Eric Kibi is a 27 year old 198cm forward from Ontario, Canada that is playing his sixth professional season and first with C.B. Torrons Vicens L’Hospitalet (Spain-LEB Silver). Last season he played with Randers Cimbria Basketball (Denmark-Ligaen) playing 31 games averaging 10.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 70.2%. Two seasons ago h eplayed in Germany with the Hertener Loewen Basketball (Germany-ProB) playing 3 games averaging 4.7ppg, 8.0rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, left in Oct.’15, in Jan.’16 moved to KK Strsljen Gusinje (Montenegro-Erste Liga) playing 4 games averaging  3.8ppg, 5.5rpg, in Mar.’16 signed at London Lightning (Canada-NBL Canada) playing 23 games averaging 1.7ppg, 2.5rpg. He also played with Basketball Club Rendsburg (Germany-Regionalliga), Ottawa SkyHawks (NBL Canada) and BG Halstenbek/Pinneberg (Germany-Regionalliga). He started his basketball career in 2008 with Jacksonville College (NJCAA) where he played until 2010. He then played a season with UALR (NCAA) playing  29 games: 4.4ppg, 4.2rpg. He finished his college career in 2012 with Abil.Christian (NCAA2) playing  20 games: 8.2ppg, 5.7rpg, FGP: 60.0%. He spoke to German Hoops about his season in Spain.

Eric thanks for talking to German Hoops. Since the last time we spoke eight months ago you have had an exciting time playing with the Congolese national team and now are in Spain. How good is basketball life for you at the moment?

It’s definitely been a blessing these last few months, opportunities like this to represent a whole nation don’t come too often.

Before we talk about your newest and current challenge in Spain let´s talk about last summer and you playing with the Congolese national team at the Afrobasket Championships. What kind of experience was this for you and what did you appreciate most about having this opportunity?

It really was one of the most unique experiences I have ever been a part of. Being a kid born in Canada with parents from Congo I had never imagined that basketball would be the thing that allows me to return home to see my roots and origin. Also just like I said representing a nation of 80 million people with all the support was just amazing, I still get chills thinking about it.

The club went 2-2 and didn´t have the NBA players. Do you believe that this played a big role in how the team did?

Honestly we are proud of those Congolese guys who represent us In The NBA But We went through most of training camp without Bismack Biyombo(Orlando Magic) and Emmanuel Mudiay (New York Knicks). They still came into practice a few times to support us and encourage us but I think their NBA insurance was an issue. So all of training camp we knew we were going to the AfroBasket as underdogs, we were picked to finish 15th out of the 16 teams and the fact that we reached the quarter finals and defeated the defending champions Nigeria was a huge step in the right direction for basketball in our country I’m proud of what we achieved NBA guys or not.

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Eric Kibi is a 26 year old 198cm forward from Ontario, Canada that recently completed his fifth professional season and first with the Randers Cimbria Basketball (Denmark-Ligaen) playing 31 games averaging 10.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 70.2%. In the 2015-2016 season he played with the Hertener Loewen Basketball (Germany-ProB) playing 3 games averaging 4.7ppg, 8.0rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, left in Oct.’15, in Jan.’16 moved to KK Strsljen Gusinje (Montenegro-Erste Liga): 4 games: 3.8ppg, 5.5rpg, in Mar.’16 signed at London Lightning (Canada-NBL Canada) playing 23 games averaging 1.7ppg, 2.5rpg. Two seasons ago he completed his second season in Germany and first with Basketball Club Rendsburg (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 20,5ppg and 15,0rpg. He started his basketball career in 2008 with Jacksonville College (NJCAA) where he played until 2010. He then played a season with UALR (NCAA) playing  29 games: 4.4ppg, 4.2rpg. He finished his college career in 2012 with Abil.Christian (NCAA2) playing  20 games: 8.2ppg, 5.7rpg, FGP: 60.0%. In 2012 he started his professional basketball career with Abil.Christian (NCAA2) playing  20 games: 8.2ppg, 5.7rpg, FGP: 60.0% He then played with Ottawa SkyHawks (NBL Canada): 29 games: 4.4ppg, 4.7rpg. He spoke to German Hoops about last season in Denmark and his new experience with the Congolese national team.

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

Hey Miles thanks for the interview like always. I’ve had a great summer and was able to travel Europe a bit after the season then I got to see my family in Canada for two months then in early July I flew out to Congo for the Congolese National Team training camp and I’ve been here ever since.

This is our eighth interview in the last two years. When you look back to our first interview in the summer of 2015 before your season in Germany with Herten do you feel like time has really flown by as you have experienced very much playing also in Luxembourg, Montenegro, Canada, and Denmark?

Yes I can say time has really flown by, but I can say I feel much better now physically and mentally then I did then.

We last spoke in March 2017 as you were battling to get into the playoffs. Your team Randers did reach the playoffs, but got swept by Horsens. They had your number in the regular season having a 6-2 record. Was Horsens just a better team in most areas on the floor that enabled them to have a 9-2 record against you last season?

You could say they had our number yes but I felt that individually and talent wise we matched up with them very well but it’s not always about that. They were a better team than us and played that way definitely.

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