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 huge 81-77 win on the road against Ludwigsburg. The RheinStars won the first game by 27 points. How were they a different team this time? Thanks. I feel that they made a lot more shots this game and came out with a bunch of energy. Can tell they really wanted to win this one.
Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg led by 8 points at half time. They broke away giving a mix of inside out basketball. Was it tough matching their energy?
Yeah we kind of didn’t have the energy they had in the first half and caught ourselves down at half. We also had to many unnecessary turnovers.
In the third quarter the RhenStars fought back scoring 29 points. What adjustments did you make as a team on the defensive end? We picked up the energy and the intensity up the second half. Defense was a lot more aggressive that second half than the first and we locked in as a group and our defense led to easy offense.
Crunch-time was very exciting. Ludwigsburg was down 79-77 in the last minute. What was key then for getting the win?
We had to make sure we executed down the stretch on both ends of the court. We had some mistakes but still we ended up making it up in the end.
The RheinStars recently added Maxi Begue and Jonas Flakenstein. What do they bring to the team? They both can take care of the basketball and run the show on offense. They bring good defense as Maxi had some steals during the game.
The team had 19 steals. How vital was the defense in crunch-time for the win? The defense definitely showed a difference in the second half and during that crunch time we got stops when we needed them most.
You had a great game at both ends with 16 points and 4 steals and a block. Did your defense carry your offense? I had good energy this game on the defensive end and that led to easy offensive baskets for me.
You next face the Ahorn Camp Baskets. Cologne escaped with a 86-84 road win despite 29 turnovers of the opponent. What will be key to getting the win? I think we have to play with more energy this game. We fell behind this past game so we have to come out more urgently this game and not turn the ball over as much this game.
Kierell Green (203-C-1997, college: Edinboro) is a 26 year old 203cm forward from Washington DC playing his second professional season andcurrently with DNA Bima Perkasa Jogja (Indonesia-IBL). Last season he played with the Kokomo Bobkats (TBL) averaging 6.7ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 19.0%, FT: 86.8% and with Bali United (Indonesia-IBL) averaging 16.8ppg, 14.3rpg, 1.9apg, 1.3spg, 1.5bpg, 2FGP: 50.3%, 3FGP: 23.3%, FT: 58.1%. He began his basketball career at Integrated Design & Electronics Academy. He then played 2 seasons and 36 NCAA games with Niagara. He then finished at Edinboro University (NCAA2) averaging 16.2ppg, 11.2rpg, 1.2apg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 20.7%, FT: 45.8% and in his second season averaged 14.3ppg, 8.9rpg, 1.6apg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 41.7%, 3PT: 30.7%, FT: 75.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Kierell for talking to germanhoops.com. Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 203cm center. To what NBA player would you compare your game to or what comparisons have you heard from people?
I played center in Indonesia. I’m more of a forward wing. NBA comparison would be Robert Covington, Shawn Marion. 3 and D, bringing that extra push to the team.
You’re an undersized big man. Your listed as a center on eurobasket.com, but can play the 3 position. What is your natural position?
One thing I pride myself on is dominating my role whatever it is. I was chosen as a center for Bali united. I’m versatile I can do a bit of everything.
You can fill the stat sheet with ease and are a Swiss army knife. Has versatility always been a big part of your game? I was always taught to play the game the way it is was supposed to be played. Get to the right spots, play with energy and the rest will take care of itself. Yes I’ve always been able to guard multiple positions and shoot the 3 ball.
You’re an excellent rebounder and also have a high Iq. What other strengths does your game incorporate? I pride myself for my defense.
Your also an ambitious defender. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of defender do you still want to become?
I can guard a team´s best player. Use my length to make shots tough. I wish to become better at defense just like any other part of my game.
On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game? My body is my main point of focus and and my overall skills being able to shoot, dribble and pass better.
You played your rookie season with Bali United (Indonesia-IBL) averaging 16.8ppg, 14.3rpg, 1.9apg, 1.3spg, 1.5bpg, 2FGP: 50.3%, 3FGP: 23.3%, FT: 58.1%. What was your wake up call to being in Asia where you knew that you were far away from home?
My first wake up call was being in the air for 24 hours that was more than enough, but the culture in Bali is really amazing and I loved every moment of it.
You really dominated in Indonesia and had some monster games eclipsing 20 rebounds. What was your coolest experience on and off the court?
I had a game with almost a triple double. I was 2 assists off with 20 points 19 rebounds and 8 assists. That was a cool experience. Off the court at the beginning of the season we went to the holy temple and prayed under the waterfall it was a great experience. 10/10 recommendation if you go to Bali.
You had your first pro experience with the Kokomo Bobkats (TBL) averaging 6.7ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 19.0%, FT: 86.8%. What kind of an experience was that playing with guys that are playing for their stats and living the basketball dream? What did you learn about yourself? Well my situation at Kokomo was very different than the average semiprofessional experience. I played under Cliff Levingston NBA champion. The team chemistry was perfect we glued together and didn’t worry about stats more worried about winning a championship. I learned that I could play at the professional level and that I had a niche in rebounding the ball at a high level.
You were 4 years at Niagara (NCAA), but played only 2 seasons and 34 games. How tough were these years? What positives could you take from it? Those years were tough because I wasn’t playing as much as I would like but it was great for my development as a person and player.
You then finished at Edinboro (NCAA2). Despite taking a step back, you made 2 steps forward. How vital was it playing division 2 ball for your further basketball development?
Those two years were needed for my confidence and development as a player. I appreciate the opportunity to go there and be the no.1 option and play through my mistakes.
You had many big games, but mostly in losing causes. What was your fondest moment on the court there?
My best memory was playing with all my teammates. We never turned our back on each other even with us losing majority of the games. We still are connected to this day.
How did head coach Patrick Clearly groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
Coach Pat gave me an opportunity that was valuable to my development as he allowed me to be a leader of a team and play basketball with no leash around my neck.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Terrence Moore?
Of course I won those match ups. Terrence Moore is a very crafty forward out of Philadelphia Pennsylvania. I loved to play against him everyday in practice.
Who was the greatest player that you ever faced on the court that reached the NBA?
I’ve played against Nick Claxton. I wouldnt say the greatest player but definitely Naji Marshall we grew up together. Great player in my opinion will have a long NBA career.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Khalil Dukes
Matt Scott
Jarion Henry
Jamorko Pickett
James Towns
Honorable mention
Derek Hawthorne
Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?
Lebron James
Michael Jordan
Kevin Durant
Magic Johnson
Wilt Chamberlain
Honorable mention
Shaq O’Neal
Who is your GOAT? Lebron James has done a lot in the NBA it’s hard to put anyone over him.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I didn’t see it so idk but I’ll give it a watch.
Dashawn Davis (188-G, college: MSU) is a 188cm guard playing his rookie season overseas with Fyllingen BBK (Norway-BLNO). He began his basketball career at Our Savior Lutheran High School. He then played 2 seasons at Trinity Valley Community College (JUCO) averaging 21.3ppg, 4.1rpg, 6.1apg, 2.9spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 73.5% and 17,7ppg, 6.5rpg, 9.6apg, 2.8spg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 73.0%. He then played a season at Oregon State University (NCAA) averaging 10.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 5.3apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 52.1%, 3PT: 17.4%, FT: 65.5% and then added 2 more years at Mississippi State University (NCAA) averaging 8.9ppg, 1.9rpg, 3.5apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 41.6%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 76.5% and 6.6ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.7apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 41.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 70.2%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a ENBL game against Bamberg.
Thanks Dashawn for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your rookie season with Fyllingen BBK (Norway-BLNO). What kind of an experience has it been for you and what have you enjoyed most about it? My experience in Norway has been cool and it’s been kind of an easy adjustment because everybody speaks English and the people are friendly. I enjoyed my teammates the most here
What was your wake up call to being a rookie in Norway where you knew that you were far away from home? When I had to cook for myself everyday after practice
Fyllingen BBK (Norway-BLNO) is playing a great season in the BLNO league. It is in first place. What has been the secret to the success? Just playing harder and more together then everybody else
How refreshing is it for you to be a walking bucket in 2 competitions. In the NCAA you didn´t average more than 10,0ppg in a season.
It feels good to play more free and be let off the leash and I feel like I got my rhythm and confidence back although I still got a lot to improve on
You are the point guard, but do you have the keys to the team? Your teammate Bouna N´Diaye is also averaging an incredible 26,0ppg in the BLNO. Yes it’s me and bouna team, everybody else feeds of our energy and we lead the way
What is it like sharing the court with Bouna N´Diaye? How do you guys compliment each other best?
It’s amazing. He’s a great veteran player, I draw a lot of attention and he is a knock down shooter so all I got do is find him. He makes my life easier
You scored 40 points in a BNLO game and 36 points in a ENBL game, but lost both games by 2 points. Which loss was tougher? The enbl loss was tougher. The enbl games is what I care about most,especially if a player has a good contract on a great team in a good league. I take those matchups personally because I belong on that level
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 188cm point guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? I would compare myself to Fred van fleet, I can play one or 2, score floaters pull-up, strong guard can defend
You’re a guy that fills the stats sheet well. What would you name as your biggest strength on the court? Biggest strength on the court is playmaking
You were a solid three point shooter in the NCAA. How do you see the current development of your three? What do you have to do to bring that to the next level? Just to shoot more threes, I can get by people so easy I try not to settle
Your also a very ambitious defender. Where would you rate your defensive game at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become? I would rate my defense8/10 I can definitely improve on off ball defense. I get caught watching the ball a lot
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game? Shooting threes off the dribble
You began your college career at Trinity Valley Community College (JUCO) averaging 21.3ppg, 4.1rpg, 6.1apg, 2.9spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 73.5% and 17.7ppg, 6.5rpg, 9.6apg, 2.8spg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 73.0%. Every guy that I have interviewed has said that JUCO was a real grind, but an experience they wouldn´t have missed for anything. How was it for you? I loved juco it was rough but it made me appreciate the things I got now, as far as basketball my coach helped me develop and gave me confidence to be the player that I am today
How important was Mark Leslie for your early development at Trinity Valley? How did he steer you best forward? Coach Mark Leslie was the coach who developed me, he believed me more than I did myself, gave me the keys, let me learn through mistakes and held me accountable
You played a season at Oregon State University (NCAA) averaging 10.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 5.3apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 52.1%, 3PT: 17.4%, FT: 65.5%. What kind of an experience was that? You seemed best prepared coming from JUCO. It was great playing against great competition in the pac 12, great crowds, great arenas and great coaches
You exploded for 31 points in a tough 94-91 loss to USC. What memories will you always have of that game? That I scored 21 straight points for my team
You played 2 more years at Mississippi State University (NCAA) averaging 8.9ppg, 1.9rpg, 3.5apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 41.6%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 76.5% and 6.6ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.7apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 41.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 70.2%. Your minutes sunk a bit in your last season. What kind of an experience was your last 2 years at Mississippi?
It was great coach Jan’s who taught me how to win at a high level. I also played against great coaches and great players and unbelievable crowds
How did Chris Jans groom and prepare you best for a professional career? He just taught me how to win, how to work, how to prepare for games, and how to operate when things get tough
Who won a 1-1 in practice you of Josh Hubbard? We used to go at it in practice, he’s amazing offensively so it sharpened up my defense
Who is the toughest player that you faced that went to the NBA? The toughest player was Benedict Mathurin or Rob Dillingham
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? Trevon Fuller, Posh Alexander, Cameron Mathew’s, Tuon gatkek. and Jayquan Sanders
What is your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads? Kobe, Steph, Lebron. Allen Iverson
Rivaldo Soares (198-G-1999, college: Oklahoma) is a 198cm guard from Boston playing his rookie season in Germany with the easyCredit BBL team Telekom Baskets Bonn currently averaging 3,9ppg and 2,6rpg in the easycredit BBL.. He began his basketball career at the O´Bryant School of Math and Science. He then played 2 seasons at South Plains College (JUCO) averaging 15.4ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 42.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 79.7% and in his second season averaged 15.2ppg, 6.8rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 71.8%. He then played 2 seasons with the University of Oregon (NCAA) averaging 4.7ppg, 2.7rpg and 7.2ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 47.4%, 3PT: 25.3%, FT: 83.1%. He finished his NCAA career at the The University of Oklahoma (NCAA) averaging 9.4ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 69.5%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 80.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Rivaldo for talking to germanhoops.com. How blessed are you to be overseas? I am in a state of gratitude. Feeling blessed to have this opportunity because people where I come from and my demographic don’t get these opportunities. Basketball has always been a part of my life and I feel like as long as I don’t cheat the game it will continue to treat me as it has my whole career. There are ups and downs but I am just grateful to have this opportunity
Roel Moors brought you to Bonn. What did you appreciate about his basketball philosophy right away? I appreciated coach Moers approach because he didn’t sell me a dream. He didn’t cut corners or sugar coat anything. He was honest in the process and gave me a blueprint of how he envisioned me as a player.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 198cm forward that can fill the stat sheet at ease. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? I see myself as a two way player that can impact the game in many ways. I can see myself being a Paul George like player who can make tough shots. I also see myself being productive and doing things that don´t always show up in the stat sheet like Josh Hart.
You showed your scoring in JUCO, but in the NCAA never averaged more than 9,0ppg. How would you describe your scoring development in the last years. What are your biggest strengths?
The NCAA is a different system. If you look at it, I never got the same volume of shots as I did in JUCO. I think it’s part of the reason why coach Moers recruited me. I played a role in the NCAA and it was different from the one I had at my JUCO. My ability to play hard, guard, rebound, and play make are reasons I stayed on the floor. When the opportunity presented itself I was able to become that scorer in the later part of the season last year averaging just over 15 in my last 17 games or so.
You had some up and down three point shooting years, but last season as a senior you shot 39%. How confident do you feel like you can continue to let your three point shooting percentage grow overseas?
I have nothing but confidence in my shot. I put a lot of things aside last year and just focused on basketball. I stayed in the gym and my shot was as comfortable as ever.
You’re a very strong defender that can defend 1-4. What kind of a defender would you call yourself now and what kind of a defender would you like to be in a few years? I know I can guard but to play in a physical league I know I’ll need to get even better. I actually don’t know what type of defender to call myself. Defense has just been embedded in me. It’s just my competitive nature.
On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?
Even the greats are always working on their game. I want to improve everything from on the court to the weight room even down to nutrition. I want to get better at everything so I don’t have a weakness.
You played your first 2 years of college ball at South Plains College (JUCO) averaging 15.4ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 42.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 79.7% and 15.2ppg, 6.8rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 71.8%. Every guy that I have interviewed that played Juco have said that JUCO was tough, but an experience they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you?
I would say the same thing. It was in the trenches for two years. It also helped me grow as a man. My first time living outside the city of Boston, MA. It forced me to grow up faster than some kids out of high school would. Being coached by a Hall of Fame coach like Steve Green was also an honor and helped my development drastically. He emphasized winning to us everyday. No one´s looking if you aren’t winning.
How vital was head coach Steve Green in your 2 years at South Plains? How did he help shape your game in those 2 years? Hall of Famer. I owe him a lot. hard nosed coach but let us play our game. I come to a loss for words when describing what he means to me because without him tracking a chance on me I don’t know if I could say I’d be in the same position I am in right now.
You then played 2 seasons at the University of Oregon reaching the NIT Sweet 16 and Elite 8. You had to suffer a tough 3 point loss to Wisconsin. Is that one of those games that you will never forget? I’ll never forget it because we had been winning majority of the game if I remember correctly. I had been guarding the kid who hit the shot all game and unfortunately I wasn’t on him for that shot. I had been playing well in the NIT getting my career high a game or two before that and just wished my season continued. Especially knowing now that that would be my last season as a duck.
Your minutes rose almost to 10 minutes in your second season at Oregon. How did your game grow under the legendary head coach Dana Altman? It honestly started in the film room. There was so much attention to detail that I had never really expected. The scouting reports were so specific and it taught me to watch film and focus on opponents tendencies. He trusted me to guard the opponent´s best players
You finished at The University of Oklahoma (NCAA): averaging 9.4ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 69.5%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 80.4%. How important was it going to Oklahoma? You finished out your NCAA career strong in the last 2 months being a real consistent scorer.
Going to Oklahoma just gave me a fresh restart with a coach that was willing to trust me in any situation. When our team got hurt towards the end of the season it just called for another role from me and it was to put the ball in the hoop. As efficient as I was, coach Moser just gave me more opportunity and poured confidence into me. It felt good having the offensive impact I had. like I had said before I just cleared my mind and forced on what I could control.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Jalon Moore?
There weren’t too many one on ones with Jalon. We just competed a lot of live segments. Being close in size we were always one anothers matchup. He´s a strong wing who is very athletic so you always have to know where he is. even when he’s on defense. He got me better as I got him better. but I got this one.
Who was the toughest player that you faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA? No one gave me fits like Will Richardson. Just a high IQ player who doesn’t look it but is wiry strong and knows how to use his body to create space. 3 level scorer with a good handle and could make tough shots.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Will Richardson teammate at Oregon
Jermaine Coousinard teammate at Oregon
Noah Fernandes who I played with in AAU
Tre Mitchell who I played AAU with
Myron Gardner South plains Teammate
Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads? Lebron, Kobe, Michael, Shaq
Who is your GOAT?
Lebron James
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America movie? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? They should have left it alone HAHAH.
Allin Blunt (201-F-1999, college: UMass Lowell) is a 25 year old 201cm forward from Washington DC who has 2 years of professional experience under his belt. He played this season with the EPG Guardians Koblenz avergaing 7,5ppg, 3,4rpg and 1,8apg. Last season he played with the Laguna Sharks Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 4.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.1spg; and in Jan.’24 moved to Kordall Steelers Rodange (Luxembourg-LBBL) averaging 16.2ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 41.3%, FT: 67.7%. He began his basketball career with Gonzaga College high school and then played at the University of Massachusetts – Lowell (NCAA) from 2018-2023 playing a total of 146 NCAA games. In his last 2 seasons he averaged 11.6ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 51.3%, 3PT: 32.0%, FT: 68.7% and 10.6ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 50.5%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 84.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Allin for talking to germanhoops.com. Did you ever seek advice from ex assistant coach Louis Hinnant about overseas ball? He played in Europe including Germany. Coach Lou has been a big part of me getting to the point I’m at today. I talk to him often and I still workout with him. He’s been nothing but influential in my basketball journey and that’s since my senior year of high school, I can’t thank him enough.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 201cm forward. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? Jalen Williams of the OKC Thunder. Just his ability to score at all 3 levels and then he defends 1-4 also.
You are an undersized forward, but a guy that can do it all. Would you call yourself a modern day big man?
No, I wouldn’t say I’m a modern day big. I’m just a bigger guard I can play 2-4 on the offensive end and guard those same positions as well. I’m your do it all type of guy.
How much does your football backround help you with going to those places where it hurts in the zone?
It helps a lot especially when attacking the rim and rebounding being aggressive and not shying away from contact, my football background definitely helps with that.
Your also a very good three point shooter. Where would you rate your three point development at the moment?
I’m always working on my 3pt shot, it’s a big part of my game. Being able to stretch the floor is something that is very valuable in today’s game so being consistent with my shot is a big thing for me.
What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become? I’m definitely a versatile defender I can guard 1-4 and then using my advantages depending on my matchup. Guarding smaller guards just using my length and size to alter shots and then with bigger guys using my speed to take up space and putting pressure on them.
On what areas of your game are you working on most at the moment so you can continue to climb the basketball ladder?
At the moment my cardio and ball handling are what Im working on the most. Then just getting up a lot of shots and keeping my mechanics on point.
You played your rookie season with the Laguna Sharks Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 4.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.1spg; Cup: 2 games: 6.5ppg, 3.0rpg, in Jan.’24 moved to Kordall Steelers Rodange (Luxembourg-LBBL) averaging 16.2ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 41.3%, FT: 67.7% What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home? When I landed in Turkey for my connecting flight to Bucharest, Romania and I had no cell service, that was my wake up call haha.
You played half a season in Romania. You experienced real growing pains there. Could you take any positives out of the experience? The biggest positive is that I never gave up. I kept working and believing in my abilities and now it´s starting to pay off.
In Luxemburg everything worked for you. Your game cooled down a bit in the last month, but still adjusted well after a tough start in Romania. Did the Luxemburg experience give you the needed self confidence to make the next step in Koblenz? I always had the confidence, I just needed a better situation and in Luxembourg Kordall provided me with that. So I can’t think Dan Elvinger and Coach Tara enough for taking a chance on me.
You played at the University of Massachusetts – Lowell (NCAA) from 2018-2023. The first 2 years you averaged 15 minutes, but in the last 3 seasons you averaged 29 minutes per game. How did your game grow in your last 3 years?
With work. That’s all it was, a lot of extra work. Putting aside distractions and focusing on my game so I could be the player I know I always could be.
In your second season you played against NCAA powerhouse Michigan scoring 6 points. What memories do you have of that game playing against future NBA guys like Franz Wagner? All I remember is the sold out crowd and I could not hear my own thoughts at first. But once the game started within a couple minutes. I was good to go. I did outscore Franz that game too haha.
You had so many great games in the NCAA like scoring 33 points against UMBC. What was your favorite game in the NCAA? My favorite game I played in would have to be senior night for me. Just to see how far I’ve come over the years and then reaching 1,000 points in that game it was just an all around amazing day for me and my family.
How did head coach Pat Duquette groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
He instilled confidence in me and he did that from day 1 when he offered me a scholarship. He saw the potential in me and he made sure I didn’t take it for granted.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Max Brooks? I did every time haha. Max is a great player but 1-1 vs me. He hasn’t won yet and it’s about a 99.9% chance he never will.
Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA? In college I would have to say my tougher matchups none of them have reached the NBA but if I had to choose between those that did probably Toumani Camara that went to Dayton.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Anthony Blunt
Christian Lutete
Obadiah Noel
Chris Lykes
Prentiss Hubb
What is your NBA Mount Rushmore? Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Penny Hardaway, Tracy McGrady
Who is your Goat? Lebron James is the Goat but my GOAT is Carmelo Anthony
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America movie? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
No I haven’t seen it but I feel like with certain movies you shouldn’t do sequels to them because it ruins the legacy of the original and this movie in my opinion falls into that category.
The up and down play of the 8-8 Dragons Rhondorf continues. The good news was that they were at home again in their own living room. But this season that unfortunately doesn´t mean anything when your 3-4 at home. The team is fighting for the playoffs and desperately needs to go on a run. They are only 4-4 since December ist and there doesn´t seem to be any rapid development. Winning doesn´t come easy anymore and it didn´t get any easier with the 10-6 Fellbach Flashers who continue to sparkle in the Pro B since arriving last season. They are a team with veterans and top bigs with Daniel Mayr and Brian Butler and a hungry and talented American with Malik Whitaker (198-G-2000, college: Fort Lewis, agency: Starting 5) The Dragons had some confidence going into the game remembering beating Fellbach on the road 78-75, but that game was the first of the season and since then the guests had improved. On a mild Saturday evening in Bad Honnef, fans in the Dragon Dome witnessed the debut of New head coach Marko Zarovic who had replaced Stephan Doehrn only few days earlier. Would a change in the team´s play occur? It definitely didn´t show at the start, but throughout the game, the Dragons Rhondorf heightened their game every quarter until the end, but they never got over the hump despite fighting hard for 40 minutes. “We got better every quarter, but when you dig such a big hole,it is just really difficult to come back especially against a good team like Fellbach. We played with so much energy in the last 3 quarters that it was contagious for our offense”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Kelvin Omojola. Offensively Fellbach had their ups and downs, but defensively they played very well except for the third quarter where they allowed 32 points. The Flashers continue to play great basketball despite not having Zaire Thompson and Mickey De Souza than more than a month. “We did a good job sticking to the game plan for 40 minutes. We played great defense and were disciplined. Despite being banged up, we had others step up”, stressed Fellbach Flasher Malik Whitaker
Brian Butler at the FT line
In the first quarter the game was at eye level for the first minutes, but The Fellbach Flashers found to their game then going on a 26-7 run to lead by 21 points after 10 minutes. It was no secret that it would be a massive mismatch having 218cm giant Daniel Mayr battling against the undersized Dragons team. In the first few minutes, Mayr who played 1 Euroleague game with FC Bayern Munich scored 6 points and dominated the paint area. The Dragons Rhondorf also tried to go inside getting a basket from Ohio native Tim Smith Jr and free throws by German Janne Muller, but Fellbach led 10-6. Fellbach then really found their game going on a 13-2 run to lead 23-8. Brian Butler led the charge with 5 points like Mayr dominating the paint area with his quick moves while the team also got great support from their role player Jeremy Kolev who scored 4 points and Nikola Jekov also scored. “Jeremy has been big for us since the new year. We always knew he could play. His hard work has paid off as he has become a starter. He makes big plays for us”, warned Malik Whitaker Fellbach was playing with great intensity at both ends, had a stifling zone on display, got transition baskets and dominated the boards. The Dragons Rhondorf couldn´t hit the ocean and couldn´t get the 50/50 balls. Young German Kenan Reinhardt made a rare three pointer and Kelvin Omojola a lay in, but all in all their offense wasn´t moving the ball well and were forced to tough shots as Fellbach were everywhere on defense. On offense, they got 5 points from ex JUCO player Malik Whitaker and Lithuanian guard Tauras Ulevicius nailed a three pointer as Fellbach led 36-15 after 10 minutes. Fellbach shot 72% from the 2 point area and 25% from outside and had 17 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 33% from the 2 point area and 14% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 6 turnovers. “We weren´t ready to play. We knew they had size, but they still punished under the glass. They also had a good zone which we had prepared for”, said Kelvin Omojola.
Marco Rahn at the FT line
The Dragons Rhondorf upped their play in the second quarter especially defensively as they allowed only 15 points, but they couldn´t make up much of the deficit and still trailed by 17 points at the break. The Dragons Rhondorf woke up going on a 10-5 run to cut the Flashers lead down to 41-25. In the run, their mind set was more positive than the first quarter and was more aggressive at both ends. That led to an offensive rebound and put back by Danas Kazakevicius and offensive rebound and hook shot by ex Bayreuth center Marco Rahn while Marco Rosic hit a clutch trey. The Dragons were reborn on the boards as they had the 9-2 rebound edge in that phase. Fellbach didn´t have the easy shots anymore as they had more contested shots. But Fellbach fought back and moved the ball better and got 2 three´s from Texas native Malik Whitaker and a left handed hook shot by ex Schwelm center Daniel Mayr as Fellbach extended their lead to 50-28. The Dragons remained aggressive getting to the free throw line as Smith, Kazakevicius and Reinhart scored, but they still had a long trek to the peak as they trailed 51-34 after 20 minutes. “We were flying on defense. We were helping each other, had good communication and were simply all on the same page. Our defense was huge and kept us in the game”, stated Kelvin Omojola.The Fellbach Flashers shot 61% from the 2 point area and 33% from the three point line and had 23 rebounds and 8 turnovers and the Dragons Rhondorf shot 32% from the 2 point area and 11% from the three point line and 26 rebounds and 9 turnovers.
Daniel Mayr in the pain area
In the third quarter the surge of the Dragons Rhondorf continued as they exploded for 32 points and all of a sudden trailed only by 10 points after 10 minutes. The Dragons Rhondorf are a strong offensive team and only time will tell when they will break out and they finally did going on a 16-9 run to trail 63-50. The Dragons finally let it rain three´s as Omojola connected twice as did Antonio Pilipovic and Marco Rahn. Rhondorf´s offense was clicking, but here and there still sloppy getting unneeded turnovers while on defense continued to be all over the court making it difficult for Fellbach to execute. But Fellbach always had an answer. Once they faced adversary, they came back with a 8-2 run to extend their lead to 71-52 as Ulevicius and Whitaker connected for three pointers. “Whitaker is a great player. He is so smooth and polished. He made us pay with his three pointer. It was pick your poison”, stated Kelvin Omojola. The only bright spot in the run for the Dragons was a nifty behind the back pass from Pilipovic to Smith Jr for the easy lay in. “We know that Antonio can pass like that. In practice he is always calling the Doncic pass. He is a great passer”, commented Kelvin Omojola. But Rhondorf stayed tough and on the door step of Fellbach as Janne Muller hit a trey and ex Schwenningen guard Alexander Lagerman for a lay in as the Dragons trailed 73-60. Despite a trey by Nik Schlipf, the Dragons continued to execute getting lay in´s by Smith Jr and Lagerman and Fellbach led 76-66 after 30 minutes. “We knew that they were a good team and strong at home. We also knew they would go on a run. They couldn´t stay cold that long. We never got down”, stated Malik Whitaker “We continued to bring energy and our three finally fell. We were getting stops and our good defense led to our offense”, added Kelvin Omojola. The Fellbach Flashers shot 61% from the 2 point area and 41% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 43% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and 31 rebounds and 13 turnovers.
Alexander Lagerman with the lay in
Defensively the Dragons Rhondorf saved their best for last allowing only 11 points, but still couldn´t get over the hump never trailing by less than 5 points as they mustered only 16 points in the last quarter. The Dragons came out with fire going on a 6-2 run to trail Fellbach only 78-72 as Muller and Rahn made lay in´s and Reinhart a floater. However Fellbach made clutch baskets to keep punching back going on a 4-0 run as Jekov made a lay in and Butler a tip in to lead 82-72. Then it was time for the Dragons to punch back as they made key stops and went on a 5-0 run to trail only 82-77 as Mueller made a lay in and Omojola a trey. Mayr and Kazakevicius then traded baskets as Fellbach led 84-79 with 1,23 to play. The Dragons Rhondorf had their opportunities. Brian Butler missed 2 free throws, but Muller came back and missed. Tim Smith Jr then made a lay in with 19 seconds to play as Fellbach still led 85-81. Then Rhondorf forced a turnover to get the ball back with 18,2 seconds, but then coughed up the ball. Whitaker then sealed the win with free throws. “Our bread and butter our defense was key at the end. We remained locked in and disciplined. They were physical and hit tough shots, but we withstood their pressure”, said Malik Whitaker “We didn´t run out of gas. Turnovers hurt us. Good teams like them will make you pay”, expressed Kelvin Omojola. The Fellbach Flashers were led by Malik Whitaker with 27 points. Daniel Mayer, Brian Butler and Jeremy Kolev chipped in with 12 points a piece while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Tim Smith Jr with 17 points. Marco Rahn added 12 points and Janne Muller 11 points. The Fellbach Flashers shot 46% from the field and 33% from outside and had 42 rebounds and 18 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 35% from the field and 23% from outside and had 47 rebounds and 16 turnovers.
Ex Dragons Rhondorf player Kameron Taylor should be in their Wall Of Fame. He only played one season for the Pro B team, but he is without a doubt one of the best players in their history if not the best. He dominated in the 2017-2018 after coming from the higher league Pro A and knowingly took a step back so he could make 2 steps forward. The rest is history as three years later he reached the Euroleague with Maccabi Tel Aviv and then ACB in Spain the other top league overseas where he has been a mainstay since 3 seasons. If you were to ask 100 Rhondorf fans who saw him play in the Dragon Dome 7 seasons ago, I would have the audacity to bet that all 100 fans would all have something positive to say about him. He had an impact with his play on the court and character off the court. It is always interesting to meet ex teammates especially guys from college, because they also only have positive things to report. Overseas Pro Trevor Blondin was able to play with him for 2 years and can truly say that he has found a lifelong friend in Taylor. “Kam was a lot of fun to play with, as long as you had him on your team you felt like you had a chance to win against anybody. He was very unselfish and always played the game the right way on both ends of the floor. If you were open, he was going to find you, but also he knew when to take over and put the team on his back. My fondest memory would probably be when we upset Indiana University of Pennsylvania. They were ranked in the top 10 of division 2 basketball at the time. Kam went crazy that game, I had a pretty good game and we ended up beating them at home in a packed arena. And let’s just say it was a huge party after that”, remembered Trevor Blondin. There was one game against Carlow where Blondin had 27 points and Taylor had a monster 26/16/6 game. Despite Taylor´s stellar play at Seton Hill, did it surprise him just how far he got overseas? “I think it surprises you a little bit because not many people from Division 2 make it to that level and also he started in some lower leagues in Germany Pro A and Hungary. But at the same time, it doesn’t surprise me because I’ve seen his work ethic in person and know what type of person he is, and if anybody was going to accomplish something that unbelievable it would definitely be him. Honestly, his success in Europe gave me the blueprint for what I wanted to accomplish in my career. In a way, it gave me some belief that if he can do it coming from Division 2 Seton Hill, that I could do it to. But I’m super proud of him, there’s not really a more deserving person. While I was in Patras Greece, he got me some tickets to watch him live when his team, Unicaja Malaga played against Promitheas Patras in the champions league final eight. That was cool to watch him play and talk to him after the game and he told me he was proud of me for making it this far. And that meant a lot to me coming from him & knowing where we both started at”, stressed Trevor Blondin. But who won a 1-1 then and who would win now?” The competitor in me is always going to bet on myself. But Kam is obviously a beast and we used to have some good battles in practice back in the day. He was a little older so he probably got the best of me back then, but I’m hoping we can link up this summer and run it back”, said Trevor Blondin. He may not have had the same kind of career as Kam Taylor, but he definitely knows how blessed he is to be overseas in his fifth season. “I feel very grateful for all of the experiences that I’ve had over the last 5 years. I’m getting paid to play a game that I love, I’ve lived in six different countries, I’ve travelled a lot, and met countless people. It’s given me a very unique perspective of the world. To still be playing meaningful basketball at a high level isn’t something that I take for granted and I’m going to continue to do it for as long as I can. Coming from a Division 2 school it wasn’t easy to get a job overseas initially, even after scoring over 20ppg my junior and senior seasons. But I used that as motivation and continued to work really hard on my game. I’ve improved a lot since then and feel like I’ve surpassed a lot of those Division 1 players that were recruited over me. So just always having that chip on my shoulder has probably helped me stick around in Europe for so long”, stated Trevor Blondin.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Kameron Taylor in 2017 in Rhondorf
Trevor Blondin who lists the Martin twins, Caleb and Cody and Jordan McCrae, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and Isaiah Cannon as his toughest foes in his career so far was born In Haymarket, Virginia on March 13, 1996 and began his basketball career at Battlefield High School. He then played at Seton Hill (NCAA2) from 2014-2019 and was able to improve his scoring average each season. His game really took off in his last 2 seasons as he averaged 19.9ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.0%, 3PT: 43.1%, FT: 70.5%, and 20.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 75.4%. “Coming in, I was more of a catch and shoot guy on the wing but as my body got stronger I was able to get to the basket more and become an all-around player. It was really helpful that I got a chance to start and play like 35 minutes a game from the moment I got there as a freshman. I think that in-game experience helped my game develop faster. I had a 30pt game against Millersville my Sophmore year and after that I knew I could score at high level. Also I had some really talented older teammates like Kam Taylor and Dave Windsor, who made me better by competing with them at practice every day. But by the time I left, I was a scoring machine I averaged 20+ points a game my last two seasons and was 1st team all-conference in the PSAC”, remembered Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 59 of 82 games at Seton Hill and in his last 2 seasons scored in double figures in 47 of 49. He had so many great games like hitting Clarion for 31 points and memories and actually had 2 coaches then with Tony Morocco and Kendrick Saunders and had mixed emotions about the 2 as one fit and the other didn´t. “The Clarion game was cool because I had my whole family in attendance. I remember they couldn’t really guard me that game. But my favorite memory was probably the And-1 3- point shot, game winner I made against California university of Pennsylvania. We had an improbable come back in the second half. I had like six points at half time and finished the game with 32. I knew the shot was good before the ball even went through the net. You can look it up on YouTube. Tony Morocco I really can’t say enough good things about him. I don’t think I would be here today without him. He really helped me develop as a basketball player and as a person on the court. He really cared about his players and their families and I have some really great memories playing for him. Kendrick Saunders on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He was hired my senior season, and would repeatedly tell us that we weren’t “his guys” because he didn’t recruit us, so we were expendable and he didn’t care about us. He created an extremely hostile environment that killed all the joy of playing basketball. So when I got to Europe the next season, it was a breath of fresh air playing for Jarno Nikula in Finland and I regained that joy from playing basketball again”, stressed Trevor Blondin.
The walking bucket who lists Alexander Pevadze, Josh Perkins, Kam Taylor, Ivan Gandia-Rosa, and Orlando Coleman as his 5 best teammates of all-time began his professional career overseas with UU-Korihait Uusikaupunki (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 13.8ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 28.0%, FT: 69.1%. Every pro baller overseas had that certain wake up call to being overseas and it wasn´t any different for him. “I think maybe our first preseason game against Vilpas. I just remember noticing the drums and horns that fans bring to the game, that was new for me. You don’t really hear that in an American College basketball game. It really stood out to me at first but it’s funny because now I don’t even notice it anymore. Also the snow, cold temperatures, and darkness in Finland was different than anything I’d experienced before. I mean -20 degrees, with 2ft of snow on the ground, and 3 hours of sunlight everyday is not for the faint hearted”, added Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 11 games and hit Ura Basket for 30 points. He will never forget having the perfect mentor in Trey Zeigler. “ It was incredibly valuable having Trey as a teammate and a mentor my rookie year. Not only was he a great player on the court and putting up ridiculous numbers that season. I really soaked up a lot knowledge from our conversations about the business side of pro basketball, and how to move up leagues, and navigate agents. I feel really lucky that I had an experienced guy like him on my team to show me the ropes. I think it really helped me make crucial decisions in my career later down the road. Shoutout to Trey Ziegler, he’s had a great transition into coaching college basketball for some really high level programs the last few years”, stated Trevor Blondin. He played his second pro season with Inter Bratislava (Slovakia-Nike SBL) averaging 15.8ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.0apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 39.0%, FT-1 (92.7%). He played Spisski Rytieri tough in the regular season and then got swept 2-0. Despite not winning a chip, it was another enriching season for him. “I have good memories playing for Inter Bratislava in Slovakia. I think statistically that was one of my best seasons. Oleg Meleshchenko was an intense coach but also one of my favorites. I always liked playing for coaches that have played at a high level themselves and he played for the Soviet Union national team back in the day and has also coached at some high level teams in Russia and around Europe. Life was pretty good living in Bratislava and that team was a lot of fun to play on because we played an unselfish brand of basketball. Ivan Gandia-Rosa was our point guard, Džiguas Slavinskas was a great passer from the four position, Michael Fusek led the league blocks & we had Jure Zubac, & Timo Malovec as well. We had a lot of talented players, who went on to play for national teams, and in higher leagues. The series against Spisski was unfortunate because we had beaten them easily three out of four times in the regular season and we were dealing with injuries late in the season, and then unfortunately we got swept in the playoffs to a team that we thought we were better than. Definitely felt like we let one get away, I thought our team was championship caliber for that league”, commented Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 19 games including exploding for 33 points against Prievidza.
In his third pro season, the Virginia native who lists LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, & Jamal Crawford on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore played with Laguna Sharks Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 12.9ppg, 3.9rpg, 3.3apg, FGP: 44.1%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 74.4%. Once again he was battling in the post season, but that chip once again was denied, but he got a new stamp on his passport. He played a tough 5 games series against Steaua B and the last 3 games weren´t decided combined with more than 5 points. “That was a wild series, I’ll never forget that. I don’t think anybody gave us a fighting chance to comeback and win that series after we were down 0-2. We pulled off a miracle with our backs up against the wall and won 3 straight games to avoid relegation. That was just a group of guys that had a dog mentality and never gave up. We definitely celebrated that win afterwards. Shoutout to everybody from Laguna, I really liked that group of teammates and I think I developed a lot as a point guard that season thanks to Daniel Nelson and Milan Minic. Romania is definitely a hidden gem, Bucharest will always have a special place in my heart. I met a lot of cool people in my time living out there, it was honestly a blast. I wouldn’t mind making a return to the Romanian league one day”, warned Trevor Blondin. Once again he was consistent again with his scoring in double figures in 19 of 26 games including netting 22 points against Dinamo B and 21 points against Targu Jiu. Last season he split time with Okapi Aalst (Belgium-Pro Basketball League) averaging 10.8ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.5apg, 2FGP: 40.6%, 3FGP: 30.8%, FT: 76.1%, in Mar.’24 moved to AS Apollon Patras (Greece-GBL) averaging 11.4ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 63.6%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 95.0%. Last season was another stepping stone in his career. He finally made the jump to higher leagues. “It’s been a grind each season trying to bubble and move up the ranks of Europe. From starting in the Korisliiga in Finland to making it all the way to the Greek league is definitely something I’m proud of. It feels like the trials and tribulations were worth it. It was a lot of fun playing in Greece, you’re playing against Champions League & Euroleague caliber teams every night, there’s no easy games. It’s a bunch of killers and former NBA players on every team and you got to bring your A-game every night. Add in the crazy atmosphere that the Greek fans bring and it’s just a really fun environment for basketball. The fans show you a lot of love off the court also”, stated Trevor Blondin. He had some growing pains first in Belgium and the demonstrated in Greece that he could hold his own against Euroleague and NBA guys. “Playing for Okapi was a necessary step in my journey. I liked playing for Thomas Crab, I thought he was a good coach. I think I proved that I could play at that level right away scoring 17 points against champions league team Oostende the first game of the season. But I struggled with inconsistency throughout the season. Everything prior to Okapi had gone pretty smoothly in my career, so I think I needed to face that adversity in order to grow as a player and as a person. I have a lot of great memories living in Belgium. Brussels is one of my favorite cities and it was really enjoyable from a day to day life standpoint. Being the only American was tough at times, but not something that I really gave a whole lot of thought to”, expressed Trevor Blondin. In Greece he lost 30 points to Euroleague team Olympiacos. He held his own with 12 points and played against many ex NBA players including Isaiah Caanon. “That game was special to me. My goal was always to try to make it to the highest level of Europe, so it doesn’t really get much higher than that. It felt like the culmination of the basketball journey that I’ve been on since I was a little kid. I mean as a basketball fan you would pay good money to watch Olympiacos play but all of a sudden you’re on the floor playing against them and really seeing what Euroleague caliber looks like up close. But more so that you just want to prove to yourself that you belong at that level. I felt like I made some plays that showed that, like stealing the ball from Papanikalaou and getting a breakaway dunk, knocking down a couple of threes. Blowing up a hand off with Wright and Larentzakis. I mean, that’s arguably a top 3 team in Europe and a team that doesn’t really make a lot of mistakes, so to be able to force a couple turnovers against them. It really just started to feel like another basketball game at the end of the day”, stressed Trevor Blondin. In Belgium he scored in double figures in 12 times including 20 points against Mechelen and in Greece scored in double figures in 6 of 8 games including 24 points against PAOK
This season the scoring guard who lists Lebron James as his GOAT and feels they should of left the classic Coming To America alone is playing in Sweden for Boras Basket. It is his fifth professional season and sixth team and in his sixth country. A basketball globetrotter would be the perfect middle name for him. “It’s pretty crazy to think back on my career and all the different places the game has taken me. It feels like it was just yesterday that I signed my rookie deal in Finland. I was on the plane traveling to Europe for the first time not really knowing what to expect and now years later, here we are. It’s been a fun journey to say the least”, added Trevor Blondin. He signed recently as the job market wasn´t as easy for him as in the past. “It was an interesting off-season for sure. I thought I would get bigger offers after playing well in Greece and having good games against teams like Olympiacos, AEK, and PAOK. I had some offers that I turned down waiting for something better. Once I missed the summer signing window and the season started it got a little stressful. But I just stayed in the gym working out everyday with my trainer Moe Gray from B1B. My homie Nigel Johnson was in a similar situation at the time before he signed in Hungary and we just got after it everyday. They really helped me a lot just by showing up everyday and helping me stay locked in mentally. Eventually, I got the call from Borås and I’m really happy in my current situation”, said Trevor Blondin. He is on a great team and fully aware that he could win his first pro chip. “ That’s always been a goal of mine to win a championship at any level in pro basketball. That was a big reason why I joined this team because of the early success that they’ve had this season as well as their aspirations to win a championship. I think there’s a belief within this team that we have the right pieces in place to achieve great things. We have some talented younger guys mixed with some older experienced guys that know the league well and have a high basketball IQ. So I’m just excited to be a part of it and try to help them win games”, stressed Trevor Blondin. He has been really thankful for having a great teammate like Andreas Person for taking him under his wing. “He’s definitely played a vital role in my adjustment with this team. He’s got a lot of experience; he’s a great shooter, defender, and has a high basketball IQ. We got some other veteran guys that have helped me a lot too like Simon Gunnarsson and Fred Andersson. You can tell how much winning means to these guys”, expressed Trevor Blondin. He came in and scored in double figures in his first game. Scoring continues to be his bread and butter no matter where he plays. “ I think scoring has always just come natural to me. I love having the ball in my hand and from AAU, high school, and college, that’s always been my role. Coming from Division 2 they needed me to score 20 points a night and gave me the green light, so I think that helped me develop my offensive game a lot. I try not to be one dimensional because teams are going to scout you and figure out your weaknesses. So I try to be as versatile as possible and not have too many weaknesses. I’ve always been able to shoot the ball pretty well from three, I can get to the basket, or play o the ball. I just try to mix it up and be unpredictable. This offseason-season in particular, I think I’ve expanded my game and taken it to a whole new level. I’m excited to showcase it this season in Sweden”, warned Trevor Blondin. It will be interesting to see where his basketball journey goes in the next years. Who knows maybe he will suit up with Kam Taylor again. But for now he has only one goal and that is to win his first pro title.
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.
Thanks Malik for talking to germanhoops.com. It was the battle of the best 2 Pro B south teams with the RheinStars and Leitershofen. How excited were you to go into this game? I was very excited about this game. I knew the energy and the fans would be crazy.
Cologne won the first game 85-80. What was the game plan going in? Just made stops and executed down the stretch of the game when we played the first time.
The RheinStars suffered a tough 94-92 loss against Leitershofen. How had they improved from the first game?
They had some guys play that didn’t play the first match up which helped them. But I still think we had opportunities to come out with the win
The first half was a battle and the RheinStars led by 6 points. What was key for having the half-time lead? We were making stops and rebounding pretty well. Also was executing in that first half pretty well
In the third quarter Leitershofen exploded for 31 points. What adjustments did they make to get the 4 point lead after 30 minutes?
We had too many turnovers as well as wasn’t getting back on defense fast enough in transition. Which gave them opportunities to get easy baskets.
Asa Williams exploded for 31 points including 8 three´s. What made it so difficult to contain him? We left him open too much. Most of the game he was open for a three and his teammates just made good efforts of finding him.
You had 6 seconds at the end down by 2 and you took the last three pointer and missed. Take me through the last seconds? Did the shot feel good?
Rupi came down the court as I sprinted to the corner and he hit me. The shot felt good but just slightly to the left.
You scored 24 points and shot 50%. How valuable was this game for your self-confidence? It was good for my confidence since I’ve been struggling a bit this month. But I felt I was being more aggressive than usual.
You next face Ludwigsburg who you easily beat in the first game. What will be key to getting the victory? The key will be play with a lot of intensity and energy. We just came off a tough loss so we have to come out the gate swinging.
Markus Roewenstrunk is a German coach who has been coaching for 20 plus years. At the moment he is the head coach for the Artland Dragons as Pat Elzie has taken a leave of absence. He has sampled experience in Spain and mainly in Germany being with organizations like Herford, Konigsdorf, Cuxhaven, Dresden, Dragons Rhondorf, RheinStars Cologne and BG Bonn. He spoke togermanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Markus for talking to germanhoops.com. You have seen a lot as a coach the last years. Now another new challenge this time with the Artland Dragons. What kind of an experience has it been so far?
Hi Miles and thank you for the opportunity to share my experiences. It has been great with the Artland Dragons, a professional organization, with very good facilities to practice and play but even better people who take care of everything needed to focus on basketball. Therefore, the signing of the players, the arrival and medical checks, as well as the pre-season with all the events and games have been going very well.
You have been head coach and assistant for teams. Shouldn’t But wouldn´t the goal beafter a while to try to always get a head coaching job after you have paid your dues. Why be an assistant again?
Yes I have been an assistant and head coach through out my 10+ years of professional coaching and I like to think that I am a great asset at both positions. I haven’t taken on the responsibilities of a head coach in ProA so being the assistant to the UK great Vince Macaulay is a good fit. He appreciates my help with the German approach and system.
How enticing was coming to the Artland Dragons and working for Vincent MacCaulaey and Pat Elzie? I´m sure that many others would take that assistant job?
Oh yes, I believe there were many applicants, but I was very fortunate that I have known Pat for quite a long time. He reached out to me after he was appointed as the sports director with the idea of bringing me to the program regardless of the head coach. I was very excited about that opportunity and have enjoyed everyday since I am here. Working together with Pat and Vince but also Marius Kröger and the other staff members has been very good.
What other reasons were there coming to the Artland Dragons? What do you like about the organization in general?
Well, the club has a very interesting history, playing in the BBL with widely known players and coaches such as Chris Fleming and Arne Woltmann. Even though now we play in ProA, the organization still works very professional which made my decision to come here a lot easier. Additionally, the distances between the apartments and the practice facilities as well as the arena are very short so that working becomes highly efficient. I appreciate these factors.
What did you enjoy most about the coaching philosophy of Vincent McCauley? He is a UK coach. One doesn´t always see them in Germany.
Yes, there aren’t many but that makes it even more interesting. He shares his experiences and stories through the British lens, and I can tell him about the Basketball development here in Germany. Vince is a very friendly and open person; we exchange our thoughts and strategies regularly. Specifically, I enjoy his approachability for the players and myself as well as the fact that he allows all players to show him their abilities.
What were your main duties as assistant coach this season and what is your greatest strength as a coach?
The question should be, what are not my duties, joking. I am involved in pretty much everything. We have a great team manager in Ole Reumann who organizes our schedule, practices, games, travelling etc. but of course in exchange with me. I then filter what the head coach has to be included in and what I can spare him with. Same goes for events and school practices that our players attend which I manage with our Mini-Coordinator Andre Röding. Apart from that I scout the opponents, create videos, support or run practices and drills. So, everything ?? and because I am pretty well organized, I enjoy the challenge and the diversity of the tasks.
There was turbulence so far in the pre season with players going. Despite that how much potential does the team have? Well, we had a relatively hard pre-season schedule with quite a few first league opponents. It showed us in what areas we had to improve. According to that we made some changes and acquired two players rather late. Their integration is still an ongoing process and by far, we have not reached our full potential yet. What that potential may be exactly is not that simple to say but we are aiming for the play-offs.
How vital is a guy like legend Joe Asberry? He brings a real breath of fresh wind. He could not only excite young kids for the game, but keep the pro´s in check with his experience or not? Oh yes, very much so. Joe is a motivation monster and just a good guy to have. The experience he has as a player, coach, social worker, and in life in general is very valuable for our pro’s. His famous saying is: “it’s the work you put in when nobody is watching …” and even though it’s becoming a running joke here, its so true. Joe is a great asset for the entire Artland Dragons organization.
You were a pro player in the late 90´s2 and early 2000´s2 which was a very long time ago. How do you remember the game being back then in comparison to today? How would you have survived as a pro in today´s game as a young buck?
The game was different, not so much P&R, more mid-range and post-up and less 3p shooting. For example, many coaches didn’t allow 3 pointers in transition whereas today that is a good shot. But in general, I believe that most old school pros could also play today and vice versa. To become a professional player in any sport, you have to have a strong mindset and work attitude. So, pros from the past would adjust to today’s fast pace and shooting dominant game just as players today would develop mid-range skills and become more physical (if talking about NBA).
I started playing basketball relatively late when I was 16 years, and I worked my way to second Bundesliga and NCAA with defense, rebounds, and hustle play. Over the years my offensive game also became better. I guess the later would have to develop faster than it did back then but player development and practices also changed so that I am confident I could have achieved the same or more if I would be a young buck now ??
You were teammates with Pat Elzie in 1997 in Paderborn and also played for him in the second Bundesligain 1998 he was coach. How has his coaching changed and developed in the last 25 years? Teammates is a bit overstated; Pat was the second league head coach but played a few games with the second team in Regionalliga and I was a double license player. So, I was fortunate to share the court with him a few times and loved his guidance. As far as I know Pat has always been a player’s coach. He was always authentic, approachable, empathetic, and caring. Making sure that the style of play would match the skills of his players. And even when players were not the right fit for his teams, he tried to find them better situations and didn’t leave them hanging. I remember that he had us play the flex offense 1998 in Paderborn, he was running it in Vechta and after as well. But of course, he developed and adjusted his coaching over his long career. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so successful through many decades.
You played with the College of the Sequois (Junior College) and with CSU Stanislaus (NCAA). What memories do you have of those days? Against what great players do you remember playing against in those days that reached the NBA? It was a totally different age of basketball. The moment one of my best friends, Emeka Erege, went to high school in the US and later played college ball at Davidson, I wanted to do the same. Fortunate for me, Pat Elzie had great contacts of course and helped me get try-out opportunities with different colleges. I decided for the 2-year College of the Sequois (COS) in California at first because I thought it would be a great start into a new life experience. I also loved the sunny weather, and the presence of the German women’s player Anja Goebel made the adjustment much easier.
It was worlds apart from what I knew in Germany though and it was a different age of basketball, as you said. Before the season started, former COS player and NBA prospect DeeAndre Hulett (drafted by Toronto but never played) dropped by for pick-up games, and I was able to impress him and the others with my effort and rebounding. However, my team was very athletic, and I had to get used to the speed of play. But I was able to excel in the aggressive full court press and amoeba defense that coach George Tarkanian had taken from his legendary dad Jerry. We made it all the way to the California State Finals but came up a bit short. My second year, NFL great Antonio Gates (San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers) was my teammate, just a beast in basketball as he was later in football. Great memories and the chance for me to experience life and basketball in the US.
You also played in Kronberg in 2004. What memories do you have of seeing the Skyliner double license players like Alex King and Malik Badiane play there? Badiane had been drafted by the NBA and never made it and Alex King came out of his shell later and had a great career. I played in Kronberg with Alex King and Fredrick Kleemichen. Malick only played with the Skyliners, I believe. It was quite an experience playing with these two very talented players. Freddy was way taller than I and Alex was so strong for a 19 year old. It was a big challenge going against them in practice since I had lower back problem already at that time but it was very much fun when together on the court versus other teams. Later on, it was great to see how succesful especialy Alex became. About two years ago, when I was with the RheinStars Köln, Alex and I coached against each other in NBBL.
You always had to pay your dues in coaching, but 10 years ago worked with Pat Elzie again in Vechta. How do you remember those days? He helped that team move up to the BBL.
As a player, I never thought about coaching and I kind of regret that now. I wish I would have written down more from my coaches. Because after years of having lower back problems while playing, a disc herniated and ended my serious active time too early in 2007. However, not doing anything basketball related only lasted so long before I started coaching on the side. Then Pat again gave me a great chance coming to Vechta in 2013 to work as a professional coach for my first time. It was a great situation coming in because Pat just moved them up to BBL and the excitement of the organization and the fans was amazing. During that year, I was able to move the second team past Quakenbrück with Isaiah Hartenstein to Regionalliga and got to coach great youth players.
The second year with RASTA, I was trusted to be the ProA assistant coach for Stephen Arigbabu. Unfortunately, the season didn’t go very well but it was a great learning experience and in Stephen I found a dear friend and mentor. Since I am back in that region now, I get to remember those two years quite often with people from back then.
You also coached 2 seasons in the Regionalliga with BBGC Herford. What is the biggest challenge coaching in the Regionalliga in comparison to higher leagues?
Well especially the Regionalliga West has a very high level, close to that of ProB, but both leagues often face difficulties in structure and resources. Usually, these teams like BBG Herford can only employ a hand full of players full time so that practices have to be in the late evenings after work or university duties. Most often the gyms are owned by schools/cities, making it a competition with other clubs and sports for practices times. Even in ProA many clubs are not as lucky as we are here in Quakenbrück with a team of full time professionals and our own facilities.
You also coached in Cuxhaven and also coached in the youth? What memories do you have of that season?
Cuxhaven just moved back up from Regionalliga to ProB but didn’t want to continue working with the success coach Moris Hadzija. It was my first time as head coach in ProB and I think we did a pretty good job recruiting. But the structural conditions were not easy leading to two players leaving early and the replacements not filling the void. Towards the end, management brought in a veteran coach first as support who later took over. The experience of being fired sucked but since my duty was also to promote the youth during that season, I continued coaching a mixed under 12 group and enjoyed that very much.
You also coached in Dresden. How many strides has that organization done in the last years under Fabian Straus? You kind of set the ground workgroundwork in your season?
The Dresden Titans have developed very well over the last years under Fabian Strauß. The groundwork for the promotion to ProA and the continuing success was set after my short sting, however. I took over in December 2018 and we held the league, a change in management lead to my departure after the season. I am excited to return there with the Artland Dragons, talk to people but also to get the W.
You also coached in Rhondorf. How tough was coming in late and not saving the team and then being fired the next season? You may want to change the question a bit, I was hired in the summer of 2019 after they dropped down.
I was hired in the summer of 2019 after Rhöndorf dropped down from ProB to Regionalliga. Simultaneously Thomas Päch took over Telekom Baskets Bonn and the cooperation between the two as well as the Hagerhof basketball boarding school was supposed to be refreshed. The goal for the Dragons was to develop the young German players such as Kilian Binapfl, Gabriel De Oliveira, the Falkenstein brothers etc. and at the same time win the league and move back up again. Many new wheels in place. We then didn’t start the season as well as we should have but it was a very young team, and I felt that getting fired after only 6 games and a record of 3:3 was not called for. Especially a young team needs time to excel.
I don´t know if you keep tabs on ex players you coached, but why is a guy like Curtis Hollis not balling in Europe. Since he left the Dragons in 2020, he has really paid his dues and now making good strides in Canada, but wouldn´t he have had a better resume now overseas?
Of course, I check on former players of mine and its great to see when they do well. Curtis has come around a bit, he played in Central America, Africa, Canada… But it seems that he likes it up north now. Maybe he could have a better resume if he stayed in Europe, he is a great athlete with good skills. I don’t know on what basis he made his choices; they don’t necessarily have to do with basketball. Nevertheless, I wish him all the best for the new season and thereafter.
You were 3 years in the RheinStars Cologne program as JBBL and NBBL coach. You saw some very talented young Players come up like Kenan Reinhart and Davi Remagen. What positives could you get from this experience?
I didn’t just see them come up; I worked a lot with these two and others. In 2020 when I started as the JBBL head coach for the RheinStars Köln, Anton Krings was coaching the under 14 with Kenan and Davi. He highly recommended that they should be with the JBBL as well even though they were only 13 years old. Anton was very right and did a great job developing them before I continued the process. The first season however was cut short due to corona but since both were state selection players, I was able to work with them countless hours on a 1on1 basis (in the beginning even with a mask on). We used the time as good as we could improving dribbling, finishing, shooting, and decision making. The following year the JBBL team was really clicking and improving over the course of the season, making it all the way to the second round of the play-offs. It was so much fun to see their rapid developement and joy for the game.
The experience with those young players was amazing. The fact that the RheinStars have their own practice facility (just like the Artland Dragons) is huge for kids, enabling vast amounts of hours on the court. At the same time, it is very important to monitor the stress load on those young tendon, ligaments, and joints to reduce the risk of early injuries.
You have coached so many young German players over the years? Which player do you remember being the most joy to coach?
Like you say, I have coached many but if you ask about recently, I have to go with Davi Remagen. Unfortunatly, Davi was hurt for the most part of the great 2021/22 JBBL season but I was so impressed by his moral and work ethic. Since he couldn’t take part in team practice, again we spend hours and hours working on fundamentals and not ones during those long months did he not have a smile on his face and his hopes up to return to action. In the beginning of 2022, he reached 81 made free throws in a row at the age of only 14 years old. I am very excited to see how he will do in the ProB this year and Kenan Reinhard in Bonn/Rhöndorf.
Please name your NBA Mount Rushmore and Euro Mount Rushmore for coaches? My NBA Mount Rushmore for coaches is: Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley
My Euro Mount Rushmore for coaches is: Svetislav Pesic, Zeljko Obradovic, Ettore Messina, Pablo Laso and maybe one day Gordon Herbert (through a German lens)
Which coach is your GOAT?
I am an old school Chicago Bulls fan, so I go with Phil Jackson. He also got the same last name as I do now (laughing).Thank you very much Miles for the interview and the chance to share my story a bit. You have been doing great work all these long years, highly appreciated.
Kevin Hunt Jr. (190-G-1997, college: Denver, agency: Helping Ballers) is a 26 year old 190cm guard from Little Rock, Arkansas playing his second professional season and first with Gartenzaun24 Baskets Paderborn (Germany-ProB). He played his rookie season with the Little Rock Lightning (TBL) averaging 8.8ppg, 2.0rpg, FGP: 38.7%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 78.6% and then went overseas playing with BSC Raiffeisen Furstenfeld Panthers (Austria-BSL) averaging 16.2ppg, 6.4rpg, 3.8apg, 1.8spg, 2FGP: 50.5%, 3FGP: 26.7%, FT: 57.1%, and later that month moved to Tundja Yambol (Bulgaria-NBL) averaging 12.6ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.2apg, 2.2spg, FGP: 41.8%, 3PT: 43.5%, FT: 76.9%. He began his basketball career at Bryant High School and then played at 4 schools. He began at College of Central Florida (JUCO) averaging 8.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 4.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 24.2%, FT: 73.5%. He then played a season at McNeese State University (NCAA) averaging 6.9ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.9apg, FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 67.4% He then played at Morehead State University (NCAA) averaging 6.9ppg, 2.2rpg, 3.1apg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 77.8%. He finished his NCAA career at Denver University (NCAA) averaging 15.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.2%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 78.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Kevin for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?
Thank you for interviewing me! It’s such a pleasure. Right now, I’m in the moment, not getting too far ahead of myself and moving forward from the previous days.
Your playing your second professional season and first with the Gartenzaun24 Baskets Paderborn (Germany-ProB). What kind of experience has it been for you personally having seen basketball in Austria and Bulgaria?
The experiences are all unique yet common from a basketball standpoint. Austria as you know was my first team and place to start my professional career overseas and although it didn’t turn out how I’d like it to personally, I enjoyed my time there. Bulgaria the same, I had great teammates and the city of Yambol was welcoming and put into place a different perspective of life for me. Basketball wise, I’ve got to see the difference in the style of play and really have gotten better in the sense of angles, knowing how to play better without the ball, and I think that’s what has helped me grow into the player I’m slowly becoming.
You had a solid season in Austra. Would you call this season taking a step back to possibly take 2 steps forward next season as the pro B is skill wise one behind the Austria BSL?
I believe everything happens for a reason, the skill level isn’t too far off from Austria to Pro B but I will say the athleticism in the Austria BSL was slightly better. I do think that, personally, I could bump up next season and continue to progress but as for now, my goal is to help Paderborn Baskets win and get back to Pro A.
Paderborn has been playing great ball as of late. What would say is the biggest strength of the team and what has been the secret to the success in the last 2 months?
Our biggest strength is our depth in the roster. From starters to players coming from the bench, we all bring something unique to the table and any given night can be anyone’s night. Everyone has bought into the club, our coaches, and most importantly each other. That’s what leads me to my next point, our chemistry off the court shows on the court. Coach always preaches to us to put our ego into the team so that’s what we all do on a daily basis. There’s no secret to success, it’s a daily grind of mistakes and the opportunities to learn from them. I commend everyone on the staff for putting together a great group of guys.
Your having a solid season in the German Pro B. Have you been content with your game? There’s always room for improvement in my opinion. I don’t want to be complacent because then I’d feel like I’ve gotten what I want out of this season. We’re #2 in the league and want to make a deep playoff run and eventually win it all, but one game at a time.
The team recently added walking bucket Justin Andrew. How do you guys compliment each other best?
We’ve had one game together so far and about a week of practices so there’s been a small sample yet he’s fit right into the system as if he’s been here the entire season. That goes to show how good of player he is to be able to get here so quickly and adapt. He’s a shot creator and playmaker so he can do a little bit of everything. We compliment each other because neither one of us needs the ball in our hands to help the team in whatever we need that night. He’s been a great addition for us.
What has it been like being teammates with German Lars Lagerpusch? As one of the team leaders, are you able to soak up a lot from him on and off the floor? Lars is my guy! He’s such a veteran player at a young age but sometimes age has nothing to do with it. He’s been able to help me see things on the court that I may overlook. Having a forward/big like him has helped me personally because when things are not going our way, I know I can look at him and he’s poised and can get us back on track with not only his leadership but gameplay as well.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 190cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?
I’ve been getting De’Aaron Fox comparisons for the longest, he’s left handed like me and quick like me and have similar play styles, although, he’s a bit more athletic than I am.
You’re a guy that can fill the stat sheet well. What would you say is your biggest strength on the court?
My biggest strength on the court is my speed. I can push the ball and play in the open court. Also, my unselfishness contributes to my being able to make plays for my teammates. I like to say that I can make my teammates better not only with the ball in my hands but just a presence on the court with being vocal and leading by example.
Your three pointer has been up and down in your career. Last season you shot 43% in Bulgaria, but currently below 20%. How would you describe the development of your three at the moment? What do you have to do make the next step as a shooter?
I’ve been a solid shooter my entire life but I do have seasons where I go through slumps and most of it is in my head. I know that I can make any shot I take, but sometimes if I miss a couple in a row, I’ll second guess the next shot which throws me off. I’m a good shooter at the end of the day, the only way to get over the slumps is to get extra shots up, continue to shoot the ball, and keep my confidence rather I’m making shots or missing them.
You have also been a solid defender in your career. Where would you rate your game as a defender and to what level do you still want to get to?
Coach mentioned to me earlier this season that my defense has to improve if I want to help the team take a step closer towards the end goal. I’ve struggled earlier this season guarding but I’ve had to buy into myself and into the team if we want to achieve the ultimate goal. I’ve guarded great players in my entire basketball career, NBA players, great collegiate players, there’s no doubt that I can lock in on anyone. It’s all about going out there and doing it on a consistent basis.
On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?
As you mentioned earlier, my 3pt% is far below what I’m capable of and that’s my main focus now and moving into the summer. I have a solid game from the 3pt line and in but the 3s is where I take my game to the next level!
After your NCAA career, you sat out the next season and then got your first pro experience with the Little Rock Lightning (TBL). How tough was this time for you? Did you ever doubt the basketball process?
I was in a dark time mentally during this time. Every single day, I told myself I was good enough to play anywhere, but with each day slipping away, I slowly started to doubt myself and creep away from the game I love so much. I had a great support system around me, reassuring me to stay ready for my opportunity and trust in the process. I give credit to God for allowing me an opportunity to continue playing and my support system for being a light in such a dark time.
What was it like playing in the TBL? Was every player playing for their stats or did you find some guys that played team ball? It was an ok experience, I had a good time playing with players I played against growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was a selfish team of players, but it wasn’t the basketball I was used to playing at the time. I had personal problems outside of basketball that I had to attend to so I had to take a step away from the TBL.
You played your rookie season with BSC Raiffeisen Furstenfeld Panthers (Austria-BSL, averaging 16.2ppg, 6.4rpg, 3.8apg, 1.8spg, 2FGP: 50.5%, 3FGP: 26.7%, FT: 57.1%, released in Jan.’24, later that month moved to Tundja Yambol (Bulgaria-NBL) averaging 12.6ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.2apg, 2.2spg, FGP: 41.8%, 3PT: 43.5%, FT: 76.9%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?
I’ve always been away from home since college, like hours away, but when I had to miss my first Christmas ever and being 7 hours ahead of my family, that hurt me. Only able to facetime my family and not being able to be physically there with them was a different type of sadness I hadn’t felt in a long time. I had to tell myself that this is the lifestyle that I chose and that it won’t always be like this but that was my first time.
You had some great games in Austria? Why did you have to go early and what positives could you get from the experience?
As you can see, we were at the bottom of the league, and each game you go in with the intention and mindset of winning but that was far from reality at the end of the game. I spoke with my agent at the time about other opportunities and that’s when Bulgaria came about. I remember being on the plane from Austria to Bulgaria, looking outside the window over the clouds and telling myself to never get content with where you’re at or how you’re doing no matter how well you may be doing at the time because this is a business. The positives I got from it was I knew that I could have a great career playing overseas, made some great friends abroad, and got to experience different cultures and languages. I’m the first person in my family to be able to play professionally overseas so I try and make the most out of my experiences for my younger family members that may want to pursue a similar opportunity.
You began your career at College of Central Florida (JUCO) averaging 8.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 4.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 24.2%, FT: 73.5%. Every guy that I have interviewed that played JUCO has said that it was a grin, but one they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you? They hit it right on the money! JUCO is not for the weak because you have 12-15 players competing for the same thing. You have to go out every single day with a chip on your shoulder. You’re playing in some treacherous places and have to grind it out in the classroom and the court. If you’re not mentally strong, JUCO will for sure be a struggle.
How important was a guy like Tim Ryan? How did he help you make the transition to the NCAA?
Coach Ryan and coach Jake both helped me understand that I can have a successful career in life let alone basketball! They were the ones who told me that I would thrive at PG which is why I’m able to play both the 1 and 2. I struggled early because I didn’t know when to score and when to pass but those are the growing pains that come with it. They guided me through those pains and reassured to me that those pains will only make me stronger in the end. Now I’m playing in year 2 in my professional career and I have them, along with others to thank for that.
You then moved to McNeese State University (NCAA) averaging 6.9ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.9apg, FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 67.4%. This was your first season in the NCAA. How important was this transition for you as you continued to move forward going to other schools?
This year at McNeese was the year that set up the rest of my college years to come. I didn’t know what to expect or how I could become a better player for each team I played for. I struggled there because there was a lot of pressure I felt to perform at a high level each game but some games were better than others. I’m glad I transferred because I needed that reset to find myself within the game and find the love I was losing for the game during a challenging season.
You then played a season at Morehead State University (NCAA) averaging 6.9ppg, 2.2rpg, 3.1apg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 77.8%. In your first game you played against NCAA powerhouse Kentucky having 4/2/2 stats. What memories do you have of that game and playing future NBA players? It was exciting because not everyone gets to play a blue blood school. COVID didn’t allow us to play in an arena full of people but playing in front of Calipari was surreal. The players were of course athletic and their game was well rounded but my excitement came from the experience of playing in Rupp arena in front of a legendary coach.
You then made one more move playing at Denver University (NCAA) averaging 15.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.2%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 78.8%. this was your breakout season in the NCAA. How did your game grow that season? I was allowed freedom from coach Dub. He recruited me early and told me that I’d have the keys and he had the utmost confidence that I could come in to help lead DU to a great season. There’s a saying by Ray Lewis I believe, which is: “are you more afraid of a pit bull on a leash or off the leash?” That’s all I needed was a coach with confidence in me and to play freely. I credit him for allowing me that space.
You had so many great games there including a 32/6/4/3/1 game in an exciting 81-79 win over North Dakota. Was that your fondest memory there? I actually have that game downloaded on my computer. Any time I’m in a slump I refer to that game and watch it second by second. I would say that’s my best collegiate game ever because it was my career high in college. I have some many memories from DU but that one is definitely a top 3 moment.
How did head coach Jeff Wulbrun groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
One of the very first things he told us when we got to Denver during the summer is, “if you want to be a pro, then you have act like a pro” That goes from how you approach practice, games, recovery, extra reps. He put in the mindset of carrying myself as professional in every aspect of life.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Tae Gatlin? Tae is my guy, we talk every week, but Tae know what it is in them 1s lol.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced on a court that reached the NBA? Iso Joe! Joe Johnson man, he’s from the same city I am, and I grew up watching him as well. He’s a complete player, 6’8/6’9 and 250+. He can score on all levels and he make the game look so easy man. That’s probably the toughest but I give credit to players like Daryl Macon, Jaylen Barford, and Archie Goodwin! They all make me compete at the highest level possible every time we play each other.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? I love this question! Man, I’ve had so many good teammates. In no specific order, I’ll have to go: Braylon Steen, Calvin Allen, Carlos Dotson, De’Von Cooper, and Johni Broome. Honorable mentions, Jordan (Popi) Johnson and Tae Gatlin! First two are from High school and others were college teammates.
What is your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?
Easy money! MJ, Allen Iverson, Rajon Rondo, and John Wall
Who is your GOAT?
Michael Jordan!
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
There’s this trend of nostalgic themed movies making returns which I like the concept but some movies should be left alone and that for sure is one of them!
German Hoops 