Howard Hoops

Ron Howard Continues To Expand Creating The Howard Hoops Academy

Ron Howard is an ex player that spent many years overseas and since retiring has focused his energy on helping unknown players get exposure by organizing games and in many cases helping them find professional jobs. He founded Howard Hoops in 2013 where he brought numerous players overseas to help them find jobs and since 2018 has started the Howard Hoops academy where he helps train unknown players and help find basketball jobs. German Hoops has been covering his work since years and have interviewed him again about his current work.

Ron Howard CEO of HowardHoops and journalist Miles Schmidt-Scheuber have had a special bond since 2012. Howard has been organizing games for hungry and lesser known players to get that chance to showcase their skills while Schmidt-Scheuber gives the players media exposure

Ron thanks for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you at the moment?

Hey Miles it’s always a pleasure to talk to germanhoops.com. Thanks for having me. Currently I am in Santiago, Dominican Republic. For me Basketball right now is Amazing!!!

Tell us how Howard Hoops has grown and expanded in the last year? After your success with Howard Hoops in Europe, you now have gone forward with a new idea and started an academy. Tell me how you came up with this idea?

Howard Hoops has grown tremendously in the last year. We have now expanded to developing a Basketball Academy in Santiago, Dominican Republic . I wanted to start the Academy because I was tired of seeing players in America pay trainers who never been to the level these players want to get to. I felt I have the tools and the mind set to guide them in the right direction and the Dominican Republic was the place to be. It takes my players completely out of what their comfortable with in America and makes them fall in love with the process of knowing what it takes to be a Pro.

(more…)

Ron Howard (HowardHoops) I’m Bringing Players To The Best Country In Europe To Possibly Start Their Pro Career

Ron Howard is the CEO of HowardHoops who has been organizing professional games for years for unknown, but hungry professional players seeking that opportunity overseas to make a living playing the game that they love. He had a solid professional career in Europe mainly playing in Germany for teams like Stahnsdorf, Leitershofen, Achersleben and Limburg. He also played in Romania and Bulgaria and played at Cuesta JC (CJCAA), San Bernardino Valley JC (CJCAA) and Mayville State (NAIA). He is preparing two new Howard Hoops tours in Germany on July 28^th and in Tunisia in September. He spoke to German Hoops about Howard Hoops.

picture perfect 1744

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Ron Howard have a special basketball relationship helping players get signed to pro teams through HowardHoops

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

At the moment I’m in Minnesota!

We last saw each other last a little more than a year ago during the HowardHoops international tour. How have you kept busy in the last year?

Well since I last saw you I’ve transitioned back home to the states. Living in California training and coaching some of the top athletes around California.

(more…)

Lionheart Leslie´s Name Has Definitely Had An Impact On The Man He Is Today

Lionheart Leslie is a 22 year old 178cm point guard from Houma, Louisiana that recently finished a stellar college career at CS Fullerton. He started his basketball career in 2013-2014 with Blinn JC (JUCO) and as a freshman played 30 games averaging 9.0ppg, 2.6rpg, 3.6apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 79.5%. In his second season at Blinn JC (JUCO) he played 32 games averaging 14.7ppg, 5.1rpg, 5.7apg, FGP: 59.8%, 3PT: 52.1%, FT: 76.9%. In 2015-2016 he moved t CS Fullerton (NCAA) and as a junior played 29 games averaging 8.3ppg, 3.1rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 51.8%, 3PT: 29.2%, FT: 71.3%. In his senior year at CS Fullerton (NCAA) he played 31 games averaging 10.6ppg, 4.2rpg, 2.4apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 23.0%, FT: 75.8%. He recently took part at the Howard Hoops tour in Germany and spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Lionheart thanks for talking to German Hoops. Welcome to Germany. It is late summer 2017 and most guys are signed to play somewhere in the world except you. When you were nearing the end of a very solid senior year at Cal State Fullerton would you ever have thought you would be playing in with a basketball tour team in small gyms in the back woods of Germany?

To be honest, towards the end of my senior year I would’ve never thought I’d be playing ball in the back woods of Germany, but I am very humbled by this experience and thankful for this opportunity to play.

Ronald Howard is like a basketball savior for young hungry and at times unknown players just wanting to get their foot in the door. He continues to bring guys to Germany and a few weeks later they have jobs. How thankful have you been for getting this chance and do you see him as a savior?

There are not enough words to express how thankful I am for getting this opportunity to play. This is something that I will always be grateful for in my life. Ronald Howard portrays all the characteristics of a what a savior is because with given this chance, I’m able to continue to play the sport that I love and am passionate about.

Talk a little about your Howard Hoops experience. You really lit it up on the weekend and demonstrated why you had such a good career at Cal State Fullerton from 2015-2017. Did it sometimes feel like you were a man playing among kids?

I wouldn’t put it in that way, but the feeling was very much similar. Given this opportunity, I felt it was my time to showcase everything I got in the time that I was given. When I’m determined to do something, I put my mind and everything I have in me to do so.

(more…)

Ian Tevis (I Believe I Can Make A Name For Myself In Europe)

Ian Tevis is a guard from Seattle, Washington that played college ball at Red Deer College (CCAA). He was All-ACAC Player of the Year in 2017 and was nominated for the CCAA All-Canadian Team in 2017. He recently took part with the Howard Hoops international tour in Germany. He like so many other players is chasing his dream of becoming a professional player. He played strong with the Howard Hoops team and spoke to German Hoops about his special experience in Germany,

The 2017 Howard Hoops team after the 107-66 win against TV Idstein: From left to right: Jamal Curry, Miles Schmidt-Scheuber (basketball journalist), Ian Mikeel Tevis, Corey Lewis and Khalil Keel

Ian thanks for talking to German Hoops You are in Germany taking part in the Howard Hoops international tour. How did this all come about? Did you send Ron Howard videos or how did it come about that you could join this tour?

I got connected with Howard Hoops about a year ago when my good friend Chris Neal went on his tour. Me and Ron were in contact all year while I was finishing my last season in college.

You got off the plane on Friday played a game at night and three games on Sunday. That is 160 minutes of basketball in two days. How is your body holding out?

I am a gym rat. I live at the gym. I take pride in my conditioning so playing all these games back to back wasn´t a problem. No time to complain and I can´t afford to get sore. My body was definitely feeling it on Sunday. But if we had to play again I would have been ready.

Is this your first time in Germany. How do you like the country and is there anything here that reminds you of home in Canada?

I am actually from the United States. Seattle, Washington to be exact. But I have been in Canada the last few years. This is my first time in Germany and Europe! I like this country. It seems like simple living. Everyone minding their own business. Nobody has been mean or rude to me. I have just been walking around dribbling my basketball.

(more…)

Khalil Keel (I Am Never Satisfied Because If You Are Content Than The Next Person Will Outwork You)

Khalil Keel is a 188cm guard from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that like so many other players is looking to fullfil his dream of playing professional basketball. He has had extensive experience at the college level with schools like Lackawanna College, Lander (NCAA2) and Goldey-Beacom (NCAA2). He recently took part with the 2017 Howard Hoops international tour in Germany. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

The 2017 Howard Hoops team after the 107-66 win against TV Idstein: From left to right: Jamal Curry, Miles Schmidt-Scheuber (basketball journalist), Ian Mikeel Tevis, Corey Lewis and Khalil Keel

Khalil thanks for talking to German Hoops You are in Germany taking part in the Howard Hoops international tour. How did this all come about? Did you send Ron Howard videos or how did it come about that you could join this tour?

An agent that I know told me about the tour, then I reached out to Ron Howard and he gave me the information for the tour

You got off the plane on Friday played a game at night and three games on Sunday. That is 160 minutes of basketball in two days. How is your body holding out?

Playing games consistently after an 8 hour flight is brutal to the body, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t adapt to. I just had to give it my all regardless.

You were thrown together with a bunch of guys that you had never played with before with Howard Hoops all looking to fulfill their dream of playing professional basketball. Do you feel like after this weekends performance that you played to your best potential? You stated that you could have been more consistent.

Yes I feel as though I played well. I just always strive for perfection, so I can always use improvement.

(more…)

Ron Howard Ready To Open New Doors Again With Howard Hoops Showcasing Fresh Faces Ready To Be Discovered

In the dog days of summer there are always people playing basketball and even in the grueling Midwest heat where the only time to find a comfortable hour of basketball outside is possibly at 9.00pm when the sun is down and the air is a little bit more relieving, but then again if you are a player that is going after their basketball dream, there is no distance or conditions too unbearable. For seven players of one of the 2017 Howard Hoops teams in Germany, there was no 100 degree heat and steamy gym to contend with, but rather 62 degree weather and pouring rain and a 30 minute train ride from the international city of Frankfurt to the small town of Idstein that has a population of 24,000 and about as far away from the NBA as Puerto Rico is to ever winning the soccer World Cup. There isn´t much really too memorable about Idtsein except like so many small towns in Germany presents a breathtaking landscape similar to upstate New York as the most known athlete from Idstein is Max Hopp who is a dart player and where any non- resident could really get lost trying to find the A-3 highway in the pouring rain as finding the right turn was given with a small A-3 sign instead of the normal routine big sign that would make the drive a lot easier. Basketball players will do a lot on a Friday night in the hopes of being discovered in any way or impressing a manager a coach with their basketball skills. The Howard Hoops international tour has been a mainstay for a few years now as founder Ron Howard has developed it further step by step. This summer he already had a camp in Atlanta, Georgia as well as games in Germany this weekend in Idstein and Neu-Isenburg and games in England in September. Howard has been able to place numerous players in Europe and especially in Germany in the last years like Chris Miller, Chris Neal and Christopher Davis as his contact list grows day by day. It will be interesting to see where his track record will stand after this weekend?

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Ron Howard founder of Howard Hoops In Idsein Germany after the kick off his tour in Germany 2017

In Idsein there was a coach in the stands with Danny Stallbohm who also had his son Justin with him who will fire away from downtown like no other when he is on the court as they took in the action.

(more…)

Ron Howard Is The Basketball Mr Everything That Gives Unknown Players Hope With His Howard Hoops Opportunity

If you’re a German basketball fan and primarily follow the easyCredit BBL, you surely will be able to easily find the arena´s in big cities like Berlin and Munich, but if your driving through the beautiful countryside of Germany and town hoping, you may not necessarily know if that place has a professional basketball team if you aren´t caught up with the lower leagues like the Regionalliga, second Regionalliga or Oberliga. You won´t find the same caliber of players in these lower leagues then you would in the easyCredit BBL where guys like Rickey Paulding, Bryce Taylor and Quantez Robertson have become the identity players of the league and why people come to watch games. Very often it is these import players in German lower leagues that have some kind of special story and have made their dream come true usually coming from a lower college league, but not necessarily giving less than the BBL players, but often having a special kind of heart that only these type of players can have, because they never had an easy journey to get to the professional level. One of these guys is Ronald Howard. Three years ago, one could of discovered him earning a living playing in the Regionaliga in Limburg in a small school gym in front of not more than 300-400 people. At first glance, one may have thought that 196cm NBA star James Harden had gotten lost or secretly been loaned out for a game, but with closer scrutiny one would of seen the 15cm difference as it really was Ron Howard even if his goatee made him a dead ringer for Harden, but only if one was at more of a distance away. The American is quick to point out what he likes and dislikes about Harden and that having a goatee has nothing to do with him. “I think James is a good offensive player but he doesn’t play defense and that is what I can’t stand about James. Best PG in the league is tough for me because I don’t watch the NBA much because I love Euroleague but I give it to Kyrie that boy knows how to win and as a PG he must know how to be a winner. I grew my goatee out because I´m Muslim”, stated Ron Howard. Even if Howard had played for some other German Pro B teams and in Romania, his professional career was never a cake walk, but one in that he witnessed what lesser known players really go through as making the professional level has many hardships and twists and turns that he somewhat tackled and conquered. Once his professional career ended in 2014, he knew right away, that it was his duty to try to make the professional route for other Americans easier.

The first meeting between Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Ron Howard in Limburg in 2013

Currently Howard is 32 and will be turning 33 in August and had a short professional career, but at least he can always boast that he was able to live the dream of playing overseas.

(more…)