Chris Hortman

Chris Hortman (Don’t Expect Others To Care But Ensure You’re Doing Everything To Protect Your Future)

Chris Hortman is a 29 year old 190cm guard from Milwaukee, Wisconsin that played this season with the EN Baskets Schwelm averaging 18,6ppg, 7,7rpg and 3,9apg. Last season he played for the TVI Basketball SWAP Ballers Ibbenbueren (Germany-Regionalliga) playing  26 games: Score-1(25.0ppg), 9.7rpg, 5.1apg, 2.9spg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 42.4%, FT: 76.9%. He got vast experience in the states before turning professional playing at various schools like  Milwaukee Area Tech JC (JUCO), Missouri Valley (NAIA),  Wisc.-Stout (NCAA3) where as a senior he played 27 games averaging 14.7ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 42.2%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 85.5%. He also played with the  Gold Coast Rollers (Australia-SBL) in 2014 averaging 28,6ppg. He spoke to German Hoops about his current season with the EN Baskets Schwelm and dismissal from the team.

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Miles Schmidt-Scheuber interviewing Chris Hortman after his 15 point and 14 rebound effort in the 76-63 win in Frankfurt

Chris thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you at the moment?

Hey Miles, thanks for having me. I’m currently in Germany and basketball life is teaching me one of its many lessons.

The EN Baskets Schwelm have released you, but you asked for your release. How disappointed are you by this decision and how it came about?

Yes. I am very disappointed about having to make this decision. A lot is put into a season. Tons of hard work. Hours in the gym. Sacrificed time, that you just can’t get back and to have the season for me to be ended, the way it all happened was just tough.

Before we talk about your situation let´s rewind back a bit. The season started off so well with 6 wins and everyone was raving about the EN Baskets Schwelm. Now the team and since then are 3-8. If someone had told you that the club would have such a radical turnaround after the win against FC Bayern Munich what would you have thought?

The start we had was great, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted the drastic change of the team. Unless they also predicted I would get injured.

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Chris Hortman (EN Baskets Schwelm) It´s Not About Height Or Size But About Heart And Pride

Chris Hortman is a 28 year old 190cm guard from Milwaukee, Wisconsin that will be playing his second season in Germany and first with the EN Baskets Schwelm. Last season he played for the TVI Basketball SWAP Ballers Ibbenbueren (Germany-Regionalliga) playing  26 games: Score-1(25.0ppg), 9.7rpg, 5.1apg, 2.9spg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 42.4%, FT: 76.9%. He got vast experience in the states before turning professional playing at various schools like  Milwaukee Area Tech JC (JUCO), Missouri Valley (NAIA),  Wisc.-Stout (NCAA3) where as a senior he played 27 games averaging 14.7ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 42.2%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 85.5%. He also played with the  Gold Coast Rollers (Australia-SBL) in 2014 averaging 28,6ppg. He spoke to German Hoops earlier in the summer about Basketball.

Chris thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

Hey miles thanks for the opportunity to talk. Rght now I am in Schwelm, Germany and had a really successful summer with working out with my trainer  and building my own training company swish dreams elite in Denver Colorado.

Usually Americans are still in the States in July enjoying the last weeks of summer with family and friends before heading back to Germany. You were already in Germany in July. Was it difficult leaving everyone so early and what really brought you back so early even if your Regionalliga season ended on April ist.

Yes it is difficult every time leaving family and friends to come to a new land with new customs, but I felt it was very necessary to leave early and get a head start on the season learning the plays, building a relationship with the head coach  and meeting the staff and the city to prepare for this next major step in my career.

Congrats on signing with the EN Baskets Schwelm. How excited are you to be playing in the Pro B with this club and what is your biggest goal on and off the court?

Thank you. and yes I am very excited to have moved up leagues with the EN Baskets Schwelm into the Pro B league. My biggest goal on the court is to just show my skills as a basketball player and show that I belong. Also on the court continue to learn the European style of play and off the court I’m currently working on learning more German so I can more effetely communicate and express myself with my teammates and members of the community.

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