Malik Riddle (193-G-1999, college: HSU) is a 24 year old 193cm guard from Tennessee playing his second professional season and first in Germany with Pro B team RheinStars Cologne. Last season he played with Gzira Athleta Birkirkara (Malta-BOV League D1) averaging 28.8ppg, 9.4rpg, 3.9apg, Steals-3 (2.6spg), FGP: 57.8%, 3PT: 33.1%, FT: 75.5%. He began his basketball career at Rossville Christian Academy. He then played 2 seasons at Morehead State University (NCAA) and then played 3 seasons at Henderson State University (NCAA2). He teams up withgermanhoops.com every week to talk basketball.
Congrats on the big 84-81 win over Ehingen. It was the third win in a row and third win in row where you won with a few points. How much longer are these consecutive crunch time wins go?
Big win for us for sure, and I don’t know just glad we are figuring out a way to win in these crunch time games. Shows that we can lock in as a team and finish strong.
You have won 5 close games and lost only once. How do you explain this incredible knack of being able to win at the end?
We try not to panic and just stay calm and try to focus on what we want to execute during those moments.
The RheinStars Cologne had the comfortable 45-37 lead at the break. What was key for having the solid lead? I think in the first half we did a good job of getting stops on the other end which led to some good transition baskets.
Stephan Baeck took a time out at the 6,48 minute mark of the fourth quarter stopping Ehingen´s lightening start to the fourth quarter as they tied the game 70-70. What advice did he give the team? Stephan told us to pick it up on the defensive end his biggest focus is for us to be aggressive on defense and get some stops.
Talk about the last seconds and Jannis Von Seckendorf´s dunk. You guys had the lead, but how thrilling was that dunk? It was great to see him get that dunk. Felt like we solidified that win with that dunk.
You didn´t have a good shooting night and had only 2 points. How do you recover from a game like this?
No I didn’t some nights be like that even for the best players in the world. I just have to move on and lock in for the next game. And focus on my effort being better.
You next play Oberaching who you beat 90-86 a few weeks ago. What will the team have to be more aware of this time? I think we just have to be better at boxing out as well as no easy baskets or paint touches.
Juan Fernandez (193-G-1990, college: Temple) is a 34 year old 193cm guard from Argentina, but also has the Italian citizenship playing his 10th professional season and first with Umana Reyer Venezia (Italy-Serie A). He has played most of his pro career in Italy, but also played in Spain and Argentina. He played at Temple University (NCAA) from 2008-2012 reaching the NCAA tournament each season. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Eurocup game against the Hamburg Towers.
Thanks Juan for talking to germanhoops.com. Before we begin with your career, I have to tell you that we have a few connections however one wants to label it. I have been in Argentina 17 times in my life dating from 1983-2007. Unfortunately I haven´t been there in a while. Most of my visits were in 90´s. Have you ever met a person that has been there as much as I have? That’s great. Argentina is a beautiful country; I hope you’re able to make it back there soon.
My first longer stay was 1986 when I witnessed Argentina beat Germany in the world cup in a living room in Argentina filled with about 30 enthuastic Argentines. I had to keep quiet and watch how much I cheered for Germany. Lol. Anyway 2 guys from that visit I´m still friends with today as well as some others that I met in the 90´s. I have got to know the Argentine people as very friendly and loyal no matter how bad the conditions may be. What do you think makes Argentine people in general this way?
Argentinians are super passionate and proud people. I think, as South Americans, we’ve had to become really resilient over time, dealing with a lot of challenges as a country. That resilience has taught us that we’re stronger when we come together. Socializing is just part of who we are; we don’t overthink it. You can organize an asado for 30 people in five minutes, no problem. Our tradition of drinking ‘mate’ is another great example. Mate isn’t just a drink; it’s a way to connect and share time with others. I think our history, with all its ups and downs, mixed with the influence of our European roots, especially Spain and Italy, has made us passionate, resilient, empathetic, and really good at sticking together when it counts. That combination is what makes Argentinians who we are.
I actually got to know normal people in a small town about 500 kilometers west of Buenos Aires in my first visit to the town in 86. But my family actually had connections to Argentina with a very well known family. I will never forget many incredible times with them especially their sons who were always so nice to me despite me being 10+ years older. The family I´m talking about are the Roemmers. The names Maradona and Messi are household names, but how well respected is this name in Argentina?
In Argentina, many respected names and people have done great things for the country, and there is no doubt about that. However, soccer is like our religion. If you can make Argentinians proud and represent them well inside a soccer field, you will win their hearts. That’s what Messi and Maradona have managed to do.
My other connection is TJ DiLeo. I covered him for many years in Germany. You were teammates with him at Temple. How was your relationship with him then and did a friendship remain in the last 15 years?
I have a great relationship with TJ and his family. They were among the few people who took me in during a difficult transition, my first time leaving the comfort of my home in Argentina to chase my college dream in the United States. Our paths with TJ also crossed in Europe. He was a great teammate and an even better friend. Our relationship continues to this day. These relationships are what I cherish the most about my career, even more than any trophy or individual accolade.
You were born in Argentina, but also have the Italian citizenship. How is it for you personally to have been born in Argentina and be teammates with so many Italians each season. Do they see you as an Italian or more as an Argentine? Because Argentinian and Italian cultures share many similarities, it has been really easy for me to adapt and blend in with my Italian teammates. I believe they consider me more Italian than foreign, although they never forget I’m Argentinian; I wear that label proudly. It’s nice to feel so welcomed in this country; I’ve made many friends and met wonderful people. Both of my kids were born in this country. My wife and I also got married here. Italy definitely feels like home for my family and me.
You have been a professional player since 2012 and have played most of your career in Italy. Was the love for Italy so big that you never played anywhere else besides Spain and Argentina?
I’ve always made career decisions in line with what I thought was also best for my family. Because we love living in Italy, we always decided to stay when I had the option. What led me to pursue a year in Spain were some challenges experienced in Italy during the off-season, which made me feel like it was time for a change of direction and look for new stimuli. I honestly never saw myself playing anywhere else other than these two countries.
Your playing your first season with Umana Reyer Venezia (Italy-Serie A). You have played in some very pretty places in Italy, but now Venice is home. You couldn´t be living in a more beautiful place. What do you enjoy most about that city? Venice is unique for obvious reasons. Having played in Italy for many years, we had visited this city in the past, although we never lived nearby. Getting to experience it as a local and exploring it more often is something we’re extremely grateful for. People spend a lot of energy, money, and time to travel here and visit Venice. We’re very fortunate to live in such a beautiful place.
This is only the second time that you have played international club basketball in the Eurocup. You played once very early in your career. How has this competition helped your game grow? You see great competition in Serie A, but it must be a big plus to be able to play here.
The Eurocup is a great competition. Any chance you get to play at a European level is a great opportunity for a player to keep growing and challenge yourself against high-level competition. Although the schedule and the traveling sometimes make the season a little more demanding, I’m grateful for the opportunity to get to know many beautiful places and play at some of the nicest arenas in Europe. It’s great for us to challenge ourselves as a team and keep growing as well.
How tough is it getting minutes this season. There are many ex NBA players at the guard position with Mcgruder, Munford and Ennis. Is every practice for you like a game 7 simply because your fighting to get minutes in the next game.
I knew my role very clearly coming into the team this season. After over two years away from professional sports, I also had clear goals and objectives for myself. I wanted to enjoy my experience playing basketball again, prove to myself that I could get back to playing at a high level, and help the team wherever my help would be needed, either on or off the court at any given time. My personal journey, at this time, goes way beyond how many minutes I play.
You only averaged in double figures once as a professional, but usually around 8-9 points per game. Was that “role” player a job that you grew into well as a professional or was it tougher?
I don’t consider scoring the most important part of the game or something that defines whether you’re a starter or a ‘role’ player. I’ve always tried to put the team first and help where I saw help was needed. There have been teams where I was asked to take more of an offensive role and teams where my job was to facilitate for others as a point guard. I regard intelligence, selflessness, and adaptability as some of the most important attributes any basketball player could have.
You played 5 seasons with :Pallacanestro Alma Trieste and helped the club move up to Serie A in your first season. What do you remember being extra special about that winning team?
Trieste holds a very special place in my heart. The bond my family and I created with this city, the club, and its people is truly something special. I always say that the team we won that championship with was one of the best teams I’ve ever played for, not for its talent on the court but for the relationships we managed to build outside of it. I still stay in touch with every player on that team and even the coaching staff. I believe that was the key to our success that year.
You were teammates with Javonte Green. 2 years later he reached the NBA and has been there since. Would you have thought back in 2017 that he could reach the NBA so quickly via Europe and stay there? I wouldn’t say I knew he would reach the NBA so quickly because something like that depends on so many variables beyond what any player can control. I definitely knew he had the potential, however, to make it to the NBA. Javo was one of the best players and teammates I’ve ever shared a team with, and I’m so happy to see him shine in one of the best leagues in the world.
You were teammates with American Ricky Hickman. He had won the Euroleague. What memories do you have of him? How vital was it having a veteran like that on the team?
We didn’t share much time on the court with Ricky because he got there after our season had started, and then that year, the season stopped because of COVID-19. It was good to share the team with someone like him, and his experience helped us during a difficult time as a team.
You played 5 seasons with Italian veteran Daniele Cavaliero and then he retired. How vital was his leadership and overall having him as a teammate? Could a guy like you soak anything up from his words of wisdom? Dani is one of my very good friends to this day and one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. I’m grateful to have shared a team with him for so many years, and our time together definitely helped me mature as a player and as a person. We also share similar interests outside of basketball, so our conversations would go beyond just sports. He was also the first teammate I ever opened up to about my struggles right before retiring from basketball in 2022. His support and guidance during that difficult personal time is something I will be forever thankful for.
You played a season with Cafes Candelas Breogan Lugo (Spain-LEB Gold) averaging 9.0ppg, 1.6rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 31.9%, FT: 87.8%. What kind of an experience was Spain? What did you enjoy most about the season?
The transition was challenging for me. The club was great, and its people really welcomed me and my family with open arms. However, as I said before, I was coming off of a challenging post-season experience in Italy, and in some ways, it was difficult for me to leave that behind. I didn’t have the maturity and mental strength needed to fully overcome a moment like that back then, and I believe I paid for that during the season in Spain. The human and social side of the experience was amazing. We loved living in Lugo and experiencing their culture. On the basketball side, although I wouldn’t categorize it as a bad season for me, I definitely would have liked to play better and help the team more than I did.
You played 3 seasons with Centrale del Latte Brescia (Italy-Serie A2) helping win the Serie 2 title in 2016. What do you remember being so special about that team?
I always say that there are two places in Italy my family and I will never forget, and those are the two cities where my kids were born. My daughter was born in Brescia, and my son in Trieste. Brescia was also where my wife and I got married, so the place holds great significance for us. To add to that, it was my first championship as a professional, so that’s something I’ll never forget. I also still stay in touch with many of my former teammates from that team. Brescia was a great place to live in; I’m also very grateful for our experiences there.
You also played briefly with Banco di Sardegna Sassari (Italy-Serie A). They had some great veterans on that team like the Diener brothers, and Drew Gordon. What memories do you have of Drew Gordon who died a few years ago? I actually didn’t get to play with Drew Gordon on that team. I left the team in January and he got there after that. People have told me great things about him, however, and we were all very sad to hear about his passing. May he rest in peace. I did build good relationships with many of my teammates that season, including Travis and Drake Diener. In fact, I’m now sharing the team with Amadeo Tessitori again, who was also part of that team in Sassari. It’s great to reconnect with former teammates after so long.
You played at temple University (NCAA) from 2008-2012 reaching the NCAA tournament each season. Not many guys can say they did it every season. Was your time at temple one of the best basketball years of your life? Without a doubt, my time at Temple was one of the best and most transformative periods of my life. The college experience in the States is truly unique, and I’m very grateful that all of the teams I played for those years experienced such success on the court, something not easy to accomplish. Going to Temple was the true start to my journey of chasing the dream of becoming a professional basketball player, and it helped me create the foundations as a person that would guide the rest of my life. Although the college basketball world has drastically changed since then with the NIL, I still recommend any young player who has the opportunity to go to college in America to live the experience and get their degree while still growing and developing as an athlete in one of the best places in the world to do so.
In your freshman season you played Arizona (NCAA) at March madness playing 6 minutes. Do you remember being on the floor with James Harden? Would you ever have thought then that he could become one of the best NBA players in the last decade? I didn’t play much of that game, so I got to watch most of it from the bench. You could tell Harden would be good, although I don’t think I imagined then that he would become the superstar he is. Although I’m not a huge fan of his game, there’s no denying he’s one of the most talented and skilled players in the NBA. I’m fortunate to have faced such level of competition in college.
Was you’re your winning shot over Penn State (NCAA) at March Madness your most fondest moment at Temple? How cool was getting to take the last shot? Your teammate Khalif Wyatt helped a bit persuading coach to draw it up.
That moment was definitely the highlight of my college basketball career. Of course, getting my degree was a huge milestone too, but that was off the court. What made this moment so special for me was knowing how much it meant to Coach Dunphy and the whole team, especially after being eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament two seasons in a row. The fact that my teammates trusted me to handle the ball and make the decision in such a big moment meant everything to me.Sure, it was amazing that the result went in our favor, but honestly, what mattered most was having their trust in such a critical situation. That feeling of being relied on by your team is way more meaningful to me as a player than making the shot.
How did Fran Dunphy groom and prepare you best for a professional career? The main thing that Coach Dunphy did for me was to take me outside of my comfort zone. There were many tough moments together, and although I didn’t fully understand it then, I now see that he was helping me and my teammates build mental strength and develop our character. He taught me to be a leader and put the team first. “It’s never about you,” he would always say, and that’s a lesson I’ve always carried with me. We have a great relationship to this day, and I’m grateful to call him a mentor and a friend, not just a coach.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or TJ DiLeo? TJ had the athleticism and defensive skills I never had. When it came to the offensive end, I’d say I could hold my ground. In some ways, we complemented each other on the court. It was fun sharing a team with him because we also got along very well off the court, which translated to the game during the times we played together. We understood each other.
Who was the greatest player that you battled in the NCAA that reached the NBA? Kawhi Leonard. After that buzzer-beater game against Penn State, we played San Diego State during the second round of the tournament. You could tell Kawhi was going to be a great player then.
Please name your 5 best teammates of alltime? Let me guess TJ DiLeo is on that list. TJ DiLeo, Daniele Cavaliero, Andrea Coronica, Marcos Delia, Salva Arco.
Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore? Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili.
Who is your GOAT? As a former pro player and as a person, my father.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I did not see the sequel, sorry.
I have only been to 3 G-League game of the Maine Celtics, but every game was a great experience and in some way each game had a connection to my basketball job as writer and commentator. My first trip to Portland was in the 2012-2013 season as back then they were called the Main Red Claws. I had a very good reason to come, because my friend Mike Taylor was the coach. I had covered him many years in Germany. I was able to meet guys like Chris Wright, Dajuan Summers and Shelvin Mack. My next visit was in November 2021 during the hey day of Covid. Everybody was wearing masks, but it didn´t hinder me to meet some players. I had interviewed Eric Demers via email and then finally met him. We have kept close contact the last years as I tried to get him to play in Germany, but he landed in Spain and got his first taste of euro ball there. I remember meeting guys like Luke Kornet, Chris Clemons and Greg Monroe from Capital City. A few months ago, I was back for a third time and saw the now Maine Celtics defeat Capital City. As usual I had a field day with selfies seeing guys like Ron Harper Jr, Justin Champaigne and Drew Peterson. Another player I saw play 3 years ago was Brodric Thomas (196-G-1997, college: Truman St.). Unfortunately I hadn´t met him there, but after 3 years our paths crossed again, this time with a telephone interview. A big shout out to his agent Duncan Lloyd for setting us up for such an interesting conversation. “I appreciate you coming out to see me play 3 years ago”, said Brodric Thomas. He is only in his fourth pro season and first overseas, but he has already seen so much in his career having reached the NBA. He is one of those guys I won´t forget simply because he had an upbeat attitude and gave me a great interview.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Eric Demers in Portland, Maine Nov 2021
Thomas who lists Trevor Hudgens as his toughest opponent in college and a guy who with himself proved you can reach the NBA and not be a division 1 player was born on January 28th, 1997 in Boilingbrook, Illinois. He attended Boilingbrook high school, but had many talented players around him and got no interest from diviison1 schools. He committed to play at Truman State (NCAA 2), but he suffered a tough injury and had to redshirt and played a season at Southwestern Community College. There he had massive success and won a JUCO title. “We lost 1 game that season. I think the special thing was our attitude. We all came in with the mindset that if we are successful then we can go where we want to. Everyone bought into that and we had a very special relationship”, remembered Brodric Thomas. He was one of the few guys that went from Juco to the NBA. Another guy that comes to mind is Jay Scrubb. Was he overlooked in JUCO and at Truman State or did he make massive strides in your game in school? “I think that it is a bit of both. I went to division 2, then to JUCO and back to division 2. My game in JUCO grew from a mental and physical stand point. In my freshman year I was 6.1 and 150 pounds and when I went to JUCO was 6.4 and 195 pounds. I changed a lot as a player. I had a lot of freedom in JUCO”, stressed Brodric Thomas. It doesn´t matter who I have interviewed that played JUCO, but everyone always stresses that JUCO was a real grind, but an experience they wouldn´t have traded the world for. “I can attest to that. That season was one of the most pivotal in my career. It was where I realized who I was. When you play in a small town, there is only hoops and school. You can really work on developing your game. It was a tough grind, but we built a special relationship. You don´t see that often”, warned Brodric Thomas. One fellow that was instrumental in his early basketball development was head coach Todd Lorenson. “He believed in me and all the players. He is a players coach. He allowed us to play our game and feel comfortable. That helped us all. He also had interpersonal relationships with all. He allowed me freedom and gave me the reins to the team. I can´t thank the man any more than that”, stated Brodric Thomas. In his JUCO season he picked up NJCAA D2 All-Tournament Team -and All-NJCAA D2 Region XI First Team.
The Illinois native that lists James Harden, John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, Darius garland and Prentiss Nixon as his 5 best teammates of all-time then had a great 3 year career at Truman State University (NCAA2) averaging 16.2ppg, 6.2rpg, 4.2apg, 1.7spg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 69.1%, 18.0ppg, 6.5rpg, 3.3apg, 1.3spg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 47.1%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 82.2%, 21.5ppg, 7.2rpg, 3.3apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 49.7%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 80.9%. He made huge strides in his game there. “I built on my game each season. JUCO taught me that if I got better, good things would happen. JUCO helped me to bring leadership and the expectation of what winning is. I was able to elevate myself on and off the court”, commented Brodric Thomas. He played 80 games at Truman State and scored in double figures in 75 games. Some of his best scoring games included 35 points against Maryville MO, 34 points against Missouri S&T, and 34 points against Missouri S. He had the luxury of playing for 2 head coaches with Chris Foster and Jeff Horner who did superb jobs in their own unique ways of steering him to a professional career. “Both played a different role and helped me grow. Jeff had the more important role. He had had experience as a player and knew what it took to get there. He set big expectations and saw I had potential to get to the league. Important also was that his system was more of a pro one as opposed to a college one. He played pick and roll and that helped shape my game. Jeff helped me with the mental side and instilled confidence in me. He taught me that it is a grind, but you need that same mentality to get better. He also helped me with defensive principles”, expressed Brodric Thomas who never lost to teammate Mark Rodgers in 1-1. At Truman State he picked up various achievements like All-GLVC First Team -2018, 19, 20, GLVC All-Defensive Team -2018, 19, 20, GLVC All-Tournament Team -2018, 20, NJCAA D2 All-Americans Second Team -2018, and NABC NCAA D2 All-Midwest District Second Team -2019.
The ex NCAA 2 player who lists Jordan, Lebron, Kobe, and McGrady on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore turned professional in 2020 and had a whirlwind of a rookie season getting 2 NBA opportunities starting with the Houston Rockets where he played 4 games and then played 28 games with Cleveland averaging 4/1/1 stats. He also had 2 G-League stints with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers averaging 16.4ppg, 7.8rpg, 3.0apg, 1.6spg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 49.2%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 53.8% and with the Canton Charge averaging 21.3ppg, 6.7rpg, 4.2apg, 2.0spg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 46.2%, 3PT: 46.2%, FT: 62.5%. He couldn´t have joined a better organization than the Rockets as that team had an incredible meaning to him. “My wake up call was day 1. I had been a huge Rockets fan growing up and loved watching Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming play. It was dream come true being able to wear that jersey. Seeing guys like James Harden and Demarcus Cousins in training camp was great. That will stick with me forever”, explained Brodric Thomas. He couldn´t of played in a more meaningful first game against the Portland Trailblazers. He didn´t score in 10 minutes of time, but there was this incredible aura on the floor. “I remember the thrill of checking in. In that game there were a few other guys that got their first minutes. It was eye opening guarding players like that. When you get in you have that competitive nature of wanting to get stops. I remember James Harden saying calm down. In the heat of the game, your not thinking about that. But it made sense that you need composure. We rushed things and maybe had jitters. Watching those legends was unmatched. I remember everyone saying will we see the James Harden of old. He had a great game in my debut and proved all wrong. It was nice to see that happen”, said Brodric Thomas. With the Cavs he scored twice in double figures netting 13 points against Dallas and 14 points against Brooklyn. With the Cavs he was teammates with big rugged German big man Isaiah Hartenstein. It took Hartenstein 6 NBA seasons to finally get a chance with the Oklahoma Thunder. He wasn´t used properly in New York, but this season can display his whole game. “Isaiah is one of the most underrated bigs in the NBA. He gets overlooked a lot. But there are a lot of politics in the NBA. I´m glad that he has found a home with OKC and is flourishing”, said Brodric Thomas.
The ex NBA Summer League player who feels that you can´t go wrong with either Jordan or Lebron as the GOAT played his second professional season with the Boston Celtics (NBA) playing 12 games averaging 1.8ppg, played also with Maine playing 28 games averaging 16.0ppg, 5.5rpg, 3.9apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 39.9%, FT: 75.7%. It is no surprise that his time with the Boston Celtics was something extraordinary. “It was a different kind of aura there. You really felt that sense of history there. You felt that breath of culture throughout the team. The expectations of success really rubbed off on all. From top to bottom. It was a cool experience. We reached the final. I saw what it took to get there. I will take that feeling with me forever”, commented Brodric Thomas. Not many guys can say that they were teammates with Jayson Tatum. How realistic is it that one day he will be the best player in the NBA? “Yes I feel he can. This season he is making a case for MVP. His game speaks for it´s self. He won the title and really has nothing more to prove except to keep winning. He is on his way to becoming 1 of the best in the league. He is still pretty young and has time”, stated Brodric Thomas. In the G-League he scored 32 points against Westchester and 26 points against Grand Rapids. He sat out the 2022-2023 season due to injury and last season played with the Ontario Clippers averaging 11.0ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.1apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 42.3%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 75.0%. It was a solid season, but not great one. Did he lose faith in the NBA process thus coming overseas this season? “No I didn´t. For me it was just to get back to my old self before my surgery. I wanted to get my confidence back”, said Brodric Thomas. With Ontario he scored in double figures in 11 games including lighting up the G League Ignite for 26 points and Santa Cruz for 25 points.
This season the 196cm guard who didn´t know that a sequel had been produced of the classic Coming To America is playing overseas with Manisa Basket (Turkey-BSL). Turkey is one of the top leagues in Europe and have high salaries. It is no surprise that he has been content with the experience so far. “The experience has been really good. The organization was very welcoming as was the city. They accepted me with open arms. It has been fun. We haven´t been as successful yet, but I really like the guys”, said Brodric Thomas. For him it must be like an NBA reunion with guys like Saben Lee, Chris Chiozza, Jamorko Pickett, and Troy Brown Jr. “Yes it is. It is fun seeing a lot of familiar faces. It is good to talk to them and relate to stories”, added Brodric Thomas. He hasn´t been able to play Basketball Champions League yet, because he wasn´t registered yet when he was signed, but if the team moves by Chemnitz could be eligible then. In the BSL he hás been solid averaging 8/4/1/1 stats. ”It has been an adjustment figuring out my role. The lineup changed again with the arrival of Saben Lee. I´m still trying to feel what my role is. I´m still learning and taking it day by day and not looking at my stats”, expressed Brodric Thomas. With so much talent, it isn´t always easy to get the number of shots that one wants. “We are all trying to figure out where we can all get a piece of the pie. We are learning each others tendencies better each day. We want to be able to give our best together”, stressed Brodric Thomas. It will be interesting to see how his game keeps developing overseas. PJ Tucker reached the NBA and then went to Europe for some grooming and then after some years returned to the NBA and is still there 10 + years. He is overseas now, but does he still see having the NBA as a side door in the future? “For me it is Ok where I´m at. I´m always striving to be the greatest. If it will take me back to the NBA great, but at the end of the day if I flourish overseas then that’s Ok as well. I just love the game and want to play at the highest level. I would be happy with both”, stressed Brodric Thomas. For now he is looking to make some history in Turkey with Manisa Basket. The first order of business is to get by the Niners Chemnitz so they can continue to move forward in the Basketball Champions League.
Cobe Williams (183-PG-2000, college: Tulsa) is a 23 year old 183cm point guard from Dallas, Texas playing his rookie season over seas with Spirou Basket Charleroi (Belgium-Pro Basketball League). He began his basketball career at Kimball high school. He then played at Louisiana Tech University (NCAA) from 2019-2023 playing a total of 116 games. In his last season there he averaged : 18.9ppg, 3.5rpg, 4.1apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 52.7%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 80.5%. He added a extra season at The University of Tulsa (NCAA) where he averaged 13.1ppg, 3.4rpg, 3.5apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 75.7%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Fiba Europe Cup game against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.
Thanks Cobe for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your rookie season overseas with Spirou Basket Charleroi (Belgium-Pro Basketball League). How blessed do you feel being able to play the game you love and see new countries in Europe?
Honestly I cannot explain how much of a blessing it is to be in this situation for my first year being a pro. I think it’s so amazing that I am able to be blessed with good health to get a check to play a game I’ve been playing my whole life so far. Not only playing in Belgium, but being able to play in the Fiba Europe cup and getting to visit many beautiful countries all in year one. I just want to give all thanks to God.
You seem to care very much about your outer appearance. I saw a pic of you with red hair. Jeremy Sochan of the Spurs has liked changing his hair color as well. Do you feel like this could become a bigger trend down the road? ? For me this won’t become a trend of me changing my hair. I’ve been having it red since 2016 (8 years ago) and I haven’t thought about changing the color. “Cobe with the red dreads,” It has almost just became how people identify me. One day there will be no hair at all, but I’m not sure when I’ll be ready to make that decision.
What has it been like playing for historic team Spirou Basket Charleroi (Belgium-Pro Basketball League) ? They last won a title 13 years ago? Do you feel that intense hunger within the organization to win again? It has been a special experience playing for Spirou basket. It’s so fun because the team is very young with me being the 3rd oldest at 24 years old. A very immature personality acting team, but everyone has that hunger of winning every time we step onto the court doesn’t matter the opponent and that drive to get better everyday to reach our goals to go far as possible.
The team has many nationalities and you are the lone American. Has it been a strange feeling being the lone American? Even though I am the only American on the team I thought it would feel strange, but my teammates never gave me the opportunity to feel alone. Since day one they accepted me in and included me in with whatever it is. Everyone has that immature goofy personality so everyday there’s non stop laughing and bonding moments.
It seems like head coach Sam Rotsaert has given you the keys to the team. What exactly is your role on the team?
Yes, Coach Sam puts a lot of trust into me. My roll on this team is to do a little/a lot of everything if that makes sense. I am the point guard, with that alone comes with a lot of responsibilities. Control the tempo of the game, score the ball, make others better, set the intensity on defense and just bring positive energy everyday.
You have needed no adjustment time putting up good stats in 2 competitions. What has been your secret to having been able to step up so well?
I believe highly of myself, this is what I do and always have done at any level that I’ve ever played on. A lot of prayer to stay healthy, preparation to make sure I stay consistent and just never lose confidence in myself. I understand that I am not only playing for myself, I have to be on point every match to better help the organization as a whole and my family as well. Again, all thanks and glory to the man above.
What was your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?
My wake up call knowing that I was far away from home was just going to the grocery store alone for the first time and being so confused. Everything is just so different and I couldn’t call back home for help on what to get. That was my third day being there; I got the hang of it now though.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 183cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description? In the past I would say Russell Westbrook and Davion Mitchell defensively. Now I would say like a Jru Holiday type of guard that plays with speed. I feel we are both solidly gifted on both ends of the court to compete at a high level every night. Not super skilled at just one thing, but every part of skills in a game is on full display.
Is it fair to say that you’re a scoring point guard? You have never averaged more than 4,0apg in a season. Is playmaking something you feel will grow in Europe as team basketball is a big focus?
I still never considered myself as a scoring guard, but I can score at a high level every time if that’s what my team needs. I can also be a play maker and find people to be successful on the court if that’s what’s needed as well. I watch a lot of high level Europe basketball games and I do feel the higher levels of Europe basketball I reach the more I will transition to be more of a playmaker.
Your three pointer is still a work in progress. Is it more just repetition or shot selection that will help your shot become more consistent overseas? It will be both. I have to keep getting up the reps everyday and get that muscle memory to shoot it the same way every shot. Also shot selections as well. I can shoot really good catch and shoot, but most of my shots have to be off the dribble this season and that’s when I can be off balance. The more reps, shot selection and confidence will help. I’m confident that it will get to where it needs to be soon.
You’re also a very talented defender. Talk a little about your defensive game coming overseas. Where do you want to take your defensive game in the next years? I take pride in defending the ball, I don’t like to be scored on or really just even beat off the dribble. Not even just having a lot of steals, but just playing good solid defense where my opponents are never comfortable. I have to get more stronger physically and my off ball defense can get a whole lot better. In the next years I want to win multiple defensive awards.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?
The areas that I have been working on the most is just having patience, learning to control my own speed. When to turn it on and when to slow down. I have really improved at this.
How vital were head coaches Eric Konkol and Talvin Hester for your early basketball development at Louisiana Tech. You made big jumps in your game season by season. Eric Konkol is one of the best coaches I have ever had on and off the court. Putting my trust into his visions has really help me become the person and player I am today. I owe big thanks to him and forever grateful to have had him as my coach. He helped me understand that there’s steps to becoming what I am today. Big thanks to Talvin Hester, he recruited me to Louisiana Tech as a freshman.
You reached the NIT Final 4 in 2021. What memories do you have of that run? You got third place after a huge 76-74 win over Colorado State. That NIT run was a good year, but also was hard and filled with good memories. I remember playing with a broken left middle finger and having to wear something like a cast our team trainer made for me. Still being able to play in every game and good minutes. I shot 8-14 from three and was able to get some huge stops on high level guards. That was a special time for me and my teammates that year.
You had many great games at Louisiana Tech including 25 points in an exciting 79-76 win over Samford. What do you remember being your personal best game there?
That Samford game was a really good game, especially being able to end their 7 game winning streak. One game I will never forget at Louisiana Tech was my junior year versus Western Kentucky. We were down eight points with a minute left and I went on an 8-0 scoring run to tie the game up and my big man Kenny Loften Jr sealed the game with a pair of free throws to win it. That was one of my good games.
You played a 5th year at the The University of Tulsa (NCAA) averaging 13.1ppg, 3.4rpg, 3.5apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 75.7%. I guess it was a no brainer playing for Eric Konkol again. How special a relationship did you have as player to coach?
Going to play with Konkol at Tulsa for my last year really was a no brainer. I knew that’s where I wanted to be before I entered the transfer portal. Our relationship was and still is more than just coach and player. Him and his family watched me grow for 5 years and I’ve watched them grow. He was a really great coach everyday, but my personal relationship with him I viewed it as more like a mentor. A good genuine relationship.
You had some big games at the end of the season against Temple and S Florida. What was your fondest moment on the court there?
The very last regular season of game of the season against South Florida was a special game. They were #23 ranked in college basketball and it was senior night. My family couldn’t be there, but my daughter was able to be there. I was so determined to get that win and to build momentum heading into the conference tournament. Best memory from that game was just the atmosphere. The fans were great and my teammates and coaches just made that night an unforgettable day.
PJ Haggerty is dominating at the moment in the NCAA now at Memphis. How big of a future does he have? What was your fondest moment with him on and off the court? I´m so happy for PJ Haggerty, overcoming a lot and turning himself into a potential all of college basketball player of the year. He has a very bright future and not only his skills, but also just a good Genuine person. We have a brother type relationship so we hung out almost everyday throughout the week playing video games and spending time with our other teammates.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or PJ Haggerty
I won all of the 1-1 battles at practice of course, king of the court battles on off days too. I have to give PJ his props though once he got rolling he was never far behind and very difficult to slow down.
Who were some of the best players that you battled in the NCAA that reached the NBA?
There were so many good guards that I have played against that reached the NBA/G league. I’m not sure if most of them stayed long, but there’s a lot playing high level basketball in different countries. Two of the toughest players I’ve ever guarded was my own teammate my freshman year Daquan Bracey (playing in Bulgaria) and former San Antonio University player Jhivvan Jackson (playing in Germany). Pure talent with the ball 1 on 1.
Please name your 5 bets teammates of all-time? My 5 best teammates of all time has to be Isaiah Crawford, Kenny Loften Jr, Daquan Bracy, PJ Haggerty and Keaston Willis.
Please name your NBA Mount Rushmore? My NBA Mount Rushmore is Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant.
Who is your GOAT? Lebron James is the GOAT.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I have not watched the sequel, but they should have left Coming to America alone. I probably will never watch it either.
Jeff Garrett (201-F-1994, college: LSUS, agency: Players Group) is a 30 year old 201cm forward playing his 6th professional season and second with the Niners Chemnitz (BBL). He also has vast experience overseas having played in Lithuania, Ukraine, Finland and Luxemburg. He began his basketball career at Oldsmar Christian high school in Florida. He then played 2 NCAA seasons with Northern Kentucky University (NCAA) and in his last season played with : Louisiana State University at Shreveport (NAIA) averaging 18.8ppg, 14.1rpg, 2.8apg, 1.6bpg, 2.0spg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 31.2%, FT: 75.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Jeff for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your second season with the Niners Chemnitz. Before Chemnitz you played parts of 2 seasons with the same team in Lithuania. How much of a second home has Chemnitz become?
Chemnitz has been so great for my family. We get treated with so much love by the supporters. It was a huge adjustment at first, but overall it has been pleasing and thrilling.
The club is having a solid season in the easyCredit BBL, but not as good as last season. Has there been much pressure to live up to last season´s success?
No not for me. I come to play each day to get better. Last season was a different team. We still have some pieces from last season, but this is a new season with new things.
I believe the most key pick up last season was Deandre Lansdowne. How vital is his leadership skills for the success?
I learn so much from him on and off the court. We talk about anything. His journey is so unique. The way his leadership has developed just shows how special his journey is. He is well respected all over the world. His leadership and game is a reason why I want to keep climbing. I love Dre.
How connected do you feel to Deandre Lansdowne considering you both came from the bottom to the top. Who´s chip on their shoulder is greater? I´m not one to compare. Both chips are great. I admire his whole life. His journey has been tough. He had a different kind of upbringing. He had no parents. A big shout out for his career in basketball. He continues to fight and no matter the circumstances continues to become greater.
What has been your impression of Victor Bailey? He made the step from Pro A and has needed no adjustment time.
He is a great dude. I saw right away that he was hungry. He is a great kid and he has a great family. There is a foundation there. He has a great will to get better. He is real easy to play with. I´m here to help guide him through process. He makes everything easier for all with his scoring ability.
How special was last season? You had reached finals in Lithuania and then won the Fiba Europe Cup. How much do you cherish that title and run?
We had a historic season in Lithuania reaching the cup final. When I Got to Chemnitz last season, I felt like we could do great things here. We got better day by day and almost had the longest winning streak in BBL history. We overcame that and still played great and won the Fiba Cup title. We truly showed how great we were.
The final series against Bahcesehir was an incredible series. What moment will you always remember most from that final series?
The last possession. Every possession mattered in this game. All our bigs had fouled out and we played with 5 guards on the court. We couldn´t storm the court at first at the end, because we didn´t know if the ref would call a foul. But once we had won, storming the court is a vivid moment that I will never forget.
Head coach Rodrigo Pastore continues to prove that he belongs to the top coaches in the easyCredit BBL. What is his biggest strength and how has he been able to build this overwhelming last season? I honestly think that coach could be needed anywhere in the world and he would succeed. He could be in any system and be successful. He lives and breathes this basketball lifestyle. He has been one of favorite coaches. Even when we have vacation, you would hope he is also on vacation, but he probably isn´t. He does everything he can to make the organization better. He holds everyone at a high standard. I also have to give a big shout out to the whole organization and what it has achieved in the last 9 years.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 201cm forward. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description? I think the best comparison would be Draymond Green minus the antics and fouls. I´m a better three point shooter. I hold everyone to a high standard. I´m not the most vocal, but try to lead in the best way possible. I think I understand what everyone else brings to the table.
You’re a great scorer and rebounder, but also a strong defender. Would you call a 2 way player? I wouldn´t disagree with that. I pride myself as a 2-way player. I don´t only let one part effect my game.
You fill the stat sheet like no other. Have you always been a versatile player or was that developed in your NAIA season at Louisiana State University at Shreveport? No, I always had versatility. It just grew bit by bit. I have always added things to it. I think my versatility just stuck out more at Louisiana. I got a clear shot there and was able to show my game.
What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of defender do you still want to become? I think that I´m becoming a smarter defender. Before I would gamble at any cost. I´m thinking the game more now. Now I go up and down the court and get stops no matter who there is. In the past I was more careless.
On what area´s of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to climb the basketball ladder?
I want to advance to be more of a ball screen player. I feel like I´m a good playmaker. I have the mentality to do something different each night on the court.
Last season you played with Jonavos CBet (Lithuania-LKL) averaging 13.9ppg, Reb-5 (7.3rpg), 1.8apg, Steals-3 (2.1spg), Blocks-3 (1.0bpg), FGP: 63.1%, 3PT: 38.4%, FT: 74.8%. What will you always remember from the tough playoff loss against Lietkabelis?
That was a very tough final. I have much love for Lithuania. We unfortunately didn´t have enough depth to win the title. I felt a lot of fatigue after loss to Rytas.
In the 2021-2022 season you played with BC Kyiv Basket (Ukraine-Superleague) averaging 8.9ppg, 6.8rpg, 1.1apg, 1.1spg, 1.1bpg, 2FGP: 50.9%, 3FGP: 20.6%, FT: 76.0%; in the Fiba Europe Cup and in the Ukrainian Superleague averaged 10.3ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.3apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 55.2%, 3FGP: 36.3%, FT: 73.8%. How tough was being there for months and seeing how the war broke out. How did all the drama effect you and how did you handle it?
That was a bitter sweet situation. That was my first season overseas where my family was with me. We had 6 Americans all from the south. We had a special culture on and off the court. We had so many good times, but on the flip side there were money issues. We got our money late. We had a good team, but you could see that there was a separation on the team. We weren´t used to war. When it got treacherous, we left.
Did these tough experiences strengthen the bond between teammates like Mike Caffey and Avery Woodson?
We had very strong bonds. Avery is my lifetime guy. We have been to each others weddings. There was this family feeling from the beginning in the Ukraine.
In your second pro season you split time between BC Nokia (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 13.8ppg, 8.9rpg, 1.1apg, 1.8spg, 2FGP: 53.8%, 3FGP: 38.6%, FT: 60.0%, released in Jan.’21, later that month moved to Karhu Kauhajoki (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 12.9ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.6apg, Steals-5 (1.7spg), Blocks-5 (1.3bpg), FGP: 60.1%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 82.2%. How important was it for your game to experience 2 clubs instead of only one? When I got home from Finland, I had not understood who I had become. It was COVID and I had no fun there. I spent a lot of time alone. It was cold. I had no idea that Finland prepared me for life. It was a test for me. Even if I was walking through snow blizzards for 8 months. I always kept a positive mentality worked like I never did before. I had success on both teams.
With Karhu Kauhajoki you defeated your ex team BC Nokia in the playoffs and then lost a tough playoff series against Vilpas. What will you always remember from that 6 game battle?
It was upsetting. They were a good team, but I didn´t feel like they were better than us. We were missing a key piece with big man TJ Holyfield. I had to play the 5. We didn´t have great experience and had to go up against Jeremiah Wood. We had no answer for him. We couldn´t win on the road.
You played your rookie season with the BC Musel Pikes (Luxembourg-Total League) averaging 22.4ppg, Reb-2 (13.9rpg), 2.0apg, Steals-5 (2.0spg), Blocks-5 (1.2bpg), FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 72.4%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?
My wake up call was from day 1. Everything was different. I got picked up and got brought to my apartment at 5.00 pm. Across the street was a gas station. I got some food.Then I went to my first practice. I flew a whole day to get to play in a league that wasn´t too respected. It was all different.
How much does a guy´s story like Alfonso Mckinnie move you knowing that he went from second division Luxemburg to the NBA? Does your drive and hope continue to live for moving to higher leagues? I don´t see any reality of the NBA happening, but I still aspire to at least get to the Euroleague. I know what I can do. The thrill to continue to climb the basketball ladder is molded in me. I will never settle, because I know I won´t play forever. My goal is to get the maximum.
You played at Northern Kentucky University (NCAA): from 2016-2018 averaging 3.5ppg, 4.2rpg and 4.3ppg, 3.3rpg. How tough was it averaging little minutes. What positives did you get from these 2 years? You actually had better stats in your second season where you averaged 4 minutes less. I think the most positive thing gained here were the relationships that I built. There are some guys that I´m closer with than members of my family. We still speak to this day. The adversary there has prepared me for all experiences I have had from then to this day. I took a back seat to guys there that weren´t better than me. I sacrificed for the team. It was some of the best and some of the worst days of my life.
You had some good games at NKU including in a win over Oakland. What was your most memorable game there?
Oakland had some great players and Kendrick Nunn was one of them. The place was electric in Oakland. I remember at the start of the game, the fans threw white powder on the court. It felt like a Euroleague game.
You took a very unusual step back to play at Louisiana State University at Shreveport (NAIA) averaging 18.8ppg, 14.1rpg, 2.8apg, 1.6bpg, 2.0spg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 31.2%, FT: 75.3%. How vital was this season for your basketball development? Was it one of your best decisions in your life? It was the second best decision of my life. The first was leaving my home town. I had to bet on myself. I felt underrated at NKU. I played the 5 and was a pick and roll player. I need to be needed there and not be an experiment. If I would have been post grad I could have gone to another NCAA school, but instead I chose an NAIA school. I had no idea what the NAIA was like. I got the green light there. I remember coach telling me that I had the chance to player of the year. I said to coach. No I can´t be good enough, but I will win player of the year. I won almost every award that could be won.
You had 2 20 rebound games and one crazy 29/28 game in a loss to Tougaloo. How crazy was that game? Did you feel like Kevin Love? I know it isn´t the NBA or Euroleague, but I had numbers like that in 3 or 4 other games. I showed that I had durability and pride to do that.
How did head coach Kyle Blankenship groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
He wanted us to play like we were the best. He always wanted us to go out and beat the best. We had some tough road trips like New Orleans. He would take us out at night despite that. I met my extended family there. They are great people there that guide the kids down the right path.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Rakim Luben? This question hit so hard. R.I.P to my brother. He died like 5 months ago. If he was still alive, he would argue my me. I would win for sure. He would use his physicality. I would take it and stay sharp and win.
Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA? Kendirck Nunn. Oakland helped him get to the NBA. I remember him getting elite buckets.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? Ousman Krubally, Dre Lansdowne, Brandon Gilles, Avery Woodson, Glyn Waters
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore? Scottie Pippen, Dwayne Wade, Shaq, Lebron, MJ and KD
Who is your GOAT and why?
You could put 50 heads in a room and get different answers. It is an unwinnable argument. You can really only say 1 of the best in this debate. It will always be between the big 3 of Jordan, Lebron and Kobe.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
This should have been untouched. If you want to touch this up, you need comedy greats. The first one was epic. If you watch it today, you would laugh like the first time.
Drew Buggs (190-G-1997, college: Winthrop) is a 27 year old 190cm guard from long Beach, California that is playing his third professional season and first with medi Bayreuth currently averaging 8,9ppg, 2,6rpg, 4,8apg and 1,3spg. Last season he played with at Clube Atletico Queluz (Portugal-Proliga) averaging 18.9ppg, 6.1rpg, Assists-1 (10.0apg), 1.8spg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 30.1%, FT: 63.4%. He also played his rookie season with Clube Atletico Queluz (Portugal-Proliga) averaging 15.4ppg, 5.9rpg, Assists-1 (8.2apg), Steals-5 (2.3spg), FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 56.3%. He began his basketball career at Long Beach Polytechnic High School. He then played at 3 NCAA schools starting with the University of Hawaii (NCAA) averaging 8.1ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.6apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 43.3%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 65.4%, in his second year averaged 8.8ppg, 4.3rpg, 5.4apg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 26.7%, FT: 73.5% an din his third year averaged 9.4ppg, 4.5rpg, 5.3apg, FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 26.2%, FT: 72.0%; He was Hawaii’s all-time career assists leader. He then played a season at the University of Missouri (NCAA) averaging 1.8ppg, 1.2rpg, 1.9apg and finished at Winthrop University (NCAA) averaging 6.2ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 52.3%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 60.5%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before the start of the 23-24 season.
Thanks Drew for talking to germanhoops.com. After 2 stellar seasons in Portugal, you will play your third pro season in Germany for BBC Bayreuth. What is the biggest thing that you’re looking forward to? I’m looking forward to a lot of things but perhaps the biggest thing I’m looking forward to is just playing in a new league and country. I’m really excited to experience the environments and the brand of basketball they play in Germany.
What do you know in general about the country Germany and it´s basketball? Have you had any friends, ex opponents or teammates play in Germany? I’ve heard really good things about Germany and basketball there and I’m looking forward to experiencing it for myself. I’ve known quite a few people who have played in Germany, My college teammate Mark Smith, played in the BBL and then I also played against TJ Shorts in college and over the years we’ve become friends. I also got to know and talk about basketball with Trey Dreschell this year while in Portugal. All of them have had really positive things to say about basketball in Germany.
What were the main reasons for joining BBC Bayreuth? What was the deciding reason that made you pick this organization?
Bayreuth just checked a lot of boxes with what I was looking for in a club. Also the things I heard about BBC Bayreuth from other people as well as the history of the club and their desire to establish themselves as a top club and play in BBL again was something that I really wanted to be a part of.
How did the talks go with head coach Florian Wedel? He likes your leadership qualities and pick and roll game. What did you appreciate most about his basketball philosophy?
My talks with Coach Flo went really well. I felt as if we established a good connection as we got to know each other better. I really enjoyed his vision for how he wanted our team to play and the role he wanted me to have within his system. I think we will be a very exciting team to watch this season.
Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 190cm point guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?
I think I would have to compare my game to 2 NBA players and those two would be Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson. I like to watch and try to model my game after both of these players. I don’t have the size that Luka possesses but I really like how he controls the game and plays at his own pace. I think he is one of the best in the world at that. Brunson, I like because as a smaller guard he is very crafty and fundamentally sound and because I’m not the most athletic finisher above the rim, I really try to learn from Brunson when it comes to scoring/finishing in the paint.
You never averaged in double figures in scoring until the last 2 seasons in Portugal. What changed? Did you always know you could be more of a scorer?
I always knew I could score the ball, naturally I´m just a very unselfish player and I value winning over statistics. In college I was fortunate enough to play with a lot of good players/scorers so I wasn’t necessarily looked upon to score. My coaches always wanted me to get guys shots and run the team so that’s what I focused on.
In the NCAA you never averaged more than 5,3apg in a season, but then in Portugal bang you averaged 8 and 10 assists per game in a season. How did your playmaking grow in Portugal?
I think it was more from the style of play in Portugal. My club we played a much faster style of play. Similar to how I played at Winthrop University, however there I didn’t have the ball in my hand as much. But regardless of style of play I always watch a ton of game film and I believe that also helps me improve my playmaking.
You’re also a very ambitious defender. What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?
I take pride in playing good defense and not being someone other teams look to exploit. Before college I was known as one of the best defenders in the state of California, a couple major injuries kept me from meeting my true potential as a defender but I still take pride in being able to guard my man as well as be a good help side defender.
On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?
I’m just continuing to work on my shooting everyday, as well as keeping my ball handling sharp. and then this year I’ve really made an emphasis on strength training and taking care of my body.
Last season you helped Queluz move from the second division to first and won the proliga title. What was so special about this team?
We had a young team full of hungry guys who wanted to win and prove themselves to the league. I think our youth really allowed us to really push the pace and control the tempo of the game. Also our coaching staff did a great job allowing us to play to our strengths individually and putting us in a position to do so.
You had 2 triple doubles in Portugal against Vasco and Maia. Did you have a favorite one? Definitely the one against Vasco because it was my first career triple double and we won the game.
In your rookie season with Clube Atletico Queluz (Portugal-Proliga) you averaged 15.4ppg, 5.9rpg, Assists-1 (8.2apg), Steals-5 (2.3spg), FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 56.3%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home? I had been used to living away from home because all my universities were far away. But I guess it hit me that I was playing professionally overseas when we got our first win at home and just seeing how much it meant to the fans and how much they loved and embraced the team. And just learning about the culture and traditions in Portugal.
You played at 3 NCAA schools with the University of Hawaii, Missouri and Winthrop. How are you a more diverse player today having played at 3 schools instead of only 1 school? Playing at 3 different schools allowed me to learn from different coaches, study different philosophies and play against a bunch of different styles and players. All of these experiences definitely helped me diversify my game and continue to learn and get better.
You played at the University of Hawaii (NCAA) from 2017-2020. You made strides in your game every season. How do you feel your game grew in those 3 years? Before the University of Hawaii I had never played the Point Guard position before so over my 3 years playing I felt myself get more comfortable with the position and how to run a team. Each year I was asked to take on a bigger leadership role and it allowed me to be confident in my abilities as a leader no matter which team I have played for since.
How did head coach Eran Ganot groom and prepare you best for a professional career? He allowed me to play point guard.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Eddie Stansberry? I don’t think we ever played 1-1 just me and him but at Hawaii whenever we did 1-1 amongst all the guards I was usually the winner. Eddie is a very good player though and if he gets hot he’s hard to stop.
You then played a season at Missouri (NCAA) where your minutes got reduced by 20 minutes. How tough was this season and what positives could you take from that season? It was tough because I felt like I could help the team more but it just taught me to be patient and keep working. I also just continued to work on my leadership and focused on being the veteran vocal leader the team needed. I still really enjoyed my time there and got to compete with and against a lot of good players as well as accomplish my lifelong dream of playing in March Madness.
What was it like battling future NBA player Dru Smith on a daily basis. What do you believe could you soak up most from his game?
I loved playing with and against Dru Smith. He’s a hard worker and a really good defender. I would try to pick up things from him especially defensively and a lot of times he would ask me for advice on being a point guard as well and reading defenses. We just liked to pick each other’s brains because we both viewed the game in a similar way. But he was a really smart and talented player and I wish we had more seasons together.
You played one more NCAA season at Winthrop University (NCAA) averaging 6.2ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 52.3%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 60.5%. How refreshing was it getting good minutes again. What could your game take from the Winthrop experience? It felt good to be counted on as a starter again and play an important role. We had a really successful season at Winthrop and I played with some really good players like DJ Burns. Winthrop was the school where we played with the fastest pace on offense and it allowed me to work on different parts of my game and where I shot my career best from 3pt % so far.
Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA? I have played against a lot of players that have reached the NBA but the toughest I played while I was in the NCAA would have to be either Cam Thomas (Brooklyn Nets) or Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers). I played both when I was at the University of Missouri. Cam was in my conference at LSU and Austin was at Oklahoma. I played Austin Reaves in the first round of March Madness and he was a really good all around player who has gone on to have a very successful career so far. Cam was tough because was a pure scorer and it didn’t matter what you did on defense he found a way to score the ball and it was impressive because he was a freshman.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? Jordan Bell, DJ Burns, Dru Smith, Jeremiah Tilmon, Mark Smith,
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads? Kobe, Lebron, Shaq, Steph, Jordan
Who is your GOAT?
Kobe Bryant. Growing up in Long Beach, right down the street from Los Angeles, I grew up a die hard Lakers fan and Kobe is the reason I fell in love with basketball
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? Yeah they definitely should’ve left it alone, not all movies need sequels.
The Giessen 46ers continue to play solid basketball as they came into 2025 riding a 2 game winning streak and had won 5 of the last 7 games. Coming into the new year and getting that first win is always vital and they didn´t catch a better opponent than the Nurnberg Falcons BC as they were 1 place above the cellar spot riding a disappointer 3-12 record. They continue to be up and down as they began the season falling off the wrong side of the bed losing 8 games in a row and then finally found a groove winning 3 of 4 games and now had slipped again riding a 3 game losing streak. On a cold Friday night, fans saw Giessen have control of the first half, but in the second half shifted up a few gears as they won the last 20 minutes 42-22 and thus won easily 93-62. After the contest ex Frankfurt Skyliner Kevin McClain (190-G-1996, college: Belmont) was extremely happy with one aspect of the team´s victory. We executed really well attacking the basket. We attacked from the jump setting the tone well. We made some defensive mistakes at the beginning, but in the second half defended a lot better”, stressed Giessen 46er Kevin McClain. It is no secret that the German Pro A belongs to the top second division leagues in Europe and as a team one has to come to play for 40 minutes as Nurnberg fell apart in the second half. “This was a tough loss for us. We are in a very difficult situation at the moment. We didn´t think that we would play this bad. We played too much 1-1 and didn´t move the ball well. They switched a lot and we didn´t use the mis matches with the bigs. They took apart our zone and we couldn´t hit three´s”, stressed Nurnberg Falcons BC guard Tim Koepple.
Jonathan Maier at the FT line
The Giessen 46ers didn´t waste anytime jumping over Nurnberg as they got a quick 7-2 advantage. They got their bigs involved right away as ex Nurnberg center Jonathan Maier scored as did Serbian forward Viktor Kovacevic. Nurnberg also fed it´s bigs as ex Koblenz center Leo Saffer scored and ex Giessen 46er guard Tim Koepple made a lay in and suddenly the guest were in striking range again trailing 10-7. Giessen showed that they can be explosive at anytime as they raced out on a 9-2 run to lead 19-9. In the run, Mcclain added 5 points and ex Xavier (NCAA) guard Kyle Castlin made a lay in and Kovacevic a fade away jumper. Giessn´s offense was rolling with good ball movement and good decisions while Nurnberg didn´t have good ball movement or spacing. American center Damian Forest who balled at North Alabama (NCAA) was aggressive making a basket and getting to the free throw line as Nurnberg was chipping away at Giessen´s lead and trailed only 24-17 after 10 minutes. “I was attacking from the start. I was just taking what the defense gave me. Whenever we saw mismatches, we took advantage of it”, stated Kevin McClain. Giessen was shooting 67& from the field and 25% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 0 turnovers while the Nurnberg Falcons BC shot 35% from the field and 0% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 2 turnovers.
Evcan Taylor with off balance shot
In the second quarter the Nurnberg Falcons BC stepped up their offense a bit, but continued not being able to get stops and trailed by 10 points at the break. Giessen made a statement again starting off with a bang going on a 6-0 run to lead 30-17. In the run, Giessen got a trey from German basketball legend Robin Benzing while Serbian center Mladen Vujic made a lay in. Giessen continued to dominate the paint area with their length and physicality. But Nurnberg didn´t lay down as Tim Koepple came away dropping consecutive three´s as suddenly Nurnberg trailed only 30-23. The 24 year old German would really step up in the second quarter scoring 13 points. “I was very motivated to play my ex team. It wasn´t about the players since most are gone, but this place just means a lot to me. I´m always happy to play here. It feels like home”, warned Tim Koepple. But whenever Nurnberg punched, Giessen punched back with a 5-0 run to lead 35-23. In the run, ex Bremerhaven guard Simon Krajcovic hit a three pointer and Vujic spun his way for 2 points in the zone. Nurnberg then had their best spurt in the game going on a 12-2 run and suddenly were at eye level again trailing 37-35. In the run, Koepple added 5 points including another trey and back door lay in while ex Nebraska (NCAA) guard Evan Taylor made a 20 footer and transition bucket an d ex Iowa State (NCAA) guard Gabe Kalschuer made an off balance shot. Nurnberg was defending more aggressively while on offense executed quicker in the set play and didn´t hold the ball as long. However Giessen struck back right away ending the second quarter with a 11-6 run to lead 51-41. In the run, Giessen got good production from Benzing again with a trey while bigs Vujic (4 points), Maier and Kovacevic all scored dominating the paint area. “I had no idea that Koepple played for Giessen once. He is a great athlete that plays hard. We had some defensive break downs, but we fought back”, commented Kevin McClain. The Giessen 46ers shot 68% from the field and 50% from the three point line and had 14 rebounds and 2 turnovers while Nurnberg shot 48% from the field and 25% from the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 4 turnovers.
Robin Benzing from downtown
In the third quarter, the Giessen 46ers had their worst scoring quarter in the game with 21 points, but also their best defensive quarter of the game allowing only 11 points and upping their lead to 72-52 after 3 quarters. Nurnberg began hot getting a Kalschuer off balance shot and trey from German Julius Wolf to trail 54-46. However Giessen always had an answer especially from their bigs as Maier made a tip in and Kovacevic a lay in. Whenever Giessen needed a bucket, all they had to do was throw the ball down low and something good happened. After a Wolf turn around shot, more offense came from Giessen as they put so much pressure on Nurnberg with their shifty guards and physical bigs as Mcclain scored on the drive and with a runner while Maier and Kovacevic did damage again inside scoring easily to lead 66-50. Nurnberg had no answer for Giessen defensively as they couldn´t handle the mismatches and on offense were too up and down with team play and 1-1 play. After a dunk from Damian Forrest, Giessen closed out the quarter with their guard terror of Mcclain and Castlin who dropped back to back three´s for the 20 points advantage. “We can make shots in quick spurts. That is always a threat for us”, commented Kevin McClain. “Our offense was too static. We had too much 1-1 play on offense and got punished by them on defense. They have so much experience”, said Tim Koepple. The Giessen 46ers shot 58% from the field and 47% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 3 turnovers while Nurnberg shot 47% from the field and 27% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 10 turnovers.
Leo Saffer at the FT line
In the fourth quarter the Giessen 46ers continued to play their game and never let up. Their defense was a fort as once again they allowed only 11 points to close out the game with a 31 point win. Koepple and Mcclain traded three pointers to start the fourth quarter and Giessen still led 75-55. Benzing then scored 4 points as Giessen led 79-56. Nurnberg punched back with a mini 4-0 run as Forrest made a lay in and Evan Taylor a runner to trail 79-60. The game was already decided here as there was 6,13 to play. Did the Giessen 46ers drop a gear or 2 in the last 6 minutes? No they didn´t. They almost held Nurnberg scoreless, but German Christian Feneberg scored a transition basket with 6 seconds to remain. In that time between Taylor´s basket and Feneberg´s, Giessen made 11 stops in a row and went on a 14-0 run. In the run, Giessen received valuable support from ex Iserlohn guard Viktor Ziring who contributed 5 points while ex Braunschweig forward Luis Figge hit a trey and Vujic scored 4 points. “We had no let ups. In this league anyone can letup. But we locked in well. That was a good push forward for us”, stated Kevin McClain. “Giessen stepped up their game and we couldn´t hold up against it. We didn´t play well at all in the last 5minutes. We could of worked harder to leave on a high, but we didn´t”, expressed Tim Koepple. The Giessen 46ers had 6 guys score in double figures and was led by Kevin McClain with 15 points. Robin Benzing, Mladen Vujic and Simon Krajcovic added 13 points a piece while the Nurnberg Falcons BC were led by Tim Koepple with 18 points and Damian Forrest added 13 points. The Giessen 46ers shot 57% from the field and 44% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Nurnberg Falcons BC shot 40% from the field and 23Y% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 12 turnovers.
When I left Sunday afternoon at 1.40 in the afternoon to Frankfurt to call a NBBL (U-19) game between Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners and The NIners Chemnitz academy, I had absolutely no idea that I would witness 2 incredible historical moments in Skyliners history within 24 hours. I mean if you look back in history of the Frankfurt Skyliners dating back to the 1999 season where it all began, there had been some amazing feats no matter if from the BBL, Pro B or youth teams. When looking back at buzzer beaters, there were quite a few in the history. Without digging deep into the Skyliners archives, there were came to mind right away. The first one that comes to mind was Eric Chadfield in 2006 who also did it against ratiopharm Ulm on the same side of the court as Booker Coplin (191-G-1997, college: Augsburg, agency: BIG) did, but not from the corner area, but from the parking lot going to the vicinity towards center court. Kevin Bright had a great one in Vechta in 2014nwhere the incredible ball movement and extra pass from Danilo Barthel sparkled. Quantez Robterson drilled home an incredible one at home against the EWE Baskets Oldenburg and Rickey Paulding a some years ago last season Pro B player Trevian Bell launced a last second jumper from the corner after retrieving a perfect touch down pass from teammate Nils Leonhardt which Tom Brady couldn’t have done better. Who could forget the AJ English buzzer beater in Tuebingen or Aiden Warnholtz’s game winner over the EPG Guardians last season at home that gave him that extra fancy birthday gift. There also have been incredible games and single game player performances over the years like the 10 three’s from Jacob Burtschi in 2015, the masterful series against FC Bayern Munich in 2018 that had an annoying ending for the Skyliners, but showcased their great fighting skills, or the triple double by ex NBA player Isaac Bonga in a Pro B game against Nordlingen in 2017 or the many incredible Dashaun Wood games in his one season in Frankfurt in 2010-2011. I’m sure I forgot some, but these were just some off the top of my head. But the combination of not only buzzer beater, but spectacular buzzer beater from Booker Coplin that could of easily been a Luca Doncic production and the perfect game from Ivan Crnjac back to back were 2 feats that had never happened before in Skyliners history.
This season I’m always especially looking forward to observing and calling Skyliner NBBL youth games. After a few years of not performing so well, this season they have an excellent team led by the trio of Crnjac, Edoka and Omog and 2 incredible players with Max Peters and Julius Messer and a bench where everyone gives 180%. At the moment they are 7-0 and striving for an undefeated season. This could be that season. They are that good. Over the years, I had seen some really good players for the Frankfurt team like Isaac Bonga, Cosmo Gruehn and tin Schubert just to name a few and in the last few seasons a guy by the name of Ivan Crnjac has made waves with his play and rapid development. He reached the JBBL final 4 in 2023 and last season made the jump to a top NBBL performer averaging 17,0ppg and this season once again has made another step in the Pro B becoming an important contributor averaging 11,9ppg and in the NBBL a top player in the league averaging 21,8ppg. That he could achieve something special was no surprise to anyone. He began on fire in the first quarter making 7 of 7 shots while the team scored a mouth watering 41 points. In the second quarter, he made his next 3 shots and was 10/10 at the break. In the third quarter, he hit 2 more three’s and on the last one let out a massive cry as if he was the new lion in Basketball City Mainhatten. I had the fortune of being able to call the game and of course had a field day as my emotions and tone got greater and greater with every hit shot. It was simply pure enjoyment being able to witness this exhibition of incredible shooting. In the fourth quarter he played 4 plus minutes, but didn’t take another shot. I personally didn’t want him to take a shot, because I wanted him to keep that perfect game for his collection of achievements. I mean to be able to go 12/12 is very difficult. I mean if he had been 6/6 0r 7/7, he could of kept shooting, but how disappointing would a shooting stat line of 12/13 looked? ‘I did think about it. I had the perfect game in my head. In between, I did look at the stats. I wanted to keep my perfect record. If I would have had easy ones, I would of shot it, but not any difficult ones’, stressed Ivan Crnjac. He had some open shots, but also some real contested shots. He nailed 6 three’s and made pretty mid distance shots , including a running hook shot and 2 magnificent back door lay in’s. One of those 2 back door lay in’s was a terrific reverse lay up after 2 extra passes. ‘That was a cool play. We actually wanted to run it earlier, but they got a steal. We ran it later and I saw the defender up high, so I went back door. It was a great pass by Max Peters. I also loved my 6th three pointer. That one felt the best. It didn’t feel real’, remembered Ivan Crnjac. Every now and then, you will see perfect games as recently Otis Livingston had one in the easyCredit BBL, but they aren’t often. The whole feat is even more incredible in that his index finger had been taped and he had to shoot differently using more pressure off his 3 fingers. ‘This perfect game means a lot to me. The NBBL is my main team. I’m one of the main guys and am captain. I still want to prove that I belong to the best in my age group. For me this game was a statement to the NBBL that I can play’, stressed Ivan Crnjac. Thanks Ivan for this unforgettable shooting clinic.
A day later, I was excited to go to the easyCredit BBL game between the Frankfurt Skyliners and ratiopharm Ulm. My main focus was to get a photo signed that I had taken with ex NBA player Isaiah Roby during Covid in 2021 when he was playing a game in Boston with the Oklahoma Thunder as well as get autographs and pics of 2025 NBA draft prospects Ben Saraf and Noa Essengue. My goal was achieved after the game, but that I would see such a climatic end to the game wasn’t something that I expected. On paper, Ulm was the favorite, but how can you go wrong when you have the ultimate leader with Jordan Theodore. He had only been with the team a few weeks and in the first games wasn’t totally in game shape, but between the Braunschweig and Ulm game had been 10 days, and in this time the ex Seton Hall player had made amends and was 100% ready on this night and so were his teammates. Frankfurt had come to play while ratiopharm Ulm didn’t have their usual intensity. It was a typical hard fought game that you can witness on any night in the BBL. Both teams were punching back and forth and no team was able to go on a massive run and manage a big lead. In the third quarter Jordan Theodore steered 13 points and without his great input, ratiopharm Ulm may had been able to run away with the game. Ulm relied a lot on their bigs and getting offensive rebounds and easy baskets throughout the game. In the fourth quarter, the game remained tight, but in crunch-time were able to lead by 4 points. The way Jordan Theodore had played in the game, one may have thought that he could be a hero again the same way he had been in the 2015-2016 season for Frankfurt. But instead the stage was set for Booker Coplin. Ratiopharm was up by 4 points with 1,39 to play and had to put the game away, but no. Enter Booker Coplin who would come to the rescue. After a Saraf miss, Einaras Tubutis nailed 2 free throws as Frankfurt trailed 85-83 with 1,02 to play. David Muenkat then made a clutch steal with 51 seconds to play that led to Muenkat free throws to dead lock the game at 85-85 with 48 seconds to play. American Justinian Jessup then missed a mid distance shot with 33 seconds to play. Malik Parsons then missed a shot with 8 seconds, but Alfonso Plummer lost the ball and it went to Jordan Theodore who quickly kicked the ball to Coplin on the left wing. His trey bounced out, but Tubutis rose higher than everyone else and batted the ball back to Coplin. Coplin must have had a notion that he had no time left to control the ball, so he just tapped the ball on contact to the basket and it went in. Luka Doncic couldn’t of done it better. ”That was a hell of a rebound by Tubutis. That was big balls. He had the awareness to kick it back to Coplin. I never saw a shot like that before. I knew it was going in’, smiled Jordan Theodore. After that it was pure pandemonium in the arena. Booker Coplin is one of few that has gone from the Pro B via Duesseldorf to the easyCredit with Frankfurt. He always plays with so much energy and is a great offensive player that can score, but also fill the stat sheet at ease and on the defensive end make an impact. It was his sixth game of the season where he scored in double figures. The Frankfurt Skyliners have had many incredible finishes in their history, but this could easily be the greatest buzzer beater. Thanks Booker Coplin for this lasting memory. I won’t forget it.
Malik Riddle (193-G-1999, college: HSU) is a 24 year old 193cm guard from Tennessee playing his second professional season and first in Germany with Pro B team RheinStars Cologne. Last season he played with Gzira Athleta Birkirkara (Malta-BOV League D1) averaging 28.8ppg, 9.4rpg, 3.9apg, Steals-3 (2.6spg), FGP: 57.8%, 3PT: 33.1%, FT: 75.5%. He began his basketball career at Rossville Christian Academy. He then played 2 seasons at Morehead State University (NCAA) and then played 3 seasons at Henderson State University (NCAA2). He teams up with germanhoops.com every week to talk basketball.
Congrats on the big 90-86 win over TSV Oberaching. How good does it feel going into the break with a win? It always feels great going to win and before the break is even better.
In the first quarter Cologne was able to establish a 2 point lead, but really broke open the game in the second quarter outscoring them 26-11. What was key for the big lead? I think in the second quarter we were a lot better at getting stops and running the floor on offense
Oberaching never gave up kept fight and trailed only 68-58. Omari Knox and Peter Zeis hit many three´s. How pesky of a team was Oberaching? They are another team with super chemistry.
They had more older and experienced guys in there team so we figured that they wouldn’t just go away and it was be a fight until the end. They have great chemistry.
In the fourth quarter Oberaching kept chipping away at your lead. But they never got over the hump. Whenever they punched you punched back. What was key in crunch-time for getting the win? Trying to get good shots and not rush too much. We tried staying in control of the game.
The RheinStars had 5 guys score in double figures. How vital was Luca Michels with his 16 points? Luca was big time he brought a lot of energy for that game. I feel it helped us so much and gave us as a team a boost.
You led the RheinStars with 22 points. How quickly did you know that you could have a good shooting day? After the first 3 shots went in felt like I would have a good shooting day. Every shot felt good.
What is your summary of your play in the first half? Just felt like I was in a good rhythm that’s first half. And had great looks to get my shot off.
The RheinStars are 10-2 together with Leitershoifen. Will these 2 teams compete for North title or do you see another team compete with you? As of now it looks that way but still have another half of the season so we will see.
Lamont West (203-F-2002, college: Missouri St.) is a 27 year old 203cm forward from Ohio playing his third pro season and first in Germany with the Artland Dragons (Pro A). Last season he split time with Helios Suns Domzale (Slovenia-Liga Nova KBM averaging 10.8ppg, 5.1rpg, 2FGP: 60.5%, 3FGP: 43.3%, FT: 80.0%: and in the Adriatic League 2 averaged 7.6ppg, 2.6rpg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 90.0%, and in Dec.’23 signed at SPD Radnicki Kragujevac (Serbia-KLS) averaged 10.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.3spg, FGP: 60.0%, 3PT: 23.7%, FT: 87.7%. He played his rookie season with the Spars Realway Sarajevo (Bosnia-Division I) averaging 12.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.3spg. He also split time in the G-League with Santa Cruz and College Park. He began his basketball career at Withrow high school and also played at Miller Grove high school. He played at West Virginia University (NCAA) from 2015-2019 playing a total of 110 games. He then finished at Missouri State University (NCAA) averaging 9.6ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP: 57.5%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 91.2%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Lamont for talking to germanhoops.com. your playing your third pro season and fourth country after Bosnia, Slovenia and Serbia. Do you feel like a basketball globetrotter? lol not yet. I haven’t been to a crazy number of countries but the ones I have been to have been alright.
You had a very solid NCAA career, but have had to pay your dues overseas. How big is the chip on your shoulder? I feel like I am a very good player with some great college experience. I’m grinding to play basketball at the highest level and that’s all it is. You have your ups and you have yours downs.
Is the Pro A the strongest league that you have played so far in your pro career? I would say the G league is the best I have played in and this is second.
Last season you split time with Helios Suns Domzale (Slovenia-Liga Nova KBM) averaging 10.8ppg, 5.1rpg, 2FGP: 60.5%, 3FGP: 43.3%, FT: 80.0%: Adriatic League 2 averaged 7.6ppg, 2.6rpg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 90.0%, in Dec.’23 signed at SPD Radnicki Kragujevac (Serbia-KLS) averaging 10.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.3spg, FGP: 60.0%, 3PT: 23.7%, FT: 87.7%. Is it fair to say that this was your break out season? I have not had my breakout season yet I have not played my best brand of basketball.
You reached the Slovenian Super Cup. You were close to your first chip. What kind of a feeling was it playing in a pro final? That game was a very good game it was exciting. We played Olympia the game was very close.
How valuable was it battling a guy like 37 year old Uros Nikiolic on a daily basis. Did some more toughness rub off on you? Uros was probably top 5 strongest players I ever played with. I got my toughness from growing up how, but for sure he was a tough player.
What was Slovenia like? The country is so small. How basketball crazy is that country and did you hear the name Doncic often? Slovenia was cool. I saw different parts of it and I used to go to the place called Ljubljana which I think is the capital. Doncic name was always brought up he’s one if not the biggest name there.
You played your rookie season with at Spars Realway Sarajevo (Bosnia-Division 1) averaging 12.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.3spg. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie where you knew that you were far away from home? Being is Bosnia honestly was one of my worst years being overseas. Away from my family other personal reasons and just this being my first time not knowing what to expect.
You also played in the G-League as a rookie with College Park and Santa Cruz. How competitive is it battling guys for minutes? The G league is very competitive and is ran like a business just like any other professional organizations. The players who still want a chance to make it to the NBA play there and everyday is a grind but it was fun.
You were teammates with Jalen Johnson. What memories do you have of him. He has made a big rise in the NBA the last 2 years. Did you see that coming from when you saw him play? Jalen Johnson was a good player. Every game he played in the g league when I was there he dominated.
How was your time in Santa Cruz? There were also many great talents. Was there a player in your short time that really impressed you?
My time in Santa Cruz was fun playing for those fans and that organization I learned a lot. I played with Moses Moody and he was very good but I think I surprised my own self with how resilient and mentally strong I was to be able to handle diverse situations and how I am able to adapt and play at any level.
What was your best example that you saw in the G-League where you saw that the NBA will always be a business?
The NBA will always be a business just like overseas basketball. I think universally a lot of programs handle the business side of basketball very similar but they pay on time.
Would you ever go back to the G-League or are the NBA chances just to slim? If it was the right situation I would go back to the G league.
You played at the University of West Virginia (NCAA) from 2015-2019. You had 2 NCAA Sweet 16 runs losing to Gonzaga and Villanova. What run did you enjoy more? Honestly I can’t even pick which run was more fun because they both taught me so much about winning and teamwork and being up and being down I can’t pick.
You played a game against NCAA powerhouse Kentucky. What memories do you have of playing against great players against Shai Gillgeous-Alexander, Kevin Knox and PJ Washington? Is Shai at his limit or could become the best player in the NBA one day? Playing against Shai and them dudes was fun it was very competitive and they had a name so the game was much more intense. I think if God wants him to be the MVP of the league he will be.
How valuable was legendary head coach Bob Huggins in your early basketball development? How did he help your game best?
Bob Huggins was like everybody´s father basically he was a very good person and he taught me toughness and just the will to want to win basketball games more than anybody else no matter what it took. Our practices were so hard the games came easy and that’s why we were good. He taught me a lot I would have to write a whole different paper about the things I learned from him and just being in college playing for a legendary coach in general.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Esa Ahmad? Me I don’t lose 1 on 1s
You added a season at Missouri State University (NCAA) averaging 9.6ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP: 57.5%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 91.2%. How did head coach Dana Ford give you that last push on the way to a pro career? No comment
What was your fondest moment at Missouri State? You had a big 22 point game in a win over Indiana State. No comment
Who is the toughest player that you faced in the NCAA that went to the NBA? Maybe Trae Young if we are talking players but maybe having to guard Josh Jackson from Kansas.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Bam from Miami Heat
Jevon Carter
Dennis Smith Jr
Alterique Gilbert from highschool
Devin Williams
What is your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads? Lebron, MJ, Kareem and Shaq plus Kobe I can’t pick.
What is your personal opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Jordan or Lebron? Lebron James is the greatest basketball player to have ever been born since the beginning of time.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? Yea I have seen the sequel. It wasn’t as good as the original by a long shot but it was still funny to watch.
German Hoops 