nfl-draft

Quantzez Robertson Googled Slim Jesus Right Away And Will Never Forget Kimmo Muurinen´s No Legs Plea For Help

I always knew that my interview sessions would never end with Quantez Robertson (188-SG-1984, college: Auburn, agency: Interperformances)n even almost 2,5 years after he retired. It is 2025 and I´m still interviewing him. This is my 76th interview/article since his rookie season in 2009. My love for him and his game is still there. And why not there are always interesting basketball topics to talk about. However never in a million years did I ever think that I would be preparing a few questions about his ex teammate Kimmo Muurinen who was his teammate seemingly ages ago in 2010-2011. I mean Kimmo was a very skilled player, but Finnish and more taciturn. It would be more fitting and logical to talk about guys like Jordan Theodore, Mike Morrison or Gordie Herbert who he had more dealings with during his Skyliner years. Muurinen who remembers nailing 50 free throws in a row and having Jordan and Magic as his childhood idols was one of those players that wasn´t flashy, but did what ever the team needed to win and was a great shooter as he shot 44% from the parking lot in his only easyCredit BBL season with Frankfurt. He was the kind of player that didn´t shy away from pulling a Larry Bird on the court and concentrated more on rebounding and defense and didn´t have to score consistently. “I think a hidden strength in my game is my dirty work like diving for loose balls that doesn’t get noticed as much”, said Kimmo Muurinen in 2011. When I told Quantez Robterson about slim Jesus, the first answer was Huh? Then I explained to him that Miikka Muurinen was producing a massive splash at the 2025 Euro especially with the dunk that went viral against England and seemed to pop up on everyone´s phone from Helsinki to Sydney, Australia. Miikka was 3,5 years old when he arrived in Frankfurt with dad Kimmo in late summer of 2010. “I remember his little son. Man that makes me feel old. Time shows that everyone has been growing over the years and kids then are showing their talent as players now”, chuckled Quantez Robertsonn. Tez as everyone calls him also remembers a funny experience with Kimmo Muurinen during training camp in 2010. “I think we were in the Czech Republic. I remember he was playing defense and was so tired. Some guy made a move on him and Kimmo just fell to the ground. He just said oh no no more legs. Gordon Herbert and Klaus Perwas were laughing”, remembered Quantez Robertson.

Quantez Robertson at Halloween in USA

I felt it was time to catch up with Quantez Robertsonn again after last talking to him shortly before Christmas 2024 when he was celebrating his 40th birthday and went down memory lane once again with me. I reach Quantez Robertsonn on a Saturday night as all I hear around him are kids and noises. Tez apologies saying he is at a volley ball game of his daughter. The ex Auburn guard who was a freak athlete during his playing days retired in 2023 and like every other ex baller has gotten used to not playing anymore or has he? “I would like to say retirement has gotten easier, but it´s still tough. Believe me if I could, I would love to jump on the court right away again, but I did retire because of injury”, stressed Quantez Robertsonn. It is never easy for retired players to keep their shape that they had when they were professional athletes. Often they will gain weight while others will really ballon in weight like guys Like Shawn Kemp, Shaq and Magic Johnson have. Tez has had a hinderance with his foot. “I don´t have the weight that I had as a player. I had surgery on my foot and that kept me doing a lot of physical activity. My foot is healed. I do a lot with my kids”, said Quantez Robertsonn. The last time we checked in with him he was coaching basketball at Tennessee Valley Community Christian, but since then he has found a new job in life. “I have stepped away from teaching kids for the time being. If the opportunity ever presents itself again, I might do it again. At the moment, I´m a warehouse manager at Alabama A& M”, stated Quantez Robertsonn. Of course he is very active supporting his 2 kids with their sports. His daughter plays volleyball, softball and basketball while his son plays baseball and football.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Tez Robertson

No interview with Quantez Robertsonn can happen without Skyliner talk. Once again the Skyliners have reeled in many new faces for the 2025-2026 season, but one thing hasn´t changed. Klaus Perwas is still there and for the first time in his career the head coach from the start of a season. That has to be a good omen for the season. “Yes it is. He was always cool and focused as an assistant coach. Now as head coach, we can see how he does everything his way. His defensive principles were always the same as Gordie Herbert. Now we will see how his offense will work. He has always been known as a defensive coach, but now we will see how the Skyliners offense works”, commented Quantez Robertsonn. One thing that we will never know is how the Skyliners history would have evolved from 2019 until now had Perwas became head coach in 2019 after Herbert had left. “I think that Klaus would have been able to have kept the tradition of reaching the playoffs alive. I mean it is always tough with personal and injuries, but I feel the history would have been different”, expressed Quantez Robertsonn. Since Tez´s departure, the club is still looking for an identity figure. Maybe it could be Garai Zeeb, but Tez had one guy in mind who left after 2 seasons. “I think that David Muenkat would have been a good choice. He was a beast at both ends and had many dunks. He got big blocks and was able to get the fans to their feet”, remembered Quantez Robertsonn. So after playing 14 seasons with the Skyliners organization and having hundreds of teammates, with what guys did he have contact with just in the last week? “I talked with Mike Morrison, Jordan Theodore and Aaron Dornekamp”, smiled Quantez Robertsonn. It is only logical that a Fiba winning team from 2016 never loses contact.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Tez Robertson in Frankfurt in 2024

Another topic that I have to share with Tez is the current 2025 European championships where Germany is seemingly marching to their next medal. They won a hard fought quarterfinal game against Slovenia. Despite a 39/10 game by Luka Doncic, Germany prevailed with a strong last quarter after not playing particularly well in the first 30 minutes. To have your 2 best players with Dennis Schroeder and Franz Wagner combine for only 11/37 and still win with 8 points shows just how many other weapons Germany has. It is amazing how incredible Germany´s track record is in the last 3 years with a Bronze at the Euro, Gold at the World Cup and a fourth place finish at the Olympics. “Germany has so much talent now with all their NBA and Euroleague players. They have so much experience. They are so tough now. Before this success, they didn´t get their top guys, now they have all their best players. They are able to show their real talent now”, warned Quantez Robertsonn. In German basketball one talks about guys like Detlef Schrempf, and Dirk Nowitzki as people who were very important for the sport. But in the last years, one has to put a Gordon Herbert with these names. “Gordie changed the culture and showed how to win. He brought a different demeanor and coaching style. Players simply love to play for him. He gets the best out of every player”, stressed Quantez Robertsonn. Tez is really proud to have been teammates with current German national players Isaac Bonga and Leon Kratzer. Was he like a mentor for Bonga? “I was a mentor for all the young players in Frankfurt. I showed them the ropes and tricks on the court. I didn´t work privately with any one player. I taught Isaac defensive concepts and helped his mobility and control on defense”, stated Quantez Robertsonn. He played a few seasons with Bonga and then saw him move to the NBA and Euroleague. “My fondest moment with him was when he was drafted. I told him that I wanted some adidas socks”, said Quantez Robertsonn. He also witnessed Leon Kratzer on a daily basis for 2 seasons in Frankfurt. Kratzer´s rise from then on with Bonn and Paris has been amazing. “Leon made big steps each season. He left a big impression in Frankfurt even if he made small steps on offense. He was always a problem on defense. It wasn´t easy to score on him with his rebounding and shot blocking ability”, added Quantez Roberson. In the States, the only thing that really counts in the basketball world is the NBA and Olympics. In 2027, Germany will be strong with their core of veterans along with most likely Isaiah Hartenstein and many young guys. How does he see a USA-Germany match up then? “USA will be strong. I mean we won´t have Lebron, but we will have our best players. And we have a scary young group of guys coming up. USA will still beat Germany”, smiled Quantez Robertsonn. That is still 2 years away. Now all Germany is concerned about is beating Finland in the semi´s and winning the Gold. I´m sure Tez will have his fingers crossed for Germany this weekend.

Kelvin Omojola Showed Pure Genuine Happiness For Tim Smith Jr´s Signing With The EPG Baskets Koblenz

It really didn´t matter which teammate I mentioned to Kelvin Omojola during the last 2 seasons in interviews, he always showed this pure genuine happiness for that player´s game and character. I have seriously never seen a player like Kelvin treat his teammates with such utmost respect and always being positive. It didn´t matter if I asked him about Marko Rosic or Janne Muller, or others, he was always sprouting with positive energy when describing his teammates. Sure I have asked many other Americans about teammates or opponents over the years, but I have never gotten the crazy zeal that the Las Vegas has done. It made every interview with him an extra pleasure. It wasn´t any different when I asked him about Tim Smith Jr. (201-F-2000, college: N.Alabama, agency: 011 Sports) signing with Pro A team EPG Baskets Koblenz. “That’s amazing that Tim signed with the Guardians. I was so happy to see that. Tim is such a great player and now gets to showcase his talents at the Pro A level. He will have a great Pro A season and I hope that he gets BBL offers after he shows how he can dominate”, stressed Kelvin Omojola.

Tim Smith Jr. who hails from Ohio had a sold senior season at North Alabama averaging 9.4ppg, 4.7rpg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 79.2%, but you never know how a player will play coming overseas with the adjustment to a new culture and the euro game, but he had no problems in the German Pro B. He averaged 17.1ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.8apg, 1.0spg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 57.0%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 82.5% and was a Eurobasket.com All-German ProB Group South Second Team selection. A big reason for his success was head coach Stephan Dohrn who gave him the trust from day 1. “Well trust is earned Miles. Tim isn´t a perfect player, no one is. But he earned Coach Stephan´s trust by playing hard, being skilled and wanting to get better and improve”, warned Kelvin Omojola. Often guys who had strong rookie seasons overseas, make the wrong choice in year 2 thus hurting their career. A player and agent have to work together to find the next great fit. It also helps when the same coach is coaching elsewhere. It must have been a no brainer for Tim Smith Jr. to follow Stephan Dohrn to Koblenz. “That was definitely a no brainer. When you find a coach that trusts and believes in you, you need to take advantage of it. That is very rare in professional basketball, so for Tim to get this opportunity so early in his career, he´s blessed”, stressed Kelvin Omojola. It wasn´t a great season for the Dragons Rhondorf in 24-25. They did reach their goal of the Pro B playoffs, but had little chance against top team Bayer Giants Leverkusen. It wasn´t easy for the Dragons to follow up their 2024 pro B title, but Tim Smith Jr. gave all he had and developed nicely as a rookie. However experiencing growing pains is something every player goes through and it wasn´t any different for Smith Jr. He withstood a coaching change and still finished the season strong scoring in double figures in 7 of 9 games. “Going through ups and downs are necessary. It only makes him a better player. Being able to handle adversary and bounce back, is not only part of basketball, but it´s a part of life. That is why Tim will always be successful both in basketball and outside of it”, commented Kelvin Omojola.

Kelvin Omojola and Tim Smith Jr. are different in one aspect. Omojola is a talkative guy while Tim Smith Jr. is more reserved and leads more by basketball actions. However his more quiet demeanor is deceiving. “Tim is for sure a big action guy, but he would speak up as well. For him it is just a matter of feeling comfortable and feeling like guys are on the same page as him. He wants to win and give 100% every time. It´s mandatory. And he needs his teammates to be on the same type of time”, stated Kelvin Omojola. In the Pro B, Tim Smith Jr. was the main scoring option and in a way the big fish, while in the Pro A, he will be a normal fish among other fish. He will be practicing with guys as good as him or possibly better. He most likely won´t have the big role that he had in the Pro B. Kelvin Omojola experienced going from a big Pro B season in Speyer to having growing pains in the Pro A with PS Karlsruhe averaging only 3,1ppg. “Tim will be able to handle it for sure. He has the skill level and coach that will support him. That’s the 2 biggest things. I wish I would have been able to play for coach Stephan in the Pro A. My impact would have been very much different compared to my year with PS Karlsruhe. But it´s a part of the story. If Tim ever needs any advice, he knows he can hit me up. That’s a no brainer. He will always be my brother”, warned Kelvin Omojola. Smith Jr showed in the Pro B that he was a 3 level scorer and he became somewhat of a Swiss army knife as a rookie. Will he be able to adjust to less minutes in the Pro A? “Yes he will. He is an extremely efficient scorer that can score at every single level on the court. He is also a great defensive player that plays above the rim. He will make a strong impact at the Pro A level and people will know his name and game”, stressed Kelvin Omojola. I´m very sure that Kelvin Omojola will keep tabs on his Koblenz season and always have the sweet memories of their Rhondorf season in the back of his mind. “All the moments we spent outside of basketball just talking about life were very memorable. He is really my brother for life and he knows that. I wish him nothing but success and happiness, because he deserves that. And he knows how I feel about him”, said Kelvin Omojola. Both Omojola who now has a new chapter in his life working at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and Smith Jr who has made the jump to the Pro A have made new big steps in their lives. It simply couldn´t have happened to 2 better guys.

Marvin Esser Believes That Hannes Steinbach´s Versatility And Combination Of Athleticism And Size Makes Him Special

Marvin Esser (196-SF-2005) is a 19 year old 196cm forward who played with Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors last season. He began the season injured and came back in January 2025 and played 12 games averaging 1,8ppg and 2,1rpg. He spoke to germanhoops.com about big German center talent Hannes Steinbach.

Thanks Marvin for talking to germanhoops.com. How has your summer been?

I´m good thanks. I recently finished school and got my degree. I also had my prom. My school results were good. I was happy about it.

You had a difficult 24-25 season with injury. You missed the first half of season. How would you rate your Pro B season?

I would give my Pro B season a grade 7 out of 10. It wasn´t easy coming in mid season. I´m happy that my minutes went from 6-12.

What is the next step for you? Will you remain in Frankfurt?

I don´t know yet if I will remain in Frankfurt. I´m staying in contact with the Skyliners. I definitely will remain in the Frankfurt area.

When you hear the name Hannes Steinbach what is the first thing that comes to mind?

The first thing I think about is Wurzburg. I played against him the last few years. He is a very talented player with long arms and plays very well.

You played against him in the NBBL and Pro B. You don´t play same positions but is a guy like that a role model?

That is hard to say since we are the same age. Role models are usually players when I was growing up. It is usually guys that are older.

You played him in 23-24 in the NBBL winning 77-58 and he had a dominant 20/22 game. What memories do you have of that game?

I remember that his whole team lived off his game in the NBBL. It felt easier then to try to keep him under control even if it was still tough

You had a 8/10 game. I believe you had to match up against him because Frankfurt had no center. How tough was it as a undersized big?

I remember defending against him at times. We had more of a team duty to defend him. He was very physical and I had to use my whole body when trying to defend him.

As a undersized big, can you still soak up things from his game?

He uses his speed and athleticism very well. I feel like I can pick up things from his game like using my athleticism more on the outside.

He had an incredible 19/19 game in the first U-19 world cup game in Slovenia. Are you following his progress?

At the moment not because of my school things, but I will more now in the future

How much will the NCAA help his game? He already played against the highest competition in BBL and BCL. How will NCAA help him?

I think that it will be an adjustment at the beginning. But I think that the whole experience in USA will help him see another side of basketball. I´m sure that he will do well.

How good is he really? Some are saying that he is better than big German talent Johan Grunloh. Do you share that opinion?

That is hard to say. I never played against Grunloh. They are both big talents that can go far. I think most important is that both are great talents and not who is better than the other.

What makes Hannes Steinbach so good? What really stands out most in his game? Is it his versatility?

Yes his versatility is very special. He is a special player because he can play not only under the basket, but from outside. His combination of athleticism and size makes him special.

Could Hannes Steinbach be the next great German center? Is developing a three something he needs to do?

You can always have a better three pointer. He has good chances.

How scary could Germany look like in the next years with the duo of Grunloh and Steinbach?

Germany has a great future with both. But we have so many other great talents. I think that Germany will continue to grow and move forward in the next years especially with the national team.

Thanks Marvin for the chat.

The First Thing Namori Omog Thinks About When Hearing The Name Hannes Steinbach Is Double Double Monster

Namori Omog (188-G-2006) is a 18 year old 188cm guard that recently completed the season for the Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt Junior Team playing 17 Pro B games averaging 4.7ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.7apg, played also at Eintracht Frankfurt / Fraport Skyliners U19 team (NBBL) averaging 12.8ppg, 3.3rpg, 4.6apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 72.9%. At the moment he is studying offers as he will play elsewhere in 2025-2026. He spoke to germanmhoops.com about big German talent Hannes Steinbach (206-F/C-2006).

Thanks Namori for talking to germanhoops.com. How has your summer been?

I´m very good thanks. My summer is a bit calmer now. I recently finished grade school. I´m really happy how my exams went. I almost was able to play at the U-19 World Cup with Mali. However there were some organizational things that didn´t allow me to play for them. All the Mali coaches liked me though.

You had a solid 24-25 season with injury. How would you rate your Pro B and NBBL seasons?

It was Ok. I wish I could have played more minutes in the Pro B. I´m sure that it would have helped my development. I was happy with my NBBL season especially how I played in the playoffs. It was bitter that we lost in the first round of the playoffs. I felt like we were good enough to reach the top 4.

What is the next step for you? Will you remain in Frankfurt?

I won´t remain in Frankfurt. I´m studying offers now as to where I will play. It will be Pro B with a BBL double license.

When you hear the name Hannes Steinbach what is the first thing that comes to mind?

He is a big talent. When I hear his name I think of double double monster. He is very versatile. He can´t only play well in the zone, but also plays well from outside and is a good shot blocker.

Who does his game remind you of?

Johannes Voigtmann is a good example, but Hannes is more athletic.

You played against him in the NBBL and Pro B. You don´t play same positions but is a guy like that a role model?

I feel like he is a role model for young players. He is a role model for young kids showing he is a modern day big man. The way he plays, you also see in the NBA with guys like Jokic and Embild.

You played him in 23-24 in the NBBL winning 77-58 and he had a dominant 20/22 game. What memories do you have of that game?

He wasn´t that known yet, but you could see right away that he was talented. He was very mobile for his size and very versatile. He didn´t play like a normal center with his back to the basket, but like a guard. He was already giving us many problems then. He played very well on the offensive glass.

This past season you played against him again losing 89-80 in the Pro B and he had a 28/12 game. What improvements did you see in his game?

I think he upped his versatility another step. His outside shot is also better. His scoring is also better. What surprised me in the Pro B a bit, was that he was bringing the ball like a guard. That isn´t typical of a big men, but he was very comfortable with it and did it well.

You’re an amazing penetrator. How do you remember doing against him when he was in the paint? Did you need to adjust your game?

He is a very good shot blocker with very long arms. Even if you get by your guard on the drive, you can´t make the easy lay up with him there. He always finds a way to alter the shot or block it. I had to adjust my game by either making lay up´s high off the glass or taking the floater. My game worked very well against him.

He had an incredible 19/19 game in the first U-19 world cup game in Slovenia. Are you following his progress?

Yes I am.

How much will the NCAA help his game? He already played against the highest competition in BBL and BCL. How will NCAA help him?

I don´t think that the college level is better than the BBL. The style in the NCAA is very different to the Euro game. It is more 1-1. The NCAA is more athletic and physical than the BBL. He also will battle against more talented bigs. It will be a good preparation for the NBA.

How good is he really? Some are saying that he is better than big German talent Johan Grunloh. Do you share that opinion?

That is hard to say. I think that Hannes had a better season in the BBL and developed better this season. However Johan is still an incredible talent. Both have similar games. Hannes plays more like a guard while Johan is taller. It is really hard to say who better is.

Could Hannes Steinbach be the next great German center? Is developing a three something he needs to do?

He has then potential to be a great German center. One can always improve every facet of your game. Howeverh is three pointer is already very stable. One saw that in the playoffs when he made a clutch three pointer against Braunschweig. He showed how calm he is under pressure.

How scary could Germany look like in the next years with the duo of Grunloh and Steinbach?

That could be very scary. It is very apparent now that the German youth basketball is booming. There are so many talented players at the moment. If they both continue to develop, then Germany will be very strong at the center position. There are also other great talents like Eric Reibe.

Thanks Namori for the chat.

Kelvin Omojola Likes Both Team USA And Germany At The U-19 World Cup But Has No Dog In The Fight

Kelvin Omojola (183-G-1997, college: Northwest) may only have played in Germany for 4 seasons before retiring, but in this short time, he was able to follow the further development of the German basketball youth development. Playing for the Pro B team Dragons Rhondorf, he was able to follow it´s NBBL (U-19) and JBBL (U-16) teams as well as having some players as teammates. “Being teammates with Janne, Marko, Josh, Vuk, Kenan, all these great young players, whenever they had a game with the second team it was always fun to watch them play and dominate. That forced me to stay up to date with what was going on in Germany and all the top young prospects. ”,stressed Kelvin Omojola. Ever since Germany won a bronze at the 2022 Eurochampionships and won the World Cup Gold over team USA in 2023, the youth development continues to be in full swing. “It’s amazing! Germany as a whole and especially the youth are improving rapidly! It’s no surprise to me that they’re having continued success and it’s only going to improve year after year! The talent has steadily risen year after year and the youth players are bringing a skillset and mindset that makes them playable on higher levels right away”, warned Kelvin Omojola. The youth development with the Dragons Rhondorf also continues to move forward and Omojola witnessed that special touch that is given to the young players by the Dragons coaches. “What makes it special is the talented young players the Dragons/Bonn brought in! We had some GREAT players in Janne Muller, Marko Rosic, Kenan Reinhardt. They are so talented and their talent is what makes the program great”, said Kelvin Omojola.

The Las Vegas native who played 132 pro games in Germany felt for the ratiopharm Ulm players Noa Essengue and Ben Saraf for having the dilemma to stay in Germany and help them win the title or go to New York to participate in the 2025 draft and feels would of only left if the player was a top 5 pick played against and with guys of team Germany that will battle at the U-19 World Cup in Switzerland. The player he knows about as closely as anyone would their own family member is Janne Muller who won the Gold medal at the U-18 Euro last summer and was his teammate the last 2 seasons and he knows exactly why he is so special as a player. “It’s his work ethic. He always competes and wants to improve! Being a young guy, that’s number 1! You have to want to be in the gym and want to improve. They say you need 10,000 hours in order to be an expert in a certain subject. When you’re a young player, you haven’t hit your 10,000 hours yet, so you need to work towards that every single day”, added Kelmin Omojola. He didn´t have a huge role last summer and this time, the roster is stacked. Despite that could another year of development and maturity allow his minutes to rise? “It definitely could! It just depends on the plans that the coaching staff and management have for him. If they want him to play a lot, he will play a lot. He’s a great player, works hard, and is more than deserving of minutes. It’s up to management and the coaching staff to decide that”, said Kelvin Omojola. Another massive German prospect is giant Hannes Steinbach who made big strides this season in the Wurzburg organization and got good BBL minutes. He will play at Washington (NCAA) this coming season and some have seen him as a bigger talent than Johan Grunloh. “He’s a walking mismatch. His size and skill are unique and unmatched. His upside is amazing and he could reach the NBA. He just needs to keep improving and working hard. The talent is already there”, commented Kelvin Omojola.

The retired guard who was a mix of Steph Curry and Kyle Lowery during his playing days also played against a potential 2026 NBA first round pick with Ivan Kharchenkov. The fearless 3 level scorer has developed incredibly in the FC Bayern Munich program the last years. He made his Pro B debut at age 15 and 5 days and poured in 16 points against Koblenz. In the last 3 seasons, he has played in 27 Euroleague games and keeps racking in titles as a BBL, NBBL and U-18 Euro belong to his achievements. Unfortunately he didn´t get as much minutes in the BBL in 24-25 as he deserved, but now will seek a new challenge in the NCAA with Arizona. He finally now will play with and against guys his own age. Omojola played against him with Speyer and Rhondorf. In his rookie season with Speyer he beat him twice as Kharchenkov was only 15 as he had 8 and 10 points. Was he already fearless then? “Yes, he was always fearless Miles and was above his age skill wise. Even though he was 15, you couldn’t tell at the time by the way his body was and how he carried himself. He was already very skilled but you could tell he was raw. I’m not surprised at all about how good he is now and him heading to University of Arizona”, stated Kelvin Omojola. He is so talented but really should of played more in the BBL this season even after Carsen Edwards was injured. Could the limited minutes be a blessing in disguise? He must be so motivated to rock the NCAA with Arizona. “Yes it was a blessing in disguise. Everything happens for a reason and it will make him a better player/person. I know him playing at UofA will be everything and then some for him. There’s nothing like High Major NCAA D1 basketball, especially when you’re playing for a great program like UofA”, expressed Kelvin Omojola. How scary will the combination Ivan and Bryce James (son of Lebron) be at Arizona? “We’ll see! I’m not sure how much either of them will play this year. They both have to go into summer workouts and show the coaching staff they deserve minutes! Nothing is given at the college level. You have to earn everything”, warned Kelvin Omojola. In a sense Kharchenkov will have to start over again in the NCAA, but his overwhelming experience and having played Euroleague and battled Carsen Edwards and Shabazz Napier on a regular basis will bring him over the top. Unfortunately Ivan Kharchenkov won´t play at the U-19 World Cup as the easyCredit BBL finals went very long. At least he won his second BBL title.

Another really talented and interesting player that Omojola who played 92 Pro B games in Germany battled in the Pro B the last 2 years was Orange Academy Jordan Mueller. He already made waves winning the 2022 JBBL title and continued to make huge strides the last 2 seasons in the pro B. In the last 2 seasons he improved his scoring average in the Pro B from 5 to 12 and his assists from 1,5 to 4,0. Omojola had a negative 1-3 record against Mueller and saw him score 15 points in both games. “Yes, he’s another great young prospect! Super skilled guard who is fearless. Same with him, just continue to stay confident and HUMBLE. People who have those traits always win, on or off the court”, warned Kelvin Omojola. At only 185cm, he isn´t the biggest point guard, but he erases that with his heart and feistiness. He has never allowed his height to bring him down. “Yes 100% Miles. When you’re competing against him, you have to bring your A-game. He plays tough defense, competes, hits shots, and consistently puts pressure on the defense”, added Kelvin Omojola. There are many top teams at the U-19 World Cup like USA, France and Canada, but does Germany have what it takes to grab Gold? “They do 100% Miles. If they play team basketball and trust one another, they should be a favorite to win”, stressed Kelvin Omojola. Who could forget the exciting USA-Germany battle at the 2023 World Cup final, but can a repeat happen at the youth sector? “ It would be exciting! USA always has the talent but Germany can compete with them. If they’re playing team basketball, they can beat Team USA”, warned Kelvin Omojola. He has the USA/Germany citizenship. So who will he root for? “I like both honestly Miles haha. I have no dog in the fight”, warned Kelvin Omojola. I have that same kind of feeling as Omojola, but I actually can pick only one even if it´s tough, but Iwill root for Germany this time simply because I have covered so many of the guys over the years.

Chris Carter Is Truly The Basketball Magician After 4 Successful Attempts Of Bringing Pro A Teams To The easyCredit BBL

pic credit: Nico Leistner

I wish for just once I could have experienced Chris Carter (193-G-1992, college: Florida Tech) LIVE help one of his teams move back up to the easyCredit. Just once see him do his magic and then see his post game celebration. You know I felt a little like Kramer from Seinfeld when he proclaimed in season 1 that he almost ended up going to a Mets game and Seinfeld´s hilarious answer was, “you haven´t been out of the building in 10 years. But I actually also almost ended up going to game 4 in Giessen. However I missed it. My car had it´s annual inspection check up so I was without a car and couldn´t attend this historical day in Jena basketball history. But maybe one day I will witness him do it for a fifth time. He began his incredible quest of helping teams move to the easycredit BBL with Vechta, Chemnitz, Rostock and now with Jena. Almost 5 years ago when he signed with the Rostock Seawolves, I asked him if he was the basketball magician helping Pro A teams move to the easyCredit BBL, he had a rapid response. ““No I’m not. I just been blessed to be a part of two good programs”, warned Chris Carter. Now I guess his answer would be the same with “No, I´m not, I have been a part of 4 good programs”. But seriously after a fourth time, he is definitely the Basketball magician for helping Pro A teams move up. One thing is for sure, every new experience feels great. “ It feels really good and I am blessed for the opportunity to do it again. The fourth one is very special because it has never been done before! Jena was at the top all season long”, stated Chris Carter. Where does this special Jena team rank with the other 3 that he helped move up? “I have been blessed to be on some really good teams. I definitely think it’s up there in rank”, warned Chris Carter.

Pic credit: Nico Leistner

The 33 year old native who believes that the Oklahoma Thunder will clash against the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA finals had a superb performance in game 4 on the road scoring 12 points and grabbing 4 rebounds and dishing out 5 dimes. But it was the incredible game of Zac Cooks who heaved Jena into the easyCredit BBL with 30 points and buzzer beater that will always be remembered from the faithful Jena fans. It was a play that a Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell or Anthony Edwards couldn´t have done better as Cooks displayed a fancy cross over and then drove to the rim and took an off balance floater with 2 fierce Giessen players coming at him and banking it off the glass for the victory. “He is a beast and he had a great season and amazing second half for us. I have seen him do that floater hundreds of times this year in practice and in games so I was confident but still crashed the boards in case he missed it”, smiled Chris Carter. The mutual respect for one another is enormous as Carter´s track record of moving teams up is a well known fact. ““I remember my first day in Jena we got in the gym and got some shots up. We talked about the expectations of the season and the past seasons of ours and we clicked right away. I knew he would be my right hand man this season right after that. Chris is special and does a lot of the little things that statistics may not show. He’s a very vocal person and is always positive on & off the court. We follow his lead and he has helps me a lot especially this season”, explained Zac Cooks.

pic credit: Nico Leistner

Jena didn´t arrive into the playoffs with momentum losing 2 of their last 3 regular season games and knew that they had to take care of business in the post season. “We just had to all get healthy and get rhythm. Then everything would take care of its self”, said Chris Carter. The team held it´s word easily sweeping Bochum. “That was crucial building momentum at the right time”, commented Chris Carter. Jena didn´t start off on the right track losing game 1 at home to Giessen, but then rebounded winning 3 in a row. Was losing that game 1 a blessing in disguise? “Yes I would say so. We had to get some tension back from the Bochum series”, added Chris Carter. Having grit was key in winning the Giessen series and overall Jena had a special team that combined chemistry and character on and off the court. “We had a great group of guys that made competing fun. We worked hard and pushed each other and all understood the common goal”, warned Chris Carter. One can go down the list of 12 players and every guy would be lauded for their contribution, but none more than ultimate veteran and teammate Raymar Morgen who averaged 7/3 in 13 minutes and left his ego behind and accepted a lesser role for the good of the team. “Raymar is a phenomenal veteran and set the tone of what a great vet does behind the scenes”, stressed Chris Carter. Carter´s season isn´t over yet as he has a Pro A final to play against second ranked Trier. Trier swept the season series and you can be sure that Jena will be seeking massive revenge. “We just want to come out and compete and let’s see what happens. Trier is a good team but so are we”, warned Chris Carter. He is still perfect in winning Pro A finals so why not keep it perfect and make it 3 in a row over Trier.