Justin Gray

The Longevity Of Justin Gray (U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca) Is Credited To Doing What He Does Best And Not Proving Something He Can´t Do

Justin Gray is a 33 year old 188cm guard from Charlotte, North Carolina that is playing  his 12th professional season and first with U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca (Romania-Liga Nationala). He is versatile enough to excel at point guard as well as big guard. An enthusiastic, high-energy guard who brings a swagger to the team. Gray is one of the team’s vocal leaders, possesses great quickness, and is an exceptional perimeter shooter. He started his basketball career at Wake Forest where he played with NBA superstar Chris Paul. Gray played at Wake Forest from 2002-2006 and in his senior year played 33 games: ScoreACC-4(18.2ppg), 3.6rpg, AssistsACC-5(4.3apg), 1.0spg, FGP: 36.7%, 3PTACC-4(36.1%), FTACC-5(83.4%): Finished career ranked 8th in Wake Forest history in scoring (1,946 points), 1st in three-point attempts (860), 2nd in three-point field goals (319) and 8th in assists (382). His 319 career three-point field goals are 7th best in ACC history. In 2006-2007, he started his professional basketball career and in 11 seasons has been the ultimate basketball globetrotter as he played in 13 countries like Belgium, Czech Republic, Poland, Greece, Ukraine, China, Germany, France, Turkey, Lebanon, Bulgaria and Belarus. He won two titles with CEZ Basketball Nymburk (Czech Republic-NBL) and three titles with Tsmoki-Minsk (Belarus-Premier League). Six years after last having played in Germany with the Fraport Skyliners, he sat down with German Hoops before a Champions League qualifying game in Ludwigsburg.

Justin thanks for talking to German Hoops. Welcome back to Germany. You are in Ludwigsburg preparing for a Champions League qualifying game. You never played against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. How excited are you to be back in Germany?

I am excited to be back in Germany. I had a good start with the Fraport Skyliners in 2011, but then got injured. I remember Germany as being a place where I was always treated well and fans were always in the arena´s. I am happy to play against Ludwigsburg tonight. It´s another new adventure.

It has been six years since you last played for a German club the Fraport Skyliners. Since then you have played in eight countries for eight teams. Before you landed in Frankfurt you had already played for seven teams in four countries. Do you feel like a basketball globetrotter at times?

Yeh you could say that. But nowadays it isn´t so typical for a player to be in one place for a long time. I am blessed that I have received so many opportunities from so many clubs in different countries. Teams wanting me is a testament to my skill and staying healthy. I will just continue to do what I do and hope teams continue to call my number.

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Justin Gray(Fraport Skyliners): Konrad Wysocki Was A Great Locker Room Guy

Justin Gray is a 27 year old 188cm guard from Charlotte, North Carolina that is playing his firstseason with the Fraport Skyliners. He is versatile enough to excel at point guard as well as big guard. An enthusiastic, high-energy guard who brings a swagger to the team. Gray is one of the team’s vocal leaders, possesses great quickness, and is an exceptional perimeter shooter. He started his basketball career at Wake Forest where he played with NBA superstar Chris Paul. Gray played at wake Forest from 2002-2006 and in his senior year played 33 games: ScoreACC-4(18.2ppg), 3.6rpg, AssistsACC-5(4.3apg), 1.0spg, FGP: 36.7%, 3PTACC-4(36.1%), FTACC-5(83.4%): Finished career ranked 8th in Wake Forest history in scoring (1,946 points), 1st in three-point attempts (860), 2nd in three-point field goals (319) and 8th in assists (382). His 319 career three-point field goals are 7th best in ACC history. In 2006-2007, he started his professional basketball career for Verviers-Pepinster (Belgium-D1): 32 games: 14.0ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.9apg, 1.0spg, 2FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 51.0%. In 2007-2008, he played for Dexia Mons-Hainaut (Belgium-D1, starting five): 36 games: 15.1ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.8apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 46.0%, FT: 89.0%. In 2008-2009, he played for CEZ Basketball Nymburk (Czech Rep.-NBL): Eurocup: 6 games: 15.5ppg, 1.3rpg, 3.8apg; Czech Rep. League: 43 games: 10.9ppg, 1.9rpg, 2.4apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 77.2%. In 2009-2010, he played for PGE Turow Zgorzelec (Poland-PLK, starting five): EuroCup: 6 games: 9.7ppg, 2.3rpg, 4.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 23.8%, 3PT: 31.1%, FT: 85.7%; Polish League: 30 games: 14.6ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 53.6%, 3PT: 34.2%, FT: 89.3%. Last season, he played for PAOK Thessaloniki (Greece-A1, starting five): Greek League: 18 games: 11.8ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 46.1%, 3PT: 31.4%, FT: 81.3%; EuroCup: 6 games: 11.5ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 40.7%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 79.3%, left in March’11, in Apr.’11 moved to BC Donetsk (Ukraine-Superleague): 16 games: 6.4ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.4apg, FGP: 37.5%, 3PT: 38.9%, FT: 70.4%2011: Guangzhou Free Man (China-NBL, starting five): 9 games: 24.4ppg, 5.4rpg, 3.0apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 37.8%, 3PT: 41.8%, FT: 85.4%.  He reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2004, was Czech Rep. League Champion -09, Czech Rep. Cup Winner -09, and played at the Polish League All-Star Game in 2010. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

You have played against Chevon Troutman in your career. Does he belong to the top centers in the beko BBL?

When he is at his best yes. He is a big key for the success of FC Bayern Munich. I would put John Bryant at the top with him.

How much of a factor was Muli Katzurin for you coming to the Fraport Skyliners?

He was very key for me coming to Frankfurt. I had played for him at Nymburk and know he coaches. Another important reason was that Frankfurt is a great organization and I heard only good things.

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Justin Gray Makes One Forget The Departure Of Dashaun Wood Just A Bit Leading The Fraport Skyliners Past Japan 89-73

It was 90 days ago where the Deutsche Bank Skyliners were as rudely kicked out of the semi finals of the 2011 Beko BBL playoffs by 8 time champion Alba Berlin in their own living room three times as if society lady Paris Hilton were to be declined a room in a Hilton hotel in Paris and banned to a kitchen closet. With ex Skyliners Dashaun Wood climbing the Great wall of China, Roger Powell getting ready for his first tour of duty as an assistant coach with Valparaiso, Dominik Bahiense De mello looking for a rain coat and playing one on one with ex NBA player Bobby Brown in Oldenburg, Jevohn Shepherd getting ready to take flight in Holland with Leiden and Pascal Roller going about his dad role more thoroughly and giving reliable basketball information on Sport 1, basketball life in Frankfurt was starting all over again now with Fraport on board. Frankfurt played their first official exhibition game in preparation for the upcoming season beating the Japanese national team 89-73, but memories of last season were still around with players. “It is always important to look forward, but we had  a great season last year. We had great team chemistry and 90% of it had to do with Gordie Herbert.  I am very happy for Dashaun Wood and my big brother Derrick Allen for winning the tournament in China. They are great guys and we will always have long term friendships. I think that Muli Katzurin will be able to bring team chemistry to this team. He is laid back, but can be tough to, but he just wants the best out of us. The biggest difference to last years team is that we are bigger inside this year”, stressed Skyliner guard Jimmy Mckinney. “We had good outside shooters last season, but this season with Justin Gray we have a real knock down three point shooter”, stressed Quantez Robertson.  It is always nice not to forget the past, but fans that witnessed the win saw a new team that has a lot of potential. The Fraport Skyliners were never seriously in danger of losing against Japan. “We were unselfish and ran the floor well. We got easy buckets on transition which helped”, stated 2011 Milwauke Bucks NBA draft pick Jon Leuer.  If it hadn´t been for the sharp shooting of Keijuro Matusi´s 26 points, Japan could of gone back to their hotel rooms at half time to watch the start of Germany-Israel as they would have been blown away early. “We gave up too many wide open shots. We played zone, but they moved the ball well. Our defense broke down. We like to play a fast paced game which we did more in the second half. We were more aggressive and got more stops”, stated ex Columbia guard Keijuro Matusi. “We played together as a team, were aggressive and executed our offense”, added Fraport Skyliner guard Quantez Robertson.

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