Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas spoke about his breakout start this season, what he learned from Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, playing with Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton’s growth, expectations for himself and the Nets this season, and much more with HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has been lighting up the scoreboard like Times Square on New Year’s Eve while making an early case for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award and potential All-Star consideration.
As of November 6th, Thomas ranks second in the league in points per game on drives (14.4), trailing only De’Aaron Fox, 13th in points per game (26.0), and has the 28th-highest HoopsHype Global Rating (17.73). Defensively, Thomas has also made strides as a defender, which has earned him consistent playing time to start the season.
Thomas spoke with HoopsHype about his breakout start this season, what he learned from Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, playing with Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton’s growth, expectations for himself and the Nets this season, and much more.
Grayland Arnold reflected on his role with the #Texans and his NFL journey in comments to the media after his 26th birthday.
On Monday, Houston Texans defensive back Grayland Arnold celebrated his 26th birthday. He received gifts from various family members and friends, but the one that stood out the most came a week prior from the Houston Texans organization and the coaching staff: a spot on the 53-man roster.
Arnold went undrafted in 2020 before eventually signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was released in September 2021 and was immediately signed by the Texans. After spending time on the practice squad, the former second-team All-American was elevated to the active roster against the Seattle Seahawks last December.
“Man, you don’t know how good it felt not to get that call,” said Arnold of earning his spot on the Texans’ roster. “Getting it for the first three years of my career makes me cautious once this time of the year comes around, but things worked in my favor, and here I am.”
Good fortune wasn’t the only thing that worked in Arnold’s favor during training camp; his hard work and dedication stood out to former defensive coordinator and first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans.
“With Grayland [Arnold], he’s another player who’s done a really good job all off-season of just handling any role that we’ve given him,” Ryans explained during his press conference on Monday. “Grayland has done really well, done a great job on special teams. I can show highlights of Grayland every single day in our team meeting because he does it exactly like we teach it. He shows up; he makes the plays.
“When it comes to the defense, Grayland is versatile enough where he can play the safety; he’s done a really good job at safety. We saw that against the Saints in the preseason. Now, he’s getting some reps as well at the nickel position, so we’ll see where he can handle. Grayland is a good football player, and as many good football players as we can get out on the field, that’s what we’ll strive to do.”
“At the end of the day, I try not to overthink it and let it be football,” said Texans DB Grayland Arnold who will be moving from the safety position to play more nickel back this season. #Texans#Sarge@TheTexansWirepic.twitter.com/tW0FnaVh09
Arnold stood out in training camp and the preseason, especially in Houston’s final game against the New Orleans Saints when he had an interception in the end zone and nearly had another one on the middle of the field late in the game.
His opportunity came when the Texans cut veteran slot corner Desmond King, who had spent two years with the team. The move will afford Arnold more playing time at nickel back, a position that the natural safety has played in his career.
“The only difference is the eye progression,” Arnold said of playing both positions. “That is one of the most important things is the eye progression. You are seeing different things, and things are happening faster whether than slower at safety. At the end of the day, I try not to overthink it and let it be football.”
With a short practice on Monday, Arnold planned on spending some downtime with his family to celebrate his birthday. The only thing missing is the cake from his daughter, who made one for him but decided to eat it herself.
Who’s competing at kick returner for the #Chiefs? @Wesley Roesch takes a look.
The kick return game could one day be eradicated, but in the meantime, the Kansas City Chiefs will need to find someone to fulfill the crucial special teams duty in 2023.
Last season proved to be a mixed bag for Kansas City in this phase. I covered this in detail in my 2022 Chiefs special teams review back in February, and found that the Chiefs fell in the middle of the pack at returning kicks with running back Isiah Pacheco last season.
Pacheco’s abilities were only partially to blame for his 16th place finish in the NFL’s in kick return average rankings among those with 17 or more kick returns. The Chiefs’ subpar blocking was largely to blame, but regardless, the job might not be Pacheco’s in 2023 anyway — less because of his ability, and more because of his increased role on offense.
During training camp and preseason, expect special teams coordinator Dave Toub to try out several players — rookies and veterans alike — for the kick returner role. His goal will be to find a player who can help the team earn over 25 yards per return over the course of the season, a feat that the team hasn’t accomplished since 2020. Below are the players expected to compete for the returner spot:
New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson to be featured on NFL Network, via @MaddyHudak_94:
New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson is set to be featured on NFL Network’s upcoming episode of NFL 360: Women in Sports. Reporter Jane Slater will join Melissa Stark, host of NFL 360, in interviewing Mrs. Benson set to air on Tuesday, March 8th at 8:00 p.m. CT on NFL Network.
The Emmy Award-winning show utilizes in-depth documentary-style storytelling to highlight important people, places, and moments in the NFL each month. In the midst of Women’s History Month, there’s no better time to highlight the first woman to be the majority shareholder in both an NBA and NFL franchise; an exclusive club in either sport alone.
Benson became the owner of the two teams in 2018 following the passing of her husband, Tom Benson. In her first three seasons assuming ownership, it was clear the Saints were in good hands. Posting three consecutive NFC South division titles and an NFC Championship Game appearance in her first season in 2018, New Orleans has seen a seamless transition and immediate success under a rare female owner. They also had a lot of grit in those three years – no NFL team has matched the team’s 20 road victories since 2018.
Say what you will about the ability to co-manage two sports teams, but if you haven’t been paying attention to the New Orleans Pelicans, now would be the opportune time. Despite falling 138-130 in an overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets Sunday night, the Pelicans’ four-game winning streak that beat teams by 30-point margins all ties back to a crucial hire: coach Willie Green. The culture of the Pelicans finally matches that of the Saints – it was clear back in July. I had the opportunity to co-host an exclusive interview with Green following his introductory press conference on ESPN 100.3 FM and was sold immediately. In attendance was also Mrs. Benson, who makes it a point to attend most if not all Saints training camp practices with fans to do a lap on the field and greet both fans in the stands and us sweaty reporters.
This feature feels like it’s long overdue, and with the Saints at a critical point in the juncture of a new coaching era, and the Pelicans fighting for a play-in spot in the NBA Pelicans, it’s the perfect time to spotlight an incredibly accomplished women in the sports industry.
Emmanuel Nzekwesi’s journey from the Netherlands, to Texas, to Oral Roberts and to the next level came on the back of family at every step.
[jwplayer YjzFCyCT]
Durant Springmann had one birthday wish: To play basketball with Emmanuel Nzekwesi.
The Oral Roberts star happily obliged. He’d be on the court with assistant coach Russell Springmann’s son.
By the day of the party, Nzekwesi limped around in a boot after injuring his ankle. Russell didn’t expect Nzekwesi to show, so he didn’t remind him about the party. His star player had a foot to nurse.
Stunned, Russell assured Nzekwesi he didn’t need to come. But Nzekwesi made a promise, one he intended to keep.
“Coach, I’m on my way,” Nzekwesi responded. “I just need to know where to go.”
Attending Durant’s party and bringing a present wasn’t a decision for Nzekwesi. Russell is family. That’s what family does.
Hundreds of miles from his real family in Trophy Club, Texas, and thousands from his home in The Hague, Netherlands, Nzekwesi builds family wherever he goes. His fiancée, Tatum; Springmann; his head coach, Paul Mills; and teammates form Nzekwesi’s home away from home.
As much as Nzekwesi benefits from his relationships, his new family benefits from his presence.
“I’ve coached more than 600 players in my life and he is 100% a guy who I would trust leaving my children with,” Mills said.
*****
Emmanuel Nzekwesi towered over surrounding customers in line, confused.
His first American menu – stopped at Jason’s Deli on the way to a regional tournament – presented Nzekwesi a mystery and a challenge. What’s a Reuben the Great?
A native of the Netherlands, cryptic menus marked one of many challenges Nzekwesi faced in moving to Trophy Club, Texas, for his sophomore year of high school.
An unstable living situation and an often crowded house magnified the challenges of adapting to a foreign culture.
“[His] mom had to move around a little bit, her finding a job was a struggle at times,” his high school coach, Scott Curran, said. “I could really tell that weighed on Emmanuel.”
Nzekwesi remained focused. He knew he was in the United States to play basketball.
From crying when highlights ended on TV to tossing toys and clothes, basketball was everything to two-year-old Nzekwesi.
That childhood passion culminated in his move to Texas to prepare for college basketball.
In Texas, Nzekwesi always stuck out, whether it was his height, nationality or his attire: He wore an out-of-place collared shirt during his first trip to the Byron Nelson High School weight room.
“I do push-ups,” Nzekwesi told Curran. “That’s all.”
Once Nzekwesi ditched the collared shirt for workout gear, his body “exploded,” as Curran said, into the creation of the physical monster Nzekwesi is today.
Curran remembers a fledgling Nzekwesi dominating opponents early. A sophomore Nzekwesi bludgeoned regional powerhouse, Fort Worth Dunbar, in the regional finals, piling on 22 points without missing a shot.
Driving Nzekwesi to school every morning and workouts after school brought Curran and the Dutch star close. Curran followed Nzekwesi’s Oral Roberts career closely, watching all of the games he could.
More than four years later, Curran and his wife witnessed Nzekwesi dunk at the buzzer for his final points on senior night at Oral Roberts. It was the apex of Nzekwesi’s hard work, the fulfillment of a promise Curran made many years ago when Nzekwesi questioned everything.
“I promised him, I said, ‘Keep working, man, keep doing what you’re doing and good things are gonna happen for you and your family,’ and obviously that’s happening now,” Curran said.
But at the end of Nzekwesi’s high school career, Curran’s promise remained unrealized.
Nzekwesi drew the attention of Damian Lillard’s trainer, Phil Beckner, and, in turn, Weber State head coach Randy Rahe, who traveled down to Texas often to watch his top recruit. Nzekwesi signed his national letter of intent. Soon, he’d be a Wildcat.
But issues with Nzekwesi’s visa meant he could never enroll at Weber State, despite enlisting legal help. He wouldn’t be a Wildcat. He wouldn’t follow in the footsteps of Lillard. He wouldn’t play Division I basketball.
For now, Nzekwesi detoured to Moravian Prep in North Carolina in hopes of attracting Division I interest again.
Nzekwesi arrived before his teammates to work on his game. A continent and a sea separating Nzekwesi from his loved ones, diverting from his intended plan weighed on him.
But his first night at Moravian marked a turning point, the genesis of a deeply personal relationship with God that Nzekwesi would carry from that point forward.
“I can really tell you that my life really changed from that point,” Nzekwesi said.
After months of work at Moravian, an offer finally came his way. It was Oral Roberts, a school that had previously recruited Nzekwesi. Out of high school, Nzekwesi dismissed Oral Roberts. He wanted a bigger stage. The lights of Tulsa, Oklahoma, weren’t bright enough.
But faith led Nzekwesi away from his planned path time and time again. He wasn’t going to resist any longer.
“Sometimes we have a plan for ourselves, but the plan God has is way different,” Nzekwesi said. “At the end of the day his plan will come, so we just have to trust.”
*****
Silence pierced the film room at Oral Roberts University.
After the Golden Eagles’ loss to Division II Southern Nazarene, something had to change.
As the session ended, Nzekwesi hurried to catch his new head coach, Paul Mills.
“It would never happen again,” Nzekwesi told Mills.
Two nights later, the Golden Eagles matched up with 9-2 Missouri State, led by future Indiana Pacer Alize Johnson. With an all-conference player suspended and two seniors injured, Oral Roberts seemed destined to fall to 2-10, cementing a second straight disappointing season.
But 17 points scored by Nzekwesi pushed Oral Roberts past Missouri State, and 24 more the next game helped them defeat NCAA Tournament cinderella Florida Gulf Coast.
“You began to see the tide swing for him after that particular loss,” Mills said.
Life didn’t become easier for Nzekwesi even as he found his place at Oral Roberts. An eight-win season diluted Nzekwesi’s Summit League Freshman of the Year season, the program’s lowest win total since 1994 and the third single-digit win season in program history.
The program fired head coach Scott Sutton, the coach who recruited Nzekwesi, the same coach who offered him a new life.
The new regime and constant losing brought Nzekwesi down, angry, confused and reluctant to go all-in with the new coaching staff.
But even as Nzekwesi struggled, he never complained and worked hard.
“He’s very grateful for opportunities that he’s given and he’s going to use those opportunities to add value to whatever it is he’s been presented with,” Mills said.
Still learning how to operate within his body, Nzekwesi came to Oral Roberts trying to build on the jump shot he improved so much in high school.
“My freshman year, to be honest, I just came on the court and was like ‘Okay, how do I impact and how do I basically score?’” Nzekwesi said. “I didn’t pay attention to percentages much.”
As Nzekwesi matured, he leaned into his strength, literally and figuratively, playing on the inside.
“That was him understanding where he could score and where he was most efficient,” Mills said.
In the summer of 2017, Nzekwesi continued his development with the Dutch national team, most notably, rebounding. Mack Bruining, Nzekwesi’s teammate, snared boards with his relentlessness and timing. Nzekwesi always had the physical profile to bang on the glass. Now, he internalized it and made rebounding a priority.
At Oral Roberts, Mills and his staff track how often a rebounder does their job, whether it is crashing or getting back. Failure to execute means extra conditioning. Nzekwesi dominated this metric, rarely dipping below a 95% success rate, according to Mills.
“He understood where to be and what would give him the best opportunity in order to retrieve the basketball,” Mills said about his rebounding.
As Nzekwesi grew as a player, morphing into a dominant interior scorer, rebounder and defender, he dragged the program up with him. The Golden Eagles won 17 games this season, their best mark in five seasons. It wasn’t just Nzekwesi’s skills improving, but his focus, leadership and commitment to the team.
He could have transferred to a bigger school. He could have spent summers and even in season time away from his teammates playing with the national team. He could have faded into the background when he missed time with injury, but Nzekwesi never fazed.
Any time zapped by injuries is detrimental for a college basketball player, especially one in their final season.
“I think he got to a point where he felt like, ‘Am I going to be able to play consistently without something happening?’ It took a toll on him mentally,” Springmann said.
Yet, Nzekwesi didn’t spend practices sulking on the sidelines or zoning out.
“What E-Man was able to do was stay engaged the whole time,” Mills said. “I mean he basically became an extra coach for us. … I think that speaks to his care factor.”
Nzekwesi’s ability to not only survive and overcome his battles but to thrive amidst them comes from the same source that has powered him throughout his life: Faith.
“The Bible definitely is his compass,” Springmann said. “That’s how he determines how he’s going to live his life.”
Even for a wildly popular athlete and the “poster child” for Oral Roberts University, as Springmann said, the absence of Nzekwesi’s family to guide him through college was significant, especially his father. His father dealt with family affairs in The Hague, Netherlands, during much of the college process, 4,687 miles from Tulsa.
“You want to know that faith is important to you at all times, through the ups and downs of life,” Mills said. “I think you’ve seen that with E-Man. … It’s something that permeates every aspect of life.”
Nzekwesi lacked answers and faith couldn’t grant him omniscience. Still, he trusted the process. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., faith comprises of taking the next step even if the whole staircase is still concealed.
“He was able to take steps without seeing the whole staircase,” Mills said.
Nzekwesi joined Transformation Church during his sophomore year, then a small community. He has seen it blossom into a church over 5,000 strong. Often leading athletic chapel, Nzekewsi would help others for guidance after worship.
Springmann recalls Nzekwesi talking with a teammate about biblical history. He joined the conversation, stunned at the breadth of Nzekwesi’s knowledge.
“I felt like I was listening to a professor,” Springmann said.
Spreading his faith to others, not only as a refuge for himself, speaks to, as Mills says, Nzekwesi’s “care factor.” Nzekwesi consistently prioritized others at Oral Roberts despite being a campus celebrity.
Nzekwesi has a habit of leaving legacies, imprinting a lasting impression on everyone he comes across. Leaving something bigger than himself. Not only on the basketball court, where Nzekwesi hopes to land an NBA contract, but, more importantly, as a person.
*****
Rain pelted Emmanuel Nzekwesi.
Precipitation is ubiquitous in the Netherlands, a country in a constant tug-of-war with the ever-encroaching sea.
No deluge would deter eight-year-old Nzekwesi from making it to basketball practice, though. Travel was often an ordeal for the Nzekwesis, forced to take public transportation long distances to practice.
Yet, Nzekwesi’s parents, Chioma and Emmanuel, never let any distance or obstacle stop Nzekwesi from playing basketball, the sport he loved from such an early age.
Chioma and Emmanuel pushed for their son to play basketball as a child, signing him up for basketball lessons at age seven; despite being too young to play, he stood over other kids his age. He was tall, so he could play.
They paid for Nzekwesi to participate in a showcase for American colleges, which was eventually canceled. Basketball wasn’t popular back then in the Netherlands, making every opportunity crucial.
And even in the heaviest rain, they withstood the downpour to take him to practice.
Even as a child, Nzekwesi understood the sacrifices his parents made. And on this rainy day, he made a promise to his mother. A promise Nzekwesi is on the precipice of fulfilling.
“Mom, I’ll pay you back for this,” Nzekwesi said. “I’ll become a pro and I’ll pay you back for this.”
Fourteen years and many thousands of miles later, Nzekwesi is a contract away from finally realizing the promise he made to his mother so long ago.
But Nzekwesi knows basketball is not forever.
One day, he hopes to further his passion for business. With an undergraduate degree in Computer Information Technology, he’s pursuing his master’s degree.
He’s building his own business now, a recruiting database to streamline the process for coaches to recruit international players. Nzekwesi knows how arduous the process of applying to American colleges is. He wants future athletes to have opportunities he didn’t.
If his track record says anything, from Byron Nelson to Oral Roberts, one thing is clear: No matter where Nzekwesi lands in life, he brightens the lives of people around him.
“He’s a light that always shines,” Springmann said.
How Eugene German went from small-town Gary, Indiana, to the all-time leading scorer in the history of Northern Illinois basketball.
[jwplayer 4BJVjPni]
A sneaker squeaks from the opposite end of a dimly-lit Convocation Center.
Eugene ‘Geno’ German and a teammate lap the court over and over, with nothing but darkness and the rhythmic screeching of leather on the hardwood to keep them company. These nighttime suicides are a simple pleasure. Sprint, squeak, repeat. Easy.
Of all the memories German built over his career at Northern Illinois, this one is his most cherished. Not inking himself in the history books as NIU’s all-time leading scorer and first to cross 2,000 points, but summertime empty-gym workouts by his own volition.
After all, players don’t go from one collegiate offer to scoring 2,000 points by accident. Countless nights of solitary improvement led to German’s history-altering layup against Miami Ohio and his pursuit of an NBA contract.
“The gym is like his little sanctuary,” his mother, Eugenia German, said.
The most important woman in his life, Eugenia danced with her son after his record-setting performance. Her and 50 other family members, as NIU head coach Mark Montgomery recalls, dotted the stands on that February night.
Yet this night was “bittersweet” for Geno, as no amount of family could have compensated for the absence of one. His father, who laid in his hospital bed, unresponsive – the man who shaped Geno into the person and player he is today.
*****
In Gary, Indiana, nothing comes easy. The North Indiana town once dubbed “The Magic City” is now a ghost town rife with crime.
From as far back as he can remember, family shielded Geno. The Germans were inseparable, walking around the town, staying in and going to waterparks together. Eugenia stressed education and Geno’s father, David Sr., instilled integrity in his kids.
“We were always close, it was always just us,” Geno said. “We didn’t have a lot of friends, everything we did we did together.”
David Sr., a former high-school basketball player, installed a basketball court in his backyard. One day, he led his kids – David Sr., Princess and four-year-old Geno – to the blacktop for the first time.
Not only would calling basketball Geno’s love, at first sight, be cliche, but it would also be a grave understatement. Instantly, basketball became an obsession.
“They’d [Geno’s brother, David Jr., and Princess] just come in the house and say, ‘Okay, we had enough,'” Eugenia said. “Geno, he’d still be out there.”
Geno’s refusal to exit the court forced his parents to invest in an outdoor light for the backyard because they knew darkness wouldn’t deter him from putting up shots.
Before he was 10, Geno drew attention to the basketball court. Raining triples at a young age drew the attention of one AAU coach at a church camp tournament. Geno traveled across the state and country playing basketball.
From an early age, Eugenia knew her son was special.
“He was traveling like, ‘Who is this kid?’ and from that point on, he just wouldn’t stop.”
David Sr. spent hours training Geno in their backyard court.
“He showed very tough love, telling what you need to do more and what you need to get better at,” Geno said.
With unbreakable focus, elementary-school Geno wrote letters and drew pictures of his NBA future and spurned recess play for the courts.
Even his school friends observed Geno’s infatuation for basketball, opting to throw him a surprise birthday party. They’d tell him there’s a basketball game in Chicago but stop at a friend’s house first. He’d never see it coming.
Geno prepared to lace up in the Windy City while his friends poured time and money into this surprise. They couldn’t wait to see the look on his face.
In revealing the truth, Geno was distraught. His mother promised a basketball game; a chance to prove himself on the court, a chance to improve. Yet, nothing but a lousy surprise birthday party stood in front of him.
“He’s like, ‘Mama, we not gonna go to the game in Chicago?'” Eugenia said, imitating her son’s voice.
Despite the inherent dangers of his hometown, nothing would separate Geno from basketball. He and his older brother snuck out of the house while Eugenia worked in search of pick-up games. The streets of Gary fortified Geno, on and off of the court.
“Down here you have to be able to hold your own, even if you’re just playing basketball, and that translates when I got to the court,” Geno said.
Eugenia worked to keep her kids busy and off the streets of Gary. She knew the dangers of the city.
“Crime, a lot of stuff just happens down here, a lot of negative things happen out here,” Geno said.
Geno lived life with a positive vigor, though, unbothered by the negativity of his environment. Eugenia called him a “jokester,” always looking to make others laugh. Not even the confines of a classroom could quiet Geno, who would often interrupt lessons breaking into song and dance.
Though frequent visits to the principal’s office caused Eugenia some stress, she cultivated an unbreakable bond with her son during his childhood. And when Eugenia reminded Geno of his dream of playing college basketball, his antics ceased quickly.
“She’s the GOAT, man. My mom is the GOAT,” Geno said.
Geno continued to showcase his scoring gene in high school, turning heads at 21st Century Charter. Yet, nothing Geno accomplished garnered him the attention his play warranted. Not leading the state in scoring two years in a row, not leading his school to their first-ever regional championship, not scoring 51 points against national powerhouse La Lumiere.
“People in Gary, Indiana, we don’t get a lot of respect,” Geno said.
Geno watched as high school players scoring less than him received offers from college programs. Only one school showed interest in Geno: Northern Illinois. And if it wasn’t for former Michigan State assistant Mark Montgomery’s connection to Gary native Branden Dawson, Geno would have had no offers.
Located in Dekalb, Illinois, Northern Illinois was only an hour and a half from Gary, keeping Geno close to home. Close to his mom. Close to his dad. For him, that meant everything.
*****
Geno’s phone buzzed. It buzzed again. And again. Preparing for the first game of his senior season, he missed three calls from his sister while playing basketball.
Geno stepped off of the court, picked up his phone and dialed his sister back.
His father had gone into cardiac arrest and was unresponsive, his sister revealed.
David Sr. trimmed his beard and cut his hair before Geno’s first game on Nov. 7, 2019. He had to look sharp: He was known for being the loudest, most supportive dad in the region, after all. David Sr. never missed one of his son’s games.
David Sr. wouldn’t blow the eardrums off of surrounding fans cheering his son’s name anymore. He wouldn’t watch the culmination of his son’s college career. He wouldn’t witness his son pass T.J. Lux as the all-time leading scorer in Northern Illinois basketball history.
Geno lost the support of the man who made leaving home to play college basketball in Dekalb, Illinois, just an hour and a half drive from home, so difficult.
“It was so tough, I was with them my whole life,” Geno said. “I wanted to come home my first week.”
He called his mom every single day to talk about basketball, life or whatever crossed his mind. Geno made frequent visits home in spite of his mother’s wishes to keep him off of the highway.
Once an outgoing class clown, Geno was quiet and soft-spoken as a college freshman. He struggled to adapt to the rigors of college basketball.
It wasn’t until Geno found, as Eugenia put it, his sanctuary, in the always-open gym doors at Dekalb. Past his reserved nature, Geno found his place where it always was, on the basketball court.
“Literally every single day he would come in at night or he would come in the morning and work out,” Montgomery said.
It was those late-night workouts, those summer nights running suicides with his teammate, Lacey James, that evolved Geno’s game and helped him find his home away from home.
“We were running suicides, trying to get better to separate ourselves because we felt nobody else was doing that, Geno said. “That’s definitely a moment for me I’m going to always remember.”
And Geno separated himself, progressing his game from a playground bucket-getter to an all-around point guard. Emulating Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker helped Geno become the scorer he is, a six-foot guard who knifes to the hole more than any player his size in the last decade.
“I don’t think he thinks he can be stopped,” Montgomery said.
Geno can’t explain how he penetrates so effortlessly or how he out jumps big men for rebounds: It just comes naturally.
When he was 12, Geno’s dad strapped weight-vests to him and his brother, battling on the court in full-court 1-on-1 games. They’d barrel into each other until they couldn’t anymore. That seems like a solid explanation.
Quickly, Geno established himself as one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball, averaging over 20 points a game for three straight seasons. When defenses loaded up to stop him, the passing came naturally.
“People got the memo,” Geno said about his scoring.
As Geno grew as a basketball player, the Huskies did as a program. Improving every season Geno played, they finished the 2018-19 season 17-17, the program’s second time hitting the .500 mark in the last 13 seasons.
And in the MAC tournament, standing in the way of the Huskies’ first semi-final appearance since 2003 was the Toledo Rockets, the two seed in the tournament.
Montgomery calls that four-point victory a turning point for the program, Geno’s 27 points vaulting the Huskies into the next season with great momentum.
“I think that was a defining moment where he’s the leading scorer,” Montgomery said. “He did everything he had to do to get the win and he found a way to will us through that game.”
Montgomery was right, as 2019-20 was the Huskies’ best season in four years, their second time notching 18 wins since 1997, all on the back of Geno.
Yet, Geno faced the toughest challenge yet this season, playing with his father’s hospitalization on his heart.
“He never used it as an excuse,” Montgomery said. “I think that he just used it more as motivation and it takes a special kid to do that.”
It’s almost like scoring 2,000 points this season was foretold, not in small part because Geno himself predicted the feat a year prior, despite his mom’s disbelief.
“He talked about this moment last year, ‘I’m going to be the all-time leading scorer at NIU, I’m going to make it happen,'” Eugenia said.
Geno college basketball career is done, and now, his next obstacle looms: the NBA.
On his path to the next level, people will doubt Geno. Too small. Not strong enough. Not a good enough defender. No worries. Geno is used to this and frankly, he doesn’t care. All he cares about is winning basketball games and doing what it takes to win championships.
“He would cry [after games] because he wants to win so bad,” Eugenia said. “He looks at himself like, ‘What could I have done better?'”
After one loss, David Sr. sat down with a dismayed Geno to talk. His son had given everything to basketball. For once, he hoped he could give at least a fraction of that to himself.
“Let this day go by, okay,” he’d tell Geno. “Tomorrow’s a new day.”
*****
For Geno, not much has changed.
The coronavirus shutdown has complicated the routines for many across the country, especially the few preparing to play in their first NBA games next season. Gyms closed. No pre-draft workouts. No combine.
Geno grinds like all is normal. Wake up, dribble, work out, watch the film, repeat. Easy.
Growing up, Geno never had access to weights at home or a gym to hoop at his pleasure. Nowadays, Geno trains with resistance bands and knocks out countless pushups and situps. It’s the way he’s always done it.
“He doesn’t know how to rest,” Eugenia said. “He says ‘Mom, if I rest, that means the next guy is getting better than me, so I can’t really rest right now.'”
Through his training, Geno will see his shoulders grow, the same ones on which tattoos of the Chinese symbols for family and loyalty sit.
Geno treasures family time and the quarantine has allowed more than ever.
“That’s what I’m really passionate about, just to make them happy,” Geno said. “Because if they’re happy, then I’m happy.”
It’s just like old times: the five Germans would always work out together, take drives together, have fun together. Five.
Blessed to see another Christmas with my La Familia positive vibes only. 🎄🎁‼️ pic.twitter.com/0Bz2ppcoIc
Something is missing, though. On April 12, Easter Sunday, David German Sr. passed away following his cardiac arrest the prior November.
Now, the four Germans work out together, take drives together and have fun together. Four Germans. Four.
Eugenia tries her best to keep spirits high in her household. She knows how hard her son has taken his father’s death. After all, their family needs to stick together. That’s how they’ll get through this. Together.
Geno plays basketball for his family. For his mother. One day, he wants to move his family out of Gary. The first step, Eugenia always said, is education. Geno will graduate with his Bachelor’s degree in General Studies, making Eugenia more proud than any on-court accomplishment could.
An NBA contract will help Geno fulfill his ultimate dream. Not making an NBA team, not winning an NBA championship, but raising a family and granting his own better life.
“I’m kind of disappointed I couldn’t do it fast enough for my dad,” Geno said. “They deserve to see a lot more in life, better things.”
