Leon Kalinic (205-F-2000, college: Park, agency: Starting 5) is a 26 year old 206cm forward from Croatia playing for the Itzehoe Eagles (Germany-ProB) and last season helped the ETB Miners Essen win the Pro B title averaging 7,2ppg an d4,1rpg. He began his career in the KK Cedevita Zagreb youth program. He played 4 years in the States and 3 years with Ouachita Baptist University (NCAA2) playing a total of 73 games and in his last 2 seasons averaged 6.5ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP: 48.7%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 70.0% and 6.8ppg, 2.8rpg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 39.4%, FT: 92.0%. He then played a season with Park University (NAIA): averaging 3.7ppg, 2.8rpg. In the 2024-2025 season he played with KK Velika Gorica (Prva Liga) averaging 10.8ppg, 6.2rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 82.9%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.
Thanks Leon for talking to eurobasket.com. The 2025-2026 season was so specialfor the ETB Miners. Why was this team so special? Like I said from day one everybody was one big family. Nobody was selfish. Everybody had the same goal and at the end we reached it.
The team lost only 5 games during the regular season. Was there a game during the season where you then knew, we will win the whole thing? Oh yeah, definitely. I started to get a feeling after those first seven wins in a row, but how we bounced back in one again, made me sure.
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? Coach Lars is a young Coach and I think that made them connect with us, I know he didn’t forget how it is to be a player.
How special was it being teammates with Mychael Paulo? What part of his game will you always remember best? Mychael is an amazing player, every time you think the possession is over he somehow kept surprising me how he finds a way to score.
How valuable was sniper guard Marc Friederici? What besides his scoring helped the team be successful? Marc was always there to say something when we felt down, but also when we were winning to keep us motivated.
How valuable was big man Ben Uzoma? How will you always remember the battles in practice? You can’t find a big man like Ben anywhere. He’s special, a guy everybody wants on their team, but nobody wants to play against. I will always remember battles with Ben at practice and I think my body too.
Which player was the most improved during the season? I think Reik Gabler had the best improvement this season. On a team like Essen which was stacked, he has a young player found a way to get better and get minutes which were crucial.
You hail from Croatia. Talk about your early basketball development. Did you have a mentor in your early years? I wouldn’t say I started playing basketball late, but it wasn’t as early as some. I would have to say my cousin is the reason I started, but my first Coach Igor Kovacevic is the reason I fell in love with it. I was like a brick of clay, and he molded it into a basketball player.
What Croatian player do you remember being your biggest role model as a kid? Did you try to model your game after him? Of course, I looked at MJ, Kobe and Lebron as a kid, but I never picked one as a favorite.
You played in the youth department of Cedevita Zagreb. How do you remember those early years? Did you ever practice with Dzanan Musa? As a 16 year-old kid moving to the capital because of basketball, leaving family and friends, was stressful and scary. Thankfully, I had my parents who supported me from day one and they made it easier. As a young prospect, I would practice with the older kids and Džanan was sometimes there. He would mostly practice with the seniors but everybody knew he was going to make it.
You decided to go to the States and played 4 years there and 3 years with Ouachita Baptist University (NCAA2). When you look back at how your game developed, was it a good choice going to the States for 4 years? I decided to go play in the states because I didn’t see my future in Croatian basketball and that’s a hard question, my answer changes a few times a year. Of course, I will always be grateful for meeting all my friends over there and experiencing college life.
You played 3 years for head coach Dennis Nutt. How vital was this time in your basketball development? How did he shape your game best? Coach Nutt is a great guy, he was a great player too, as well as a great coach. He helped me think less during games and practices and focus on the important parts of it.
You played at Ouachita Baptist during Covid. How tough was this time? What did you learn about yourself during these years? I was lucky enough to play in a conference which allowed teams to compete. It was an interesting time for me from all the Covid tests to all the times we had to quarantine because of one person in the gym. Still I would never change a thing.
You scored in double figures in 12 games including 11 points in a 70-69 win over Arkansas Tech. What was your fondest moment there? I would have to say my favorite memory from OBU was the season opener of my sophomore year where we beat our arrivals Harding University with the help of my 16 points
You then played a season at Park University (NAIA) averaging 3.7ppg, 2.8rpg. You took 2 steps back to a lower level. What positives could you take from this season? That was a tough year for me, I wasn’t performing good on the court, but I always knew I would never give up. One bad season doesn’t show who I am as a player and a person.
After a season in Croatia, you then came to the ETB Miners Essen. Was that the best decision in your basketball life?
Yes, definitely. After an injury in Croatia, I had to rethink if I would play again, but I would say definitely continuing to play basketball was one of my best decisions.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your career that reached the NBA or Euroleague? There have been a few, I would have to say Krunoslav Simon, who was two-time Euro league champion, is the biggest opponent I faced, but somebody that reached the NBA after we played together would be Karlo Matkovic.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? This is a tough question, I will probably miss out on a few names but if I have to say it would be Kendarious Smith from OBU, the wolf pack from Essen Marc Friederici and Quashawn Lane, one of my first teammates Arian Kovacevic and last but not least Drew Kroft from ParkU.
Please name your NBA and Croatian Mount Rushmores of 4 best players of all-time? NBA-LeBron, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, MJ Croatia- Dražen Petrovic, Krešimir Cosic, Toni Kukoc, Mario Hezonja
Who is your GOAT? Overall? My mom, but basketball has to be LeBron James.
Mychael Paulo (193-G-1998, college: McMaster, agency: 011 Sports) is a 28 year old 193cm guard from Canada that also has the Portuguese citizenship and playing for Pro B team Dragons Rhondorf in 2026-2027. He helped the ETB Miners Essen (Germany-ProB) win the pro B title averaging 12,8ppg, 4,4rpg, 2,6apg and 1,3spg. He began his basketball career at Father Henry Carr Secondary School and then played 2 seasons with Williston State College (JUCO) averaging 15.4ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.9apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 48.8%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 75.9% and 11.4ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 40.6%, 3PT: 28.1%, FT: 69.4%. he then played a season at Montana State University (NCAA) averaging 6.2ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 32.9%, FT: 60.0%. He then played at McMaster University (U Sports) averaging 13.3ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.4apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 31.2%, FT: 75.0% and 13.1ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 55.5%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 65.0%. He then began his pro career with the Telekom Baskets Bonn 2 team (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 24.6ppg, 4.2rpg, APG-4 (5.1), 2.5spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 75.5%. In the 2024-2025, he played with BG Hagen (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 19.0ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.3apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 59.2%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 81.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his ex teammate Finn Fleute
Thanks Mychael for talking to germanhoops.com. The Dragons Rhondorf suffered a tough93-78 loss last weekend against the Bayer Giants Leverkusen. How tough does it in general take for you to digest a loss?
Usually about a day it takes me to digest a loss
The Dragons Rhondorf are a very young team and had problems dealing with the opponents experience. How valuable of a learning lesson is a loss like this for the young German players? I think it was a very valuable lesson for us being a relatively young team. It showed us that we can’t have those mental lapses like we did to start the second half because more veteran/experience teams will make us pay like Leverskusen did
The Dragons Rhondorf next play the 6-0 Ravens Reutlingen. This is another team with great team chemistry and experience. Will the team be up to the task? What will be key to getting win?
I feel we’ll bounce back and play a more complete game than the one we did last Saturday, but the key will be having them adjust to our style of play instead of us playing theirs and knowing personal on the scouting.
You played against ex NCAA teammate Finn Fleute last weekend. You played against him twice last season. Were you extra motivated to duel him again? It’s always nice playing against old teammates whether that be ex college teammates or professional. There is a little extra motivation for those type of games I feel like because you want those bragging rights.
Last season you split the games and lost the first 89-87. What memories do you have of the 2 battles? Just two good games, with teams that didn’t want to lose
He had a great 16/9 season with Itzehoe last season. Was it refreshing how well he had developed as player in the years since Montana State. How has his game developed since the NCAA?
He added more aspects to his game from what I remember then in that 2019-2020 season. Like to be able to score from both inside and outside, his ball handling and overall just his confidence
Now he has a smaller role with Leverkusen. How did you see him fit into his role with Leverkusen?
I see him fitting in well into what they have going on over there. He’s a stretch four that causes problems on the offensive end for opposing teams with his outside shooting and ability to put the ball on the floor. Also defensively he could also guard 1 thru 5 and hold his own.
You played a season together with him in 2019-2020. What kind of a relationship do you remember having with him?
I had good with him, it was also smiles and laughs off the court. Whether that be in the locker room before/after practice or when we hung out as a team during our free time
What do you remember being your fondest moment with him on the court in the NCAA? He only averaged 7,7 minutes that season but had his moments against Sacramento State and Colorado Christian.
Yeah he didn’t have that much playing time but he was always ready whenever his name was called and did everything when he stepped on the court no matter the score.
How good is your contact with him now in 2026? Has it gotten better since you’re playing in Germany or is there not much? Contact has been better since I’ve been playing in Germany. Last season when I played for Essen and he played for Itzehoe, we hung out after one of games like old times. Even though we might not talk every day because we both have our stuff going on with our respected teams. I still check the stats after every one of their games to see how he played or is doing. I’m just happy seeing him succeed
Halloween was last weekend. What would be the perfect Halloween costume for him?
The up and down season of the Dragons Rhondorf continued in Dresden last weekend. After a bitter loss in Frankfurt some weeks ago, they returned refocused into their own living room to beat top team Fellbach Flashers. However a week later, they went too Dresden and gave a disappointing performance mustering only 59 points. Their 17% three point shooting and 18 turnovers were major reasons for the loss. Now they once again had to return home and give a positive answer, but that wasn´t easy against top team Bayer Giants Leverkusen who had racked up an incredible 25 national BBL titles in their stellar history. They came to the Dragons dome with a 5-1 record and 5 game winning streak and wanted to keep that winning streak going. On a cool autumn Halloween evening, the Dragons Rhondorf played a strong first half, but lost track in the third quarter as the Bayer Giants Leverkusen took total control of the game and won 93-78. “It was an up and down game for us. We had some good phases, but also phases where we took really bad shots. For example taking to quick shots out of the pick and roll instead of making the extra pass. We didn´t play stable enough defense for 40 minutes tonight to win”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Kenan Reinhart. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen had a big advantage over the Dragons Rhondorf and that was the overwhelming experience that they had and it really showed. “We had a good start, but when we had good leads, they were able to come back. They did that in the first half. However after making that big run in the third quarter, we held it. We hit big shots when we needed them. It wasn´t perfect, but it was a good win”, stressed Bayer Giants Leverkusen guard Branden Maughmer (191-G-1999, college: Morehead St.).
Kenan Reinhart at the FT line
The first quarter was a tale of two stories as the Bayer Giants Leverkusen had a good start, but the Dragons Rhondorf were able to fight back and trail only 24-21 after 10 minutes. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen found a good flow first as they mixed up their offense with pretty inside out basketball to get the rapid 14-6 lead. Big man German Dennis Heinzmann who led the pro A in blocks in 3 seasons made a lay while Ohio native Maughmer a 20 footer and ex Wurzburg guard David Gerhardt and Icelandic guard Agust Kjartansson made three´s for the early lead. German Luca Kahl-Hansen did a super job with the playmaking while defensively Leverkusen was aggressive and forced some early turnovers. However the Dragons came back with fight and better execution. Ex Rheinstar guard Kenan Reinhart scored 7 points in a row including a trey which got his confidence going early, a tip in and 20 footer as the Dragons trailed 20-14. The German had another good game with a stat line of 18/6/4 and shot 64% form the field and 60% from outside. “I hit three´s again which made me happy that I could help the team. But without a win, my game was irrelevant”, stated Kenan Reinhart. Leverkusen kept the lead by mixing it up with aggressiveness and getting to the free throw line and getting a basket on transition to lead 24-16.. However young German forward Carlo Schmid gave supreme energy at the end with 5 points with an offensive rebound and put back plus free throw and a lay in to trail only by 3 points. “We let them come back in the last minutes. We gave up some offensive rebounds and played too fast instead of slowing down the game”, stressed Branden Maughmer. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen shot 64% from the field and 57% from outside and had 6 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Bayer Giants Leverkusen shot 50% from the field and 20% from outside and had 6 rebounds and 4 turnovers.
Branden Maughmer from outside
In the second quarter the Bayer Giants Leverkusen led by as much as 10 points, but the Dragons Rhondorf never panicked, but did a good job finding solutions and executing to stay close with them and trail 45-41 at the break. However the Bayer Giants Leverkusen did have a better start to the second quarter going on a 11-4 run to lead 35-25. The guests continued to present super ball movement and let it ran three´s as ex EN Baskets Schwelm forward Fin Fleute, Maughmer and Gerhardt all scored from down town while Fabian Reichstadt who played with Itzehoe last season made an offensive rebound and put back. The Dragons Rhondorf offense was eratic as healthy shot selection was lacking as American Sahmi Willoughby and 2026 AST winner Dusan Ilic presented airballs. However the Dragons Rhondorf continued to fight and finally had some success with their three pointer as ex Essen guard Mychael Paulo nailed 2 in a row and suddenly Rhondorf trailed only 37-31. Rhondorf now began to defend better and forced some turnovers which led to a Reinhart 15 footer and Willoughby lay in as Leverkusen led only 40-37. It was an exciting and pretty even game where the only difference were the more turnovers that Leverkusen had despite their high shooting percentages. However the Bayer Giants Leverkusen kept the slim lead getting a big dunk from Kahl-Hansen on transition and a clutch trey from German Luca Michels who once exploded for 40 points in a Pro B game against Itzehoe to lead 45-39. Mychael Paulo ended the first half with a big offensive rebound and put back to trail by 4 points at half-time. “We had a good lead, but gave it up again, because of turnovers. They did a good job hitting shots”, added Branden Maughmer. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen shot 56% from the field and 53% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 11 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 46% from the field and 20% from the three point line and had 12 rebounds and 6 turnovers.
Luca Kahl-Hansen at the FT line
The turning point of the game came in the third quarter where an early run by the Bayer Giants Leverkusen shocked the Dragons Rhondorf something they couldn´t rebound from as the guests would never look back again outscoring Rhondorf 26-13. Kenan Reinhart got the Dragons on the score board first in the second half with a trey, but then came the 20-3 run explosion by the Bayer Giants Leverkusen which decided the game early as the Dragons Rhondorf trailed 64-47. In the run, the Bayer Giants Leverkusen let it rain three´s as David Gerhard and Agust Kjartansson scored and Luca Kahl added 8 points and two three´s. On the first three pointer, the Bayer Giants Leverkusen performed their prettiest ball movement which had 2 incredible do it like Milos Teodosic passes from Kjartansson who delivered a shovel pass and behind the back pass. “He reminds me of Spanish point guards. He always plays at his pace and sees the floor so well. He passed it like Milos Teoosic”, smiled Branden Maughmer. The Dragons finally stopped the Bayer Giants Leverkusen run launching their own 7-2 run to trail 66-54 and see a little daylight in their comeback attempt. In the run, the Dragons got an offensive rebound and putback from ex Fellbach center Daniel Mayr, and offensive rebound and putback by Paulo and a clutch three pointer from Italian 3 and D play Josh Petteno. But the Bayer Giants Leverkusen always had an answer getting a trey from Michels and Fleute lay in at the buzzer to lead 71-54: “We did a good job hitting a lot of three´s and slowed down the game which benefited us more than them”, answered Branden Maughmer. “We didn´t help well on the pick and roll and took bad shots”, said Kenan Reinhart. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen shot 56% from the field and 52% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 46% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and had 20 rebounds and 14 turnovers.
Josh Petteno from downtown
The Dragons Rhondorf won the fourth quarter 24-22, but it wasn´t enough as the Bayer Giants Leverkusen continued to execute well and didn´t allow the home team get over the hump. The Dragons Rhondorf had a super first few minutes going on a 10-2 run to trail only 73-64 as once again the Dragons saw some daylight in their come back. In the run, some timely three´s were scored by Reinhart and Ilic while Daniel Mayr also made a lay in. However the Bayer Giants Leverkusen weren´t rattled, but remained poised and used their vast experience to keep executing and punching back even when the Dragons scored. Mayr and Ilic gave the Dragons vital three´s while ex Obercahing center Benjamin Sadikovic and Schmid made lay in´s but still trailed 85-74, but that was because the Bayer Giants Leverkusen punched back. The man in charge was American Branden Maughmer who had some vengeance after coughing up 5 turnovers in the first half. In this phase he added 10 points as he showed the total package of his 3 level scoring with 2 three´s a 20 footer and lay in. “I was pissed at the break in the locker room. I came out refocused and hit big shots and showed maturity and poise to lead my team to the win”, warned Branden Maughmer. There were no let downs in the last minutes as the Bayer Giants Leverkusen closed out the game in style with a 8-4 run. Kahl-Hansen and Reichstadt made lay in´s and Gerhardt hit another trey. “We slowed down the game took care of the ball and made big shots”, stated Branden Maughmer. “Whenever we had a run, they showed their experience and stopped it”, added Kenan Reinhart. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen were led by Branden Maughmer with 27 points while David Gerhardt had 16 points and Luca Kahl-Hansen had 15 points while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Kenan Reinhart with 18 points while Mychael Paulo added 15 points. The The Bayer Giants Leverkusen shot 53% from the field and 44% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 15 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 48% from the field and 36% from outside and had 27 rebounds 19 turnovers.
Sahmi Willoughby (192-F/G-2001, college: Marietta) is a 25 year old 192cm guard from Ohio that is playing his second pro season and first in Germany with Pro B team Dragons Rhondorf. He played his rookie season with Lahti Basketball (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 8.7ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 59.4%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 80.0%, played also at Team Pajulahti (Finland-1st Division) averaging 22.4ppg, 14.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 47.9%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 72.7%. He began his basketball career at Reynoldsburg high school and then played at Marietta College (NCAA 3) from 2019-2024 playing a total of 113 games and as a senior averaged 12.6ppg, 10.0rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 38.6%, FT: 64.9%. He got early basketball experience playing with the Great Falls Electric (TBL) averaging 9.8ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 60.0%. He spoke to germanhoops,com about basketball.
A tough 67-59 loss in Dresden. How tough is it in general for a player to play a good defensive game, but still lose? It’s very tough to play good but still not end up with a win. Basketball is a game of runs and Dresden capitalized better.
It was a low scoring game and the Dragons were only down 52-49 after 3 quarters. Not much was working on offense. What was the team mind set going into the fourth quarter? Our mindset for the fourth quarter was to have better offense of flow and try to move the ball around to tire out our opponent. We had some good looks but just didn’t go in.
The Dragons began the fourth quarter well with a 7-2 run and led 56-54. But then Heck and Uboh hit three´s. Despite not being down by much, the Dragons couldn´t get over the hump. Did those three´s effect the team mentality at that moment and what was key for not getting over the hump? I don’t think Those threes effected the mentality of the team. I think just watching our shots not fall in as a team effected our heads and that was the reason we couldn’t get over that hump.
Moritz Heck had a great game with 25 points. What was with him that made him so tough to control?
Mortiz Heck played a good game and we followed a good game plan for him. Overall we made him shoot 28% from the floor and was 1/7 from three point but we sent him to the line too much. He was 14/15 from free throws and if we cut down half of those the outcome of the game would have been different.
There were a lot of negatives like the three point shooting, assists and turnovers, but was the 6 steals and 6 blocks something the team can build on for the next tough game against Leverkusen?
I think overall as a team we played very solid defense, and those 6 steals and blocks are something we can build on in the future. If we cut some minor mistakes on defense and we’re always locked in we can be
You were the only bright spot with a good game of 17/7 and shot well. How tough is it to enjoy a good own game when you lose? Even though I had a good game there were some things I could’ve done better individually and things I could’ve done better at helping the team. I look back at film learn what I need to do and try to be better the text game
There are some guys on the team that aren´t performing up to standard. Was there some serious team soul searching this week? I believe in the guys that we have that I know will and can perform. It’s still a lot of the season left and a lot to grown and improve.
You next have a tough game against Leverkusen and need an answer. What will be key to getting the win? Our key to beating Leverkusen is stopping their big man. Be tough and physical with him and outwork.
What was your favorite kids costume as a kid? My favorite costume as a kid was ghost face.
Stanley Umude (198-G-1999, college: Arkansas) is a 27 year old 198cm guard from Texas playing his fifth professional season and first overseas with FC Barcelona. He began his basketball career at East Warren high school and then played at the University Of South Dakota (NCAA) from 2017-2021 and then added a season at the University of Arkansas. He began his pro career in 2022 and played parts of 4 years in the NBA with Detroit, Milwaukee and San Antonio. He also played in the G-League for Motor City, Wisconsin Herd and Austin. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Stanley for talking to germanhoops.com After 4 years in the NBA, your now overseas for the first time with FC Barcelona. As a guy from Texas, what has it been like living in Spain and the cultural feeling of Barcelona. Have you had a defining moment so far living in Barcelona? It has been a great experience. This is actually my first time in Europe. The culture has really opened up my eyes. I check out the great restaurants. I have really enjoyed how the fans have embraced me. The fan culture and atmosphere is great here.
The team have a 3-2 start in the ACB and 5-3 in the Euroleague. What has bene the adjustment like for you getting used to everything on the court? I think that I have adjusted pretty well. Here the games are shorter and each possession is a lot more intense. Each game matters and your always playing against great opponents. Every night you have a must win situation. You have to always be focused.
Your averaging 14 minutes in both competitions and 5,0ppg. What exactly is your role on the team? My role is to do whatever it takes to help my team win. Some night I may have more shots than other nights. I have to be consistent and do the little things like crash the boards and be opportunistic on the offensive end while continuing to expand my game.
You played 4 years at the University of South Dakota (NCAA) averaging 16.7ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.1apg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 74.5% and 21.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 3.0apg, FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 35.5%, FT: 79.9% in your last 2 years. How vital were these last 2 years for your basketball development playing for Todd Lee? I had my break out year in my second year. I have always had to find ways to adapt in my career and it was the same here. I kind of took a back seat my junior year, but still produced. In my senior year most of the older guys had left and I took on a big leadership role. I had to learn how to lead in different circumstances. I really learned to be a leader by example.
I saw your ex teammate Tyler Peterson from South Dakota 3 days ago play his first game in Germany for his new team. He smiled when I mentioned your name? What memories do you have of his game? He seemed like a very controlled point guard.
Tyler was super controlled. He was my guy on and off the court. We still have contact today. He could do it all and was a very hard nosed player. He didn´t look tough, but he really was.
You added a NCAA season with The University of Arkansas (NCAA) averaging 11.9ppg, 4.6rpg, 1.1apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 52.2%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: 72.4%. The legend Keith Smart was an assistant coach. What memories do you have of him? I bet he had some cool stories to tell? He definitely had stories to share. Our head coach was Jeff Musselman and he was really tough on us. He only wanted the best for us. Coach Smart was the kind of guy that would always make you feel better when you were down. He always made you feel like you were in the right place. He being there was huge for me and I appreciate him very much.
After a solid NBA Summer League with Detroit, you played most of that season with the Motor City Cruise (NBA G League) averaging 15.4ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 46.6%, 3PT: 36.9%, FT: 77.5%. But you did play 1 NBA game. You made your debut against Boston making 2 free throws. What memories do you have of checking in?
I remember that I came in with like 2 minutes to play. Jayson Tatum had 38 and my coach gave me the assignment and said “You got Tatum Get 0”. I had to play as hard as possible and make an impact. I did that getting a steal and block and getting to the free throw line. Tatum didn´t 40.
What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie in the NBA/G-League where you knew that you were far away from home? I remember how the training camp, physicality and skill level were totally different to what I had ever seen. I wasn´t really to shell shocked, because my time at Arkansas really helped prepare my for the NBA. I had had a role there that I would also have in the NBA. Paying attention to detail was also something more different than what I had seen.
In your second season you played with the Detroit Pistons (NBA) playing 24 games averaging 5.3ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 41.9%, 3PT: 45.3%, FT: 90.6%, played also at Motor City Cruise (NBA G League) averaging 16.7ppg, 6.1rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 77.5%. You were teammates for a short time with the great French player Evan Fournier and recently played against him in the Euroleague. Was he a guy where you tried to soak everything up from?
For sure Evan was one I tried to soak everything up from, but also from Cory Joseph. They were both great veterans and great guys to be around. They both led by example and I paid close attention to everything they did each day. I still see them now in the Euroleague and it´s good to know that they still have my back. That is a great feeling.
In your third season you played with the Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) palying 22 games and also played with the Wisconsin Herd (G-League) averaging 17.5ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 34.8%, FT: 80.0%. How tough was this season always having to stay ready? That season was tough. I had actually finished my second season strong with Detroit and had started like 13 games, but then I got injured near the end. Then the team waived me and I went to Milwaukee. There were many great veteran leaders on that team like Giannis, Damian Lillard and Taurean Prince. I tried help team the best way I could in practice even if I didn´t play much in games. Those guys all showed a lot of appreciation for what I did. I really felt like part of the team.
Last season you played for the San Antonio Spurs (NBA) playing 2 games and played also at Austin Spurs (NBA G League) averaging 16.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.5apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 74.7%. did you lose faith in NBA which prompted career swing to Europe? I think it was a combination of both, but mostly just having a very open mind about playing overseas. My brother had played overseas and told me how intense it was. Many former NBA players have done it and I felt it was right to go overseas and tap into the Euroleague.
You played 2 games with the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama. Is he Goat material in the future? He has a long way to go as there are others on that list. But from what I have seen so far, he has real GOAT potential. He is one of a kind.
You played against many great NBA players. Who was the toughest? Tyrese Haliburton.
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore? Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson
Sahmi Willoughby (192-F/G-2001, college: Marietta) is a 25 year old 192cm guard from Ohio that is playing his second pro season and first in Germany with Pro B team Dragons Rhondorf. He played his rookie season with Lahti Basketball (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 8.7ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 59.4%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 80.0%, played also at Team Pajulahti (Finland-1st Division) averaging 22.4ppg, 14.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 47.9%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 72.7%. He began his basketball career at Reynoldsburg high school and then played at Marietta College (NCAA 3) from 2019-2024 playing a total of 113 games and as a senior averaged 12.6ppg, 10.0rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 38.6%, FT: 64.9%. He got early basketball experience playing with the Great Falls Electric (TBL) averaging 9.8ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 60.0%. He spoke to germanmhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Sahmi for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your second professional season for Pro B team Dragons Rhondorf after a NCAA 3 career. How blessed do you feel each day for being able to call yourself a pro player? Does a chip exist on your shoulder? I feel extremely blessed being able to call myself a pro player especially coming from where I came from. A lot of Division 3 guys don’t have the opportunity to play pro, so the fact I can call myself a pro is a blessing! And I hope it inspires the Division 3 guys that it is possible to make it pro coming from that level.
You were with the Telekom Baskets Bonn last season after starting your pro career in Finland and know the organization. Was it a no brainer to come back and play for the Dragons and practice with BBL team Bonn? Yes it was, when I transferred last year I lacked some developmental things. So when the offer was on the table to come back I took it. I feel like I can grow as a player and as a pro, so I felt like this organization can help achieve my goal this season.
How are you a better player now since Finland with having had that experience with the Telekom Baskets Bonn? I feel like my game has diversified since the transfer. I can play multiple positions and provide different roles for my team.
How did the talks go with Dragons head coach Max Becker? What did you instantly appreciate about his basketball philosophy? The talks with coach Max were great. I had multiple workouts and practices with pro B team last year and loved the structure. It is a lot of the same concepts as the BBL team which I appreciate the most.
You practiced against Juhwan Harris-Dyson for months. How was that experience? Would you say that you guys are in a way similar type of players? You both have versatility and can guard many positions?
It was a good experience, he’s also been in the pro scene for a while so I had learned some things from him. I would say he’s more of a guard than me where I am more of a forward and power forward, and can also play the 5 man some. I’d say we are similar where we can guard many positions on the court.
The Dragons Rhondorf have added 2 great players with Mychael Paulo and Justin Onyejaika. What do you see being your role and what goals do you have with your personal game this season?
I see myself playing 3-4 man this season. Maybe the 5 man some just depends on lineup. And my goal is to at least average a double double this season and have an overall successful season this year.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 192cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would bets fit the description? I’ve always been called Dennis Rodman with a jumper, so I am just going to stick with that.
You’re a guy that can really fill the stat sheet well. How big is versatility in your game? Versitility is a big thing, makes me more of a threat on the court.
You’re an incredible rebounder. You averaged 8 rebounds per season in your last 3 at Marietta. Talk a little about the development of your rebounding. What is your secret to consistent rebounding?
As a kid I have always been that incredible rebounder. I was never the guy who was the best scorer so I had to figure out what set me apart from other players and that’s what it was. There’s no secret to it, you just have to work hard and you have to want it more than everyone else.
Talk a little about the development of your defensive game. How big is that goal of being that special defensive stopper? Once again I have always been a solid defender. Coming to the Baskets last season improved that by educating me with their defense of concepts that they have. So putting that into full effect this season is a big goal of mine.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game best?
What I’m mostly working on is being a consistent shooter, learning how to read ball screens and attack then screens. Also being a more consistent ball handler as well. In college I didn’t have to make those decisions so being able to will evolve my game.
You played your first season overseas with Lahti Basketball (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging8.7ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 59.4%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 80.0%, played also at Team Pajulahti (Finland-1st Division) averaging 22.4ppg, 14.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 47.9%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 72.7%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie where you knew that you were far away from home? The main wake up call was just the speed of the game. The first couple games were rough because I had to get adjusted to the game.
How valuable was your experience in the Korisliiga? How did your game grow in Finland? My experience was very valuable in Finland. I learned that I could play with those top guys and I was an undersized 4 man and was still able to produce and get those boards.
After a stellar NCAA 3 career, you remained in USA as a rookie with the Great Falls Electric (TBL). How tough was this season for you? What did you learn from the experience and did you ever have doubts about the grind as a pro?
The season in the TBL wasn’t tough for me. I didn’t really learn anything about being a pro so if just made me grind even more towards being a pro.
You played at Marietta College (NCAA3) from 2019-2024 and won 2 OAC titles. Which title was sweetest? I will say the sweetest title was 2021-2022 year.
You bit a thrilling 30 foot bank shot to force a second OT against Heidelberg winning in the second OT. What memories do you have of that game and did you know shot was going in?
That’s an incredible memory that I still think about to this day. That game was a rough game and I couldn’t get any layups to fall only 3 pointers. The last two play calls were for me and I didn’t hit the first but I knew that second one was going in. It was just a good feeling.
You had a 24 and 22 rebound games against Baldwin Wallace. What was your greatest game on the court with Marietta?
That game was the best game I performed by far at Marietta. It was a complete game for me and ended my senior night in the history books.
How did head coach Jon Vanderwal groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
Coach V best helped me prepare for my pro career by the hard work he put me through the 5 years at Marietta. From how practice was ran, to the liftings and even the meetings we had. We had a way of doing things at Marietta which was called the Marietta way that I still use today: In life and in basketball
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Lovenson Xavier? Me and lovenson never 1 on 1 but if we did I would win.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your career that reached the NBA? I never faced anyone at college who went to the NBA, but I played against Trey Burke and Gary Trent JR in some pro runs, but it is hard to say the toughest
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Jason Ellis, Lukas Isaly, Lue Williams, Corey Tripp, Mason Lydic
Who are your personal NBA Mount Rushmore? LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Michael Jordan
Who is your GOAT? LeBron James
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I haven’t seen it but normally they shouldn’t make sequels to those type of movie.
After a slow 0-2 start into the Pro B season, the Skyliners Juniors have finally found their groove winning their last 2 games. They made an incredible fourth quarter comeback against the Dragons Rhondorf to win their first home game and then returned 72 hours later easily disposing of Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg. However Frankfurt didn´t have an easy next opponent with the TSV Oberaching Tropics who had witnessed one of their best starts in a while having a 4-1 record. The club led by experienced head coach Mario Matic could have been 5-0 had they not lost a close nail bitter to Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg. Both teams had current winning streaks and wanted to maintain their momentum in this game. On a cool early autumn afternoon the TSV Oberaching Tropics entered the game as the favorite on paper, but after 40 minutes had experienced a shocking 102-72 loss. The Skyliners Juniors sped slowly away from their opponent in the second quarter, but totally decided the game in the third quarter with a lethal 34-12 quarter keeping their winning streak alive at three games. “I think that we did a good job staying pretty much steady for 40 minutes. We were never too high or too low. It wasn´t a great ending letting them have a big run in the fourth quarter, but we could afford it with such a big lead. However we should focus on not letting that happen again. We were consistent today and hit our shots really well in the second half. We did a good job figuring out who their 3-4 main scorers were and slowed them down”, stressed Skyliners Junior Jamie Edoka (194-G-2008). The TSV Oberaching Tropics had a solid first quarter, but later had problems slowing down the lethal Frankfurt offense and couldn´t erase mistakes on the offensive glass. “We played a good first half, but our defense wasn´t aggressive enough. We didn´t have a good start to the second half and our shots didn´t fall. Our zone also didn´t work, but we never gave up”, stressed TSV Oberaching Tropics guard Dzenis Hodovic.
Dzenis Hodzic with the lay in
The first quarter saw a few little runs from both teams as no team was able to get away for a good lead. TSV Oberaching Tropics had the 6-4 lead early on getting a big dunk from Frankfurt native Max May and ex Bonn/Rhondorf (NBBL) guard Frederick Mueller also scored in the paint. The Skyliners Juniors were still figuring out to find a groove and did with 2026 AST winner Jamie Edoka who added 5 rapid points with back to back buckets and the 9-6 advantage. The game was a high tempo and the TSV Oberaching Tropics did a good job using their bench and the role players stepped up. Ex IBAM forward Daniel Riedrich hit a trey and ex Limburg center Aike Bensmann made a lay in and Nedzad Muratovic made a beautiful old school running hook shot ala Toni KuKoc for the 17-12 lead. However the Skyliners Juniors were able to punch back and serve good execution as the universal genius Ivan Crnjac nailed a trey, Maxi Peters snuck inside for a lay in and Moses Poelking used his swiftness to make a pretty left handed hook shot, but Frankfurt trailed 17-16 after 10 minutes. Both teams had miserable 3 point shooting percentages with Frankfurt at 22% and Oberaching at 14% while the field goal percentages were at 35% for Frankfurt and 47% for TSV Oberaching Tropics. Frankfurt had the slim 10-8 rebound edge, but had the 4-1 offensive rebound lead. The high tempo and aggressive defense led to 6 Frankfurt turnovers and 5 for the guests. “We had to get used to the style. They were pretty physical, but nothing that concerned us”, stressed Jamie Edoka
Moses Poelking at the FT line
In the second quarter the Skyliners Juniors stepped on the gas pedal and began hot going on a 10-3 run to get the 26-20 lead. One part of the TSV Oberaching Tropics game plan was to try to subdue the talented trio of Edoka, Crnac and Smazak, but in this run, Smazak added 6 points and Crnjac a lay in. Energizer Dusan Nikolic added a lay in. The TSV Oberaching Tropics began sluggish and couldn´t match Frankfurt´s intensity. Frankfurt´s aggressive defense didn´t allow the guests any good ball movement and their hustle on the boards rewarded them with extra possessions and easy baskets. Mueller stopped the run with a lay in, but Frankfurt didn´t hesitate to punch back right away as they went on a 9-3 run to lead 35-25. The Frankfurt offense was smooth and in a groove where good team basketball created good opportunites with a 15 footer form Edoka and a lay in on transition by Crnjac. The Skyliners Juniors also remained aggressive at the same time attacking the rim resulting with free throws from Nikolic and Peters. The TSV Oberaching Tropics couldn´t muster much offense except for Hodovic who nailed a trey. The 18 year guard from Bosnia that played 2 years in the FC Bayern Munich youth program had such a refreshing game as his inside out game and three level scoring sparkled. His intense incredible ball handling presented problems for Frankfurt´s on ball defense all day long. Frankfurt held the momentum in the waning minutes getting a lay in from Peters and Crnjac to lead 41-29 at the break. Team captain Alvin Oniya was instrumental in this quarter with his excellent floor general qualities and pretty dimes. “Alvin is a beast. He has a great motor. At both ends. He makes great passes, puts the tempo high an djust has so much energy”, stated Jamie Edoka. Philipp “White Chocolate” Bode made a long shot behind center court, but it didn´t count because time had elapsed. The Skyliners Juniors shot 41% from the field and 17% from the three point line and had 24 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 40% from the field and 31% from the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 12 turnovers. “We stuck to the game plan and defended really well as a team”, said Jamie Edoka.
Philipp Bode from outside
The big turning point came in the third quarter where the Skyliners Juniors ran away with the game and led by as much as 34 points and at the end of 30 minutes led 77-44. The Skyliners Juniors came into the second half focused and reeled off a lethal 22-6 run to extend their lead to 65-38. Edoka began with free throws which was followed by 4 points from Smazak with a lay in and pretty floater. May who had a large cheering gallery in the stands did all he could getting inside and using his physicality for 2 big buckets. However Frankfurt then finally found their outside shot and let it rain three´s as Edoka and Peters let it fly which resulted in 2 three pointers a piece. One has really noticed in the early part of the season that Edoka´s three pointer has really improved. He went 5/9 increasing his confidence. “I have worked so much on my shot. My confidence is very high. I´m fortunate that being able to play at the Pro B level is a good chance for me to take and improve it”, comemnetd Jamie Edoka. The TSV Oberaching Tropics mostly used the defensive zone, but they couldn´t get any stops. Hodovic continued to play his game and scored on the drive again as Oberaching trailed 65-40. However Frankfurt´s offense was simply to well oiled on this night as their confidence kept growing which led to added positive execution. Smazak continued to remain hot as he dropped 5 more points for the 70-40 advantage. The defensive intensity just wasn´t enough to string along some extra stops for some added confidence. It also didn´t help the guests that they couldn´t hit free throws consistently. The team missed 11 on the night and May was extremely unlucky at 2/8. Nikolic added a lay in as well as little used Dutch forward Chris Widmer to end the third quarter. “They tried to give us different looks with their defense. Their zone didn´t work and we found quick shots”, explained Jamie Edoka. “We didn´t defend aggressively enough and had problems controlling the defensive rebound”, commented Dzenis Hodzioc. The Skyliners Juniors shot 47% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and had 35 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 34% from the field and 22% from the parking lot and had 25 rebounds and 17 turnovers.
Maxi Peters from outside
The TSV Oberaching Tropics had their strongest quarter in the fourth scoring 28 points, but couldn´t make any real ground to get over the hump allowing 25 points. The fans definitely had no complaints as there were 53 points worth of offense delivered in the last 10 minutes. Frankfurt decreased their defensive intensity a bit in the last frame which led to a Muratovic offensive rebound and put back and Niklas Schuler trey as all of a sudden he was left all alone on the three point line for the trey, but Frankfurt still had the overwhelming 80-50 lead. After a Muratovic trey, it was Frankfurt that released another severe blow with an overwhelming 15-2 run for the 99-56 advantage. In the run, it was Jamie Edoka who responded again finding his range from outside with back to back three´s and two free throws for his own 7-0 run while Smazak continued to produce adding 5 points while Oniya also got into the scoring spree with a lay in as Frankfurt led 99-56. It then took Frankfurt a little time to reach the 100 points as the TSV Oberaching Tropics then made the last punch of the game going on a strong game ending 16-3 run to at least finish the game with some sort of positive feeling. Oberaching added 7 points in a row with a May dunk and 5 points from Hodzic including a trey as Frankfurt led 99-63. Joscha Zentgraf then missed 4 free throws in a row, but got an extra fifth as a opponent ran to early after the free throw. The German finally hit the fifth free throw as Frankfurt had finally reached 100 points. Oberaching finished the game strong then with two more three´s from Hodovic and Muratovic. “We can´t allow fourth quarters like that where we have such a big lead. We have to learn from this and treat the next games fourth quarters with more discipline and treat it like it was 0-0”, warned Jamie Edoka. “We wanted to play our game and did. We stayed together as a team and finished strong”, warned Dzenis Hodzic. The Skyliners Juniors had 5 guys score in double figures led by Jamie Edoka with 25 points while Lukas Smazak had 20 points while the TSV Oberaching Tropics were led by Dzenis Hodzic with 24 points while Max May had 14 points and 10 boards. The Skyliners Juniros shot 48% from the field and 31% from outside and had 52 rebounds and 19 turnovers while the TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 37% from the field and 29% from outside and had 32 rebounds and 21 turnovers.
My basketball love for Jeremy Ingram (183-F-1991, college: AAMU) just doesn´t stop. I mean I will never forget watching and meeting him for the first time in November 2020 in a small town called Idstein and have been covering him for 6 years and 34 interviews/articles for eurobasket/German Hoops have been produced in that time. You just have to Love him. There may not be a more talented guy to ever play in the Regionalliga Germany and never make the Pro B. Despite having a chip on his shoulder that has to be heavier than an elephant, the guy simply has always grinded and kept going. Playing in the Regionalliga doesn´t produce big pay checks, but he has learned over the years that earning money away from his playing career would be instrumental and he has done that with various off the court businesses that has allowed him to keep playing the game he loves. He is playing his 11th season in Luxemburg and continues to dominate at the tender age of 35. The guy is such an incredible competitor and has a heart of Gold and has that special self confidence in his game and himself that has allowed him to be successful on and off the court. “I´m 35 and been training harder than I ever have since I been overseas and my 3 ball is looking better than it ever has so I´m looking to have my best season ever So Don´t sleep on me. I don´t care what age I am when I step on that court I´m looking for blood, that´s my forever mentality”, warned Jeremy Ingram. This past summer he had the golden opportunity again to show the world just how good of a player he is and a confirmation that he is a lot better than in the leagues he has played in Germany, Croatia and Luxemburg as he proved his worth at the LGCY.
The LGCY was brought into life by the help of NBA player Dennis Schroeder which was an event where German national players formed teams that competed on state of the art courts in Berlin and Munich and combined it with entertainment. The event was stocked with a lot of NBA players like Franz Wagner and Isaac Bonga who supported their national team captain Dennis Schroeder. But the teams also needed other players from overseas and Jeremy Ingram who has played overseas for a decade was on board, but how does a guy who played most of his career in the Regionalliga get picked? “This team pretty much reached out to me to see if I was available. I know these guys from the basketball world and from playing in Berlin.”, stressed Jeremy Ingram who currently is in Germany again running his business in Kaiserslautern and Stuttgart. The American who also has balled in Luxemburg and Croatia in the past had to get used to some things he doesn´t usually see in a regular 40 minutes game. The rules had 4 quarters of 5 minutes each and 3 points for a dunk while the floor was of digital glass. “The first round of the tournament took us some time adjusting to the rules and really understanding it but we caught on pretty quick. Always try to get them dunks. The whole light up LED court was amazing and I actually had conversations with the guy who helped design it. It was super dope to play on but it was also very slippery. We were out there skating most of the game but it was still fun”, said Jeremy Ingram. What kind of teams did he play against and was there a club that was toughest to paly against me? “My team played against a Spain team both games and they were pretty decent but non of those guys can guard me. Respectfully”, added Jeremy Ingram.
The incredible one on one player who has a killer cross over to die for had really good players on his team including 4 first division players as well German Shawn Gulley that had Pro A experience. Due to certain circumstances, he had to show different facets of his game, but was there team ball involved or was it more isolation? “The first round of the tournament I had to play point guard so I felt very limited but I had some really good players on my team so I tried to just be a pg. In the 2nd round they brought in different point guards and moved me to the shooting guard and that´s where I got busy. Because I´m a natural scorer. I would say it was more iso because none of us really played with each other before so we didn´t really have too much chemistry on the court to be honest. We practiced maybe once or twice then we had to play so we played more streetball freestyle type of basketball”, warned Jeremy Ingram. The American was able to showcase much in his box including really sweet three´s, but was he overall content with his performance? “I always think I can play better but the way I play is fast and crossing people over but the court was so slippery it was hard to play that style so I just tried to take my shots and ended up going on a little hot streak so I would say I played pretty decent actually. Unfortunately my teammates weren´t able to hit too many of their shots so maybe I tried to take matters into my own hands a little too much. I get like that sometimes”, commented Jeremy Ingram. Was it difficult selecting just one favorite own play from the tournament or was the 3 level scorer who has countless breathtaking highlights each game pick only one? “Easily when I pulled up from like 6 feet behind the 3 point line. It was a heat check shot because I hit a 3 right before that”, remembered Jeremy Ingram.
Being able to battle at the LGCY was a massive stage for Jeremy Ingram. Where would he rank this experience in his all-time best basketball experiences? “I would say the Quai 54 in Paris was probably the all around best basketball event I have played in since I have been in Europe. But the LGCY atmosphere and just the stage and the light up floors was super dope so I rank this right there with the Quai 54”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. There was so much prominence there with guys like Franz Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Andreas Obst so it was only logical that he would network. “Franz was pretty much around us the whole tournament, even our practices. He’s such a cool and laid back guy. I networked with a lot of people and players who play in other countries. I also was hanging with the guy who actually created the LGCY Series, he’s a very cool guy also”, said Jeremy Ingram. He had an amazing LGCY experience on and off the court especially meeting Dennis Schroeder and on the court proving he is a lot better than in any league he has ever played in overseas. “Dennis stayed in the same hotel as me and after watching me hoop came to me in the hotel and said “I heard you played for my team in Braunschweig a few years ago”. So apparently I was doing my thing in the LGCY for them to be talking about me and we took pictures together. That was probably my top moment from the LGCY event. I got respect from almost everyone there and even got respect from Dennis Schroder so that´s my confirmation right there that I was hooping out there. I learned that just because a lot of those guys are in higher leagues than me doesn’t mean they are better than me. I already knew that but playing against guys in this series just confirmed it. I can hang with the best of them”, warned Jeremy Ingram. He may be 35 years old, but still has strong wheels as he is in his 11th pro season overseas with Grengewald Hostert (Luxembourg-LBBL) “I am super excited to be back a part of the Grengewald family and even more excited to help them in the first league this season”, stated Jeremy Ingram. Last season he played with German Mr Regionalliga player Ricky Easterling who last season averaged 12,0ppg in the German Regionalliga with Saarlouis at age 42 while also coaching him in Luxemburg. Both have that killer mid range game. “Ricky and I have known each other for a long time. He is one of the most efficient players I have played against. He was a great player and already shaping out to be a great coach. Got nothing but love and respect for him”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. Could Easterling give him extra motivation to play until he is 40? “ Well I don’t know about playing until I´m 40. Not that I can’t, it´s just my business is becoming so big and the bigger it gets more time consuming, so we’ll see about playing until 40 but I doubt that”, added Jeremy Ingram. Even if he doesn´t play until 40, one should enjoy every new game of Jeremy Ingram in the future, because his game will always be unforgettable.
Albert Oliver (187-PG-1978) is a 48 year old 187cm guard that is currently an assistant coach With La Laguna Tenerife. He enjoyed an incredible 25 year career playing 675 ACB games that was spent all in Spain. He played for teams like Caprabo Lleida, Ricoh Manresa, Pamesa Valencia, Asefa Estudiantes Madrid, FIATC Joventut Badalona, Herbalife Gran Canaria 2014, Coosur Real Betis Sevilla, and Monbus Obradoiro CAB scoring 5,211 points in the ACB. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his memories of a ULEB cup game between Valencia and Frankfurt from 2007.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber interviewing ex NBA and North Carolina guard Shammond Williams in Frankfurt in 2007
When I say the date December 10th, 2007 Does anything pop up in your mind?
I actually remember that time very well. But not necessarily for basketball, but for another reason. My son was born on December 18th, 2007.
On this day you were in this arena in Frankfurt almost 19 years ago. Now being back does the arena seem familiar again` It actually looked a little familiar when I first entered for shoot around today. I thought maybe I had played here before. Now I know I played here since you told me.
What does it mean for you to be back here 19 years later? My first feeling is I´m old now. I was 29 when I played here then. Looking back I think we won. I never lost in Germany before.
I was here in 2007 and so were you. Now were here again in 2026. Does that show how small the basketball world can be at times?
Yes the world is small. I didn´t expect that. We here again 19 years later.
I remember the game really well. I interviewed Shammond Williams and Ruben Williams before the game for my radio show and then called the game on the radio. What about you? I don´t remember much. I do remember that we had a really talented team with those guys and others.
It was a low scoring game that Valencia won 76-68. Mindaugas Timinskas led Valencia with 20 points. Unlike like tonight which was a shoot out. He is from Lithuania and played the 3 and 4. Now it seems like everyone is going to the NCAA from Europe. He had done it also back then which was a lot more rare. He had played at Iona. He was a really good shooter, but more important a good person.
Do you remember the 203Cm Derrick Allen of Frankfurt. He had the special ballerina moves. No I don´t remember him. I played a lot of games in my career.
You had 0 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 14 minutes. It was only the second game in Euro competition that season where you had the goose egg. As a point guard was scoring 0 points less than a problem for you since you were a fine playmaker? I obviously want to play better and score more, but for me the most important was always getting the win.
You were 29 years old in 2007 so ex NBA player Shammond Williams wasn´t a mentor. What memories do you have of him?
He was a really talented player especially on the offensive end. He was a scoring point guard that could do it all. He was physical and liked playing fast.
I will never forget him. He arrived at the game with a suit on as if he was still in the NBA. What was up with that suit approach? Yes he was always wearing a suit. Maybe he thought he was still in the NBA. He always dressed like that home or away. He had many suits.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Shammond Williams? Shammond for sure.
Who was the toughest player that you faced in the ACB in your career? Elmer Bennett and Jorge Manuel Calderon
Who is your Spanish GOAT? Juan Antonio San Epifanio.
Marcelinho Huertas and Miles Schmidt-Scheuber in Frankfurt Germany
Marcelinho Huertas (191-PG-1983) is a 43 year old 191cm point guard from Brazil playing his 23rd season overseas and 9th with La Laguna Tenerife. The Sao Paulo native began his overseas career in 20024 with DKV Joventut Badalona (Liga ACB). He also played with Iurbentia Bilbao Basket (Liga ACB), GMAC Real Estate Bologna (Italy-Serie A), and Caja Laboral Vitoria (Liga ACB). He then played 4 seasons with FC Barcelona (ACB) before making his NBA break through playing 2 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. He then returned to Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz (Spain-Liga ACB) before moving to La Laguna Tenerife. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Eurocup game against German team Skyliners,
Marcelinho thanks for talking to eurobasket.com. You are 43 years old and in your 23rd season after coming overseas in 2004. You are the Lebron James of overseas. What is your secret of being able to compete at the highest level?
There isn´t a secret for me. I live every day like if it was the first day of my career. My dream as a kid was always to be a pro. I never expected to get this far. What keeps me going is simply that the dream inside me is still alive. I couldn´t imagine my life any different. I just go out and play with passion and try my best. Obviously not having many injuries helped my body hold up. I play the sport I love competitively and with pride.
You have played 732 ACB games and retired player Felipe Reyes has the game record with 824. Are you striving to get by him? That is really something that really doesn´t concern me. For me it was never about chasing something and beating records. I just go out on the court and have fun, be a good leader and be competitive.
You are playing your 8th season with La Laguna Tenerife. What is so special about this organization that has made you remain so long? I found a place with this organization that I never expected when I arrived. But everything fits with this organization. The club, fans and city are great and my family and I feel very comfortable here since day one. It is simply a great surrounding where the players want to stay for a long time. We compete against the best teams and fight well in all competitions. There is no reason to have to move around like other players do. It is a perfect location and I´m happy.
Your teammate Aaron Dornekamp also loves the team as he is in his ninth season. Have you guys shared a special bond over the years more than other teammates? We connected here and I already knew him from when we faced each other with our national teams. We have a special bond, but that is also the case with so many of the other guys who have been here a while. We have created a really nice team bond here and we like to be around each other. When one has a winning environment, it makes everything so much easier on the court. We have so many high IQ players that it makes everything easier on the court.
Was winning the Basketball Champions League in 2022 your biggest success with La Laguna Tenerife? What was so special about this team?
That is hard to tell. Winning titles are important and mark a special place. But there have also been so many other moments in my time here. Having 1 great day winning a title can´t replace 8 years. I like being around nice people in a nice environment. There were also other great accomplishments like reaching the ACB semi-finals a lot. Beating Real Madrid as a eighth seed was also very special. I believe having nice ties with your teammates last longer than titles.
You have played often against German teams over the years. How have you observed German basketball over the years and how has it developed in the last 10-15 years? German basketball has grown so much. I see the results with the national team and they have been great. The teams have been so highly competitive and physical over the years. There are so many so gifted players like a few Brazilians that are playing for the team where I´m a bit bitter. They are a great team with a great future.
Before arriving in Tenerife, you played two seasons with Kirolbet Baskonia Vitoria. There you were teammates with current Euroleague player Johannes Voigtmann. How did you see his development the last two years and why isn´t a guy like him in the NBA?
Joe is such a talented player that can do it all as a big man. He can shoot, hit the 3, pass and play above the rim. He is one of those players where you don´t know how to guard him. He has gotten so much better and comfortable over the last years. He also has played with the best teams. Why he didn´t go to the NBA is a good question. You would have to ask him. Maybe he just knew that his place was in Europe. Sometimes it is better having a good status somewhere instead of having a frustrated dream. He has had a great career in Europe and I believe he is happy with that.
You played in the NBA from 2015-2017 playing 76 games with the Los Angeles Lakers. What kind of experience was that for you? What did you learn most from the experience?
I had to bring my A game each day. There was nothing guaranteed with my situation and I always had to earn my minutes. It was frustrating sometimes when I was in the rotation and out even though I believed that I deserved to be in the rotation. I had to always be ready and could only control what I could and not mess up. I feel like I did the best that I could. I was around incredible players and tried to learn as much as possible.
Was your 10 points and 9 assists in the win against the great Golden State Warriors one of your fondest single game performances? You can always tell your grand children that you beat Steph Curry in a game. That game was very special for me. Being able to beat the beat team in that era was great. It was so memorable winning and me having an impact in it. That game was my most memorable in my 2 years with the Lakers. I didn´t beat them, but we did it as a team.
You were teammates with the late Kobe Bryant. What was your fondest story with him? I will always remember Kobe being a really nice guy to me. I was very lucky to share special moments with him in the locker room. We sat next to each other in the locker room and training room. I will never forget having conversations in Spanish and Italian. He liked talking in different languages and not having his teammates know what he was saying. We spoke about random things and had nice private time together. But at the same time, I really respected his space and didn´t try to invade it too much.
What was the best example that you saw in your two year NBA stay that showed that the NBA is a business first and nothing else?
The NBA really is a business. There is so much money and ego´s involved. Clubs are so worried about reconstruction that the feelings for the players isn´t there. Sometimes decisions are made by clubs where the player has no power. Some guys will move to 2-3 teams in a season and that is hard. It isn´t easy for families, but that is part of the business. I was very lucky that I had no problems with that and stayed 2 seasons with the Lakers.
You played 4 years with FC Barcelona from 2011-2015 winning 4 titles. Would it be fair to say that this was the most memorable time in your professional career?
My dream as a kid wasn´t only to be a professional player, but one day to play for FC Barcelona. That dream came true. When I was there, I put in as much effort and competed at a high level and tried to win as much as possible. I had 4 good years, but am disappointed that I never won a Euroleague title. We reached 3 final 4´s. The Euroleague is that one title that I really wanted to win. We really tried our best, but it just didn´t want to happen.
There you played a season with the Lithuanian legend Sarunas Jasikevicius. What memories do you have of his last season. What story do you have of him that you will never forget? Sarunas is an amazing person foremost and was also an incredible player. When he was there, he was at the end of his career and he was nice to be around. I loved his stories and I was able to learn a lot from him on the court. We are still well connected today and talk often. He is a great coach now and I´m very happy that he is having success now as well.
You played 4 seasons with the Spanish legend Juan Carlos Navarro. What kind of an influence did he have on you and what kind of relationship did you have with him?
Juan was one of the most gifted players that I ever played with. What he did for the FC Barcelona organization and Spanish national team for so many years was out of the ordinary. His ability to score and lead the team was incredible. He didn´t speak much, but he was one of the nicest guys. He is very family orientated. He did so much for FC Barcelona. Being able to be around him and learn so much on a daily basis was very inspirational for me.
You played two seasons at Caja Laboral Vitoria with Dusko Ivanovic at. How do you remember his teaching and what valuable qualities could he give you that helped you become a better player? Dusko was very important in my career at that time. He shaped me then to be a better playmaker. He taught me how I could put players in position at the right time. His advice made click with me and I believed that I could be a better playmaker. He also taught me to fight through pain and to never give up. He forced me to the limit. I began to see things through a different perspective. I didn´t agree with him at first, but that helped me develop a certain toughness and I learned to bounce back during adversary. I´m really grateful to him.
In your second season you were 22 and a very talented 15 year old Ricky Rubio was on the team. What do you remember him doing in a practice that never left your memory bank?
When you saw him then at age 15, he wasn´t the future, but already the present. He was that good. I saw things from him at age 15 that I didn´t see from players at age 25. His maturity and expertise at that age was extra ordinary. We all understood the hype. He didn´t need to score and made everyone around him better. He was a great leader. He is still playing at a high level today which is really inspirational. I came to the team and was 21 and he was 14. When we saw him practice with his youth team, we were all amazed at what he could do on the court. How he took care of little things on the court were amazing. It was a joy for all to watch. Luka Donic was a bit older when he began to dominate.
How has basketball in Europe changed since your days in Badalona? Is there anything you miss from the early days playing in the ACB? Today teams play faster. The style also changed more since there are more Americans overseas now. Everyone is running more, quicker possessions and more three´s being shot. It is less structured now and the old fashioned game isn´t as visible anymore. But it is fun to see when teams play each other with different styles. There are more mental battles now. It is like a chess match. All you can do is to adapt as much as possible.
You played a very good World Championships in Turkey in 2010 as well as a very good Olympics in 2012. What tournament do you honestly feel did you play your best? Our best time with the national team was from 2010-2016. We should of won medals those years, but lost close games that we know that we should of won. We lost because of small details, being nervous and making bad decisions in crucial moments. I really wanted to win a medal for my country. I feel like we deserved more than what we reached.
How memorable was your 32 points in the 2010 World Cup win over arch rival Argentina? Is this a game that you enjoy rewatching? I never rewatch games of mine. I will watch highlights every so often. I think that when I retire one day, then I will have more time for things like that. I will be bitter and watch my old games and suffer. But I will remember moments like this and live with joy. I will watch my old games then with a different perspective. Now I´m focused most on continuing to learn and improve my game as best as possible.
What has it meant to you being a teammate with Tiago Splitter in the national team and also in Spain? Is he a close second to being the greats Brazilin player of all-time behind Oscar Schmidt? It is tough to tell since my country has had many great players over the years. I wasn´t alive when we won Gold and Silver medals at the Fiba World Cup. I heard that that generation had incredible players. I watched Oscar play and that generation as well as my generation had great players as well. Spliter had an incredible career being All Euroleague and won an NBA title. His career was cut short due to a hip injury. He could have had a longer and had an even better career. We had so many great players that it wouldn´t be fair to others if he was behind Oscar. But he was one of the best Brazilian players. He had a huge impact.
Please list your 5 all-time best teammates in your career? I´m sure Tiago Splitter is on this list.
It is very hard to name just 5 players since I had so many great teammates. I will list a few bigs since they always made my life so much easier on the court. Tiago Splitter, Ante Tomic who was so smart and my current teammate Giorgi Shermadini. I have an unbelievable connection to him. I owe him a lot. I can name so many others like Rudy Fernandez, Ricky Rubio, Juan Carlos Navarro or Kobe Bryant. I could add 20 more guys.
In the two years that you played in the NBA who was the toughest player you battled and who was your toughest foe in Europe? In the NBA, I remember Russell Westbrook being so quick and explosive in his prime. Steph Curry also. You blinked and lost him. In Europe, my toughest were Rubio, Diamantidis, Spanoulis, Lull Etc.
Please list your own personal NBA and Euroleague Mount Rushmore. Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Lebron James And Shaq Dimitrios Diamantidis, Vasilios Spanoulis, Juan Carlos Navarro, Kyle Hines and Luis Scola
Who is your Goat? Michael Jordan. Steve Nash and Jason Kidd inspired me growing up.
