeping my body prepared.
Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 188 cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player, who would it be? If I had to compare my game to an NBA player, I’d say Collin Sexton. I also enjoy watching Josh Hart and Davion Mitchell. I like smaller guards who play hard, compete every possession, and impact the game in multiple ways.
You’re a guard who can really fill the stat sheet. How important is versatility in your game? Versatility is everything in my game. I’ve never wanted to limit myself to being just a 3-and-D player or someone who only fills one role. I want to help my team in every category, whether it shows up in the box score or not.
Talk about your shooting. Where do you see it currently, and what steps do you still need to take to become a very consistent shooter?
I work on my shooting a lot. It’s one of the biggest areas I want to showcase. My goal is to become a 40% three-point shooter. That comes from confidence, repetition, proper mechanics, and keeping the same routine every day.
Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school, and where do you see your playmaking today?
My playmaking really grew around my sophomore and junior years. One of my assistant coaches made me the captain of our development team. I had to learn how to create opportunities for teammates and put them in positions to succeed. That experience helped me understand the game at a much higher level.
Talk about your defensive game. What kind of defender are you right now, and what kind of defender do you still want to become?
Defense is something I take a lot of pride in. I love guarding the other team’s best player. I don’t care if I score zero pointsas long as I make the big stop, get a block, take a charge, or make the right rotation, I feel like I’ve done my job. I believe I can guard positions one through four, and I still have a lot of room to grow defensively.
What areas of your game are you working on the most right now? Right now I’m focused on finishing through contact, playing off two feet, making smarter decisions, getting to the free-throw line more consistently, and becoming a better communicator on the court.
Talk a little about your time at Tennessee Wesleyan University and the University of Tennessee Southern. What was your fondest moment? I had a great experience at both schools. At Tennessee Southern, I spent about four years there, growing from a redshirt player into a team captain. That experience taught me a lot about leadership and the game. At Tennessee Wesleyan, I felt like I became a spark for the team. Some of my favorite memories were making big shots and being someone my teammates could rely on.
How key was head coach Dugan Lyne in your early basketball development?
I loved working with Coach Dugan Lyne and the coaching staff. Before I transferred to Tennessee Wesleyan, Coach Lyne challenged me to become a more confident catch-and-shoot player and a more aggressive scorer. That advice changed my mindset and helped me elevate my game.
What is your biggest dream as a pro player? My biggest dream is to win a championship. Whether it’s a championship ring or lifting a trophy, that’s the ultimate goal and would be the perfect reward for all the hard work I’ve put into this game.
Who is the toughest player you’ve ever faced that reached the NBA? The toughest player I’ve ever played against was Terry Taylor. We played in pickup runs, and he was an incredibly aggressive scorer. You could immediately tell he was an NBA-level player.
Please name your five best teammates of all time. Adarion Hudson, Kendall Wright, CJ Greer, Kaveion Hancock, and Darren Jenkins.
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Stephen Curry.
Who is your GOAT? My GOAT is Allen Iverson. Right behind him is Kobe Bryant.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming to America? Should they have left it alone?
I haven’t seen the sequel. I’m not really a big movie guy, but from the reviews I’ve heard, it wasn’t as good as the original. Sometimes it’s best to leave a classic alone.
Johnathan Boatright (190-SG-1994, college: GSU) is a 31 year old 190cm guard from Illinois who as pro experience with Basketball Academy of Moldova (Moldova-Divizia Nationala). He began his basketball career at Joliet Junior College (JUCO) and then played 2 seasons at Governors State University (NAIA) averaging 7.9ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 75.6% and 17.1ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.1apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 47.1%, FT: 73.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before taking part at the TRSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine.
Thanks Jonathan for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. How excited are you to taking part and showing your talent? I’m very excited to play in this combine. I really needed this opportunity to showcase my talent
How did you find about the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you? Coach Howard´s Instagram page is how I found it and I knew this time around I’ll be ready
What is your impression of the man in charge Ron Howard? Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs? I believe coach Howard is a great guy and hard working man on and off the court. I’ve seen a lot of things he has done for others and I know he’ll do what he can for me as well.
What do you appreciate most about Ron Howards character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career? He is 100% understanding and transparent and he can relate with you on all aspects.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 190cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? I would say Russell Westbrook because I play the game so hard no matter what you’ll get 100% from me every single game.
What are your biggest strengths on the offensive end and do you have a hidden strength in your game that doesn´t always get noticed right away? I’m a 3 level shooter but what will surprise you about my game is my court vision I can really pass.
Talk about your shooting. Where so you see it currently and what steps do you still need to do to be an even more consistent shooter? My shooting is great. You really can’t leave me open but I want my shooting to be to a point where you have to guard me by half court.
Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school and where do you see your playmaking at the moment? My playmaking grew in school because I love PNR game that’s my specialty.
Talk about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?
I’m a great defender at the moment. Defense wins you championships and I always pride myself on the defensive end. I want to be an even better lockdown defender.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game? Being even more crafty at the rim honestly.
You played a season of pro ball in 2021-2022 with Basketball Academy of Moldova (Moldova-Divizia Nationala) averaging 18.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 3.5apg, 1.5spg. That was a long time ago. What memories do you have of that rookie season? Just the overall experience was a learning process and you really got to adapt to your environment
You only played 2 games. Why was your stay so short? We played a full season actually but within the first games COVID had hit so the club had to figure things out. So all the stats are not fully updated.
Have you had a 9-5 job the last years? How do make a living and how much of a challenge is it working and grinding in the gym for your dream? Yes I have worked 9-5 it’s not had to chase a dream when you really want it you’ll do what you have to do to achieve it.
You played 2 seasons at Joliet Junior College (JUCO) averaging 3.1ppg, 1.8rpg and : 9.0ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 53.7%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 68.4%. What kind of a player did you become in JUCO under Joe Kuhn? I’ve became a glue guy under Joe Kuhn where I did everything needed to be done to win.
Every guy that I have interviewed that played Juco have said that it was a tough grind, but one he wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you? Juco definitely made me the man I am today because nothing is given everything is earned.
You then played 2 seasons with Governors State University (NAIA) averaging 7.9ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 75.6% and 17.1ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.1apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 47.1%, FT: 73.1%. How vital were these 2 years in your basketball development? How did your game grow there? . I’ll just say put the work in and the results will so everytime!
You had many great games against Robert Morris and St Xavier just to name a few. What was your fondest moment in the NAIA? First round playoffs against Olivet I couldn’t miss that entire game had about 20+. Very upset we couldn’t pull the win out though.
How did Tony Bates groom and prepare you best for a professional career? Coach Bates let me know that if you get grinding and performing nothing can get in your way. Also he helped understand left outside of basketball to have a vision.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Gerald Duckworth?
Me.
What is your biggest dream as a pro player? Biggest as a pro player is win championships and become MVP
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA? Ben Moore.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? 5 best teammates Ben, KG, Cal, Rob, Tawone
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time? Lebron, Kobe, MJ, Shaq
Who is your GOAT? God.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
Dathan Satchell (190-G) is a 190cm guard from San Jose, California that played at Modesto Christian High School. He then played 2 seasons at Casper College (JUCO) averaging 9.3ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 46.4%, FT: 88.9% and 10.9ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 39.9%, 3PT: 39.1%, FT: 76.5%. He then played a season at Las Positas College (JUCO) averaging 13.8ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 86.2%. He then made the jump to the University of Alaska at Anchorage (NCAA2) averaging 9.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 39.6%, FT: 61.1% and 8.4ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 80.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before taking part at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine.
Thanks Dathan for talking to germanhoops.com. You’re playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. How excited are you to take part and show your talent? Thank you miles for the opportunity. I’m extremely excited to take part in the Las Vegas overseas combine. It’s a great chance to showcase your talents on a big stage which can help you get the right exposure you need to sign a great contract & pursue your pro career.
How did you find the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you? I found out about this offer from Ron Howard, who’s agency I was previously signed with last season so once I saw him present the Vegas combine I knew it was the right one for me since I’m only an hour flight away from Vegas.
What is your impression of the man in charge Ron Howard? Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs? My impression of Ron Howard is that he’s a good agent that’s always looking out for young athletes trying to navigate through this overseas life.
What do you appreciate most about Ron Howards character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career?
I appreciate his drive for wanting to see guys succeed, he truly wants the best for his clients which is rare nowadays where most agents are just looking for the money grab.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 190cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? If I could best compare my game to anyone in the NBA, I’d say a mix of CJ McCollum & Klay Thompson
What are your biggest strengths on the offensive end and do you have a hidden strength in your game that doesn´t always get noticed right away? My biggest strength in my game is my shooting ability and a hidden talent that doesn’t get noticed right away is my passing.
Talk about your shooting. Where do you see it currently and what steps do you still need to do to be an even more consistent shooter? I’ve been a shooter my whole life, that’s the bread n butter of my game but there’s always room for improvement so I’m always looking for new ways to improve my shooting ability.
Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school and where do you see your playmaking at the moment?
My playing making in school was more on the offense because of the style of play that you play in college but once I got overseas I became a lot more comfortable play making in isolated formats or on the fly.
Talk about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?
My defensive game is physical, scrappy, handsy type defense. I need to be better at beating defenders to the spot but I have good hands and great IQ.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game? Right now I’m working on my pace, slowing the game down a little bit, simplifying the game picking my spots, defense and IQ.
You played 2 seasons with Casper College (JUCO) averaging 9.3ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 46.4%, FT: 88.9% and 10.9ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 39.9%, 3PT: 39.1%, FT: 76.5% and played a season with Las Positas College (JUCO) averaging 13.8ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 86.2%. Every player that I have interviewed that played JUCO have said that it was a real grind, but one that they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you?
Juco was a one of one experience for me, I had a great time in juco. I wouldm´t trade my juco years for the world. Juco taught me how to adapt in any environment with people from all over trying to achieve the same goal which is to get signed. Nothing is given to you in juco, you have to get everything out of the mud.
How vital were head coaches Shaun Gutting and James Giacomazzi. How vital were both in your early basketball development? How did each help you most with your game?
Both of my juco coaches played a pivotal point in my hoop career. Coach Gutting introduced me to the college grind. Learning how to manage your time, be purposeful in every approach whether on the court or off the court, and lastly staying prepared for whenever your number is called weather it’s for 30 minutes or 5 minutes, be ready. Now Coach Giacomazzi, I have a different relationship with because we go back before the college days so he’s been giving me support & knowledge before I was even one of his players. Coach James taught me so many things but some of the few things I took from him was short term memory, attention to details, and playing the game within the game.
You then played 2 seasons with the University of Alaska at Anchorage (NCAA2) averaging 9.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 39.6%, FT: 61.1% and 8.4ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 80.0%. What kind of a player did you become there? My time in Alaska molded me more mentally than physically. Of course my physical game developed like my shooting, play making, and defense but my overall mental strength and IQ of the game is what genuinely got bot better in my time at UAA. Learning new schemes, paying more attention to the tangible, and learning how to survive mental adversity.
In your 2 seasons there, you had many big games like scoring 24 points in a big 71-68 win over NW Nazarene. What was your fondest moment there in your 2 seasons?
One of my fondest moments at UAA was making the GNAC tournament in my senior year but not only making the tournament but also making it to the championship game. Even though we came up short in the chip, we earned a spot in the national tournament so we ended up extending our season into March Madness.
How did head coach Rusty Osborne groom and prepare you best for a pro career?
Coach Os at UAA helped prepared me best for my pro career by not going easy on me, he would always push me to be the best possible player I can be by instilling nothing but faith and confident in me so when I went onto the next level, I took that confidence with me and ran with it because when your on them big stages you got to have confidence when you walk on the court that you meant to be there.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Jaron Williams?
We only played 1-1 seriously about one time and I won, I have a witness to vouch but since he’ll probably lie.
You played your rookie season in Albania. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home? In Albania my wake up call to being overseas was probably the food or language barrier that was the biggest adjustment for me. I think everything else was manageable once you’re acclimated.
What is your biggest dream as a pro player? My biggest dream is being an impactful player to a team that wins a NBA finals or/& Eurocup championship.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA? Jalen green
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Top 5 best talent teammates : Trey Boston, David walker, Jalen green, Jamie Jaqez, pep
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time? Michael Jordan LeBron Steph Shaq
Who is your GOAT? Michael Jordan
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I didn’t see the sequel but that should say enough itself
German Hoops 