Ben Uzoma (210-C-1998) is a 27 year old 210cm center that recently completed his second season with the ETB Miners Essen (Pro B) averaging 7.8ppg, Reb-5 (8.6rpg), 1.4bpg, FGP: 55.8%, FT: 63.1%. He began his basketball career with Deutzer TV (Regionalliga). He then played 2 seasons and 37 games with the ART Giants Duesseldorf (ProB) averaging 2.8ppg, 3.1rpg and 2.4ppg, 2.4rpg. He then played 2 seasons with the Iserlohn Kangaroos (ProB) averaging 3.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.1bpg and 4.3ppg, 3.9rpg. He spoke to germanhoops.com after winning the 2026 Pro B title.
Thanks Ben for talking to germanhoops.com. Your 2026 Pro B champion. How good does it feel? Is this your personal biggest achievement as a player? It feels very good. We worked very hard for it, so it makes it even more enjoyable knowing how much work we put in.
Essen lost game 1 by 36 points and won game 2 by 41 points. Many are saying this is the greatest comeback in German basketball. How special do you rate this massive comeback? I don’t know about that, but for me personally it was special. You can’t write a better story than this.
You reached the Pro B final in 2022. Did you sometime have just a little doubt about when you would finally win that first chip? Even back in 2022, I was enjoying the moment because it’s not something that happens every day to reach the finals. Of course I wanted to win at least once, but yes, there were definitely moments of doubt.
What was the team feeling after the horrible 107-71 loss at Orange Academy? How much soul searching did the team do the days following? I think everyone dealt with it in their own way. But at the next practice everybody was locked in and I didn’t see anyone who had given up. Personally, I just focused on the next game. Not for a single second did I think there was no chance for us to win.
How key was head coach Lars Wendt? How did he help the team most in the days leading up to game 2? Our coaches tried to keep us motivated, but I think we were all on the same page. We had our emotional high in the series against Coburg, so maybe we weren’t fully ready for Ulm. The coaches helped wake us up again.
How quickly did the team know that game 2 would see only half of Orange Academy as all the talented youth players wouldn´t play because they were attending the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin?
Personally, I didn’t care. It’s tough for them because they had some very talented guys missing who played really well in the first game. But it wasn’t in our hands. It’s unfortunate for Ulm because they deserved it as well. Still, I’m sure they’ll be fine and win trophies in the future, even on a higher level.
Any other team could have underestimated Orange Academy. Why didn´t Essen?
As I said before, they had a lot of talent, probably some of the best young players in Germany. Nobody should have underestimated them.
What was the focus of Essen going in? I mean did you have a plan how you would come back through out a 40 minute game so you would have more than 36 points? Yes, the focus was to apply pressure and be as aggressive as possible. In the first game we played too slow and unfocused, so we wanted to do the complete opposite. It worked.
The team began well and led 53-32 at the break. Essen was playing well offensively, but still had to do more on the defensive end. What wasn´t functioning as well so far on the defensive end through the first 20 minutes? When you pressure that much, you also risk giving up some easy baskets and that’s what happened. But that’s part of it. In the end, it was the right decision and it worked out.
What did head coach Lars Wendt give the team for advice at half-time? Just keep going and don’t stop. We were either going to win with this game plan or lose with it.
In the third quarter Orange Academy actually played well for the first few minutes outscoring Essen, but then came a 14-0 run by Essen which changed the game. Basketball is a game of runs. We had momentum and used it for as long as possible.
Essen was up with 32 points with 10 minutes to play. Essen was in the drivers seat. Which player at this moment was a big motivator with words? To be honest, there wasn’t one specific player. From the players to the coaches to the staff, everybody was hyping each other up. As I said, we were all on the same page.
Essen began with a 10-2 run to lead 86-46. Now all Essen had to do was manage the lead to the buzzer. Essen then held Orange Academy minutes without scoring. Did you want it more than Orange Academy? I wouldn’t say that because they gave everything they had and got good looks. In the end, they just couldn’t make them.
Essen outscored Orange Academy 41-21 in the last half. Was this the best defense the team played in the season? Yes, I would say it was definitely up there.
Essen held their 2 best scorers Joel Cwik and Namouri Omog to 8/28 shooting and 25 points. How much of a focus was the defense on slowing them down? I think they weren’t used to us pressuring them that much. Compared to Game 1, they had a much harder time bringing the ball up the court. That also takes a lot of energy when you’re playing more than 30 minutes.
Quarshawn Lane had an incredible 28/11/10 game. Did you sense going into the game that he could have a type of game of his life?
Q was great all season. He was the MVP for a reason. Even after Game 1, I knew he was going to be ready. He performed and led us to this incredible comeback.
What was your fondest moment in the final in Essen against Orange Academy? Probably when we got the game sealing steal and layup at the end.
Gabriel Jung (185-PG-2001) is a 25 year old 186cm guard that played the 2025-2026 season with the ETB Miners Essen (ProB) averaging 6.6ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 41.3%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 86.8% and helping the team win the 2026 Pro B title. He began his basketball career in the Phoenix Hagen organization playing NBBL and also with Regionalliga team Hagen-Haspe. He got his first Pro B experience with the VfL SparkassenStars Bochum (ProB) and also played with Regionalliga team Herten. He played with Regionalliga team BSV Wulfen from 2022-2025 playing a total of 82 games and averaged 12/3/3 stats in the 3 seasons. He spoke to germanhoops.com about the Pro B title season.
Thanks Gabriel for talking to germanhoops.com. Your 2026 Pro B champion. How good does it feel? Is this your personal biggest achievement as a player?
Definitely my biggest achievement as a player. Last time I came come this far I had a very limited role so to reach this goal and having a real impact on the court makes it much more satisfying.
Essen lost game 1 by 36 points and won game 2 by 41 points. Many are saying this is the greatest comeback in German basketball. How special do you rate this massive comeback?
It was massive especially on the mental side to not give up after the first game. I think many people where already satisfied by just getting the promotion and would have been fine with 2nd place. But the way we played the whole season I knew that no one on the team would be fine with the second place.
What was the team feeling after the horrible 107-71 loss at Orange Academy? How much soul searching did the team do the days following? It was definitely a tough feeling getting dominated in that first game but we knew what we were capable of and just like after any other loss we just kept on working
How key was head coach Lars Wendt? How did he help the team most in the days leading up to game 2? Headcoach Lars Wendt came up with our gameplan and we worked on it during the days leading to game 2 which ended up being successful and got us mentally ready for probably one of our biggest game
How quickly did the team know that game 2 would see only half of Orange Academy as all the talented youth players wouldn´t play because they were attending the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin?
We knew that there was the possibility of them being compromised by the NBBL Top 4 but we really knew when they showed up to the gym on Sunday
Any other team could have underestimated Orange Academy. Why didn´t Essen? I think you can´t6 underestimate any team when you go into a game being down 36 points, we knew whatever squad would show up, we needed to play at our highest level
What was the focus of Essen going in? I mean did you have a plan how you would come back through out a 40 minute game so you would have more than 36 points? It was the plan to create kind of a wild game, press a lot, run a lot and just come back quarter by quarter
The team began well and led 53-32 at the break. Essen was playing well offensively, but still had to do more on the defensive end. What wasn´t functioning as well so far on the defensive end through the first 20 minutes? We gave up a couple of open layups when they beat our press and also got beat backdoor for easy buckets since we but a lot of pressure on the ball as well as off the ball, except for that I think we had a good first half defensively
What did head coach Lars Wendt give the team for advice at half-time? We needed to stay patient and dont try to rush it. We were almost there but we knew and also didnt really expect to erase the lead at the end of the 3rd quarter. So just continuing step by step.
In the third quarter Orange Academy actually played well for the first few minutes outscoring Essen, but then came a 14-0 run by Essen which changed the game. You made drives and Ben Uzoma a big dunk. What was key in the run for Essen? We started the 3rd quarter slowly which happend to us a couple of times during the season. But I think just hitting the switch, being more aggressive to the basket not necessarily settling for threes is what brought back the energy to the team and also to the crowd
Essen was up with 32 points with 10 minutes to play. Essen was in the drivers seat. Which player at this moment was a big motivator with words? I think Marc Friederici was the one who found the right words in these kinds of situation during the whole season. He already played in the final the season before and has the experience to help the team
Essen began with a 10-2 run to lead 86-46. Now all Essen had to do was manage the lead to the buzzer. Essen then held Orange Academy minutes without scoring. Did you want it more than Orange Academy? At that point in the season, having played already a lot of games and reaching the final both teams leave everything on the floor. I think it was also experience and having the crowd pushing you to go one step further was decisive.
Essen outscored Orange Academy 41-21 in the last half. Was this the best defense the team played in the season? Yes, probably. Not even because we held them to 21 points, but also fighting every possession through every screen and for every ball
Essen held their 2 best scorers Joel Cwik and Namouri Omog to 8/28 shooting and 25 points. How much of a focus was the defense on slowing them down? We had more of a team focused defense. At times we tried to take Cwik out of the game which worked more or less but we generally just tried to give nobody the space to feel comfortable.
Quarshawn Lane had an incredible 28/11/10 game. Did you sense going into the game that he could have a type of game of his life? While Q had a big season anyways it was insane to see how he could just switch in to another gear in big moments so it was no surprise and i had no doubt he would deliver the way he did.
What was your fondest moment in the final in Essen against Orange Academy? I couldn´t point out one moment it was just the whole gameday from the point of entering the gym, seeing the gym getting packed with a big crowd and having an incredible energy as a team
This was such a special season for the ETB Miners. Why was this team so special? I think it just starts with the dedication everyone put in every single practice. While we did not have a certain target in mind we just worked hard every day to get better. And we had a great team chemistry which is really important
The team lost only 5 games during the regular season. Was their a game during the season where you then knew, we will win the whole thing? No not really. Obviously as the season progesses your thinking about scenarios that could end up happening. But especially in the playoffs anything can happen so you got to stay humble and focused which we did
How vital was head coach Lars Wendt for the success? What was his biggest ability as a coach to be able to help bring success to the team?
The headcoach is always setting the tone from preseason on when the players are still getting to know each other which Lars did. And from there on he found a good balance of giving us strict instructions and just giving us the tools and letting the team create something on our own.
How special was it sharing the back court with Mychael Paulo? What part of his game will you always remember best? Mychael was very vital for our team because he could create something out of nothing. And even though in some games he didn´t find the target from the beginning on, he could get hot really quick and start a run on his own.
How valuable was sniper guard Marc Friederici? What besides his scoring helped the team be successful? As I said before Marc was very vocal during the whole season which, besides his game, made him very important for the team
How valuable were bigs Ben Uzoma and Niclas Sperber? What was each player´s biggest attribute for the success? I mean Niclas was our captain and could share a lot of his experience with the younger guys. He his probably one of the most versatile players I played with and that was probably his biggest attribute. Whatever we needed from him, he could deliver. With Ben it was just his pure strength and energy which gave us a mismatch in a lot of games on the big man position.
Which player was the most improved during the season? I think Ben is the most improved player for us. From not having the summer he wanted to have due to injury and maybe having kind of a slow start, from there on he delivered every game with pure dominance.
That players get lost in the shuffle with a team isn´t any different for fans and others affiliated with basketball to lose track and memory of a player that once played for an organization. It wasn´t any different for Richard Williams who had a very short stay with the Frankfurt Skyliners in the 2014-2015 season. All in all he played only 9 games and stayed 5 months. His memory may be very minimal for people in Frankfurt, but not as a player overseas. He carved out a stellar and long career having played a total of 16 seasons including 9 seasons in Germany where he established himself as a top 3 point guard in the Pro A season in and season out. The 38 year old who had a great career at San Diego State University (NCAA) is still playing actively and played in Austria last season and currently was still content on continuing his overseas grind. The Frankfurt Skyliners hauled in American player Jaedon LeDee (206-F-1999, college: SDSU, agency: Slash Sports) for the 25-26 season who also had an incredible career like Williams at San Diego State University. Sometimes guys can remember guys who played at their school, but in the case of Ledee, he couldn´t remember about Williams´s history at his school. But then again, Ledee was only 6 years old when Williams was a freshman. It is somewhat unique that both have an association to each other. “I am not too familiar with that name, but once an Aztec always an Aztecs. It’s cool to have that connection. It sounds like he went to Germany and had an impact, which is what I am trying to do. I want to be able to put my imprint on things and be successful”, warned Jaedon LeDee during the summer of 2025. Ledee attempedt to carry the great SDSU tradition of players overseas with the Frankfurt Skyliners, but left during the season to play with the Liaoning Flying Leopards (China-CBA)
Jaedon LeDee who lists Michael Jordan as his GOAT was born on July 25th, 1999 in Houston. He began his basketball career at Kinkaid high school. He was an all-state selection from 2015-2019. He then began his NCAA career at Ohio State and played 26 games averaging 3.0ppg, 1.7rpg. He scored in double figures 3 times including 16 points against Purdue. Even if his NCAA career got off to a rocky start, he was able to gain positives from it. “You never forget your freshman year of college. I made friendships and bonds that will last me a lifetime. I didn’t play as much as I wanted to. There are certain things in life that you come across that can make you stronger, or you can fold. It is one of the experiences I have had that has helped strengthen my faith since I have already been through adversity. I try to find the positive in things. It helped make me stronger and helped me become a man”, warned Jaedon LeDee. His next stop was Texas Christian University in 2019 playing 2 seasons and a total of 53 games. He averaged 2.7ppg, 2.9rpg and 5.8ppg, 3.9rpg in his 2 seasons there. He had severe growing pains again there and just couldn´t find his game as he had to play center which wasn´t his natural position. “TCU was a unique spot as well. I was playing out of position with not as many minutes as I would have liked. It was another place I could have quit and thrown in the towel. I didn’t let it stop me, and I kept pushing. It was the second place I didn’t think I had the opportunity that I deserved. God is too good, and he put me there for a reason. A lot of things in life are mental, so I think those two experiences helped make me stronger”, stressed Jaedon LeDee who will never forget his 1-1 battles with teammate Nate Mansah. “Nate is my guy. I worked out with him this week in San Diego. We had two years of battling – my red-shirt year and the year we played together. I love him to death, and he is a great guy. Nate is a great defender. I like to pride myself on offensive scoring. I like to play defense as well, but Nate is a great defender. We both got better in our battles”, stressed Jaedon LeDee.
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The forward who lists Desmond Bane (TCU), Matthew Bradley (SDSU), Aguek Arop (SDSU), Kendrick Davis (AAU team in high school), and Nathan Mensah (SDSU) as his 5 best teammates of all-time then made another change and then finally 3 was a charm as he joined San Diego State University. His first season was like a Cinderella story as he helped the school reach the Final 4 and the final averaging 7.8ppg, 5.1rpg, FGP: 50.5%, FT: 71.9% in that season. The 2023 NCAA run was incredible. The back to back tight wins over Creighton and FAU were unforgettable. Did he know that Lamont Butler´s shot at the buzzer would go in and beat FAU? “The NCAA run was a great experience. We fought all the way back in that game. I made a few buckets prior to Lamont’s shot. It was one of those moments that was almost magical. Lamont came down and hit that shot. He had made that shot many times before in practice. It was an awesome feeling, and I’m glad we were able to experience that as a team. It’s once in a lifetime for a lot of people, so I am glad we all got to experience that together”, stated Jaedon LeDee. In his second season, he really propelled his game to a new level averaging 21.7ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 57.5%, 3PT: 43.2%, FT: 73.4%. Were these 2 years some of the best times in his life? “Reaching the NCAA finals was an amazing experience. It’s something most college players never get to, so I am very grateful for that. It was in Houston, where my family lives and where I grew up, which made it even more special. My last year at San Diego State was also great. It was the first time in college I felt I was able to showcase my game as a whole and be me. Basketball was going well, and I had a great season. I was happy with my role, and when basketball is going well, everything else seems to be good too”, remembered Jaedon LeDee. In his senior year he scored in double figures in all 35 games and had 11 double doubles. He scored 20 points or more in 23 games including great games against SJSU and Washington. Did he have a favorite game? “ I wouldn’t put any game over the next. I am a very nonchalant guy. I take the business approach to basketball – it’s just another day in the office. I try not to overthink or overanalyze what we do. I just know we have to perform and be professional”, warned Jaedon LeDee. His game made great strides in his 2 years in San Diego and is thankful for the instrumental support by head coach Brian Dutcher. “I think how we do things at SDSU is very professional. I’m not sure what things are like overseas yet, but Coach Dutch is huge on developing us as men. We will go in, but we won’t practice long. Everything is with intention. He believes that if you want to be great, you have to come in outside of practice and put in the hours. As a professional, you have all this time to do things outside of practice and in life. Success depends on whether you choose to come in and do your job outside of required practice times”, commented Jaedon LeDee. He picked up many awards his senior year including All-MWC First Team -2024, MWC All-Tournament Team -2024, NABC Division I All-Americans Second Team -2024, NABC Division I All-District 17 First Team -2024, Sporting News All-America Second Team -2024, USBWA All-America Honorable Mention -2024, ESPN.com All-America Breakout Star -2024, ESPN.com All-America Third Team -2024, Jersey Mike’s Naismith Player of the Year Semifinalist -2024, NCAA East Region All-Tournament Team -2024, and the John R. Wooden Award All-American Team -2024
The Texas native who lists his NBA Mount Rushmore with guys Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe Bryant played NBA Summer League with the Minnesota Timberwolves averaging 2.6ppg, 2.0rpg and then split his rookie season with the Iowa Wolves (NBA G League) averaging 6.8ppg, 5.3rpg, FGP: 53.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 82.8%, in Feb.’25 signed at Salt Lake City Stars (NBA G League) averaging 4.1ppg, 5.4rpg. Every player has their rookie wake up call and it wasn´t any different for him either. “The wake-up call for me that I was not at San Diego State anymore on the basketball side was opportunity. At a certain point, everyone can play and everyone is good. The biggest thing is opportunity – who gets it? G-League teams have guys who they have already drafted and are paying a lot of money. It’s not always who is better than who. I think I woke up to the business side of things the most this year. I try to control what I can control, and when I am on the court, I try to let my game do the talking for me”, warned Jaedon LeDee. He played for head coach Ernst Scott with Iowa. With him he had another Germany connection as Scott played with Trier back in the day. “Coach E was a great guy. He was a straight shooter as well. He was always honest and helped us be the best players we could be. In Summer League and Iowa, he tried to help us become better men and better players. I have nothing but love for Coach E”, said Jaedon LeDee. He averaged 17 minutes with Iowa and 12 minutes with Salt Lake City per game. It is always tough having to compete with everyone else and the minutes What did he do mentally and physically to give himself the best NBA chance on a daily basis? “I tried to control what I can control. Some things are out of my control. I know the coaches and organization has certain things they have to do. The only thing I have to do is come in every day and work. When my opportunity did come, I was able to produce. I am pretty sure that when I got a lot of minutes and a bigger opportunity, I had a double-double or almost a double-double each game. The only thing I can control is my attitude, my effort, and how I perform in my minutes while staying professional”, expressed Jaedon LeDee. Is the NBA still a realistic goal for him? “Of course. I am going with the flow now. Europe is where I am going now. Life cannot be predicted as much as we may want to as human beings. God is in change. I am just going to be the best I can be every day, let my talent, God, and all the work I have put in take me where it needs to take me. I just try to be the best person I can be”, warned Jaedon LeDee.
He began his second pro season and with German easyCredit BBL team Frankfurt Skyliners. Some players will stay in the G-League 2-3 years before heading overseas. But then some guys will come overseas quicker than others. “The main reason is opportunity. I gave it a year. It was my first year out of college. I am fortunate to have had many people who have played and continue to play professionally in the NBA and overseas in my life. I have been able to go off their guidance and listen to what they have said. I feel like going overseas presents a large opportunity for me. I didn’t have the biggest opportunity in the G-League, so I wanted to be somewhere where I could continue to develop, improve my game, and showcase my skills. I gave the NBA a year, and if it’s meant to be later, it’s meant to be”, added Jaedon LeDee. He was excited for a new challenge in Germany and heard only positive things. I’ve heard good things about Germany through my friends who have traveled there and a few people who have played basketball in Germany. I’ve heard great things, like how westernized it is and how it should be an easy transition from what I am used to in the US. With regards to basketball, I know there are a few German players in the NBA; they have had success in the Olympics as well. I’ve talked to a few guys who were on the Skyliners last year and others who have played in the BBL. Everyone says it’s a great league with good competition and a great place to be”, said Jaedon LeDee. He knew that the Skyliners would be an organization where he would know exactly what he could do to make an impact. “My agent brought the opportunity to me, and after I talked to the coach and another representative from the team, I felt I would have a chance to come and be me with minutes to play. I felt I would have the opportunity to come in and change things around. The role and opportunity were really important to me, especially coming from the G-League, where my opportunity was not consistent. I know the importance of opportunity, and if you get the opportunity, you have to make the best of it”, said Jaedon LeDee. He couldn´t of picked a better coach to work with than Klaus Perwas in his first season overseas. “The talks with the Coach went well. We had a great conversation about what my role would be and what I would bring to the team. He was very straightforward, and I really appreciated his honesty. I did not know he was a part of the German staff, which is pretty cool. I have only heard good things about him as a coach and I felt good about our conversation when we spoke”, added Jaedon LeDee,
So what kind of a player did the Frankfurt Skyliners get in Jaedon LeDee who didn´t watch Coming to America 2, because he didn´t like the age gap as Eddie Murphy was very young in the first Coming to America, so he thought it might be weird seeing him so much older in a similar role. One thing was for sure. He won´t be 1-dimensional, but moreover a guy like a Rasheed Moore who could have had versatility as his middle name. “I think my game is kind of unique. It’s one of the things I pride myself on. I am very versatile – I can dribble, I can shoot, I can pass, I can score, rebound, and defend – I can do it all. People I watched growing up were Julius Randal and Carmelo Anthony. I liked to watch them, because they were stronger and bigger guys who can do it all. They can score inside and outside and play make. My favorite player is Michael Jordan. I watched him a lot growing up too. I try to take pieces from each of their games and make it my own”, warned Jaedon LeDee. Coach Perwas described him as a physical player that has an unbelievable will to win. Was that will cultivated mostly at SDSU (NCAA) or did he already have that before that? “I have always been a competitor. The basis of any sport or anything in life is your will to compete and go hard. My family has instilled that in me at a young age. I played football growing up, and I hate losing. I never want to lose. I think that is where it comes from. I try to be the best I can be when I step foot on the court and be the best I can be off the court as well”, said Jaedon LeDee. His three pointer still seems to be a work in progress. He shot 43% in his last season at SDSU, but in the G-League under 30%. He went on to shoot 22% from outside with Frankfurt “My three-pointer is something I want to keep working on. I am a rhythm player – I score in bunches. I wouldn’t say I’m a straight-out three-point shooter. I like to mix it up. I drive, get to the rim, get offensive rebounds, and shoot the mid-range really well. Once I am in rhythm, that’s where, if I get a three, I’ll knock it down. When I was shooting in the high 40s at SDSU, my opportunity was so great that once I was in rhythm, I would knock them down. Any shot felt good. Once I get rolling, I will hit 7/10 threes once I get a feel for things. In the G-League, I was put in a role where I was not touching the ball much and playing off others. That was an adjustment. The teams I was on really only wanted three’s, which was a different role I had to adjust to. Going 5 minutes straight without touching the ball and then having to shoot a three is not the easiest job in the world”, stated Jaedon LeDee. But he planned not only making an impact on the offensive end, but also on the defensive end. “I always want to keep growing and getting better, but I think I am a very good defender. At SDSU, we switched 1 through 5. Pretty much every team I have been on has switched 1 through 5, keeping a body in front of a body, keeping a man in front of a man. If everyone can guard and guard every position, it makes a team every position. That is who I am on the defensive side – I can switch 1 through 5 and compete”, warned Jaedon LeDee. He continued to work very hard in the gym so he could be his best version when the season started. “My mindset is to leave no stone unturned. I like to work on everything in my game. There are things I put emphasis on, like getting a lot of reps on the three. I work on everything every day because you play different teams that have different scouts, and they give you different looks. If someone is one-dimensional, it’s easier to guard you. If you can do everything, how can they stop you? I work on post work, guard work, inside-outside – keeping everything tight”, stressed Jaedon LeDee. Unfortunately Ledee left the club for China instead of remaining with the Skyliners to finish the season. He averaged 17.8ppg, 9.5rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 72.9% and won some games for Frankfurt with his individual class. One has to wonder if the Skyliners would have made the playoffs with his services. They surely would have had a good chance winning some of the close games they lost in the last month. It wasn´t a classy move from him to go, but basketball is a business and sometimes a club will get the short end of the rod. The Skyliners surely learned from this experience as did LeDee. It will be interesting to see how LeDee´s career continues. He may have gotten the big bucks in the far east now, but will surely be back in Europe again soon to display his versatile game.
Jonathan Almstedt (208-C-1999) is a 26 year old 208cm center that completed the 2025-2026 season with the ETB Miners Essen (ProB) averaging 8.0ppg, 5.1rpg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 57.6% and helped the team win the Pro B title. He has previous Pro A experience having played 3 seasons with the ROMERSTROM Gladiators Trier (ProA) playing a total of 89 games. Previously he played 2 seasons with SG DJK Saarlouis-Roden/BBF Dillingen (Regionalliga). In the 2023-2024 season he played with the Iserlohn Kangaroos (ProB) averaging 6.0ppg, 4.5rpg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 84.2% and in the 2024-2025 season played with the EN Baskets Schwelm (ProB) averaging 12.0ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 68.8%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 57.9%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after helping win the Pro B title
Thanks Jonathan for talking to germanhoops.com. Your 2026 Pro B champion. How good does it feel? Is this your personal biggest achievement as a player? Thank you for having me. It feels great obviously and yes basketball wise this is my biggest achievement so far.
Essen lost game 1 by 36 points and won game 2 by 41 points. Many are saying this is the greatest comeback in German basketball. How special do you rate this massive comeback? It was definitely a very special game. Was it the greatest comeback in German Basketball history? I don’t know…it was definitely a big one and I´m happy that I was on the winning site on this one. Now when I think of it, we once came back from a 20 deficit in just one quarter when I was in Trier against Leverkusen and that was also a special one.
Did you ever have doubts the last years of ever winning a title in your career? There were phases when thoughts like that came up, but there was never the ultimate goal to win a title. For sure I had the wish to play in a successful team and be a contender for the championship and promotion. But like I said I never pictured myself winning a title or something like that, I’m just grateful that I’m able and allowed to play professionally and that we won it all this season is even better.
What was the team feeling after the horrible 107-71 loss at Orange Academy? How much soul searching did the team do the days following?
Well, what can I say…of course it was pretty quiet on the 7 hour bus ride back to Essen and everybody needed some time to process what just happened. But from the next day on, we all knew that it’s not over until it’s over and if they can do that at home we can do the same in our gym. So, all in all there wasn’t that much “soul searching”. There was nothing we could have changed, that’s why we focused on what we could to better keep the title in our gym.
How key was head coach Lars Wendt? How did he help the team most in the days leading up to game 2? I mean what do you want to do if you lose by 36 in the first game. All he could do was fix the strategy and find some solutions to what went wrong and how we can put them under so much pressure that they might struggle as well. Besides that, he gave his best to keep the moral up and make us believe that we can still do it and I would say the result speaks for itself.
How quickly did the team know that game 2 would see only half of Orange Academy as all the talented youth players wouldn´t play because they were attending the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin? To be honest we knew before game 1 that there is a chance that half of the team would play the NBBL Top4 in Berlin that weekend, but of course we didn’t know rather they would make it to the final or not. So that’s why we needed to wait until they played their semifinal and after that we knew that they might not come with their full roster. However, that didn’t influence how we prepared for the second game.
Any other team could have underestimated Orange Academy. Why didn´t Essen? We never underestimated any team during the whole season, and I think that’s already the answer. The coaches did a great job preparing us for our opponents, it didn’t matter rather they were lower or higher placed in the table.
What was the focus of Essen going in? I mean did you have a plan how you would come back through out a 40 minute game so you would have more than 36 points?
Keep the pressure up, Fight and All Out until we have those 40 points. There is really nothing else you can do when you go into a Game with a 36 points deficit.
The team began well and led 53-32 at the break. Essen was playing well offensively, but still had to do more on the defensive end. What wasn´t functioning as well so far on the defensive end through the first 20 minutes?
Leading by twenty at halftime. That’s pretty much what you want if you must make up 40 points. Of course, we could have been a bit more consequent in defense and be up by a little more, but if you go all out for twenty minutes its normal that you have some minutes where the opponents get a little momentum.
What did head coach Lars Wendt give the team for advice at half-time? To be honest I can´t say much about that, because our doc and I changed my cast (I had to wear one because I got myself a lymphangitis in between the two games) during the halftime (haha)
In the third quarter Orange Academy actually played well for the first few minutes outscoring Essen, but then came a 14-0 run by Essen which changed the game. You made drives and Ben Uzoma a big dunk. What was key in the run for Essen? I can´t say much to that either. Because, like I said, I did not play due to my injury. It just took us a couple minutes to get back to that intensity especially in defense. But after this short low I think the guys did a tremendous job by not letting them score in the paint and collect the rebounds to go and score quick on the other side of the court.
Essen was up with 32 points with 10 minutes to play. Essen was in the drivers seat. Which player at this moment was a big motivator with words?
I think Marc Friederici is our guy in those moments to speak up and make sure that we really keep going until the last second is played. He was our emotional Leader and on the other hand we have Nic Sperber with all of his experience and calmness, who knows how to stay cool in those situations to make the right decisions. Those two, that’s why they are our captains, are probably the perfect combination for those kinds of games.
Essen began with a 10-2 run to lead 86-46. Now all Essen had to do was manage the lead to the buzzer. Essen then held Orange Academy minutes without scoring. Did you want it more than Orange Academy?
I´m sure Ulm wanted it as much as we wanted it. But I think they were just out of gas at this point and kind of stunned by how we played them. Furthermore we didn’t want them now to take what we worked so hard for the last 35 minutes of this game and the whole season before that, as well at home in our gym and in front of our fans and families. We worked too hard to lose at that point.
Essen outscored Orange Academy 41-21 in the last half. Was this the best defense the team played in the season? I don’t know if this was our best defense we played in the whole season, but it was a really good one and probably the most important one.
Essen held their 2 best scorers Joel Cwik and Namouri Omog to 8/28 shooting and 25 points. How much of a focus was the defense on slowing them down? I´m not a big analyst of games I have to say, but yes in the end it was probably one of those keys to success to slow those two guys down and maybe let others create, who are not used to create for the team.
Quashawn Lane saved his best for last with a 28/11/10 game. Where would the Miners have been without him?
I don’t want to imagine that and the good thing it and I don’t have to. Q played a hell of a season and is/was the ultimate Teammate. Words can´t tell how much I and the team appreciated what he has done for us. That’s why he is the MVP and he deserves it. But I also have to tell that we had an amazing group this year all the way from the starting 5 to the bench and beyond. Everybody gave his all into the Team so that we were able to reach the ultimate goal. Nobody could have done that alone.
What was your fondest moment in Essen against Orange Academy? Probably the celebrations on court after the game, when we all realized that we really did it.
Ontario Chapman (193-F) is a 193cm guard who is seeking the professional career overseas. He has experience having played in the States at Anoka Ramsey Community College, Presentation College, Texas A & M Texarkana and William Penn. He took part at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine and spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Mustafa for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. How excited are you to taking part and showing your talent?
I am extremely excited to participate in the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. Basketball is always better when you’re surrounded by other Pro/Future Pros. Being surrounded by other high-level players increases one’s hunger to compete.
How did you find about the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you? I found out about the offer through my professional trainer Ron Howard. I believe this was perfect for me specifically due to the recommendation from Ron. Trusting my trainers’ judgement and being physically and mentally in the right place at the right time sealed the deal for me. Knowing that this combine gives me the opportunity to showcase myself against high-level competition.
What is your impression of the man in charge Ron Howard? Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs? Not only is Ron my trainer, he was also my Coach at Anoka Ramsey CC. Ron is also like a big brother/ mentor to me. I am more than aware of his track record both as a player and the guy behind the scenes pushing and advocating for guys like myself. Ron has had a major hand in my development as a player.
What do you appreciate most about Ron Howards character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career? I appreciate most that he has practiced what he continuously preaches. Not only has he actually been in the field, but he has things to show for it. His drive as a trainer is contagious to any player who really wants it.
Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 195cm wing. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? Even at 195cm, my game is comparable to Lebron James with the all around aggressive game and skill to go along with it.
What are your biggest strengths on the offensive end and do you have a hidden strength in your game that doesn’t always get noticed right away? Offensively, my biggest strength is my ability to attack the basket and always be able to get a paint touch. A hidden strength of mine that isn’t always noticed right away is my passing ability and my overall all round basketball IQ.
Talk about your shooting. Your three pointer is still one in progress. Where do you see it currently and what steps do you still need to do to be an even more consistent shooter? Currently, I do believe that I am a 3 point threat to defenses. I am a volume that, if I am hitting shots behind the arc early then it could be a long day for defense. I am consistently working on my 3 point game to become a complete threat. I believe the only steps that need to be taken are consistency within my confidence and more reps in the gym, there’s always more work to be put in.
Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school and where do you see your playmaking at the moment? My game has grown tremendously since high-school. I was never the most talented but I always knew hard work, when you lack the talent that others have, you have to make it up through your effort. I was once known as a rebounding slasher and now that I’ve transformed into a 3 level scorer, it makes myself and my playmaking ability a threat. I am an E2 type player, meaning I excel at engaging 2 defenders and putting pressure on the opposing team. This has led to being able playmake for others with no issue.
Talk about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become? I take pride in defense, on ball and off ball I like to disrupt the defense. On the ball, I am a very physical but disciplined defender, I am not afraid to make someone uncomfortable. Off the ball, I communicate, I use my length and athleticism to jump passing lanes and I play team defense.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game? I am always working on ball-handling and shooting. These are two things that I believe are currently in a good place, but areas one could never be complacent about.
You finished school in 2024, but didn’t find a pro season the last 2 seasons. How tough has the grind been for you? The grind has been extremely tough. There’s been times I struggled with motivation, but there was never a time that I wanted anything easy. I had a short stint in the TBL, with a team in New Jersey but a few things led to me going home after pre-season, things outside of basketball and out of my control. I have played in pro combines, G league tryouts and realized that I am a Pro and I do belong. Patience is one of my strongest qualities and the road being so tough has made me a man. I enjoy the grind and the journey because the reward will mean so much more, I’ve yet to come across anyone who is willing to outwork me for it.3
How big is the chip on your shoulder? You played at 5 schools and are still seeking that pro job? What keeps you going?
The chip on my shoulder is huge. I have always been one to do whatever it takes for me to be on the court. I don’t know how to quit, I don’t know how to give up, I don’t know how to just go through the motions. That chip on my shoulder is a reminder that I have been a lot of places and played with a lot of people. One thing they will all tell you is once upon a time I wasn’t a pro, but the amount of work I have put in while no one was watching has made me into one. Have you had a 9-5 job to help ends meet. If yes what have you been doing and how tough is it doing that grinding in the gym at night? I did not come from much, everything I have and everything I’ve done I had to earn. Since graduating college I have always had 2-3 jobs at a time while also still making time to hit the weight room and the basketball court. I am active and doing something 7x a week to increase my game. While also working 7 days a week. Right now I am currently a County Case Manager for waived clients with disabilities and I also work as a Recreation leader at a community center, both jobs full time work. There are times I even work as an Instacart shopper during my spare time. Regardless of my work schedule, I make time every day to work on my game on the court and in the weight room.
You played a season at The Crown College (NCAA3) playing 5 games averaging 1.6ppg, 2.2rpg. That was almost 10 years ago. What memories do you have of that time?
This was a very confusing time for me. I was a young boy coming out of high school with a lot of NAIA and Juco offers. Outside of coaches, I didn’t have much guidance and help on where to go. All I knew was that people were familiar with the NCAA name, no matter what the level was so I made a last minute decision to attend Crown. Regardless of it being a D3 school, Crown taught me that there are hoopers everywhere amongst all levels and from all around the world. Crown also taught me how to navigate college politics, while being willing to accept when one’s game needs more work . Crown college taught me at a very young age about accountability.
You then played a season at Texas A&M University-Texarkana (NAIA) playing 3 games averaging 2.0ppg, 2.7rpg. How tough was this time? It was during Covid. How do you remember this time? What were the biggest challenges then? Texas A&M was one of the best programs I have ever been a part of and I learned a lot in my short time under Coach Ryan Wall. I transferred into A&M and second semester and I do believe that had I started the season with the team, my productivity and performance would have been a lot different. I also believe that had I returned to A&M, my college career would have gone a lot different and I would have possibly already been a Pro by now. Being that this was during Covid, all we had was basketball and that’s all we did, the system was meant for winners, the staff were meant for breeding winners, the culture was for winners. Nothing was easy at A&M but everything was worth it. The only challenges I had was trying to find my place after transferring in when the team already had an identity.
You played 1 season at Anoka-Ramsey Community College (JUCO) averaging 12.9ppg, 7.1rpg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 33.8%, FT: 61.8%. What kind of a player did you become in JUCO under Ron Larson? That season at Anoka Ramsey was my best Collegiate season specifically because of the confidence I had gained that summer prior. Going from laying under Ryan Wall, to playing under Coach Larson and Coach Howard was the perfect recipe. I am a 6’4 Guard, who’s been forced to play the forward and center position since I started playing basketball. At Anoka Ramsey, I wasn’t put into a box. I was a part of a system that allowed me to show the work that I had been consistently put in. I was surrounded by a group of guys that trusted me and respected my game and it showed. The coaches also respected my work ethic and trusted me to be an important piece to that squad. I was supposed to play under Ron Larson the year prior but I chose to go to Texas due to Anoka Ramsey not having a season during Covid, the summer before 2021-2022 season at Anoka, I told Larson I wouldn’t be returning to Texas and instead I was coming back to MN. Ron’s excitement at the news told me everything that I needed to know.
Every guy that I have interviewed that played Juco have said that it was a tough grind, but one he wouldn’t have traded the world for. How was it for you? Juco was exactly that. Every teammate and every opponent knew that Juco was survival of the fittest. Every individual in Juco knows that time and work is sensitive and every day matters. Juco was an extremely tough environment on and off the court but it was extremely beneficial towards character development. It wasn’t one I would trade for anything, Juco brings that dog out of you.
You then played a season with Presentation College (NAIA) averaging 7.3ppg, 4.0rpg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 72.7%. What was the NAIA like and what kind of a role did you have there? The NAIA is a lot tougher than most like to give it credit for. After my season at Anoka Ramsey. I ruptured my Patellar tendon in my left knee, suffering the worst possible injury one could do to the knee. The recovery process was one of the hardest mentally, physically and emotionally that any basketball player should have to go through. There was a point where many people believed basketball would be done for me forever, at the peak of my Collegiate career. I only played less than half of the games at Presentation as it took quite a while to get medically clearer. Looking back, I feel as if I was in a rush to return to basketball and I returned to play too early. My role at Presentation was to give the team energy. Outside of pushing my teammates all season long, since I wasn’t completely healthy I do not believe that I had a defined role.
You then played at William Penn University (NAIA) averaging 5.1ppg, 4.8rpg, FGP: 56.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 58.2%. How did Jon Henry give you that last push as a player in your development? Although I did not have the role that I wanted at William Penn and the season did not go as planned, William Penn turned me into a Pro. The culture, the mentality, the play style and the teachings of William Penn basketball under Coach John Henry is what anybody chasing the Pros should experience. Henry didn’t accept short cuts, he didn’t accept excuses, he didn’t accept the loser mentality. Offensively and Defensively, William Penn is a school where any player who loves the game of basketball, loves to win, loves championships and loves to compete is going to walk away with the mindset of becoming a Pro. Coach Henry breeds pros, plain and simple. After leaving William Penn. I didn’t play my normal position during the season, but physically and mentally I was in one of the best positions to seek pro basketball that I could have ever been in. I graduated from William Penn with a killer mentality.
Who won a 1-1 in practice, you or Jason Priah? Shout out to my guy JP, but that goes to me, slaughterhouse.
What is your biggest dream as a pro player? To win a Championship at the highest level. I’ve tasted individual awards, I’ve tasted playoff experiences, I’ve even tasted championship games, but I have never completed the mission. My goal is to not only be a pro, but to be a champion as a pro.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA? Jericho Sims, I went to Community of Peace Academy and he went to Cristo Rey Jesuit, both charter schools. Jericho is a talented freak of nature standing at 6’10 and extremely mobile. For someone only 6 ‘4 and at the time in High-school I was 6’ 1, very tough cover.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? This is tough because I played with so many great teammates but I will make this list based on who were certified killers.
Isaiah Cabrera Kobe Powell Keegan Oyugi Edward Milton Kemba Bell Honorable Mention ( D’andre Caster, Bryant Jefferson, Davonte Craven)
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time?
1.Lebron James 2.Derrick Rose 3.Carmelo Anthony 4.Michael Jordan
Who is your GOAT? LEBRON KING JAMES
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone? I don’t think I was able to watch more than 10 minutes of the movie.
Dan Thornton is a 180cm guard that has gathered valuable experience at Tennessee Wesleyan University and Tennessee Southern. He spoke togermanhoops.com before playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine.
Thanks Dan for talking to germanhoops.com. You’re playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. How excited are you to taking part and showing your talent? I’m very excited to be invited and allowed to participate in the upcoming Las Vegas Overseas Combine. I’m looking forward to showing my talent and what I can do on the floor.
How did you find out about the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you? I was looking for a lot of opportunities this summer, whether it was going overseas or finding a great place to showcase my talent. I wanted to play in front of people who could help put me in a better position basketball-wise, and I felt like this was the right opportunity because of Coach Howard’s background and everything he has accomplished.
What is your impression of the man in charge, Ron Howard? Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs?
I think Coach Howard is a great guy. I appreciate him working with me to help get me here. At first, I wasn’t fully aware of his track record of helping players get overseas jobs, but we’ve had conversations about it. I’ve had some financial burdens in the past that kept me from pursuing certain opportunities, but now I’m focused on maintaining good relationships and taking advantage of every opportunity. Coach Howard has been great to work with.
What do you appreciate most about Ron Howard’s character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career?
I think Coach Howard’s ability to find diamonds in the rough and put them in positions where they can showcase their talent is amazing. He gives players an opportunity to prove themselves.
You played at Tennessee Wesleyan University and at the University of Tennessee Southern. Do you have any previous pro experience?
My closest experience to professional basketball would probably be playing semi-pro before college. It was an eye-opener to the next level. I haven’t played professionally yet, but it’s something I’ve been chasing for a long time. College was a great experience, and now I’m ready to take my game to the next level.
You finished school in 2024. How do you make a living? Do you have a 9-to-5 job and grind on your game at night?
After I finished school, I tried a few different career paths. I enjoyed coaching, but now I mainly work in logistics. I wanted something that wouldn’t put too much wear and tear on my body because I still want to play professionally. Working in logistics allows me to continue training, improving my game, and keeping my body prepared.
Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 188 cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player, who would it be? If I had to compare my game to an NBA player, I’d say Collin Sexton. I also enjoy watching Josh Hart and Davion Mitchell. I like smaller guards who play hard, compete every possession, and impact the game in multiple ways.
You’re a guard who can really fill the stat sheet. How important is versatility in your game? Versatility is everything in my game. I’ve never wanted to limit myself to being just a 3-and-D player or someone who only fills one role. I want to help my team in every category, whether it shows up in the box score or not.
Talk about your shooting. Where do you see it currently, and what steps do you still need to take to become a very consistent shooter?
I work on my shooting a lot. It’s one of the biggest areas I want to showcase. My goal is to become a 40% three-point shooter. That comes from confidence, repetition, proper mechanics, and keeping the same routine every day.
Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school, and where do you see your playmaking today?
My playmaking really grew around my sophomore and junior years. One of my assistant coaches made me the captain of our development team. I had to learn how to create opportunities for teammates and put them in positions to succeed. That experience helped me understand the game at a much higher level.
Talk about your defensive game. What kind of defender are you right now, and what kind of defender do you still want to become?
Defense is something I take a lot of pride in. I love guarding the other team’s best player. I don’t care if I score zero pointsas long as I make the big stop, get a block, take a charge, or make the right rotation, I feel like I’ve done my job. I believe I can guard positions one through four, and I still have a lot of room to grow defensively.
What areas of your game are you working on the most right now? Right now I’m focused on finishing through contact, playing off two feet, making smarter decisions, getting to the free-throw line more consistently, and becoming a better communicator on the court.
Talk a little about your time at Tennessee Wesleyan University and the University of Tennessee Southern. What was your fondest moment? I had a great experience at both schools. At Tennessee Southern, I spent about four years there, growing from a redshirt player into a team captain. That experience taught me a lot about leadership and the game. At Tennessee Wesleyan, I felt like I became a spark for the team. Some of my favorite memories were making big shots and being someone my teammates could rely on.
How key was head coach Dugan Lyne in your early basketball development?
I loved working with Coach Dugan Lyne and the coaching staff. Before I transferred to Tennessee Wesleyan, Coach Lyne challenged me to become a more confident catch-and-shoot player and a more aggressive scorer. That advice changed my mindset and helped me elevate my game.
What is your biggest dream as a pro player? My biggest dream is to win a championship. Whether it’s a championship ring or lifting a trophy, that’s the ultimate goal and would be the perfect reward for all the hard work I’ve put into this game.
Who is the toughest player you’ve ever faced that reached the NBA? The toughest player I’ve ever played against was Terry Taylor. We played in pickup runs, and he was an incredibly aggressive scorer. You could immediately tell he was an NBA-level player.
Please name your five best teammates of all time. Adarion Hudson, Kendall Wright, CJ Greer, Kaveion Hancock, and Darren Jenkins.
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Stephen Curry.
Who is your GOAT? My GOAT is Allen Iverson. Right behind him is Kobe Bryant.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming to America? Should they have left it alone?
I haven’t seen the sequel. I’m not really a big movie guy, but from the reviews I’ve heard, it wasn’t as good as the original. Sometimes it’s best to leave a classic alone.
Johnathan Boatright (190-SG-1994, college: GSU) is a 31 year old 190cm guard from Illinois who as pro experience with Basketball Academy of Moldova (Moldova-Divizia Nationala). He began his basketball career at Joliet Junior College (JUCO) and then played 2 seasons at Governors State University (NAIA) averaging 7.9ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 75.6% and 17.1ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.1apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 47.1%, FT: 73.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before taking part at the TRSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine.
Thanks Jonathan for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. How excited are you to taking part and showing your talent? I’m very excited to play in this combine. I really needed this opportunity to showcase my talent
How did you find about the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you? Coach Howard´s Instagram page is how I found it and I knew this time around I’ll be ready
What is your impression of the man in charge Ron Howard? Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs? I believe coach Howard is a great guy and hard working man on and off the court. I’ve seen a lot of things he has done for others and I know he’ll do what he can for me as well.
What do you appreciate most about Ron Howards character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career? He is 100% understanding and transparent and he can relate with you on all aspects.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 190cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? I would say Russell Westbrook because I play the game so hard no matter what you’ll get 100% from me every single game.
What are your biggest strengths on the offensive end and do you have a hidden strength in your game that doesn´t always get noticed right away? I’m a 3 level shooter but what will surprise you about my game is my court vision I can really pass.
Talk about your shooting. Where so you see it currently and what steps do you still need to do to be an even more consistent shooter? My shooting is great. You really can’t leave me open but I want my shooting to be to a point where you have to guard me by half court.
Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school and where do you see your playmaking at the moment? My playmaking grew in school because I love PNR game that’s my specialty.
Talk about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?
I’m a great defender at the moment. Defense wins you championships and I always pride myself on the defensive end. I want to be an even better lockdown defender.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game? Being even more crafty at the rim honestly.
You played a season of pro ball in 2021-2022 with Basketball Academy of Moldova (Moldova-Divizia Nationala) averaging 18.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 3.5apg, 1.5spg. That was a long time ago. What memories do you have of that rookie season? Just the overall experience was a learning process and you really got to adapt to your environment
You only played 2 games. Why was your stay so short? We played a full season actually but within the first games COVID had hit so the club had to figure things out. So all the stats are not fully updated.
Have you had a 9-5 job the last years? How do make a living and how much of a challenge is it working and grinding in the gym for your dream? Yes I have worked 9-5 it’s not had to chase a dream when you really want it you’ll do what you have to do to achieve it.
You played 2 seasons at Joliet Junior College (JUCO) averaging 3.1ppg, 1.8rpg and : 9.0ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 53.7%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 68.4%. What kind of a player did you become in JUCO under Joe Kuhn? I’ve became a glue guy under Joe Kuhn where I did everything needed to be done to win.
Every guy that I have interviewed that played Juco have said that it was a tough grind, but one he wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you? Juco definitely made me the man I am today because nothing is given everything is earned.
You then played 2 seasons with Governors State University (NAIA) averaging 7.9ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 75.6% and 17.1ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.1apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 47.1%, FT: 73.1%. How vital were these 2 years in your basketball development? How did your game grow there? . I’ll just say put the work in and the results will so everytime!
You had many great games against Robert Morris and St Xavier just to name a few. What was your fondest moment in the NAIA? First round playoffs against Olivet I couldn’t miss that entire game had about 20+. Very upset we couldn’t pull the win out though.
How did Tony Bates groom and prepare you best for a professional career? Coach Bates let me know that if you get grinding and performing nothing can get in your way. Also he helped understand left outside of basketball to have a vision.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Gerald Duckworth?
Me.
What is your biggest dream as a pro player? Biggest as a pro player is win championships and become MVP
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA? Ben Moore.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? 5 best teammates Ben, KG, Cal, Rob, Tawone
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time? Lebron, Kobe, MJ, Shaq
Who is your GOAT? God.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
Dathan Satchell (190-G) is a 190cm guard from San Jose, California that played at Modesto Christian High School. He then played 2 seasons at Casper College (JUCO) averaging 9.3ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 46.4%, FT: 88.9% and 10.9ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 39.9%, 3PT: 39.1%, FT: 76.5%. He then played a season at Las Positas College (JUCO) averaging 13.8ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 86.2%. He then made the jump to the University of Alaska at Anchorage (NCAA2) averaging 9.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 39.6%, FT: 61.1% and 8.4ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 80.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before taking part at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine.
Thanks Dathan for talking to germanhoops.com. You’re playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. How excited are you to take part and show your talent? Thank you miles for the opportunity. I’m extremely excited to take part in the Las Vegas overseas combine. It’s a great chance to showcase your talents on a big stage which can help you get the right exposure you need to sign a great contract & pursue your pro career.
How did you find the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you? I found out about this offer from Ron Howard, who’s agency I was previously signed with last season so once I saw him present the Vegas combine I knew it was the right one for me since I’m only an hour flight away from Vegas.
What is your impression of the man in charge Ron Howard? Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs? My impression of Ron Howard is that he’s a good agent that’s always looking out for young athletes trying to navigate through this overseas life.
What do you appreciate most about Ron Howards character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career?
I appreciate his drive for wanting to see guys succeed, he truly wants the best for his clients which is rare nowadays where most agents are just looking for the money grab.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 190cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? If I could best compare my game to anyone in the NBA, I’d say a mix of CJ McCollum & Klay Thompson
What are your biggest strengths on the offensive end and do you have a hidden strength in your game that doesn´t always get noticed right away? My biggest strength in my game is my shooting ability and a hidden talent that doesn’t get noticed right away is my passing.
Talk about your shooting. Where do you see it currently and what steps do you still need to do to be an even more consistent shooter? I’ve been a shooter my whole life, that’s the bread n butter of my game but there’s always room for improvement so I’m always looking for new ways to improve my shooting ability.
Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school and where do you see your playmaking at the moment?
My playing making in school was more on the offense because of the style of play that you play in college but once I got overseas I became a lot more comfortable play making in isolated formats or on the fly.
Talk about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?
My defensive game is physical, scrappy, handsy type defense. I need to be better at beating defenders to the spot but I have good hands and great IQ.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game? Right now I’m working on my pace, slowing the game down a little bit, simplifying the game picking my spots, defense and IQ.
You played 2 seasons with Casper College (JUCO) averaging 9.3ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 46.4%, FT: 88.9% and 10.9ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 39.9%, 3PT: 39.1%, FT: 76.5% and played a season with Las Positas College (JUCO) averaging 13.8ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 86.2%. Every player that I have interviewed that played JUCO have said that it was a real grind, but one that they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you?
Juco was a one of one experience for me, I had a great time in juco. I wouldm´t trade my juco years for the world. Juco taught me how to adapt in any environment with people from all over trying to achieve the same goal which is to get signed. Nothing is given to you in juco, you have to get everything out of the mud.
How vital were head coaches Shaun Gutting and James Giacomazzi. How vital were both in your early basketball development? How did each help you most with your game?
Both of my juco coaches played a pivotal point in my hoop career. Coach Gutting introduced me to the college grind. Learning how to manage your time, be purposeful in every approach whether on the court or off the court, and lastly staying prepared for whenever your number is called weather it’s for 30 minutes or 5 minutes, be ready. Now Coach Giacomazzi, I have a different relationship with because we go back before the college days so he’s been giving me support & knowledge before I was even one of his players. Coach James taught me so many things but some of the few things I took from him was short term memory, attention to details, and playing the game within the game.
You then played 2 seasons with the University of Alaska at Anchorage (NCAA2) averaging 9.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 39.6%, FT: 61.1% and 8.4ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 80.0%. What kind of a player did you become there? My time in Alaska molded me more mentally than physically. Of course my physical game developed like my shooting, play making, and defense but my overall mental strength and IQ of the game is what genuinely got bot better in my time at UAA. Learning new schemes, paying more attention to the tangible, and learning how to survive mental adversity.
In your 2 seasons there, you had many big games like scoring 24 points in a big 71-68 win over NW Nazarene. What was your fondest moment there in your 2 seasons?
One of my fondest moments at UAA was making the GNAC tournament in my senior year but not only making the tournament but also making it to the championship game. Even though we came up short in the chip, we earned a spot in the national tournament so we ended up extending our season into March Madness.
How did head coach Rusty Osborne groom and prepare you best for a pro career?
Coach Os at UAA helped prepared me best for my pro career by not going easy on me, he would always push me to be the best possible player I can be by instilling nothing but faith and confident in me so when I went onto the next level, I took that confidence with me and ran with it because when your on them big stages you got to have confidence when you walk on the court that you meant to be there.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Jaron Williams?
We only played 1-1 seriously about one time and I won, I have a witness to vouch but since he’ll probably lie.
You played your rookie season in Albania. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home? In Albania my wake up call to being overseas was probably the food or language barrier that was the biggest adjustment for me. I think everything else was manageable once you’re acclimated.
What is your biggest dream as a pro player? My biggest dream is being an impactful player to a team that wins a NBA finals or/& Eurocup championship.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA? Jalen green
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Top 5 best talent teammates : Trey Boston, David walker, Jalen green, Jamie Jaqez, pep
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time? Michael Jordan LeBron Steph Shaq
Who is your GOAT? Michael Jordan
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I didn’t see the sequel but that should say enough itself
Hayden Thomas (193-G, college: Bethel, TN) is a 193cm guard from Missouri that began his basketball career at Twin Rivers High School. He then played two seasons of JUCO at Rend Lake College (JUCO) averaging 12.1ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.9apg, FGP: 44.1%, 3PT: 40.6%, FT: 74.5% and at North Arkansas College (JUCO) averaging 8.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 39.7%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 70.0%. He then played 3 seasons at Bethel University, Tennessee (NAIA). He sampled early pro experience with Howard Hoops (Thailand-Warriors League) averaging 19.1ppg, 6.6rpg, 3.4apg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT-1 (55.1%). He spoke togermanhoops.com before taking part at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine.
Thanks Hayden for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. How excited are you to taking part and showing your talent? Hello Miles, thanks for having me on Eurobasket.com. I am extremely excited about this opportunity in front of me.
How did you find about the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you? I found the offer through my agent Ron Howard. I believe it’s the right opportunity for me to showcase my talent and move in the right direction of my goals I have set for myself.
What is your impression of the man in charge Ron Howard? You already played for him in Thailand. Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs?
My impression of Ron Howard is that he is a leader on and off the basketball court. He has played professionally overseas and now he is teaching and coaching the game to the youth. Yes, I had a great experience playing for him in Thailand. I am aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs. He has guys playing in Albania, Ukraine and many more countries. We have had conversations and he has told me how many of his players are playing well and moving up in various leagues.
What do you appreciate most about Ron Howards character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career? I appreciate Ron Howard’s character and ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career of being honest and straightforward. As an agent, he will be straight forward and honest with me as a player on what I do well and what I need to get better at. Recently having played for him in Thailand, we have had many positive conversations on things that are true and that I agree with to get to the next level.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 193cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? I believe Luke Kennard would best fit the description of a NBA player to compare myself with.
You’re a guard that can really fill the stat sheet well. How big is versatility in your game? Versatility is very big in my game. I believe I have a high IQ on the basketball court where I have the ability to adapt to different situations during games.
Talk about your shooting. Where so you see it currently and what steps do you still need to do to be a very consistent shooter? I have a lot of confidence in my shooting currently. I know I can continue to take specific steps to be a very consistent shooter.
Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school and where do you see your playmaking at the moment? My game has grown in school by being able to space the floor and making the defense respect my shooting ability. I see my playmaking abilities good at the moment, but I need to continue to get better making the right reads.
Talk about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become? I am a guy who can defend all 3 guard positions at the moment. I still want to become a stronger defender and work on having quicker feet.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game? I am working on every part of my game to improve, but the top 2 things I need to get better at is my defense and ball handling.
Let´s talk about your career. After high school, you played 2 seasons of juco with Rend Lake College (JUCO) averaging 12.1ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.9apg, FGP: 44.1%, 3PT: 40.6%, FT: 74.5% and at North Arkansas College (JUCO) averaging 8.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 39.7%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 70.0%. Every guy that I have interviewed that played JUCO reported it was a real grind, but one that they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you?
I had a good freshman year at Rend Lake College and learned a lot about my game on both sides of the ball from 2 high level coaches in Tommy Holder and Roy Booker. The year I played at North Arkansas College was the COVID year, so that was a real grind for sure. We couldn’t play basketball the whole first semester. Our season got cut short and only got to play for 3 months. January, February, and March. COVID was something that was out of my control and it affected everyone in the United States for a long time. Overall, I enjoyed my first 2 years playing Juco and definitely wouldn’t have traded it for anything else.
How key were head coaches Tommy Holder and Steve Hunter in your early basketball development. How did they help your game best in those early years? Tommy Holder and Steve Hunter were both key in my early basketball development. They helped my game in so many ways early on. Being able to be coached from 2 great coaches and their coaching staff in a span of 2 years was a great experience.
You then played 3 years at Bethel University, Tennessee (NAIA). In your first season you averaged 8.3ppg, 2.5rpg, FGP: 36.6%, 3PT: 29.5%, FT: 76.2%. but in your last 2 seasons played only 6 games. How tough were these 3 years? What positives could you take from it?
These 3 years were tough, because my first year at Bethel was the year after COVID. So I came in off the bench behind 6 of our 5th year seniors from getting that extra year back from COVID. My second year at Bethel, I had a season ending ankle injury in practice before the season started and had to have surgery. My third year at Bethel, I was 6 games into the season and tore my ACL and Meniscus in my knee and had to have season ending surgery again. So my basketball career at Bethel was a tough one. Some positives I can take away from it is that everything happens for a reason and I have came back stronger and hungrier from those injuries I experienced at Bethel.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Drew Thomas? Me
You played with Howard Hoops (Thailand-Warriors League) averaging 19.1ppg, 6.6rpg, 3.4apg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT-1 (55.1%). How valuable was this first pro experience? What did you learn from it? This first pro experience was very valuable in understanding what it takes to be a pro. I learned that having great confidence and being prepared are 2 of the biggest factors on the court. At the pro level, everyone can play. But how can you set yourself apart from the others. I learned a lot by using my strengths to my advantage, earning First Team All-Pro.
Who wins a 1-1 in practice you or Logan Willoughby? Me
What is your biggest dream as a pro player?
My biggest dream as a pro player is to win a championship for an organization that gives me an opportunity and a chance to be a part of their program.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA? E.J. Liddell and Jay Scrubb
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? Ja’Monte Black, Demarcus Sharp, Lathaniel Bastian, Kinyon Hodges, and Jeramy Shaw.
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time? Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Larry Bird.
Who is your GOAT? Michael Jordan
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
Javion Belle-McCrary (190-G) is a 190cm guard who played at 4 colleges the lasty ears. He began his basketball career with Pickens County High School and then played a season at Lawson State Community College (JUCO) averaging 10.0ppg, 4.2rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 38.2%, 3PT: 26.6%, FT: 81.7%. He then played a season at Gadsden State Community College (JUCO) averaging 13.4ppg, 2.7rpg, 2.2apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 70.9%. He then played a season at Shorter University (NCAA2) and then played a season at William Penn University (NAIA) averaging 10.6ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.4apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 49.8%, 3PT: 40.3%, FT: 79.7%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before taking part at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine.
Thanks Javion for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing at the RSI Las Vegas Overseas Combine. Your coming directly out of school. How excited are you to taking part and showing your talent? I’m very excited for the opportunity to show my overall game and to show everyone that I will become a high level pro.
How did you fin about the offer and why did you believe it was the right opportunity for you? Mr Ron reached out to me through instagram and I thought it could be an opportunity that can help me achieve my dreams and goals.
What is your impression of the man in charge Ron Howard? Are you aware of his incredible track record of helping place guys overseas with jobs? He’s a pretty cool guy that wants the best for his guys.
What do you appreciate most about Ron Howards character and his ability to help hungry guys get set with a pro career? It’s all about his guys I mean he has a family and he sacrifices time out of their lives to do the things for us.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 190cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? It depends on the role I have on a team. If I’m the system then I would say I play a little like Brunson,d mitch and kyrie. But if I´m on a loaded team I might have to be a Lou Dort or show everything I can do besides score that can impact winning.
What are your biggest strengths on the offensive end and do you have a hidden strength in your game that doesn´t always get noticed right away? I would say I´m good at a lot of things, but my off the dribble shots and getting to my spots off the dribble weren’t shown as much this year.
Talk about your shooting. You’re a prolific shooter. Where so you see it currently and what steps do you still need to do to be an even more consistent shooter? I can really shoot it and I´d say being fundamentally sound and continuing to prepare the right way would make me an even better shooter.
Talk about your playmaking. How did your game grow in school and where do you see your playmaking at the moment? My playmaking has grown a lot throughout the years. I would say me making better reads when I’m on the ball defined has improved. At the moment I can make a lot of plays with the ball in my hands because I’m constantly learning a lot of different twists and reads
Talk about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become? I´m a great defender at the moment I like to pressure the ball and force people into the spots I want them to go.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game? I would say my confidence because when I’m the most confident I don’t think I can be stopped.
You played at Lawson State Community College (JUCO) averaging 10.0ppg, 4.2rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 38.2%, 3PT: 26.6%, FT: 81.7% and at Gadsden State Community College (JUCO) averaging 13.4ppg, 2.7rpg, 2.2apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 70.9%. Every player that I have interviewed that played JUCO have reported that Juco was a real grind, but one that they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you? Juco was a great experience for me. I learned a lot of fundamentals and life lessons and how to handle adversity.
How valuable were head coaches Stott Carter and Deddric Tarver in your early basketball development? How did each guy help improve your game that season?
I’d say at Lawson coach Carter and his staff taught me how to be a college player and a better overall athlete. Coach Tarver brought the old me out and he really gave me the ball and allowed me to lead his team and made me be the head of the snake to make game winning plays and he brought me my confidence back.
You then played a season at Shorter University (NCAA2) playing 6 games averaging 2.3ppg. How tough was this season for you? What did you learn from it and could you gain any positives?
It was really tough my dad died before I got to campus after I was a 1st team all conference player at Gadsden. My expectations were very high. But the fit there was not good for my game. I learned how to fight through everything that was thrown at me and how to be more professional even if things are not going my way.
You then added a season with William Penn University (NAIA) averaging 10.6ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.4apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 49.8%, 3PT: 40.3%, FT: 79.7%. How vital was this season and how did your game grow?
It was a good season. But my overall game was not shown due to playing with a lot of talented players so I had to fit into a role that helped us win a lot of games. This helped me be able to play in a system and whenever I play with other good players I can play whatever role that is needed and excel at it.
You won the HAAC title. What memories do you have of that run and what was so special about your team?
We all pretty much enjoyed one of another through the ups and downs and it was my first collegiate championship so that puts the icing on the cake. I also wetted my pants on the way to a conference game at Mid Nazarene, soon as we pulled up to their gym I was running to the bathroom and I didn’t make it. But I only played in the 2nd half finished with 13 points and a lot of steals to bring our team back to win the game.
You had many great games like against Missouri Valley and Graceland. What was your favorite on game that season? I would say Missouri Valley honestly I showcased a lot of things in my game that game.
How did head coach legend John Henry groom and prepare you best for a pro career? He stayed on me and treated me like a professional. He also gave me a lot of tips and life skills to prepare me for the prolife.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Donovan Rodriguez? Obviously me
What is your biggest dream as a pro player? Right now my dream is getting a contract and playing ball until I can’t anymore in a big league.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA?
JD Davison
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Michael Jacob’s Foday Sheriff Donovan Shangase Alif Bass Donovan Rodriguez
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time?
Lebron, Mj, Kobe, Curry
Who is your GOAT?
Lebron
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
German Hoops 