Rivaldo Soares (198-G-1999, college: Oklahoma) is a 198cm guard from Boston playing his rookie season in Germany with the easyCredit BBL team Telekom Baskets Bonn currently averaging 3,9ppg and 2,6rpg in the easycredit BBL.. He began his basketball career at the O´Bryant School of Math and Science. He then played 2 seasons at South Plains College (JUCO) averaging 15.4ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 42.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 79.7% and in his second season averaged 15.2ppg, 6.8rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 71.8%. He then played 2 seasons with the University of Oregon (NCAA) averaging 4.7ppg, 2.7rpg and 7.2ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 47.4%, 3PT: 25.3%, FT: 83.1%. He finished his NCAA career at the The University of Oklahoma (NCAA) averaging 9.4ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 69.5%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 80.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Rivaldo for talking to germanhoops.com. How blessed are you to be overseas? I am in a state of gratitude. Feeling blessed to have this opportunity because people where I come from and my demographic don’t get these opportunities. Basketball has always been a part of my life and I feel like as long as I don’t cheat the game it will continue to treat me as it has my whole career. There are ups and downs but I am just grateful to have this opportunity
Roel Moors brought you to Bonn. What did you appreciate about his basketball philosophy right away? I appreciated coach Moers approach because he didn’t sell me a dream. He didn’t cut corners or sugar coat anything. He was honest in the process and gave me a blueprint of how he envisioned me as a player.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 198cm forward that can fill the stat sheet at ease. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? I see myself as a two way player that can impact the game in many ways. I can see myself being a Paul George like player who can make tough shots. I also see myself being productive and doing things that don´t always show up in the stat sheet like Josh Hart.
You showed your scoring in JUCO, but in the NCAA never averaged more than 9,0ppg. How would you describe your scoring development in the last years. What are your biggest strengths?
The NCAA is a different system. If you look at it, I never got the same volume of shots as I did in JUCO. I think it’s part of the reason why coach Moers recruited me. I played a role in the NCAA and it was different from the one I had at my JUCO. My ability to play hard, guard, rebound, and play make are reasons I stayed on the floor. When the opportunity presented itself I was able to become that scorer in the later part of the season last year averaging just over 15 in my last 17 games or so.
You had some up and down three point shooting years, but last season as a senior you shot 39%. How confident do you feel like you can continue to let your three point shooting percentage grow overseas?
I have nothing but confidence in my shot. I put a lot of things aside last year and just focused on basketball. I stayed in the gym and my shot was as comfortable as ever.
You’re a very strong defender that can defend 1-4. What kind of a defender would you call yourself now and what kind of a defender would you like to be in a few years? I know I can guard but to play in a physical league I know I’ll need to get even better. I actually don’t know what type of defender to call myself. Defense has just been embedded in me. It’s just my competitive nature.
On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?
Even the greats are always working on their game. I want to improve everything from on the court to the weight room even down to nutrition. I want to get better at everything so I don’t have a weakness.
You played your first 2 years of college ball at South Plains College (JUCO) averaging 15.4ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 42.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 79.7% and 15.2ppg, 6.8rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 71.8%. Every guy that I have interviewed that played Juco have said that JUCO was tough, but an experience they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you?
I would say the same thing. It was in the trenches for two years. It also helped me grow as a man. My first time living outside the city of Boston, MA. It forced me to grow up faster than some kids out of high school would. Being coached by a Hall of Fame coach like Steve Green was also an honor and helped my development drastically. He emphasized winning to us everyday. No one´s looking if you aren’t winning.
How vital was head coach Steve Green in your 2 years at South Plains? How did he help shape your game in those 2 years? Hall of Famer. I owe him a lot. hard nosed coach but let us play our game. I come to a loss for words when describing what he means to me because without him tracking a chance on me I don’t know if I could say I’d be in the same position I am in right now.
You then played 2 seasons at the University of Oregon reaching the NIT Sweet 16 and Elite 8. You had to suffer a tough 3 point loss to Wisconsin. Is that one of those games that you will never forget? I’ll never forget it because we had been winning majority of the game if I remember correctly. I had been guarding the kid who hit the shot all game and unfortunately I wasn’t on him for that shot. I had been playing well in the NIT getting my career high a game or two before that and just wished my season continued. Especially knowing now that that would be my last season as a duck.
Your minutes rose almost to 10 minutes in your second season at Oregon. How did your game grow under the legendary head coach Dana Altman? It honestly started in the film room. There was so much attention to detail that I had never really expected. The scouting reports were so specific and it taught me to watch film and focus on opponents tendencies. He trusted me to guard the opponent´s best players
You finished at The University of Oklahoma (NCAA): averaging 9.4ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 69.5%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 80.4%. How important was it going to Oklahoma? You finished out your NCAA career strong in the last 2 months being a real consistent scorer.
Going to Oklahoma just gave me a fresh restart with a coach that was willing to trust me in any situation. When our team got hurt towards the end of the season it just called for another role from me and it was to put the ball in the hoop. As efficient as I was, coach Moser just gave me more opportunity and poured confidence into me. It felt good having the offensive impact I had. like I had said before I just cleared my mind and forced on what I could control.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Jalon Moore?
There weren’t too many one on ones with Jalon. We just competed a lot of live segments. Being close in size we were always one anothers matchup. He´s a strong wing who is very athletic so you always have to know where he is. even when he’s on defense. He got me better as I got him better. but I got this one.
Who was the toughest player that you faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA? No one gave me fits like Will Richardson. Just a high IQ player who doesn’t look it but is wiry strong and knows how to use his body to create space. 3 level scorer with a good handle and could make tough shots.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Will Richardson teammate at Oregon
Jermaine Coousinard teammate at Oregon
Noah Fernandes who I played with in AAU
Tre Mitchell who I played AAU with
Myron Gardner South plains Teammate
Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads? Lebron, Kobe, Michael, Shaq
Who is your GOAT?
Lebron James
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America movie? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? They should have left it alone HAHAH.
Allin Blunt (201-F-1999, college: UMass Lowell) is a 25 year old 201cm forward from Washington DC who has 2 years of professional experience under his belt. He played this season with the EPG Guardians Koblenz avergaing 7,5ppg, 3,4rpg and 1,8apg. Last season he played with the Laguna Sharks Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 4.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.1spg; and in Jan.’24 moved to Kordall Steelers Rodange (Luxembourg-LBBL) averaging 16.2ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 41.3%, FT: 67.7%. He began his basketball career with Gonzaga College high school and then played at the University of Massachusetts – Lowell (NCAA) from 2018-2023 playing a total of 146 NCAA games. In his last 2 seasons he averaged 11.6ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 51.3%, 3PT: 32.0%, FT: 68.7% and 10.6ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 50.5%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 84.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Allin for talking to germanhoops.com. Did you ever seek advice from ex assistant coach Louis Hinnant about overseas ball? He played in Europe including Germany. Coach Lou has been a big part of me getting to the point I’m at today. I talk to him often and I still workout with him. He’s been nothing but influential in my basketball journey and that’s since my senior year of high school, I can’t thank him enough.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 201cm forward. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description? Jalen Williams of the OKC Thunder. Just his ability to score at all 3 levels and then he defends 1-4 also.
You are an undersized forward, but a guy that can do it all. Would you call yourself a modern day big man?
No, I wouldn’t say I’m a modern day big. I’m just a bigger guard I can play 2-4 on the offensive end and guard those same positions as well. I’m your do it all type of guy.
How much does your football backround help you with going to those places where it hurts in the zone?
It helps a lot especially when attacking the rim and rebounding being aggressive and not shying away from contact, my football background definitely helps with that.
Your also a very good three point shooter. Where would you rate your three point development at the moment?
I’m always working on my 3pt shot, it’s a big part of my game. Being able to stretch the floor is something that is very valuable in today’s game so being consistent with my shot is a big thing for me.
What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become? I’m definitely a versatile defender I can guard 1-4 and then using my advantages depending on my matchup. Guarding smaller guards just using my length and size to alter shots and then with bigger guys using my speed to take up space and putting pressure on them.
On what areas of your game are you working on most at the moment so you can continue to climb the basketball ladder?
At the moment my cardio and ball handling are what Im working on the most. Then just getting up a lot of shots and keeping my mechanics on point.
You played your rookie season with the Laguna Sharks Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 4.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.1spg; Cup: 2 games: 6.5ppg, 3.0rpg, in Jan.’24 moved to Kordall Steelers Rodange (Luxembourg-LBBL) averaging 16.2ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 41.3%, FT: 67.7% What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home? When I landed in Turkey for my connecting flight to Bucharest, Romania and I had no cell service, that was my wake up call haha.
You played half a season in Romania. You experienced real growing pains there. Could you take any positives out of the experience? The biggest positive is that I never gave up. I kept working and believing in my abilities and now it´s starting to pay off.
In Luxemburg everything worked for you. Your game cooled down a bit in the last month, but still adjusted well after a tough start in Romania. Did the Luxemburg experience give you the needed self confidence to make the next step in Koblenz? I always had the confidence, I just needed a better situation and in Luxembourg Kordall provided me with that. So I can’t think Dan Elvinger and Coach Tara enough for taking a chance on me.
You played at the University of Massachusetts – Lowell (NCAA) from 2018-2023. The first 2 years you averaged 15 minutes, but in the last 3 seasons you averaged 29 minutes per game. How did your game grow in your last 3 years?
With work. That’s all it was, a lot of extra work. Putting aside distractions and focusing on my game so I could be the player I know I always could be.
In your second season you played against NCAA powerhouse Michigan scoring 6 points. What memories do you have of that game playing against future NBA guys like Franz Wagner? All I remember is the sold out crowd and I could not hear my own thoughts at first. But once the game started within a couple minutes. I was good to go. I did outscore Franz that game too haha.
You had so many great games in the NCAA like scoring 33 points against UMBC. What was your favorite game in the NCAA? My favorite game I played in would have to be senior night for me. Just to see how far I’ve come over the years and then reaching 1,000 points in that game it was just an all around amazing day for me and my family.
How did head coach Pat Duquette groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
He instilled confidence in me and he did that from day 1 when he offered me a scholarship. He saw the potential in me and he made sure I didn’t take it for granted.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Max Brooks? I did every time haha. Max is a great player but 1-1 vs me. He hasn’t won yet and it’s about a 99.9% chance he never will.
Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA? In college I would have to say my tougher matchups none of them have reached the NBA but if I had to choose between those that did probably Toumani Camara that went to Dayton.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Anthony Blunt
Christian Lutete
Obadiah Noel
Chris Lykes
Prentiss Hubb
What is your NBA Mount Rushmore? Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Penny Hardaway, Tracy McGrady
Who is your Goat? Lebron James is the Goat but my GOAT is Carmelo Anthony
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America movie? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
No I haven’t seen it but I feel like with certain movies you shouldn’t do sequels to them because it ruins the legacy of the original and this movie in my opinion falls into that category.
The up and down play of the 8-8 Dragons Rhondorf continues. The good news was that they were at home again in their own living room. But this season that unfortunately doesn´t mean anything when your 3-4 at home. The team is fighting for the playoffs and desperately needs to go on a run. They are only 4-4 since December ist and there doesn´t seem to be any rapid development. Winning doesn´t come easy anymore and it didn´t get any easier with the 10-6 Fellbach Flashers who continue to sparkle in the Pro B since arriving last season. They are a team with veterans and top bigs with Daniel Mayr and Brian Butler and a hungry and talented American with Malik Whitaker (198-G-2000, college: Fort Lewis, agency: Starting 5) The Dragons had some confidence going into the game remembering beating Fellbach on the road 78-75, but that game was the first of the season and since then the guests had improved. On a mild Saturday evening in Bad Honnef, fans in the Dragon Dome witnessed the debut of New head coach Marko Zarovic who had replaced Stephan Doehrn only few days earlier. Would a change in the team´s play occur? It definitely didn´t show at the start, but throughout the game, the Dragons Rhondorf heightened their game every quarter until the end, but they never got over the hump despite fighting hard for 40 minutes. “We got better every quarter, but when you dig such a big hole,it is just really difficult to come back especially against a good team like Fellbach. We played with so much energy in the last 3 quarters that it was contagious for our offense”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Kelvin Omojola. Offensively Fellbach had their ups and downs, but defensively they played very well except for the third quarter where they allowed 32 points. The Flashers continue to play great basketball despite not having Zaire Thompson and Mickey De Souza than more than a month. “We did a good job sticking to the game plan for 40 minutes. We played great defense and were disciplined. Despite being banged up, we had others step up”, stressed Fellbach Flasher Malik Whitaker
Brian Butler at the FT line
In the first quarter the game was at eye level for the first minutes, but The Fellbach Flashers found to their game then going on a 26-7 run to lead by 21 points after 10 minutes. It was no secret that it would be a massive mismatch having 218cm giant Daniel Mayr battling against the undersized Dragons team. In the first few minutes, Mayr who played 1 Euroleague game with FC Bayern Munich scored 6 points and dominated the paint area. The Dragons Rhondorf also tried to go inside getting a basket from Ohio native Tim Smith Jr and free throws by German Janne Muller, but Fellbach led 10-6. Fellbach then really found their game going on a 13-2 run to lead 23-8. Brian Butler led the charge with 5 points like Mayr dominating the paint area with his quick moves while the team also got great support from their role player Jeremy Kolev who scored 4 points and Nikola Jekov also scored. “Jeremy has been big for us since the new year. We always knew he could play. His hard work has paid off as he has become a starter. He makes big plays for us”, warned Malik Whitaker Fellbach was playing with great intensity at both ends, had a stifling zone on display, got transition baskets and dominated the boards. The Dragons Rhondorf couldn´t hit the ocean and couldn´t get the 50/50 balls. Young German Kenan Reinhardt made a rare three pointer and Kelvin Omojola a lay in, but all in all their offense wasn´t moving the ball well and were forced to tough shots as Fellbach were everywhere on defense. On offense, they got 5 points from ex JUCO player Malik Whitaker and Lithuanian guard Tauras Ulevicius nailed a three pointer as Fellbach led 36-15 after 10 minutes. Fellbach shot 72% from the 2 point area and 25% from outside and had 17 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 33% from the 2 point area and 14% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 6 turnovers. “We weren´t ready to play. We knew they had size, but they still punished under the glass. They also had a good zone which we had prepared for”, said Kelvin Omojola.
Marco Rahn at the FT line
The Dragons Rhondorf upped their play in the second quarter especially defensively as they allowed only 15 points, but they couldn´t make up much of the deficit and still trailed by 17 points at the break. The Dragons Rhondorf woke up going on a 10-5 run to cut the Flashers lead down to 41-25. In the run, their mind set was more positive than the first quarter and was more aggressive at both ends. That led to an offensive rebound and put back by Danas Kazakevicius and offensive rebound and hook shot by ex Bayreuth center Marco Rahn while Marco Rosic hit a clutch trey. The Dragons were reborn on the boards as they had the 9-2 rebound edge in that phase. Fellbach didn´t have the easy shots anymore as they had more contested shots. But Fellbach fought back and moved the ball better and got 2 three´s from Texas native Malik Whitaker and a left handed hook shot by ex Schwelm center Daniel Mayr as Fellbach extended their lead to 50-28. The Dragons remained aggressive getting to the free throw line as Smith, Kazakevicius and Reinhart scored, but they still had a long trek to the peak as they trailed 51-34 after 20 minutes. “We were flying on defense. We were helping each other, had good communication and were simply all on the same page. Our defense was huge and kept us in the game”, stated Kelvin Omojola.The Fellbach Flashers shot 61% from the 2 point area and 33% from the three point line and had 23 rebounds and 8 turnovers and the Dragons Rhondorf shot 32% from the 2 point area and 11% from the three point line and 26 rebounds and 9 turnovers.
Daniel Mayr in the pain area
In the third quarter the surge of the Dragons Rhondorf continued as they exploded for 32 points and all of a sudden trailed only by 10 points after 10 minutes. The Dragons Rhondorf are a strong offensive team and only time will tell when they will break out and they finally did going on a 16-9 run to trail 63-50. The Dragons finally let it rain three´s as Omojola connected twice as did Antonio Pilipovic and Marco Rahn. Rhondorf´s offense was clicking, but here and there still sloppy getting unneeded turnovers while on defense continued to be all over the court making it difficult for Fellbach to execute. But Fellbach always had an answer. Once they faced adversary, they came back with a 8-2 run to extend their lead to 71-52 as Ulevicius and Whitaker connected for three pointers. “Whitaker is a great player. He is so smooth and polished. He made us pay with his three pointer. It was pick your poison”, stated Kelvin Omojola. The only bright spot in the run for the Dragons was a nifty behind the back pass from Pilipovic to Smith Jr for the easy lay in. “We know that Antonio can pass like that. In practice he is always calling the Doncic pass. He is a great passer”, commented Kelvin Omojola. But Rhondorf stayed tough and on the door step of Fellbach as Janne Muller hit a trey and ex Schwenningen guard Alexander Lagerman for a lay in as the Dragons trailed 73-60. Despite a trey by Nik Schlipf, the Dragons continued to execute getting lay in´s by Smith Jr and Lagerman and Fellbach led 76-66 after 30 minutes. “We knew that they were a good team and strong at home. We also knew they would go on a run. They couldn´t stay cold that long. We never got down”, stated Malik Whitaker “We continued to bring energy and our three finally fell. We were getting stops and our good defense led to our offense”, added Kelvin Omojola. The Fellbach Flashers shot 61% from the 2 point area and 41% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 43% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and 31 rebounds and 13 turnovers.
Alexander Lagerman with the lay in
Defensively the Dragons Rhondorf saved their best for last allowing only 11 points, but still couldn´t get over the hump never trailing by less than 5 points as they mustered only 16 points in the last quarter. The Dragons came out with fire going on a 6-2 run to trail Fellbach only 78-72 as Muller and Rahn made lay in´s and Reinhart a floater. However Fellbach made clutch baskets to keep punching back going on a 4-0 run as Jekov made a lay in and Butler a tip in to lead 82-72. Then it was time for the Dragons to punch back as they made key stops and went on a 5-0 run to trail only 82-77 as Mueller made a lay in and Omojola a trey. Mayr and Kazakevicius then traded baskets as Fellbach led 84-79 with 1,23 to play. The Dragons Rhondorf had their opportunities. Brian Butler missed 2 free throws, but Muller came back and missed. Tim Smith Jr then made a lay in with 19 seconds to play as Fellbach still led 85-81. Then Rhondorf forced a turnover to get the ball back with 18,2 seconds, but then coughed up the ball. Whitaker then sealed the win with free throws. “Our bread and butter our defense was key at the end. We remained locked in and disciplined. They were physical and hit tough shots, but we withstood their pressure”, said Malik Whitaker “We didn´t run out of gas. Turnovers hurt us. Good teams like them will make you pay”, expressed Kelvin Omojola. The Fellbach Flashers were led by Malik Whitaker with 27 points. Daniel Mayer, Brian Butler and Jeremy Kolev chipped in with 12 points a piece while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Tim Smith Jr with 17 points. Marco Rahn added 12 points and Janne Muller 11 points. The Fellbach Flashers shot 46% from the field and 33% from outside and had 42 rebounds and 18 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 35% from the field and 23% from outside and had 47 rebounds and 16 turnovers.
The name Fort Lewis doesn´t come up a lot for me, bit every once in a while it does. There have been a few guys from there that made it overseas like Alex Herrera and Kofi Josephs, 2 ballers that I have interviewed in the past. However the first guy that I think of first when I read the name Fort Lewis is Deandre Lansdowne. He is a guy that I have covered since he came overseas in 2015. He is the ultimate Cinderella story going from lower leagues to the top. Lansdowne began in the German Pro B in 2015 with Herten. He not only made it to the top leagues in Germany, Italy and France. But also has played in international club tournaments like the Basketball Champions League and Fiba Europe Cup. These are the type of players I love to cover most and enjoy showing a lot of love to. In terms of Lansdowne, I have interviewed him 11 times and written one portrait on him. A week ago I came upon the name Fort Lewis again when I prepared an interview for rookie Malik Whitaker (198-G-2000, college: Fort Lewis, agency: Starting 5) who is playing his rookie season in Germany for Pro B team Fellbach Flashers. Whitaker also played at Fort Lewis and like Lansdowne has to grind in lower leagues to begin his pro career. Whitaker played only 1 season at Fort Lewis, but had an incredible season. He had no idea who Lansdowne is, but after hearing of his story has another focus to shoot for in the next years. “I didn´t know of him when I was there and we never talked or met before. His story is very inspirational knowing he came from Fort Lewis and also started in the Pro B like me. His story shows me that it´s possible to move up and depends on the work you put in”, stressed Malik Whitaker. He doesn´t have to go far as he can watch BBL basketball in Ludwigsburg about 30 minutes away or in Ulm or Heidelberg which is an hour away. He can dissect the games closely of guys playing his position. How far is he away from the BBL?. “I’ve checked out one BBL game so far. It was very entertaining and it had everything you would want to see from a fan and competitors view. I don’t think I am that far away, but I also know there are parts of my game that need improvement in order for me not only to get there but to succeed at that level”, warned Malik Whitaker.
Malik Whitaker who lists Trevelin Queen as his toughest foe so far on the court in his career was born on November 19th, 2000 in Humble, Texas. He began his basketball career at Atascocita High School. He then spent 2 years at Garret College (JUCO). It is always refreshing seeing guys do well at the JUCO level and then move up to higher college leagues and then make it overseas. Getting to the peak isn´t always easy at the JUCO level where guys are playing for their stats and trying to move forward with their careers. I don´t believe I have ever come across a player who didn´t regret playing JUCO. It was a grind, but worth it for every player. “That statement is true! It tests you everyday. It can bring out the worst or the best depending on what you make of it. I faced every challenge that came my way head on and it paid off. If I had a redo I wouldn’t change anything”, warned malik Whitaker. He made a massive jump in his game in his second season. In his first season he averaged 12.7ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT: 72.2% and in his second season 19.1ppg, 8.7rpg, 3.7apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 48.7%, 3PT: 31.1%, FT: 71.0%. Instrumental in his growth was head coach Dennis Gibson. “He let me know going into year 2 that I would be the leader, and he was expecting a big year from me. He trusted me to lead the team, allowed me to make mistakes, learn from them and continue to move forward with confidence. He is a huge part of why I am the player I am today”, stressed Malik Whitaker. In his second season in JUCO, he reached the Final 4. “ The chemistry with that team was great. We finished as the #4 ranked JUCO and only lost 2 games all season. The best thing about us was how we moved as one unit at all times on the court. There wasn’t any selfishness on the team which is rare at the JUCO level”, stated Malik Whitaker. After JUCO, he was rewarded by moving up and playing a season for West Virginia State University (NCAA2) averaging 13.8ppg, 7.1rpg, 2.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 89.4%. He scored in double figures in 17 games that season including having some big games against Wheeling and Frostburg State scoring 26 points apiece. But what memory is better than winning a chip? “The best memory from State is when we went to the Virgin Islands and won the Yes U.S. Virgin Island classic”, said Malik Whitaker. He then made one more move going to Fort Lewis College (NCAA2) averaging 11.8ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 50.7%, FT: 80.0%. Here he won another chip with the RMAC title. “We were a hungry team. Even when we were ranked #2 in the nation in NCAA D2 we felt like underdogs. We felt like we had more to prove and improve on at all times. It pushed us to become a special team and go down forever in the history books”, remembered Malik Whitaker. He had some really incredible games in his last college season including beating Regis 81-80 with a massive 26/10 game, but there were also other great games. “It was one of my better games of the year, but my favorite game of the season was against South Dakota Mines. It was senior night and I had 26pts 9rbs in our last home game of the year. We were undefeated at home for the season which was something we set out to do at the beginning of the season. So it was cool to have my last home collegiate game go like that”, commented malik Whitaker. He scored in double figures 19 times in that season and made the next step as a player under head coach Bob Pietrack. He pushed me everyday to be the best version of myself. The whole staff had faith in me and they wouldn’t allow me to take days off or cheat myself which I really appreciated. He told me once “when life’s challenges come your way you have 2 choices; get determined or discouraged”. And now I live by that sentence”, expressed Malik Whitaker who remembers winning his fair share of 1-1 battles with Amondo Miller.
The Texas native who lists Samier Kinsler, Dwaine Jones, Junior Garbrah, Obi Agbim, and Dmonte Brown as his 5 best teammates of all-time came to Germany for the 2024-2025 season and is lacing up his sneakers for the Fellbach Flashers in the Pro B. He has been there 5 months and simply loves everything on and off the court. “This has been a great experience Coach Kris had a vision for me from our first phone call ever. I’ve continued to trust him and his vision since then. It has put not only myself, but the whole team in a better place. The guys on the team are great people and teammates. I look forward to going out and fighting for 40 minutes with them every Gameday. There is a great fan base who comes and gives crazy energy during the home games. It’s been a great first international experience for me so far. I have enjoyed being in Fellbach. I like that everyone in the area is very active; you’ll always catch people walking around, riding bikes, etc. that’s not really the culture in the states for most cities”, added Malik Whitaker. Last season the Flashers just missed the playoffs. This season they are currently in 4th place with a lot of upside and the possibly to reach the playoffs. “That is a huge focus for us. It would be a step forward from the first season of the club playing Pro B. It’s also something that has never been accomplished in this club before. We as a unit are working to make sure we can accomplish this goal this season”, said Malik Whitaker. There was a span in the season where they won 8 of 10 games and currently have won 5 of their last 6 games. “ Our defense starts everything. It sets the tone for the game and sparks our offense. When we are disciplined defenders we feel as though we’re as good as any team in this league”, warned malik Whitaker. This weekend he will play his first time against the 2024 Pro B champion Dragons Rhondorf who snuck out a 78-75 win in the first weeks of the season. “It’s another game for me. I am looking forward to the challenge knowing we lost the first game at home, and will have to walk into a hostile environment to win an away game. I look forward to moments like those”, expressed Malik Whitaker. He has some great teammates including German giant Daniel Mayr and top pro B undersized center Brian Butler.” Brian is a great vet. He has been very helpful to me making this jump to European basketball. It still surprises me how he dominates most low post battles being “undersized”. He brings a great attitude to the team and is the veteran presence most clubs would love to have”, stressed Malik Whitaker. Currently he is having a very solid rookie season averaging 17/6/2/2 stats. Is that a stat line with what he can be content with? “I would say it’s been decent. It’s a different style of play from college basketball obviously, so of course there’s a bit of a learning curve. But I’m nowhere near being content with how I’ve performed until this point. There’s another level or 2 to my game now that I have not showcased yet, but I’m trusting the process”, warned Malik Whitaker.
The 198cm guard who lists Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and T-Mac on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is a player that doesn´t compare himself to one player, but enjoys watching the games of certain players like Devin Booker, Brandon Ingram, Jayson Tatum, and Kobe Bryant mainly for his footwork. He is a player that has always been a guy that loved to fill the stat sheet at ease. Is versatility his biggest strength? “It’s the biggest emphasis on my game. Being able to handle, pass, shoot, rebound, and defend the ball are the basics. But being able to execute everything in live action makes you more than basic, and that’s what I strive to be”, warned Malik Whitaker. His three point shooting has been up and down in his career so far. He shot 42% in JUCO and a crazy 50% at Fort Lewis, but currently in the Pro B only at 33%. There is a reason for him having these fluctuations. “While the percentage was high in college the volume wasn’t. It was also a lot of catch and shoot open 3s. Now, I’m shooting more 3’s with “higher difficulty” which is something I am adjusting to and working relentlessly on. I enjoy the challenge though and I approach it everyday with the right mindset so I know it’ll turn around. That’s what’s going to help me be a next level shooter”, stressed Malik Whitaker. He definitely doesn´t want to be a one dimensional player as he sees his defensive game as a positive part of his game. “I’m far from a liability on defense but I want to become more of a guy to guard the other team’s best player. I’ve asked coach for the challenge a couple times, but I want that to be the normal for me so I’m working on it”, stated malik Whitaker. Reaching the playoffs is his biggest goal as well as staying consistent and improving strength. It will be interesting to see where the career of Malik Whitaker will go. If he keeps playing well as he does and Fellbach make history, I´m sure that Deandre Lansdowne will hear about it. In the meantime, he can wait until April 6th and see Lansdowne and his team Chemnitz play in Ulm. A meeting of ex Fort Lewis players would probably be a highlight for both.
Ex Dragons Rhondorf player Kameron Taylor should be in their Wall Of Fame. He only played one season for the Pro B team, but he is without a doubt one of the best players in their history if not the best. He dominated in the 2017-2018 after coming from the higher league Pro A and knowingly took a step back so he could make 2 steps forward. The rest is history as three years later he reached the Euroleague with Maccabi Tel Aviv and then ACB in Spain the other top league overseas where he has been a mainstay since 3 seasons. If you were to ask 100 Rhondorf fans who saw him play in the Dragon Dome 7 seasons ago, I would have the audacity to bet that all 100 fans would all have something positive to say about him. He had an impact with his play on the court and character off the court. It is always interesting to meet ex teammates especially guys from college, because they also only have positive things to report. Overseas Pro Trevor Blondin was able to play with him for 2 years and can truly say that he has found a lifelong friend in Taylor. “Kam was a lot of fun to play with, as long as you had him on your team you felt like you had a chance to win against anybody. He was very unselfish and always played the game the right way on both ends of the floor. If you were open, he was going to find you, but also he knew when to take over and put the team on his back. My fondest memory would probably be when we upset Indiana University of Pennsylvania. They were ranked in the top 10 of division 2 basketball at the time. Kam went crazy that game, I had a pretty good game and we ended up beating them at home in a packed arena. And let’s just say it was a huge party after that”, remembered Trevor Blondin. There was one game against Carlow where Blondin had 27 points and Taylor had a monster 26/16/6 game. Despite Taylor´s stellar play at Seton Hill, did it surprise him just how far he got overseas? “I think it surprises you a little bit because not many people from Division 2 make it to that level and also he started in some lower leagues in Germany Pro A and Hungary. But at the same time, it doesn’t surprise me because I’ve seen his work ethic in person and know what type of person he is, and if anybody was going to accomplish something that unbelievable it would definitely be him. Honestly, his success in Europe gave me the blueprint for what I wanted to accomplish in my career. In a way, it gave me some belief that if he can do it coming from Division 2 Seton Hill, that I could do it to. But I’m super proud of him, there’s not really a more deserving person. While I was in Patras Greece, he got me some tickets to watch him live when his team, Unicaja Malaga played against Promitheas Patras in the champions league final eight. That was cool to watch him play and talk to him after the game and he told me he was proud of me for making it this far. And that meant a lot to me coming from him & knowing where we both started at”, stressed Trevor Blondin. But who won a 1-1 then and who would win now?” The competitor in me is always going to bet on myself. But Kam is obviously a beast and we used to have some good battles in practice back in the day. He was a little older so he probably got the best of me back then, but I’m hoping we can link up this summer and run it back”, said Trevor Blondin. He may not have had the same kind of career as Kam Taylor, but he definitely knows how blessed he is to be overseas in his fifth season. “I feel very grateful for all of the experiences that I’ve had over the last 5 years. I’m getting paid to play a game that I love, I’ve lived in six different countries, I’ve travelled a lot, and met countless people. It’s given me a very unique perspective of the world. To still be playing meaningful basketball at a high level isn’t something that I take for granted and I’m going to continue to do it for as long as I can. Coming from a Division 2 school it wasn’t easy to get a job overseas initially, even after scoring over 20ppg my junior and senior seasons. But I used that as motivation and continued to work really hard on my game. I’ve improved a lot since then and feel like I’ve surpassed a lot of those Division 1 players that were recruited over me. So just always having that chip on my shoulder has probably helped me stick around in Europe for so long”, stated Trevor Blondin.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Kameron Taylor in 2017 in Rhondorf
Trevor Blondin who lists the Martin twins, Caleb and Cody and Jordan McCrae, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and Isaiah Cannon as his toughest foes in his career so far was born In Haymarket, Virginia on March 13, 1996 and began his basketball career at Battlefield High School. He then played at Seton Hill (NCAA2) from 2014-2019 and was able to improve his scoring average each season. His game really took off in his last 2 seasons as he averaged 19.9ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.0%, 3PT: 43.1%, FT: 70.5%, and 20.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 75.4%. “Coming in, I was more of a catch and shoot guy on the wing but as my body got stronger I was able to get to the basket more and become an all-around player. It was really helpful that I got a chance to start and play like 35 minutes a game from the moment I got there as a freshman. I think that in-game experience helped my game develop faster. I had a 30pt game against Millersville my Sophmore year and after that I knew I could score at high level. Also I had some really talented older teammates like Kam Taylor and Dave Windsor, who made me better by competing with them at practice every day. But by the time I left, I was a scoring machine I averaged 20+ points a game my last two seasons and was 1st team all-conference in the PSAC”, remembered Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 59 of 82 games at Seton Hill and in his last 2 seasons scored in double figures in 47 of 49. He had so many great games like hitting Clarion for 31 points and memories and actually had 2 coaches then with Tony Morocco and Kendrick Saunders and had mixed emotions about the 2 as one fit and the other didn´t. “The Clarion game was cool because I had my whole family in attendance. I remember they couldn’t really guard me that game. But my favorite memory was probably the And-1 3- point shot, game winner I made against California university of Pennsylvania. We had an improbable come back in the second half. I had like six points at half time and finished the game with 32. I knew the shot was good before the ball even went through the net. You can look it up on YouTube. Tony Morocco I really can’t say enough good things about him. I don’t think I would be here today without him. He really helped me develop as a basketball player and as a person on the court. He really cared about his players and their families and I have some really great memories playing for him. Kendrick Saunders on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He was hired my senior season, and would repeatedly tell us that we weren’t “his guys” because he didn’t recruit us, so we were expendable and he didn’t care about us. He created an extremely hostile environment that killed all the joy of playing basketball. So when I got to Europe the next season, it was a breath of fresh air playing for Jarno Nikula in Finland and I regained that joy from playing basketball again”, stressed Trevor Blondin.
The walking bucket who lists Alexander Pevadze, Josh Perkins, Kam Taylor, Ivan Gandia-Rosa, and Orlando Coleman as his 5 best teammates of all-time began his professional career overseas with UU-Korihait Uusikaupunki (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 13.8ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 28.0%, FT: 69.1%. Every pro baller overseas had that certain wake up call to being overseas and it wasn´t any different for him. “I think maybe our first preseason game against Vilpas. I just remember noticing the drums and horns that fans bring to the game, that was new for me. You don’t really hear that in an American College basketball game. It really stood out to me at first but it’s funny because now I don’t even notice it anymore. Also the snow, cold temperatures, and darkness in Finland was different than anything I’d experienced before. I mean -20 degrees, with 2ft of snow on the ground, and 3 hours of sunlight everyday is not for the faint hearted”, added Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 11 games and hit Ura Basket for 30 points. He will never forget having the perfect mentor in Trey Zeigler. “ It was incredibly valuable having Trey as a teammate and a mentor my rookie year. Not only was he a great player on the court and putting up ridiculous numbers that season. I really soaked up a lot knowledge from our conversations about the business side of pro basketball, and how to move up leagues, and navigate agents. I feel really lucky that I had an experienced guy like him on my team to show me the ropes. I think it really helped me make crucial decisions in my career later down the road. Shoutout to Trey Ziegler, he’s had a great transition into coaching college basketball for some really high level programs the last few years”, stated Trevor Blondin. He played his second pro season with Inter Bratislava (Slovakia-Nike SBL) averaging 15.8ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.0apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 39.0%, FT-1 (92.7%). He played Spisski Rytieri tough in the regular season and then got swept 2-0. Despite not winning a chip, it was another enriching season for him. “I have good memories playing for Inter Bratislava in Slovakia. I think statistically that was one of my best seasons. Oleg Meleshchenko was an intense coach but also one of my favorites. I always liked playing for coaches that have played at a high level themselves and he played for the Soviet Union national team back in the day and has also coached at some high level teams in Russia and around Europe. Life was pretty good living in Bratislava and that team was a lot of fun to play on because we played an unselfish brand of basketball. Ivan Gandia-Rosa was our point guard, Džiguas Slavinskas was a great passer from the four position, Michael Fusek led the league blocks & we had Jure Zubac, & Timo Malovec as well. We had a lot of talented players, who went on to play for national teams, and in higher leagues. The series against Spisski was unfortunate because we had beaten them easily three out of four times in the regular season and we were dealing with injuries late in the season, and then unfortunately we got swept in the playoffs to a team that we thought we were better than. Definitely felt like we let one get away, I thought our team was championship caliber for that league”, commented Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 19 games including exploding for 33 points against Prievidza.
In his third pro season, the Virginia native who lists LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, & Jamal Crawford on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore played with Laguna Sharks Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 12.9ppg, 3.9rpg, 3.3apg, FGP: 44.1%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 74.4%. Once again he was battling in the post season, but that chip once again was denied, but he got a new stamp on his passport. He played a tough 5 games series against Steaua B and the last 3 games weren´t decided combined with more than 5 points. “That was a wild series, I’ll never forget that. I don’t think anybody gave us a fighting chance to comeback and win that series after we were down 0-2. We pulled off a miracle with our backs up against the wall and won 3 straight games to avoid relegation. That was just a group of guys that had a dog mentality and never gave up. We definitely celebrated that win afterwards. Shoutout to everybody from Laguna, I really liked that group of teammates and I think I developed a lot as a point guard that season thanks to Daniel Nelson and Milan Minic. Romania is definitely a hidden gem, Bucharest will always have a special place in my heart. I met a lot of cool people in my time living out there, it was honestly a blast. I wouldn’t mind making a return to the Romanian league one day”, warned Trevor Blondin. Once again he was consistent again with his scoring in double figures in 19 of 26 games including netting 22 points against Dinamo B and 21 points against Targu Jiu. Last season he split time with Okapi Aalst (Belgium-Pro Basketball League) averaging 10.8ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.5apg, 2FGP: 40.6%, 3FGP: 30.8%, FT: 76.1%, in Mar.’24 moved to AS Apollon Patras (Greece-GBL) averaging 11.4ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 63.6%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 95.0%. Last season was another stepping stone in his career. He finally made the jump to higher leagues. “It’s been a grind each season trying to bubble and move up the ranks of Europe. From starting in the Korisliiga in Finland to making it all the way to the Greek league is definitely something I’m proud of. It feels like the trials and tribulations were worth it. It was a lot of fun playing in Greece, you’re playing against Champions League & Euroleague caliber teams every night, there’s no easy games. It’s a bunch of killers and former NBA players on every team and you got to bring your A-game every night. Add in the crazy atmosphere that the Greek fans bring and it’s just a really fun environment for basketball. The fans show you a lot of love off the court also”, stated Trevor Blondin. He had some growing pains first in Belgium and the demonstrated in Greece that he could hold his own against Euroleague and NBA guys. “Playing for Okapi was a necessary step in my journey. I liked playing for Thomas Crab, I thought he was a good coach. I think I proved that I could play at that level right away scoring 17 points against champions league team Oostende the first game of the season. But I struggled with inconsistency throughout the season. Everything prior to Okapi had gone pretty smoothly in my career, so I think I needed to face that adversity in order to grow as a player and as a person. I have a lot of great memories living in Belgium. Brussels is one of my favorite cities and it was really enjoyable from a day to day life standpoint. Being the only American was tough at times, but not something that I really gave a whole lot of thought to”, expressed Trevor Blondin. In Greece he lost 30 points to Euroleague team Olympiacos. He held his own with 12 points and played against many ex NBA players including Isaiah Caanon. “That game was special to me. My goal was always to try to make it to the highest level of Europe, so it doesn’t really get much higher than that. It felt like the culmination of the basketball journey that I’ve been on since I was a little kid. I mean as a basketball fan you would pay good money to watch Olympiacos play but all of a sudden you’re on the floor playing against them and really seeing what Euroleague caliber looks like up close. But more so that you just want to prove to yourself that you belong at that level. I felt like I made some plays that showed that, like stealing the ball from Papanikalaou and getting a breakaway dunk, knocking down a couple of threes. Blowing up a hand off with Wright and Larentzakis. I mean, that’s arguably a top 3 team in Europe and a team that doesn’t really make a lot of mistakes, so to be able to force a couple turnovers against them. It really just started to feel like another basketball game at the end of the day”, stressed Trevor Blondin. In Belgium he scored in double figures in 12 times including 20 points against Mechelen and in Greece scored in double figures in 6 of 8 games including 24 points against PAOK
This season the scoring guard who lists Lebron James as his GOAT and feels they should of left the classic Coming To America alone is playing in Sweden for Boras Basket. It is his fifth professional season and sixth team and in his sixth country. A basketball globetrotter would be the perfect middle name for him. “It’s pretty crazy to think back on my career and all the different places the game has taken me. It feels like it was just yesterday that I signed my rookie deal in Finland. I was on the plane traveling to Europe for the first time not really knowing what to expect and now years later, here we are. It’s been a fun journey to say the least”, added Trevor Blondin. He signed recently as the job market wasn´t as easy for him as in the past. “It was an interesting off-season for sure. I thought I would get bigger offers after playing well in Greece and having good games against teams like Olympiacos, AEK, and PAOK. I had some offers that I turned down waiting for something better. Once I missed the summer signing window and the season started it got a little stressful. But I just stayed in the gym working out everyday with my trainer Moe Gray from B1B. My homie Nigel Johnson was in a similar situation at the time before he signed in Hungary and we just got after it everyday. They really helped me a lot just by showing up everyday and helping me stay locked in mentally. Eventually, I got the call from Borås and I’m really happy in my current situation”, said Trevor Blondin. He is on a great team and fully aware that he could win his first pro chip. “ That’s always been a goal of mine to win a championship at any level in pro basketball. That was a big reason why I joined this team because of the early success that they’ve had this season as well as their aspirations to win a championship. I think there’s a belief within this team that we have the right pieces in place to achieve great things. We have some talented younger guys mixed with some older experienced guys that know the league well and have a high basketball IQ. So I’m just excited to be a part of it and try to help them win games”, stressed Trevor Blondin. He has been really thankful for having a great teammate like Andreas Person for taking him under his wing. “He’s definitely played a vital role in my adjustment with this team. He’s got a lot of experience; he’s a great shooter, defender, and has a high basketball IQ. We got some other veteran guys that have helped me a lot too like Simon Gunnarsson and Fred Andersson. You can tell how much winning means to these guys”, expressed Trevor Blondin. He came in and scored in double figures in his first game. Scoring continues to be his bread and butter no matter where he plays. “ I think scoring has always just come natural to me. I love having the ball in my hand and from AAU, high school, and college, that’s always been my role. Coming from Division 2 they needed me to score 20 points a night and gave me the green light, so I think that helped me develop my offensive game a lot. I try not to be one dimensional because teams are going to scout you and figure out your weaknesses. So I try to be as versatile as possible and not have too many weaknesses. I’ve always been able to shoot the ball pretty well from three, I can get to the basket, or play o the ball. I just try to mix it up and be unpredictable. This offseason-season in particular, I think I’ve expanded my game and taken it to a whole new level. I’m excited to showcase it this season in Sweden”, warned Trevor Blondin. It will be interesting to see where his basketball journey goes in the next years. Who knows maybe he will suit up with Kam Taylor again. But for now he has only one goal and that is to win his first pro title.
Marko Zarkovic is a Serbian coach that was hired to coach the Dragons Rhondorf in mid season. He has had experience coaching is Estonia and Latvia. He was with the Telekom Baskets Bonn organization from 2020-2024 where he was headcoach of the youth teams U-16 and U-18 and also of the Telekom baskets Bonn 2 team in the Regionalliga. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Marko for talking to germanhoops.com. You are the new coach of the Dragons Rhondorf. How does it feel coming in in mid season to help the team? Thank you for reaching out! It feels great to work in one of the historic teams in Germany! Dragons are the team with great tradition and great fans! It is an honor for me to work here!
One could say that you are a bit of a fireman coming in. The Dragons aren´t near the bottom, but also not near the top. Do you see yourself as a guy coming in to help save the season? I believe we have a good team and we can compete with every team in the league. I can just promise I will do my best every day and that is what I expect from the players also.
You have been with the Telekom Baskets Bonn organization with the youth and Regionalliga team. Have you followed the Dragons Rhondorf season?
Yes, I have followed Dragons since I came to Germany, reason is because I always had several players practicing and playing for the Dragons.
I personally have seen little development in the last months. The team is 4-4 since December one. How do you see the current situation of the Dragons Rhondorf? Like I mentioned, in my opinion we have a good team. My job is to help the team establish identity and gain bigger confidence. When we do 100% of our abilities and play on the same page we will be a much better team.
I feel like the team is simply not playing up to their potential. Could a problem be in their heads? Because the talent is there. That is the part of the problem for sure. We have to break that mental barrier and move from this situation. I see smart and hard work as only solution for the situation.
Talk a little about your coaching philosophy. How would you describe yourself as a coach?
I like to start with defense, still believe that it wins games. In offense I want to see unselfish team that plays with a lot of confidence. Simple basketball is the best basketball but in the same time most difficult to reach.
Have you worked with some of the young Dragons talent that they have currently on the team`? Yes, I know big part of the team from before. We worked together in Telekom Baskets Bonn. Only I didn’t know the older players, but the first impression about them is also very positive.
The team has problems with consistency. What is your main goal that you want to achieve right away as new head coach?
I want to establish a defensive identity. That would be the first thing. Second is to raise energy level of the team. We always need to be “hungry” on the court.
The teams defense is just unacceptable the way it has played. What is your biggest goal with trying to clean up the defense? That players take individual responsibility. We can guard the ball much better. Also, we have to rebound as a team.
The team just doesn´t have the kind of personal like they did last season. I thought it was a big risk going into the season not having depth at the center position. Is there a way the team can become more versatile then just always concentrating on three´s?
We need balance between inside and outside game and even without traditional 5 we can create it if we use our tall guards and wings in a smart way. It is not easy but it is possible
It seems like last season there were more vocal leaders on the team. Can you develop more leadership with this roster?
I will talk with each player individually and tell them what should be their role. Like that we will try to have more clarity and develop our leadership.
What is the status of Tim Smith Jr? Will he play on Saturday or will Daniel Westbrook suit up? Tim is recovering quickly but we will make that decision before the game. He will play only if he is 100% ready.
On Saturday a very ambitious team with the Fellbach Flashers will be in town. How vital will rebound work be against talented and experienced big men like Daniel Mayr and Brian Butler? The Dragons will have to give more than 100% effort on the boards.
Yes, we are playing against a good team. And we will have to rebound with all 5 players for 40 minutes. Only like that we can neutralize lack of the size. We see it as a challenge that we can overcome.
It would be great if the Dragons Rhondorf can win their first game under your guidance. Will the Dragons concentrate more on themselves or with Fellbach?
We will obviously prepare for our opponents very seriously, but we will focus on ourselves, we want to maximize our potential and play hardest possible. With the support of our fans we can grow and show our best face, like that we can leave the court with heads up, no matter of the result.
Markus Roewenstrunk is a German coach who has been coaching for 20 plus years. At the moment he is the head coach for the Artland Dragons as Pat Elzie has taken a leave of absence. He has sampled experience in Spain and mainly in Germany being with organizations like Herford, Konigsdorf, Cuxhaven, Dresden, Dragons Rhondorf, RheinStars Cologne and BG Bonn. He spoke togermanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Markus for talking to germanhoops.com. You have seen a lot as a coach the last years. Now another new challenge this time with the Artland Dragons. What kind of an experience has it been so far?
Hi Miles and thank you for the opportunity to share my experiences. It has been great with the Artland Dragons, a professional organization, with very good facilities to practice and play but even better people who take care of everything needed to focus on basketball. Therefore, the signing of the players, the arrival and medical checks, as well as the pre-season with all the events and games have been going very well.
You have been head coach and assistant for teams. Shouldn’t But wouldn´t the goal beafter a while to try to always get a head coaching job after you have paid your dues. Why be an assistant again?
Yes I have been an assistant and head coach through out my 10+ years of professional coaching and I like to think that I am a great asset at both positions. I haven’t taken on the responsibilities of a head coach in ProA so being the assistant to the UK great Vince Macaulay is a good fit. He appreciates my help with the German approach and system.
How enticing was coming to the Artland Dragons and working for Vincent MacCaulaey and Pat Elzie? I´m sure that many others would take that assistant job?
Oh yes, I believe there were many applicants, but I was very fortunate that I have known Pat for quite a long time. He reached out to me after he was appointed as the sports director with the idea of bringing me to the program regardless of the head coach. I was very excited about that opportunity and have enjoyed everyday since I am here. Working together with Pat and Vince but also Marius Kröger and the other staff members has been very good.
What other reasons were there coming to the Artland Dragons? What do you like about the organization in general?
Well, the club has a very interesting history, playing in the BBL with widely known players and coaches such as Chris Fleming and Arne Woltmann. Even though now we play in ProA, the organization still works very professional which made my decision to come here a lot easier. Additionally, the distances between the apartments and the practice facilities as well as the arena are very short so that working becomes highly efficient. I appreciate these factors.
What did you enjoy most about the coaching philosophy of Vincent McCauley? He is a UK coach. One doesn´t always see them in Germany.
Yes, there aren’t many but that makes it even more interesting. He shares his experiences and stories through the British lens, and I can tell him about the Basketball development here in Germany. Vince is a very friendly and open person; we exchange our thoughts and strategies regularly. Specifically, I enjoy his approachability for the players and myself as well as the fact that he allows all players to show him their abilities.
What were your main duties as assistant coach this season and what is your greatest strength as a coach?
The question should be, what are not my duties, joking. I am involved in pretty much everything. We have a great team manager in Ole Reumann who organizes our schedule, practices, games, travelling etc. but of course in exchange with me. I then filter what the head coach has to be included in and what I can spare him with. Same goes for events and school practices that our players attend which I manage with our Mini-Coordinator Andre Röding. Apart from that I scout the opponents, create videos, support or run practices and drills. So, everything ?? and because I am pretty well organized, I enjoy the challenge and the diversity of the tasks.
There was turbulence so far in the pre season with players going. Despite that how much potential does the team have? Well, we had a relatively hard pre-season schedule with quite a few first league opponents. It showed us in what areas we had to improve. According to that we made some changes and acquired two players rather late. Their integration is still an ongoing process and by far, we have not reached our full potential yet. What that potential may be exactly is not that simple to say but we are aiming for the play-offs.
How vital is a guy like legend Joe Asberry? He brings a real breath of fresh wind. He could not only excite young kids for the game, but keep the pro´s in check with his experience or not? Oh yes, very much so. Joe is a motivation monster and just a good guy to have. The experience he has as a player, coach, social worker, and in life in general is very valuable for our pro’s. His famous saying is: “it’s the work you put in when nobody is watching …” and even though it’s becoming a running joke here, its so true. Joe is a great asset for the entire Artland Dragons organization.
You were a pro player in the late 90´s2 and early 2000´s2 which was a very long time ago. How do you remember the game being back then in comparison to today? How would you have survived as a pro in today´s game as a young buck?
The game was different, not so much P&R, more mid-range and post-up and less 3p shooting. For example, many coaches didn’t allow 3 pointers in transition whereas today that is a good shot. But in general, I believe that most old school pros could also play today and vice versa. To become a professional player in any sport, you have to have a strong mindset and work attitude. So, pros from the past would adjust to today’s fast pace and shooting dominant game just as players today would develop mid-range skills and become more physical (if talking about NBA).
I started playing basketball relatively late when I was 16 years, and I worked my way to second Bundesliga and NCAA with defense, rebounds, and hustle play. Over the years my offensive game also became better. I guess the later would have to develop faster than it did back then but player development and practices also changed so that I am confident I could have achieved the same or more if I would be a young buck now ??
You were teammates with Pat Elzie in 1997 in Paderborn and also played for him in the second Bundesligain 1998 he was coach. How has his coaching changed and developed in the last 25 years? Teammates is a bit overstated; Pat was the second league head coach but played a few games with the second team in Regionalliga and I was a double license player. So, I was fortunate to share the court with him a few times and loved his guidance. As far as I know Pat has always been a player’s coach. He was always authentic, approachable, empathetic, and caring. Making sure that the style of play would match the skills of his players. And even when players were not the right fit for his teams, he tried to find them better situations and didn’t leave them hanging. I remember that he had us play the flex offense 1998 in Paderborn, he was running it in Vechta and after as well. But of course, he developed and adjusted his coaching over his long career. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so successful through many decades.
You played with the College of the Sequois (Junior College) and with CSU Stanislaus (NCAA). What memories do you have of those days? Against what great players do you remember playing against in those days that reached the NBA? It was a totally different age of basketball. The moment one of my best friends, Emeka Erege, went to high school in the US and later played college ball at Davidson, I wanted to do the same. Fortunate for me, Pat Elzie had great contacts of course and helped me get try-out opportunities with different colleges. I decided for the 2-year College of the Sequois (COS) in California at first because I thought it would be a great start into a new life experience. I also loved the sunny weather, and the presence of the German women’s player Anja Goebel made the adjustment much easier.
It was worlds apart from what I knew in Germany though and it was a different age of basketball, as you said. Before the season started, former COS player and NBA prospect DeeAndre Hulett (drafted by Toronto but never played) dropped by for pick-up games, and I was able to impress him and the others with my effort and rebounding. However, my team was very athletic, and I had to get used to the speed of play. But I was able to excel in the aggressive full court press and amoeba defense that coach George Tarkanian had taken from his legendary dad Jerry. We made it all the way to the California State Finals but came up a bit short. My second year, NFL great Antonio Gates (San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers) was my teammate, just a beast in basketball as he was later in football. Great memories and the chance for me to experience life and basketball in the US.
You also played in Kronberg in 2004. What memories do you have of seeing the Skyliner double license players like Alex King and Malik Badiane play there? Badiane had been drafted by the NBA and never made it and Alex King came out of his shell later and had a great career. I played in Kronberg with Alex King and Fredrick Kleemichen. Malick only played with the Skyliners, I believe. It was quite an experience playing with these two very talented players. Freddy was way taller than I and Alex was so strong for a 19 year old. It was a big challenge going against them in practice since I had lower back problem already at that time but it was very much fun when together on the court versus other teams. Later on, it was great to see how succesful especialy Alex became. About two years ago, when I was with the RheinStars Köln, Alex and I coached against each other in NBBL.
You always had to pay your dues in coaching, but 10 years ago worked with Pat Elzie again in Vechta. How do you remember those days? He helped that team move up to the BBL.
As a player, I never thought about coaching and I kind of regret that now. I wish I would have written down more from my coaches. Because after years of having lower back problems while playing, a disc herniated and ended my serious active time too early in 2007. However, not doing anything basketball related only lasted so long before I started coaching on the side. Then Pat again gave me a great chance coming to Vechta in 2013 to work as a professional coach for my first time. It was a great situation coming in because Pat just moved them up to BBL and the excitement of the organization and the fans was amazing. During that year, I was able to move the second team past Quakenbrück with Isaiah Hartenstein to Regionalliga and got to coach great youth players.
The second year with RASTA, I was trusted to be the ProA assistant coach for Stephen Arigbabu. Unfortunately, the season didn’t go very well but it was a great learning experience and in Stephen I found a dear friend and mentor. Since I am back in that region now, I get to remember those two years quite often with people from back then.
You also coached 2 seasons in the Regionalliga with BBGC Herford. What is the biggest challenge coaching in the Regionalliga in comparison to higher leagues?
Well especially the Regionalliga West has a very high level, close to that of ProB, but both leagues often face difficulties in structure and resources. Usually, these teams like BBG Herford can only employ a hand full of players full time so that practices have to be in the late evenings after work or university duties. Most often the gyms are owned by schools/cities, making it a competition with other clubs and sports for practices times. Even in ProA many clubs are not as lucky as we are here in Quakenbrück with a team of full time professionals and our own facilities.
You also coached in Cuxhaven and also coached in the youth? What memories do you have of that season?
Cuxhaven just moved back up from Regionalliga to ProB but didn’t want to continue working with the success coach Moris Hadzija. It was my first time as head coach in ProB and I think we did a pretty good job recruiting. But the structural conditions were not easy leading to two players leaving early and the replacements not filling the void. Towards the end, management brought in a veteran coach first as support who later took over. The experience of being fired sucked but since my duty was also to promote the youth during that season, I continued coaching a mixed under 12 group and enjoyed that very much.
You also coached in Dresden. How many strides has that organization done in the last years under Fabian Straus? You kind of set the ground workgroundwork in your season?
The Dresden Titans have developed very well over the last years under Fabian Strauß. The groundwork for the promotion to ProA and the continuing success was set after my short sting, however. I took over in December 2018 and we held the league, a change in management lead to my departure after the season. I am excited to return there with the Artland Dragons, talk to people but also to get the W.
You also coached in Rhondorf. How tough was coming in late and not saving the team and then being fired the next season? You may want to change the question a bit, I was hired in the summer of 2019 after they dropped down.
I was hired in the summer of 2019 after Rhöndorf dropped down from ProB to Regionalliga. Simultaneously Thomas Päch took over Telekom Baskets Bonn and the cooperation between the two as well as the Hagerhof basketball boarding school was supposed to be refreshed. The goal for the Dragons was to develop the young German players such as Kilian Binapfl, Gabriel De Oliveira, the Falkenstein brothers etc. and at the same time win the league and move back up again. Many new wheels in place. We then didn’t start the season as well as we should have but it was a very young team, and I felt that getting fired after only 6 games and a record of 3:3 was not called for. Especially a young team needs time to excel.
I don´t know if you keep tabs on ex players you coached, but why is a guy like Curtis Hollis not balling in Europe. Since he left the Dragons in 2020, he has really paid his dues and now making good strides in Canada, but wouldn´t he have had a better resume now overseas?
Of course, I check on former players of mine and its great to see when they do well. Curtis has come around a bit, he played in Central America, Africa, Canada… But it seems that he likes it up north now. Maybe he could have a better resume if he stayed in Europe, he is a great athlete with good skills. I don’t know on what basis he made his choices; they don’t necessarily have to do with basketball. Nevertheless, I wish him all the best for the new season and thereafter.
You were 3 years in the RheinStars Cologne program as JBBL and NBBL coach. You saw some very talented young Players come up like Kenan Reinhart and Davi Remagen. What positives could you get from this experience?
I didn’t just see them come up; I worked a lot with these two and others. In 2020 when I started as the JBBL head coach for the RheinStars Köln, Anton Krings was coaching the under 14 with Kenan and Davi. He highly recommended that they should be with the JBBL as well even though they were only 13 years old. Anton was very right and did a great job developing them before I continued the process. The first season however was cut short due to corona but since both were state selection players, I was able to work with them countless hours on a 1on1 basis (in the beginning even with a mask on). We used the time as good as we could improving dribbling, finishing, shooting, and decision making. The following year the JBBL team was really clicking and improving over the course of the season, making it all the way to the second round of the play-offs. It was so much fun to see their rapid developement and joy for the game.
The experience with those young players was amazing. The fact that the RheinStars have their own practice facility (just like the Artland Dragons) is huge for kids, enabling vast amounts of hours on the court. At the same time, it is very important to monitor the stress load on those young tendon, ligaments, and joints to reduce the risk of early injuries.
You have coached so many young German players over the years? Which player do you remember being the most joy to coach?
Like you say, I have coached many but if you ask about recently, I have to go with Davi Remagen. Unfortunatly, Davi was hurt for the most part of the great 2021/22 JBBL season but I was so impressed by his moral and work ethic. Since he couldn’t take part in team practice, again we spend hours and hours working on fundamentals and not ones during those long months did he not have a smile on his face and his hopes up to return to action. In the beginning of 2022, he reached 81 made free throws in a row at the age of only 14 years old. I am very excited to see how he will do in the ProB this year and Kenan Reinhard in Bonn/Rhöndorf.
Please name your NBA Mount Rushmore and Euro Mount Rushmore for coaches? My NBA Mount Rushmore for coaches is: Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley
My Euro Mount Rushmore for coaches is: Svetislav Pesic, Zeljko Obradovic, Ettore Messina, Pablo Laso and maybe one day Gordon Herbert (through a German lens)
Which coach is your GOAT?
I am an old school Chicago Bulls fan, so I go with Phil Jackson. He also got the same last name as I do now (laughing).Thank you very much Miles for the interview and the chance to share my story a bit. You have been doing great work all these long years, highly appreciated.
Ross Williams (178-G-2000, college: TAMUCC) is a 24 year old 178cm guard from Oakland, California playing his second season with Fribourg Olympic (Switzerland-SBL). Last season with Fribourg Olympic he averaged 10.5ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 41.5%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 85.9%; BCL: 2 games: 3.0ppg, 1.5rpg. He began his basketball career at Bishop O´Dowd High School. He then played 2 seasons at Menlo College (NAIA) averaging 4.8ppg, 1.6rpg and 15.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 42.2%, FT: 84.4%. He then played 2 seasons at Colorado Christian University (NCAA2) averaging 19.6ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.8apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.6%, 3PT: 41.8%, FT: 75.0% and 19.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.8apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 42.7%, FT: 78.5%. He then finished at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi (NCAA) averaging 9.9ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 40.9%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 88.4%. He spoke to germanhops.com before a Fiba Eurocup game against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.
Thanks Ross for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your second season with Fribourg Olympic (Switzerland-SBL). You have lived in so many places in the States because of your Dad as a NBA and coach. Can you call a place like Fribourg like a second home or is that more difficult because of how much you have moved around
Fribourg is definitely a place that will always have a special place in my heart since I started my career here. Second home for me is probably Oakland California.
You won the double as a rookie with Fribourg and currently are undefeated. How special is this organization and what has been the secret to the team success? I think the secret to our success is our chemistry off the court. Our locker room is really close and everybody has taken time to get to know everybody so when we get on the court we are always on the same page
Your showing this season that you are very consistent in 3 different competitions. Has your experience playing with so many different schools prepped you for being consistent? I would definitely say playing at 3 different levels in college has prepared me for this moment this year. Playing in different competitions you have to able to adjust to the style of play and the refs but this year I feel like my teammates and coaches have put me in really good positions to succeed.
How vital was a guy like Eric Nottage your rookie season? Was he like a mentor for you?
Eric is definitely like a mentor to me we are really close off the court as well. Especially as a rookie he really took me under his wing and taught me a lot I will always have a lot of love and respect for him.
What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?
My wake up call as a rookie was definitely my first practice. My teammates and coach were speaking a totally different language the style of play was different than anything I had ever experienced and I realized right away that I was a long way from home but it was a new challenge that I was determined to succeed in.
Last season you beat Nyon and Geneva in the playoffs and then played a tough series against Massagno. The first 2 games were combined decided by only 4 points. What memories will you always have from that final? I’ll always remember winning a championship my rookie year but it was a really cool experience. Every possession mattered and guys were playing the best basketball of the season so it was just a true blessing to be out there competing with those guys.
You played 1 NBA Summer League game with Detroit. What kind of experience was it for you? Did you hide the fact who your dad was or did they know it? Summer League was a really great experience. I really wanted to see if and how I could compete with those guys and it gave me a reality check of things I need to work on and get better at but gave me a lot of confidence that I can play and compete against anybody. The whole coaching staff knew but some of my teammates didn’t know but found out when my dad came to all my games.
Let´s talk about your game? You’re a 178cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description? If I had to give an NBA comparison for my game I would say athree guys I really try to model my game after are Lou Williams, Isaiah Thomas and Patty Mills. The way those guys as undersized guards affect the game with their speed, and scoring ability.
Are you just by nature more of a competitor on the court because your 178cm? Is getting overlooked part of your daily life?
Most definitely my whole life basketball has never came easy always being looked over or told that I can’t make it or play at a certain level so everytime I step on the court I play with that chip on my shoulder not to prove people wrong but to prove myself right that I can play against anybody.
Your definitely a guy that can fill the stat sheet at ease. What is your biggest strength? You showed at 3 different levels NAIA, NCAA 2 and NCAA and shot over 40% from outside. Yea my biggest strength is definitely my shooting ability being able to make 3s and touch shots from the perimeter is definitely what I bring to any team that I am a part of. Also my defense being able to pick up players full court and bring energy and fast pace to the game.
You haven´t reached the 40% mark again the last 2 pro seasons. Is it difficult setting goals as a shooter when you shot 40% each season in school?
No not really I don’t put too much pressure on myself and even though I haven’t surpassed the 40% mark I’m really close last year I shot like 39.7% so I know I’ll always be a threat from 3 so much that you definitely can’t leave me open. But 40% or more is always the goal for sure
What advantages do you have as a defender with your size? Is it easier to get steals than for bigger guards? Yea my size definitely helps when it comes to playing defense on the ball being able to put pressure on guys and get steals.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?
The next progression of my game is definitely becoming more of a point guard so really working on my ball handling and making reads off of pick and rolls and trying to make my teammates better as well as finishing around the basket so I’m a 3 level threat whenever I’m on the court
You’re the son of ex NBA player and coach Willie Green. What is the most important of advice that he has given you for basketball? The most important advice my dad ever gave me is first you have to play every game like it’s your last nobody should ever question your effort and energy because those are two things you have 100% control over. The second is always have fun and play with joy at the end of the day basketball is a game so it’s important to always have fun because the ball will stop bouncing for everybody one day.
You saw so many NBA games and players. Did you ever meet Kobe or Lebron? I know you saw Dwight Howard play and he had an impact on you. Which NBA player that you have met had a big influence on you?
Yea I got the chance to meet both of them so that was really cool. The biggest influence has been a mixture of Chris Paul and Jose Alvarado. I really look up to both of them.
You worked out with Pelican player Jose Alvarado. How vital is for you being able to soak up as much as you can? Does your confidence rise when you see I can keep up with him?
He’s definitely like a big brother to me so being able to ask him questions and compete with him definitely keeps me hungry but give me a lot of confidence as well.
You began in NAIA. How humbling was that time for you? Yor game really grew in your second season at Menlo averaging 15.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 42.2%, FT: 84.4%. How did your game grow in that season? I put in a ton of work that summer playing with a lot of older guys and overseas pros and when I got back to school the work met the opportunity and my teammates and coaches put me in really good positions to have a lot of success that year.
You then made the jump to Colorado Christian University (NCAA2) averaging 19.6ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.8apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.6%, 3PT: 41.8%, FT: 75.0% and in your second season averaged 19.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.8apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 42.7%, FT: 78.5%.How much of a turning point was this in your career?
I really wanted to challenge myself and move up to the D2 level. I went to a really good league we had like 4 or 5 teams in the top 25 in the nation so it was good competition. Being able to have success at that level gave me a lot of confidence to further my basketball career after college.
You had so many great games, but also tough loses against Chadron State and Yellowstone scoring 37 points. Was there a loss more difficult? Fortunately in my basketball career I’ve been a part of a lot of good teams so we didn’t lose a lot. Colorado Christain even though I was putting up numbers we lost a lot and I hate losing so all the loses were hard both years I was there.
How important was head coach Liam Simmons for your basketball development in those 2 years?
Liam Simmons gave me a great opportunity. Put the ball in my hands and trusted me to make decisions but also made sure I had tons of gym time and a lot of individual works it’s with him and the assistant coaches which really helped grow my skill and understand for the game.
You finished at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi (NCAA) averaging 9.9ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 40.9%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 88.4%. What memories will you always have of March madness beating Semo and losing to Alabama?
March Madness was surreal experience having watched it on tv my whole life and then finally getting to play in it was amazing. The first game against SEMO was in Dayton Ohio and I’m from Detroit Michigan which is not too far so a lot of my family made the drive down so being able to get that experience in front of my family was definitely the best part. Playing against Alabama in front of a sold out crowd was amazing too 20,000 people watching you do what you love is an unforgettable moment.
How did Steve Lutz give you the last push for a professional career?
Mainly time management and what it was like to truly play as hard as possible and made me a way better defender. Playing for Lutz also taught me how to play a role on a winning time embracing a team culture and just being addicted to winning. I got a lot of love for coach Lutz for sure.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Damarion Davis
I didn’t play with Damarion Davis but I played a lot of 1on1 with Owen Dease, Terrion Murdix, and Jourdyn Grandberry who are all really good players and sometimes I won and sometimes I lost it was a pretty even battle every time and we played pretty much everyday.
Who is the toughest player that you faced that went to the NBA? I would say either Marvin Bagley in high school or Trae Young at top 100 camp.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? Elijah Hardy, Terrion Murdix, Eric Nottage, Khalid Price, Bj Shaw
What is your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads? My NBA Mount Rushmore is Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Allen Iverson
I did my homework. Your GOAT is Kobe. That is a great choice. Why is he your GOAT?
My goat is Kobe because of his approach to the game and his work ethic. Every night he wanted to go out and kill no matter who he was playing no matter if he was injured or not if he could play his intent was to dominate. But he dominated because he out worked everybody behind closed doors and because of that he will always be the greatest in my eyes.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
I did see it and the first coming to America was one of my favorite movies of all time so I definitely feel like that’s a movie that should have never been recreated and just left alone. It’s a true classic.
Kevin Hunt Jr. (190-G-1997, college: Denver, agency: Helping Ballers) is a 26 year old 190cm guard from Little Rock, Arkansas playing his second professional season and first with Gartenzaun24 Baskets Paderborn (Germany-ProB). He played his rookie season with the Little Rock Lightning (TBL) averaging 8.8ppg, 2.0rpg, FGP: 38.7%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 78.6% and then went overseas playing with BSC Raiffeisen Furstenfeld Panthers (Austria-BSL) averaging 16.2ppg, 6.4rpg, 3.8apg, 1.8spg, 2FGP: 50.5%, 3FGP: 26.7%, FT: 57.1%, and later that month moved to Tundja Yambol (Bulgaria-NBL) averaging 12.6ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.2apg, 2.2spg, FGP: 41.8%, 3PT: 43.5%, FT: 76.9%. He began his basketball career at Bryant High School and then played at 4 schools. He began at College of Central Florida (JUCO) averaging 8.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 4.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 24.2%, FT: 73.5%. He then played a season at McNeese State University (NCAA) averaging 6.9ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.9apg, FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 67.4% He then played at Morehead State University (NCAA) averaging 6.9ppg, 2.2rpg, 3.1apg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 77.8%. He finished his NCAA career at Denver University (NCAA) averaging 15.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.2%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 78.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Kevin for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?
Thank you for interviewing me! It’s such a pleasure. Right now, I’m in the moment, not getting too far ahead of myself and moving forward from the previous days.
Your playing your second professional season and first with the Gartenzaun24 Baskets Paderborn (Germany-ProB). What kind of experience has it been for you personally having seen basketball in Austria and Bulgaria?
The experiences are all unique yet common from a basketball standpoint. Austria as you know was my first team and place to start my professional career overseas and although it didn’t turn out how I’d like it to personally, I enjoyed my time there. Bulgaria the same, I had great teammates and the city of Yambol was welcoming and put into place a different perspective of life for me. Basketball wise, I’ve got to see the difference in the style of play and really have gotten better in the sense of angles, knowing how to play better without the ball, and I think that’s what has helped me grow into the player I’m slowly becoming.
You had a solid season in Austra. Would you call this season taking a step back to possibly take 2 steps forward next season as the pro B is skill wise one behind the Austria BSL?
I believe everything happens for a reason, the skill level isn’t too far off from Austria to Pro B but I will say the athleticism in the Austria BSL was slightly better. I do think that, personally, I could bump up next season and continue to progress but as for now, my goal is to help Paderborn Baskets win and get back to Pro A.
Paderborn has been playing great ball as of late. What would say is the biggest strength of the team and what has been the secret to the success in the last 2 months?
Our biggest strength is our depth in the roster. From starters to players coming from the bench, we all bring something unique to the table and any given night can be anyone’s night. Everyone has bought into the club, our coaches, and most importantly each other. That’s what leads me to my next point, our chemistry off the court shows on the court. Coach always preaches to us to put our ego into the team so that’s what we all do on a daily basis. There’s no secret to success, it’s a daily grind of mistakes and the opportunities to learn from them. I commend everyone on the staff for putting together a great group of guys.
Your having a solid season in the German Pro B. Have you been content with your game? There’s always room for improvement in my opinion. I don’t want to be complacent because then I’d feel like I’ve gotten what I want out of this season. We’re #2 in the league and want to make a deep playoff run and eventually win it all, but one game at a time.
The team recently added walking bucket Justin Andrew. How do you guys compliment each other best?
We’ve had one game together so far and about a week of practices so there’s been a small sample yet he’s fit right into the system as if he’s been here the entire season. That goes to show how good of player he is to be able to get here so quickly and adapt. He’s a shot creator and playmaker so he can do a little bit of everything. We compliment each other because neither one of us needs the ball in our hands to help the team in whatever we need that night. He’s been a great addition for us.
What has it been like being teammates with German Lars Lagerpusch? As one of the team leaders, are you able to soak up a lot from him on and off the floor? Lars is my guy! He’s such a veteran player at a young age but sometimes age has nothing to do with it. He’s been able to help me see things on the court that I may overlook. Having a forward/big like him has helped me personally because when things are not going our way, I know I can look at him and he’s poised and can get us back on track with not only his leadership but gameplay as well.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 190cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?
I’ve been getting De’Aaron Fox comparisons for the longest, he’s left handed like me and quick like me and have similar play styles, although, he’s a bit more athletic than I am.
You’re a guy that can fill the stat sheet well. What would you say is your biggest strength on the court?
My biggest strength on the court is my speed. I can push the ball and play in the open court. Also, my unselfishness contributes to my being able to make plays for my teammates. I like to say that I can make my teammates better not only with the ball in my hands but just a presence on the court with being vocal and leading by example.
Your three pointer has been up and down in your career. Last season you shot 43% in Bulgaria, but currently below 20%. How would you describe the development of your three at the moment? What do you have to do make the next step as a shooter?
I’ve been a solid shooter my entire life but I do have seasons where I go through slumps and most of it is in my head. I know that I can make any shot I take, but sometimes if I miss a couple in a row, I’ll second guess the next shot which throws me off. I’m a good shooter at the end of the day, the only way to get over the slumps is to get extra shots up, continue to shoot the ball, and keep my confidence rather I’m making shots or missing them.
You have also been a solid defender in your career. Where would you rate your game as a defender and to what level do you still want to get to?
Coach mentioned to me earlier this season that my defense has to improve if I want to help the team take a step closer towards the end goal. I’ve struggled earlier this season guarding but I’ve had to buy into myself and into the team if we want to achieve the ultimate goal. I’ve guarded great players in my entire basketball career, NBA players, great collegiate players, there’s no doubt that I can lock in on anyone. It’s all about going out there and doing it on a consistent basis.
On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?
As you mentioned earlier, my 3pt% is far below what I’m capable of and that’s my main focus now and moving into the summer. I have a solid game from the 3pt line and in but the 3s is where I take my game to the next level!
After your NCAA career, you sat out the next season and then got your first pro experience with the Little Rock Lightning (TBL). How tough was this time for you? Did you ever doubt the basketball process?
I was in a dark time mentally during this time. Every single day, I told myself I was good enough to play anywhere, but with each day slipping away, I slowly started to doubt myself and creep away from the game I love so much. I had a great support system around me, reassuring me to stay ready for my opportunity and trust in the process. I give credit to God for allowing me an opportunity to continue playing and my support system for being a light in such a dark time.
What was it like playing in the TBL? Was every player playing for their stats or did you find some guys that played team ball? It was an ok experience, I had a good time playing with players I played against growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was a selfish team of players, but it wasn’t the basketball I was used to playing at the time. I had personal problems outside of basketball that I had to attend to so I had to take a step away from the TBL.
You played your rookie season with BSC Raiffeisen Furstenfeld Panthers (Austria-BSL, averaging 16.2ppg, 6.4rpg, 3.8apg, 1.8spg, 2FGP: 50.5%, 3FGP: 26.7%, FT: 57.1%, released in Jan.’24, later that month moved to Tundja Yambol (Bulgaria-NBL) averaging 12.6ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.2apg, 2.2spg, FGP: 41.8%, 3PT: 43.5%, FT: 76.9%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?
I’ve always been away from home since college, like hours away, but when I had to miss my first Christmas ever and being 7 hours ahead of my family, that hurt me. Only able to facetime my family and not being able to be physically there with them was a different type of sadness I hadn’t felt in a long time. I had to tell myself that this is the lifestyle that I chose and that it won’t always be like this but that was my first time.
You had some great games in Austria? Why did you have to go early and what positives could you get from the experience?
As you can see, we were at the bottom of the league, and each game you go in with the intention and mindset of winning but that was far from reality at the end of the game. I spoke with my agent at the time about other opportunities and that’s when Bulgaria came about. I remember being on the plane from Austria to Bulgaria, looking outside the window over the clouds and telling myself to never get content with where you’re at or how you’re doing no matter how well you may be doing at the time because this is a business. The positives I got from it was I knew that I could have a great career playing overseas, made some great friends abroad, and got to experience different cultures and languages. I’m the first person in my family to be able to play professionally overseas so I try and make the most out of my experiences for my younger family members that may want to pursue a similar opportunity.
You began your career at College of Central Florida (JUCO) averaging 8.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 4.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 24.2%, FT: 73.5%. Every guy that I have interviewed that played JUCO has said that it was a grin, but one they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you? They hit it right on the money! JUCO is not for the weak because you have 12-15 players competing for the same thing. You have to go out every single day with a chip on your shoulder. You’re playing in some treacherous places and have to grind it out in the classroom and the court. If you’re not mentally strong, JUCO will for sure be a struggle.
How important was a guy like Tim Ryan? How did he help you make the transition to the NCAA?
Coach Ryan and coach Jake both helped me understand that I can have a successful career in life let alone basketball! They were the ones who told me that I would thrive at PG which is why I’m able to play both the 1 and 2. I struggled early because I didn’t know when to score and when to pass but those are the growing pains that come with it. They guided me through those pains and reassured to me that those pains will only make me stronger in the end. Now I’m playing in year 2 in my professional career and I have them, along with others to thank for that.
You then moved to McNeese State University (NCAA) averaging 6.9ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.9apg, FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 67.4%. This was your first season in the NCAA. How important was this transition for you as you continued to move forward going to other schools?
This year at McNeese was the year that set up the rest of my college years to come. I didn’t know what to expect or how I could become a better player for each team I played for. I struggled there because there was a lot of pressure I felt to perform at a high level each game but some games were better than others. I’m glad I transferred because I needed that reset to find myself within the game and find the love I was losing for the game during a challenging season.
You then played a season at Morehead State University (NCAA) averaging 6.9ppg, 2.2rpg, 3.1apg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 77.8%. In your first game you played against NCAA powerhouse Kentucky having 4/2/2 stats. What memories do you have of that game and playing future NBA players? It was exciting because not everyone gets to play a blue blood school. COVID didn’t allow us to play in an arena full of people but playing in front of Calipari was surreal. The players were of course athletic and their game was well rounded but my excitement came from the experience of playing in Rupp arena in front of a legendary coach.
You then made one more move playing at Denver University (NCAA) averaging 15.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.2%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 78.8%. this was your breakout season in the NCAA. How did your game grow that season? I was allowed freedom from coach Dub. He recruited me early and told me that I’d have the keys and he had the utmost confidence that I could come in to help lead DU to a great season. There’s a saying by Ray Lewis I believe, which is: “are you more afraid of a pit bull on a leash or off the leash?” That’s all I needed was a coach with confidence in me and to play freely. I credit him for allowing me that space.
You had so many great games there including a 32/6/4/3/1 game in an exciting 81-79 win over North Dakota. Was that your fondest memory there? I actually have that game downloaded on my computer. Any time I’m in a slump I refer to that game and watch it second by second. I would say that’s my best collegiate game ever because it was my career high in college. I have some many memories from DU but that one is definitely a top 3 moment.
How did head coach Jeff Wulbrun groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
One of the very first things he told us when we got to Denver during the summer is, “if you want to be a pro, then you have act like a pro” That goes from how you approach practice, games, recovery, extra reps. He put in the mindset of carrying myself as professional in every aspect of life.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Tae Gatlin? Tae is my guy, we talk every week, but Tae know what it is in them 1s lol.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced on a court that reached the NBA? Iso Joe! Joe Johnson man, he’s from the same city I am, and I grew up watching him as well. He’s a complete player, 6’8/6’9 and 250+. He can score on all levels and he make the game look so easy man. That’s probably the toughest but I give credit to players like Daryl Macon, Jaylen Barford, and Archie Goodwin! They all make me compete at the highest level possible every time we play each other.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? I love this question! Man, I’ve had so many good teammates. In no specific order, I’ll have to go: Braylon Steen, Calvin Allen, Carlos Dotson, De’Von Cooper, and Johni Broome. Honorable mentions, Jordan (Popi) Johnson and Tae Gatlin! First two are from High school and others were college teammates.
What is your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?
Easy money! MJ, Allen Iverson, Rajon Rondo, and John Wall
Who is your GOAT?
Michael Jordan!
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
There’s this trend of nostalgic themed movies making returns which I like the concept but some movies should be left alone and that for sure is one of them!
Eric Nottage (187-PG-1994, college: FIU) is a 30 year old 187cm guard from Miami, Florida playing his second professional season with Fribourg Olympic (Switzerland-SBL) and last season averaged 14.5ppg, 5.2rpg, Assists-3 (5.9apg), 1.9spg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 33.5%, FT: 78.8%. He turned professional in 2018 and has played in countries like Slovakia, Georgia, France, Romania, and North Macedonia. He began his basketball career at Northwestern High School and then played 2 seasons at Tallahassee Community College and then played 2 years at Florida International University (NCAA2). He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Fiba Europe Cup game against German team MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.
Thanks Eric for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your seventh professional season and for your 8 club. Do you feel like a basketball globetrotter?
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this, I’m grateful. I wouldn’t necessarily say a globetrotter but I am grateful for the experiences that I’ve had in my seven years being a professional. I’m grateful for the teams that have given me an opportunity to showcase my skills, it’s been great.
Your playing your fourth season in Switzerland and for your third team. Has Switzerland become like a second home for you? What do you appreciate most about the country?
Switzerland is starting to grow on me as a second home because I’ve been here for so long. I’ve become accustomed to the way of life here and kind of used to the quietness of Switzerland. The thing I most appreciate about Switzerland is the quietness, it’s really chill here and that’s something I value the most.
You won the double as a rookie with Fribourg and currently are undefeated. How special is this organization and what has been the secret to the team success?
The organization here in Fribourg is very special everyone takes care of each other here, it’s basically a family away from family. I’m forever grateful for this organization welcoming me with open arms and allowing me to be myself. The secret is it’s a family, we genuinely care for each other, we all want the same thing and that’s to win.
Your showing this season that you are very consistent in 3 different competitions. Has your experience playing with so many different schools prepped you for being consistent? T The consistency comes from the work I put in this summer with my trainer Deric Hill and pdl4 sports academy. We knew what this season would consist of so we properly prepared for this year, as far as my conditioning, strength, and the weaknesses that I lacked in my game a last year. I take every experience that I’ve had with different clubs and always use it to help my development for the next year.
You have showed your whole career that you are a point guard that can score and dish out many assists. Has your role pretty much always been the same wherever you played in Europe?
That’s always who I’ve been since I started playing the game. The coaches I’ve played for throughout my time hooping always told me the best PG’s are the ones who can score but also control the team and get the other players going. That’s just who I am as a player anywhere I’ve been or anywhere I’m going I’ll continue to be the same player.
What has it been like playing with Ross Williams? Were you like a mentor for him last season in his rookie season?
It’s been great, man Ross is a special person someone I consider my brother. Playing with him has made my job a lot easier having someone that can shoot the ball at a high clip like he does. The person that he is, is far more special than the things that he does on the court a great individual. I wouldn’t say a mentor but I was always a listening ear whenever he needed any advice or help with something as a guard, the kid is special the sky is the limit for him!
How big is your chip on your shoulder? You have won chips and always put up great stats, but never played in a first division like Germany, France or Italy. How big is your drive to get there? No matter where I am the chip on my shoulder is always big, I always want to prove that I’m the best on the court. As far as playing in the first division in those countries my time will come for sure and I’ll continue to thrive as I have. My drive to get there is big for sure but I never measure where I’m at, I take advantage of any situation I’m in and do my best.
You have always had consistent stats. What has been your secret to being able to adjust to every league you have played in?
First in foremost, my faith in God. Trusting in his plan for my journey and trusting in the work that I have put in to stay consistent. Faith and hard work is my secret.
You played the 22-23 season with KK Rabotnicki AD Skopje (North Macedonia-Prva Liga) averaging 10.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 4.9apg, Steals-1 (2.4spg), FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 82.7%. What kind of an experience was this season and what was missing to beating MZT Skopje in the palyoffs?
Playing for Rabotnicki was a great experience for me, I learned a lot about myself as a person/player. It was a lot of ups and downs that season as far as my role, I went from starting to coming off the bench some of the season definitely a different adjust but I enjoyed it. MZT Skopje was a tough opponent with a lot of depth on the roster which we didn’t have at the time in Rabotnicki but we never gave up and we fought to the end.
You split the 21-22 season with Sharks Antibes (France-ProB)averaging 10.3ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.0apg, in Nov.’21 moved to CS Dinamo Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 5.2ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.0apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 19.2%, 3FGP: 35.3%, FT: 75.0%: and in Jan.’22 signed at Lions de Geneve (Switzerland-SBL) averaging 10.9ppg, 6.1rpg, 4.6apg, Steals-1 (2.6spg), FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 28.8%, FT-9 (91.5%). How tough was this season? Did it feel like living out of a suitcase? The 21-22 season was definitely tough having to move around so much which I hadn’t done before and it was early in my career so I didn’t know a lot. It was tough going from team to team to team, but it made me mentally stronger than I once was and I felt as if I needed that experience. It taught me to never get too comfortable. It didn’t feel like living out of a suitcase, I got to experience different countries, places, see things I’ve never seen before that was the best part about the experience.
What do you remember from the playoff series against Fribourg? Did you ever feel like they had you on their radar for the future?
I remember we lost the series, I was hot. I really didn’t want to lose that series but Fribourg was the better team and they wanted more than we did. I didn’t know that Fribourg had me there radar for the future honestly but once coach Petit came I felt as if I would be a good fit for Fribourg and it just so happens we both were thinking the same thing.
You played the 20-21 season with SAM Basket Massagno (Switzerland-SBL) averaging 15.7ppg, 5.3rpg, Assists-2 (6.7apg), Steals-3 (2.1spg), FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 81.5%. Statwise this was one of your best seasons as a pro. How tough was the season in the hey day of Covid? You must of only focused on basketball?
That season was really tough as well, having to take Covid tests almost every week, to sometimes having to be in lockdown not touching a basketball for a week or longer. Basketball is always my focus Covid or not but Covid did allow me to put more focus into my craft because that’s all I could do at the time.
You played Fribourg in a playoff series. In the last game of the season you lost 94-93 scoring 25 points. How tough was that loss? It was tough, we were so close to winning that game and I wasn’t ready to go home just yet. I wanted to continue to play basketball and make a run for the SBL League Trophy.
You played your rookie season with BK 04 AC LB Spisska Nova Ves (Slovakia-SBL) averaging 17.0ppg, 6.5rpg, 6.5apg, 2.1spg, 2FGP: 53.3%, 3FGP: 38.0%, FT: 76.2%, in Feb.’19 moved to BC Delta (Georgia-Superleague) averaging 12.3ppg, 6.3rpg, 4.7apg, Steals-3 (2.5spg), FGP: 58.0%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 68.1%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?
I was actually training at Amazon just about to start working until I got a call to go overseas and a coach that I played for in the eurobasket camp called me with a job opening. I walked out of training immediately and went to pack my bags. I was excited that I got a chance my dreams being a professional basketball player.
How refreshing was this season finding some adversary in Slovakia and then winning your first chip in Georgia?
It was great to win a chip my first year as a rookie and to be a piece in that puzzle was special for me because I didn’t know what to expect haven’t come there later in the season.
How vital was having another rookie with Malcolm Drumright in Georgia? How intense were the day to day battles in practice in that time? It was great to have a player like Malcolm on the team as rookie, we both were young guys looking to make a name for ourselves in Europe. It was good to have that type of player around you, someone humble & motivated it helped me a lot. The battles in practice were very intense most time we were on different teams just so we could compete, competition was very important for us at that time.
You played 2 seasons with Tallahassee Community College (JUCO) averaging 5.2ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 38.1%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 75.0% and 7.9ppg, 4.3rpg, 5.4apg, FGP: 38.1%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 66.1%. Every guy that I have interviewed that played JUCO have stated that it was a real grind, but an experience that they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you?
JUCO was definitely a grind for sure but I had some a great group of freshmen that I enterd with with who made it feel like home away from home. We grinded ogether & we were always with each other. I wouldn’t trade my JUCO experience for anything in the world, I had a tough coach in coach Barnes, who taught me a lot of discipline and basic things about the game.
You then played at Florida International University (NCAA)averaging 4.3ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.5apg and 12,.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 3.3apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 79.8%. You made a big jump as a senior. How did your game grow that last season? The jump from the Junior to senior was simple, I stayed in the gym all summer worked on my craft my body and I got more opportunities to have the ball in my hands to be able to showcase my abilities.
You had many great games in the NCAA like 37 points against UAB. What was your fondest moment in the NCAA?
Yes, that was the most pleasure I had playing college basketball. I was just so free and a lot of fun, most importantly we won the game because we didn’t win a lot of games that season.
How did head coach Anthony Evans groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
Not only Coach Evans but the entire coaching staff prepared me for what was to come in being a professional, being on time, being professional, work hard and being disciplined. I really had a great group of coaches at FIU I wouldn’t trade the experience or the coaches for anything, I’m forever grateful for the things they did for me.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Donte McGill? Me and Donte competed all summer/season, we had many battles but he won more than I did.
Who is the toughest player that you faced that went to the NBA? Brandon Austin in JUCO, he was different for sure.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? Mark Kelly Myles Greene Dirk Williams Elmo Stephen Ross Williams
What is your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads? Kobe Bryant Lebron James Michael Jordan Dwayne Wade Kyrie Irving
Who is your GOAT?
Kobe Bryant. The mindset that Kobe had playing the game is something outta this world. He was a great example of resilience, hard work, dedication. Forever 8/24
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming ToAmerica? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I haven’t seen it yet, I’ve been more into watching more tv series.
German Hoops 