That Swedish players have reached the ACB in the past decade, the second best league in Europe after the Euroleague is no secret as guys like Ludvig Hakamson, Simon Birgander, Tobias Borg, Melwin Pantzar and Markus Eriksson have done it. Another talented Swedish player that has done it is also Nicholas Spires (210-C/F-1994). He was fortunate to have played in the ACB for 5 years and has many incredible basketball stories to share over that time and even if I was in a room with him, we could talk about certain guys and it wouldn´t get boring. With Sweden playing 2 Euro 25 qualifying games against Germany this week, I was on the grind getting some interviews with Swedish national players and one of those was Nicholas Spires. He had actually sent me the interview back last weekend, and I didn´t get the chance to look at it until now. Despite being in the States on a brief holiday, I´m always on the grind with my basketball work. When I opened up the interview, I had to smile and even giggle a few times when I read some of his answers. The day before I had been in Boston and as usual when I´m back home in Boston I´m on the search for NBA players as the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers had been in town. I was fortunate to see many of the players, get autographs including Donovan Mitchell and even met Omar Cook. That had been high on my agenda as I had interviewed him 5 years ago over the phone, but never met him in person. That chance finally happened. Later that night I watched some of the game and witnessed how Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics would end the Cavs 15 game winning streak to begin the season. I watched the game and listened to the commentary of ex NBA player Brian Scalabrine. So in reading his interview, I came upon a few things that just made me smile and had us having interesting topics to talk about if ever given the chance. Obviously Spires played against Omar Cook in the ACB years ago, but what made me giggle the most was that his Goat is Brian Scalabrine. That was definitely a first for me. I mean everybody has their own taste and reasons for picking their Goat. But then again maybe I shouldn´t believe everything I read. “That was more of a joke. My teammates dared me to write it. My real Goat is Dirk Nowitzki”, said Nicholas Spires. I had met Pao Gasol in Boston in 2019 and he had played against him in Spain. The Swedish big man definitely has incredible stories for the future grand children not only from the ACB, but in general about his illustrious basketball career.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Omar Cook in Boston in November 2024

The 30 year old 210cm center who lists Luka Doncic as the toughest player that he has ever faced was born on Feb, 25, 1994 in Tunbridge Wells, England, but began his basketball career in Sweden with Sodertalje and then had the incredible opportunity to play with the FC Barcelona youth team from 2010-2014. Getting an opportunity like that doesn´t happen often for a Swedish player. “I played very well in the youth national team which attracted attention especially in Spain. I travelled to various clubs that year and ended taking the decision to further my development with Fc Barcelona”, said Nicholas Spires. In his time there he witnessed so many incredible legends like Juan Carlos Navarro, Ricky Rubio, Bostjan Nachtbar or Sarunas Jasikevicius just to name a few. You would think that there was one player that really had a big influence on him. “ It wasn’t a specific player that impacted me but just being in that environment taught me what it meant to be a professional basketball player. I remember Sarunas always had some good story to tell”, remembered Nicholas Spires. He was fortunate in that time to have 2 fellow Swedes there with Ludvig Hakanson (It is never easy to move abroad, but having those 2 there made it all easier. We lived together and we tried to help each other. We are still very good friends today) and Markus Eriksson who made the adjustment period that much easier for him. “Having them there meant a lot. Moving at such a young age isn’t easy. Having some people you can lean on and depend on was very helpful. I think we went through a lot of similar things which helped us relate to each other. Like Ludde said, we became very close, we are very good friends even to this day”, added Nicholas Spires. He was teammates with so many talented young players in that time including Mario Hezonja. “He was very good back then also. You could sense he could become great”, said Nicholas Spires. After 4 years in Barcelona where he played 49 Leb Gold games for FC Barcelona 2, he then took a step back and played with Baloncesto Fuenlabrada Madrid (Spain-LEB Silver) averaging 9.0ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.1apg, Blocks-5 (1.0bpg), FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 13.0%, FT: 68.9%. “It was a tough year for many reasons, but I learnt a lot. I look back at that year as a time where I grew up”, commented Nicholas Spires.

The big man who lists Steph, Durant, Lebron, Duncan,and Kareem on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore then went home and played 2 seasons with Sodertalje Kings (Sweden-Basketligan) winning a title in 2016 averaging 9.7ppg, 4.7rpg, Blocks-3 (1.3bpg), FGP-2 (67.1%), FT: 70.4% and 8.8ppg, 5.9rpg, Blocks-2 (1.6bpg), FGP: 56.8%, 3PT: 37.9%, FT: 66.7% while in the Fiba Europe Cup averaged 7.4ppg, 4.5rpg, FGP: 65.3%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 70.0% and 9.0ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 50.7%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 60.0%. He was fortunate to have a young Skyler Bowlin as a teammate who used that season as a stepping stone to become a top guard in the years to follow in the easyCredit BBL. “Sky was our leader. One of the best teammates I’ve had. He comes with so much positive energy which is contagious and spread throughout the team”, expressed Nicholas Spires. He then returned back to Spain and got his opportunity in the ACB playing 3 years with Rio Natura Monbus Obradoiro CAB. There he never averaged more than 3,6ppg and was teammates with future German World Champion Andi Obst. It is only fitting that he had special memories with him. “ Also many great memories. I have to admit, seeing him play the way he did in the WC final and then in the Olympics gave me so much joy. It’s always very special when you see someone close to you succeed, especially players who you know are good people off the court Andi is a great person, and he deserves all the success he has gotten”, stressed Nicholas Spires. He played against Luka Doncic and survived not being involved in an ankle breaker and didn´t think he would become one of the best in the world now. “I remember it was the year he kept breaking ankles on the big guys that switched out in him. He got them on that sticker over the floor line and made them slip. All I remember is thinking was not to let him do that to me when I switched out on him. Luckily it didn’t happen so I dodged a bullet there. He’s one of my favourite players to watch in NBA ”, remembered Nicholas Spires. He then played parts of 2 seasons with Real Betis Sevillia and briefly in Poland. He had 1 more amazing ACB moment. “One of my favourite memories was defending one of my idols Pau Gasol playing against Barcelona his last year. That was special. I wear nr 16 in the National team for a reason”, said Nicholas Spires. In his time in the ACB, he would play a total of 102 games. He then returned to Sweden and played with Norrkoping Dolphins (Sweden-Basketligan) averaging 9.8ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.1apg, Blocks-5 (1.0bpg), FGP: 54.9%, 3PT: 37.6%, FT: 67.4%; and in the FIBA Europe Cup averaged 8.2ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 61.1%, 3PT: 36.8%, FT: 75.0% winning the double. “A lot of things were special. The people in the Norrköping organization are amazing. Playing a long side my best friend Adam Ramstedt was also special. I also learned how Swedish club basketball can look like when it is done right. I think that Norrköping has set the bar for the rest of the teams in Sweden”, warned Nicholas Spires. This season he is back with SBBK Sodertalje (Sweden-Basketligan) and last season averaged 14.0ppg, Reb5 (8.5rpg), 1.7apg, Blocks-1 (2.1bpg), FGP: 61.0%, 3PT: 23.4%, FT: 75.2%. He had one of his best seasons in Sweden. It seems like he is getting better with age. “I feel great in my body and mind. Experience really helps and I still love the game. All these things play in to my individual performance, but it’s also thanks to factors that are partly out of your control. I’m thankful to the people around me that continue to believe in me and my abilities”, added Nicholas Spires.

The center who not only battles national team college Adam Ramstedt on the floor but also at chess is playing against Germany this week in 2 Euro 2025 games. He is looking forward to playing against World Champion Germany again. “We’ve been fortunate enough to have played Germany a few times in recent years. There’s no secret that Germany has an extremely high level of quality players. With that said, I feel like we are constantly progressing as a national team, we have a group of players able to play on a very high level and the fact that we have grown up playing together over many years gives us something extra. I look at these games as a great challenge where we will try to play at the level where we aspire to be”, warned Nicholas Spires. He played against Germany 2 years ago before they won the bronze and it was clear to see that greatness was on the horizon. I remember thinking it was a very fun game to play. I find it extra fun to match up against the absolute best players in my position. I have a distinct memory of denying Voigtmann going for a dunk. That was a good moment personally, as a team I think we were struggling with boxing them out on the rebounds. You could definitely see the potential considering the depth of the roster they had”, remembered Nicholas Spires. This time Germany will be weaker with no NBA or Euroleague players. Will the risk of underestimating them be there?” I think it’s foolish to underestimate your opponent. With or without NBA players, Germany is a very good team. But I also think we can be very good when we are at our best and focus on the right things. If we prepare well for the game anything is possible”, stressed Nicholas Spires. The future looks rosy for Swedish basketball with many talented young guys on board like Melwin Pantzar. “The team chemistry is something special in Sweden. Many of us have grown up playing with each other and I consider many to be my closest friends. There is more and more talent coming from Sweden, I see our future to be very bright. Melwin is one of the hardest working guys I know. Seeing him grow up to the player he is today has been very special. He isn´t only a very skilled player with amazing physical abilities, he is also a great person. I have no doubt he will reach whatever level he himself decides to reach”, commented Nicholas Spires. So what exactly is his role on the team? I like to think I can contribute to this team in whatever way is needed in the moment. I can play the 4 and the 5, I like bringing energy and contribute in any way I can. I can do a bit of everything”, stressed Nicholas Spires. Johannes Voigtmann won´t be on board this time, but ex NBA player and Euroleague player Tibor Pleiss will be. You know he will be more than extra motivated to battle Tibor Pleiss and produce new great memories and stories for the grandchildren.