Taking The Charge Podcast: Recent Episodes
David Hein
Talk about international basketball - all aspects of the game across the globe
takingthecharge.substack.com
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is with Thomas Käckenmeister, head of media and marketing at Rostock Seawolves, the soon-to-be newest club in the German BBL league.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
4:05 - Story we are watching - We take a brief look at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022.
7:20 - Young player of the week - It’s hard after watching the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 not to be impressed with 2006-born Cooper Flagg of the United States.
10:40 - Up-coming event we are watching - Summer is here and that means more and more youth national team events with the FIBA U20 European Championship 2022 from June 16-24, FIBA U18 European Championship 2022 from July 30-August 7 and FIBA U18 African Championship 2022 from August 4-14.
Before we get into the talk with Thomas Käckenmeister, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Israeli center Gilad Levy, who will be playing next season with Hapoel Jerusalem after playing at the FIBA U20 European Championship 2022, which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
12:45 - Sneak preview of interview
20:05 - Thomas Käckenmeister, head of media and marketing with Rostock Seawolves.
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is with Jörgen Lind, a Danish coach and business owner who runs BBall Tours, Follow Through and the Kuei Foundation.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
1:55 - Story we are watching - All of the countries around Europe are starting to name rosters and extended lists for the up-coming youth European Championships and it’s exciting to just look ahead to the continental tournaments.
3:45 - Young player of the week - The 2006-born Cooper Flagg looks to be a fascinating prospect for United States at the up-coming FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 as his game just screams out international hoops.
5:20 - Up-coming event we are watching - Of course it’s the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 - check out the event website for all the content I am writing on there.
Before we get into the talk with Jörgen Lind, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Brazilian forward Guilherme Tesch, who is playing with North Broward Prep in Florida , which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
7:00 - Sneak preview of interview
11:05 - Jörgen Lind - Organizer of Copenhagen Invitational and runs the Kuei Foundation and owns the companies BBall Tours and Follow Through
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week we have a quintet of interviews looking ahead to next week’s FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 - Jan Vide of Slovenia, Serbia’s Bogoljub Markovic, Szymon Nowicki from Poland, Petras Padegimas of Lithuania and Spaniard Izan Almansa.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
4:00 - Story we are watching - The build-up to the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 - friendly games just about every day and roster news right and left.
5:20 - Young player of the week - Koa Peat made the USA roster for the U17 World Cup and as a 2007-born will become the youngest player in USA history to play at a U17 World Cup - the first player to play two years younger than the competition’s generation.
6:35 - Up-coming event we are watching - The 2022 NBA Draft - it’s THE night for so many people and it’s a huge night for youth international hoops fans as well.
Before we get into the talk with the U17 World Cup interviews, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Polish forward Kacper Klaczek, who is playing at Saint Joseph’s University in the United States, which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
8:30 - Sneak previewof interview
12:55 - Jan Vide - Slovenia
16:35 - Bogoljub Markovic - Serbia
19:50 - Szymon Nowicki - Poland
22:30 - Petras Padegimas - Lithuania
24:40 - Izan Almansa - Spain
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is with Fran Fraschilla, new director and head coach of 3x3 men’s basketball for USA Basketball, ESPN commentator, World of Basketball podcast host, actor in the new Netflix film “Hustle”.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
1:40 - Story we are watching - The deadline has come and gone for international players to stay or withdraw in the 2022 NBA Draft.
3:40 - Young player of the week - The 2006-born Rocco Zikarsky has been loads of fun to watch for Australia at the FIBA U16 Asian Championship 2022 and he will be one of the leaders for the Australians at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022.
5:30 - Up-coming event we are watching - In addition to the FIBA U16 Asian Championship 2022 which runs until Sunday - when we will know the full field of the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022, there is also the FIBA U15 Centrobasket Championship 2022 which will qualify for the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2023.
Before we get into the talk with Fran Fraschilla, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with German wing Esli Edigin who is playing with Dragons Rhöndorf of Telekom Baskets Bonn’s youth ranks in Germany, which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
8:50 - Sneak preview of interview
15:35 - Fran Fraschilla - USA Basketball director and head coach of 3x3 men’s basketball, ESPN commentator, actor
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week we have something different since I was at the Basketball Without Borders Europe camp. We have a quartet of interviews from the camp: with Taylor Jenkins, head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies; Denver Nuggets assistant coach David Adelman; Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach Edniesha Curry; and Atlanta Hawks’ Italian forward Danilo Gallinari.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
3:30 - Story we are watching - Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade won the ABA Adriatic League meaning they will be in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague next season. It also leaves unanswered the other teams who will be play in the EuroLeague with Partizan NIS Belgrade and Valencia Basket seemingly the front-runners.
4:25 - Young player of the week - Mohamed Diawara of France was named MVP of the 2022 Basketball Without Borders Europe camp.
5:15 - Up-coming event we are watching - We are two days into the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2022 and the action in Mexico has been great. On Friday (early Saturday in Europe) we will know the first four teams in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023.
7:35 - Taylor Jenkins - head coach Memphis Grizzlies
11:05 - David Adelman - assistant coach Denver Nuggets
14:00 - Edniesha Curry - assistant coach Portland Trail Blazers
19:00 - Danilo Gallinari - Atlanta Hawks/Italian national team
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed these interviews or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is Vitor Galvani, the head coach of Brazil’s U18 national team. He talks about his team winning the FIBA U17 South American Championship to reach the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2022 and what it would mean to get Brazil back to the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup for the first time since 2013. Galvani also breaks down some of the top players on his team.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
2:10 - Story we are watching - The NBA Finals are set and the Golden State Warriors will battle with the Boston Celtics. The series starts Thursday.
3:20 - Young player of the week - Justus Hollatz has decided to make a big move and leave Hamburg Towers, where the 2001-born German point guard was the face of his hometown club to join CB Breogan of the Spanish ACB.
6:10 - Up-coming event we are watching - The 2022 Basketball Without Borders European camp runs from June 1-4 in Milan.
Before we get into the talk with Vitor Galvani, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Senegalese guard Insa Kane who is playing with Torrejon Basketball School in Spain which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
7:00 - Sneak preview of interview
11:35 - Vitor Galvani - Brazilian U18 national team head coach
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is David Driver, freelance journalist and author of Hoop Dreams in Europe: American Basketball Players Building Careers Overseas in which he writes about …. you guessed it … American players and their experiences of going to Europe and becoming professional basketball players.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
1:50 - Story we are watching - Now that the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague has been competed - congrats to Anadolu Efes Istanbul for winning back-to-back titles - the European basketball world is looking at the organizers to determine which clubs will compete in which competition: EuroLeague, 7DAYS EuroCup or Basketball Champions League.
4:05 - Young player of the week - Victor Wembanyama has not been included in France’s roster for the summer FIBA window and the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers. Maybe they want to give him a rest after a long first season as a leading player with a pro team. But I would be shocked if he’s not in the France team for FIBA EuroBasket 2023.
5:30 - Up-coming event we are watching - The NBA Playoffs are starting to get to the end of the season - the Eastern Conference Finals are deadlocked at 2-2 between Miami and Boston while Golden State have a 3-1 lead over Dallas in the West.
Before we get into the talk with David Driver, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with German guard Jacob Patrick who is playing with MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg in Germany which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
7:15 - Sneak preview of interview
10:20 - David Driver - freelance journalist, author of Hoop Dreams in Europe: American Basketball Players Building Careers Overseas
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is Wendell Maxey of the Around The Basketball League substack. Wendell talks about hoops in the United States and Europe and then deep dives into his coverage of The Basketball League. Don’t forget to click here to read his great work.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
1:50 - Story we are watching - The Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals tip-off in Belgrade on Wednesday with three teams as leading contenders and a fourth side with solid chances.
3:55 - Young player of the week - 96 players will be in Belgrade hoping to shine on the big stage at the ANGT Finals. So we are are going with all of them.
4:25 - Up-coming event we are watching - Thursday night is the start of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four. It’s the basketball event to watch in Europe.
Before we get into the talk with Wendell Maxey, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Latvian guard Arturs Zagars who is playing with Basketball Löwen Braunschweig on loan from Joventut Badalona which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
6:15 - Sneak preview of interview
Wendell Maxey of the Around The Basketball League substack, 12:05
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is Johnathan Stove of Hapoel Galil Elyon who talks about his journey through perseverance in going three and a half years without playing the game for a team before finally landing his first professional job in Albania and moving to Israel’s top flight this season. It’s a wonderful tale of just believing in yourself and not giving up.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
3:00 - Story we are watching - The Spanish ACB relegation battle is super fascinating and it will see at least one if not two very successful teams be dropped to the LEB Gold second division.
5:30 - Young player of the week - Khalifa Diop of Gran Canaria was named the EuroCup Rising Star. The Senegalese big man was not a bad choice though either of the players tied for second place - Jaime Pradilla of Valencia Basket or Joel Parra from Joventut Badalona - would have been good selections as well.
6:40 - Up-coming event we are watching - Wednesday night is the 7DAYS EuroCup final - Virtus Segafredo Bologna or Frutti Extra Bursaspor
Before we get into the talk with Johnathan Stove, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Turkish forward Berke Buyuktuncel of Tofas Bursa in Turkey which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
8:05 - Sneak preview of interview
Johnathan Stove, guard, Hapoel Galil Elyon, 12:30
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is Marquita “Kita” Waller, guard with Capitol Bascats Düsseldorf in German women’s basketball. Waller talks about helping the club jump from Germany’s sixth division to first division in five years - with Waller starting with the team in the fifth division and earning promotion after each season.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
2:40 - Story we are watching - The magical ride of Frutti Extra Bursaspor continues as the Turkish club reached the 7DAYS EuroCup Final by knocking off MoraBanc Andorra. The only thing that stands between Bursaspor and a spot in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague is the winner of Wednesday’s other Semi-Final between Valencia Basket and Virtus Segafredo Bologna.
4:10 - Young player of the week - Nikola Jovic played at the ABA U19 League Final Four and played a major role in Mega Mozzart Belgrade winning the title. He had 29 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists against Igokea and then picked up 9 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in the final against SC Derby.
5:20 - Up-coming event we are watching - Friday is the start of the Basketball Champions League Final Four in Bilbao. The Semi-Final matchups are Hapoel U-NET Holon vs Lenovo Tenerife and MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg vs BAXI Manresa.
Before we get into the talk with Kita Waller, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Slovenian guard Ziga Samar of Fuenlabrada in Spain which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
7:25 - Sneak preview of interview
Marquita “Kita” Waller, guard, Capitol Bascats Düsseldorf, 14:00
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is Ermay Duran, the Global Director of Basketball at InStat. The discussion centers on big data and data analytics and its place in the game as well as how advanced stats can help teams as well as national team programs and how the world of scouting players is changing.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
1:40 - Story we are watching - The three wild cards for the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals have been rewarded and Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade, Mega Mozzart Belgrade and Maccabi Tel Aviv will be playing at the tournament at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Belgrade.
4:05 - Young player of the week - German center Ariel Hukporti decided against entering his name into the 2022 NBA Draft and he will remain at Melbourne United in the Australian NBL for the 2022-23 season.
5:25 - Up-coming event we are watching - This Thursday and Friday (April 28 and 29) will see Ljubljana host the U19 ABA League Final Four. The matchups are Mega vs Igokea and Derby vs Cedevita Olimpija.
Before we get into the talk with Giacomo Rossi, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Montenegro guard Fedor Zugic of ratiopharm ulm - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
6:35 - Sneak preview of interview
Ermay Duran, Global Director of Basketball InStat - 11:55
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is with Giacomo Rossi, general manager of Orange1 Bassano, one of the up-coming academies in Europe. We talk about how the team performed at the ANGT Ljubljana, what his young players learned from the tournament, how he is trying to build up the program and who some of his competitors are as well as how happy he was to see Stellazzurra Rome win the ANGT Patras.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
1:40 - Story we are watching - A number of players have already made news by declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft and you will be hearing plenty more names as Sunday is the deadline to put your name out there - with June 13 as the deadline to withdraw.
3:40 - Young player of the week - Matthew Strazel has declared for the 2022 NBA Draft and we just wanted to look and see what he has done. Despite not turning 20 until early August, Strazel already has played 66 games over three seasons in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
5:30 - Up-coming event we are watching - This week we have the start of the playoffs in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup.
Before we get into the talk with Giacomo Rossi, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Montenegro guard Fedor Zugic of ratiopharm ulm - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
7:20 - Sneak preview of interview
Giacomo Rossi, general manager Orange1 Bassano - 11:30
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is with Travis Trice, point guard with Polish club Slask Wroclaw. He talks about playing in various places around the world, how it helps being a coach’s son when you join a new club during a season, playing on an aircraft carrier, playing for the United States national team in FIBA windows and competing in the EuroCup.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
1:45 - Story we are watching - What a night for the Basketball Champions League as all three games in the quarter-final playoffs were won in the waning seconds for three two-game series sweeps.
3:30 - Young player of the week - Aleksa Vucetic - 2004-born Serbian point guard with FC Bayern Munich had a heck of a week. First off he made his easyCredit BBL debut against EWE Baskets Oldenburg and then he collected 21 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists in Bayern’s U19 NBBL quarter-final playoffs Game 1 win over kickz IBAM, a game which Bayern basically played with six players.
5:20 - Up-coming event we are watching - This one is easy - ANGT Ljubljana which runs from April 15-17 in the Slovenian capital.
Before we get into the talk with Travis Trice, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Mexican forward Gael Bonilla of FC Barcelona - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
6:15 - Sneak preview of interview
Travis Trice, point guard Slask Wroclaw - 13:35
Here is an article written about Travis playing together with his brother at Slask.
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is with Alex Ferrer Kristjansson, Senior Director, Marketing and Communications, Euroleague Basketball. We discuss the new Euroleague production “Back to Basketball” about the 2020-21 EuroLeague playoffs and Final Four which is being shown on Amazon Prime; moving the EuroLeague Final Four from Berlin to Belgrade; innovations that fans at home and in Belgrade can expect at the Stark Arena for the Final Four; and ways the Euroleague is trying to change and develop in terms of digital transformation.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
2:50 - Story we are watching - Nike Hoop Summit will take place on Friday, April 8 in Portland, Oregon at 7pm (0400 CET).
5:50 - Young player of the week - Victor Wembanyama had a great game against Le Portel with 25 points, 3 three-pointers, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks.
8:40 - Up-coming event we are watching - I will be actually heading to a game - this weekend will be checking out the IBAM kickz vs FC Bayern Munich NBBL quarter-finals playoffs Game 1.
Before we get into the talk with Alex Ferrer Kristjansson Ramirez , we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Greek guard Alexandros Nikolaidis of Lavrio on loan from Olympiacos Piraeus - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
10:40 - Sneak preview of interview
Alex Ferrer Kristjansson - Senior director, Marketing and Communications, Euroleague Basketball - 18:35
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is with Rafael Barlowe - NBA draft expert, founder of the NBA Draft Junkies website who in April will be taking over the NBA Big Board newsletter and podcast from the retiring Chad Ford.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
4:10 - Story we are watching - Unlike the seemingly prevailing thought out there … the Covid pandemic is not over and more evidence - besides the still record number of instances in Gemany - is two of the top young players in Germany having been hit hard by the virus despite being double-vaxxed and boostered. Be careful.
6:20 - Young player of the week - Alexandros Samountorov was clearly the player most people were anticipating going into the ANGT Patras and he didn’t disappoint.
7:40 - Up-coming event we are watching - That’s easy … ANGT Varese. Don’t need to say much.
Before we get into the talk with Jesus Ramirez , we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Turkish guard David Mutaf from Gran Canaria - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
9:20 - Sneak preview of interview
Rafael Barlowe - founder of NBA Draft Junkies and to-be author of NBA Big Board newsletter and podcast - 15:55
Here is a breakdown of the interview
17:35 - Thoughts about Alexandros Samontourov and Miro Little among other players at the ANGT Patras
23:15 - About his scouting process of looking at players
28:35 - How he got into the international game
34:30 - What European clubs do differently in player development and what impact less attention on social media such as in the United States has on that
40:30 - If he could market the game in Europe what he would do differently to increase the interest
44:10 - How he evaluates youngsters playing in a EuroCup or EuroLeague team
50:10 - Thoughts about Nikola Jovic and Ismael Kamagate and other Europeans who might be in the 2022 NBA Draft
59:45 - About most high schools in the United States not having a shot clock and college basketball having a 30-second shot clock and if players struggle initially with 24-second shot clock
1:05:15 - About taking over as the full-time author of the NBA Big Board newsletter and podcast from Chad Ford - and what he plans on doing. Breaking news: The Big Board Podcast will become five days a week
1:10:55 - If a growing family might be a problem with his career jump
1:12:55 - Which players may have helped or hurt their draft stock in the NCAA Tournament
1:16:45 - How he goes about building a mock draft
1:19:35 - Thoughts about the Australian NBL, Overtime Elite and GLeague Ignite as new avenues to the NBA
1:23:35 - What he would suggest to young scouts wanting to rise the ranks in the game
1:29:15 - What about the future of the NBA Draft Junkies website
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is with Jesus Ramirez, head coach with Basketball Löwen Braunschweig in Germany. He talks about his journey from outside of Barcelona to Ulm, Germany back to Spain and via Hungary and Poland back to Germany at Braunschweig as head coach.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
4:00 - Story we are watching - Three more teams will book spots at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2022 as the FIBA U18 South American Championship 2022 is going on in Venezuela.
5:40 - Young player of the week - Fedor Zugic is really playing well for ratiopharm ulm, and the 2003-born Montenegrin was praised by Ulm head coach Jaka Lakovic after the team’s win in the 7DAYS EuroCup.
7:45 - Up-coming event we are watching - The second leg of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament tips off this Friday in Patras, Greece and there should be a lot of really interesting talent to watch there.
Before we get into the talk with Jesus Ramirez , we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Croatian forward Roko Prkacin from Cibona Zagreb - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
9:30 - Sneak preview of interview
Jesus Ramirez - head coach Basketball Löwen Braunschweig - 17:15
Here is a breakdown of the interview
18:15 - Update on injury to David Krämer … and how he deals with an injury to a major player as a coach
20:20 - About dealing with highs and lows with young players - and losing seven games after having double-digit leads
24:05 - how he sees the state of the team in the home stretch of the season
27:05 - about his beginnings in the game just outside of Barcelona
30:25 - who some of his role models in coaching were growing up
33:20 - how he made the move as a 32-year-old from Spain to Germany and ratiopharm ulm
38:00 - what some of his highlights were during his six seasons at Ulm
42:10 - what made him decide to leave Germany and return to Spain and become an assistant coach at Bilbao
44:55 - how he landed after that season in Hungary at Alba Fehervar
47:15 - Helped Fehervar reach the FIBA Europe Cup Quarter-Finals and had a crazy series with Hapoel Holon - losing by 33 points in the first leg and then finishing the second game regulation with the exact same score but lost in overtime
53:25 - About coaching Spanish playing legend Carlos Cabezas in Hungary
55:45 - Landing at Polish side King Szczecin in December 2020
58:00 - About returning to Germany to take over as head coach at Braunschweig
1:00:25 - About how Germany is seen and recognized outside the country within Europe
1:02:25 - What makes Spanish coaches in Germany have the resilience and willingness to play young German players
1:05:35 - About bringing in Fabien Tellez for the U19 and Regionalliga teams from FC Barcelona’s youth team
1:07:20 - How he learned to tell the difference between identical twins Brandon and Nicholas Tischler and if they ever tried to trick him
1:09:10 - About the Tischler brothers’ development this season
1:10:45 - How the development of Luc van Slooten has been going
1:14:55 - About the development of 2003-born big man Sananda Fru
1:18:00 - How it is working with Dennis Schröder as the team owner and his commitment for the club
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast. This week’s interview is with London Johnson, 2004-born guard with Norcross HS in Georgia and star of Jamaica at the FIBA U17 Centrobasket Championship 2021.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
2:00 Story we are watching - Johnathon Givony has released the names he believes will be playing for the World Select Team at the 2022 Nike Hoop Summit. We look forward to USA Basketball and Nike making an official announcement.
4:05 - Young player of the week - Roko Prkacin, 2002-born forward, has returned to action for Cibona after missing more than three months with ankle surgery - he has the pink shoes in the highlights.
5:25 - Up-coming event we are watching - The draw for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 will be taking place on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Before we get into the talk with London Johnson, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Swedish guard Melwin Pantzar from Real Valladolid - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
7:55 - Sneak preview of interview
London Johnson, Norcross/Jamaica (12:30)
Here is a rundown of the interview - HERE is the link to the article written from this interview
12:55 - Favorite memories of 2021
13:45 - How he started in the game
14:55 - About his moving around growing up
17:00 - When sports began playing more of a role
19:10 - Challenges of meeting new people growing up
20:35 - When he thought he was pretty good at the game
21:20 - Who some of his basketball role models were growing up
22:20 - What it’s like to be recruited by all these schools
23:50 - What are some reasons why he will pick the college he does choose in the end
25:00 - What’s been the most fun part of the selection process and the worst part of the attention
26:10 - His thoughts about not playing with a shot clock
28:50 - How he adapted to a 24-second shot clock for the first time at the FIBA U17 Centrobasket Championship 2021
29:50 - His connection to Jamaica and how he got the passport
31:05 - How much the Jamaican culture was part of his upbringing
32:00 - How he got his first name
32:35 - How he ended up playing with the Jamaican national team
33:15 - What it was like for him to be in his family’s homeland
34:35 - Where he says he’s from/calls home
35:15 - What the FIBA U17 Centrobasket Championship 2021 was like for him
36:20 - How challenging the competition was for him - being so much better than the rest of his teammates
37:50 - How he describes his excellent shooting numbers despite all the attention from the opposing defense
39:00 - How tiring the tournament was for him
40:20 - What are some of the biggest things he learned from the tournament
40:55 - A scouting report on 2007-born Marcus McDonald
41:45 - His thoughts about 2008-born Tristan McDonald
42:50 - If he’s had communication with other players with Jamaican connections
44:25 - Rapid fire questions
46:55 - Where he sees his game and what he is working on to improve
47:45 - About playing the saxophone
48:35 - How playing the saxophone helps him on the court
50:35 - How good of a saxophonist does he think he is
51:25 - About wanting to study pre-med in college
52:25 - His thoughts on the pandemic
53:25 - How much he looks forward to the end of the pandemic - and feeding off the crowd energy
54:05 - His thoughts about the differing ways to get to the NBA - G-League, Overtime, Australia
55:25 - His thoughts about NIL (name image and likeness)
56:15 - How relieved he will be when his decision is made public
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast and this week’s interview is with Deniz Aksoy, Turkish basketball commentator. Deniz talks about growing up in the game of basketball and then her rise in the media world and how she became one of the biggest basketball media personalities in Turkey.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
3:55 Story we are watching - The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague decided to void all games played against the three Russian teams - not just future games.
6:40 - Young player of the week - Jaime Pradilla, 2001-born center Valencia Basket. Don’t look now but he has scored in double figures in his last four games with Valencia - two each in the EuroCup and ACB. He is averaging 13.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.5 steals in those games. Pradilla also picked up 8 points and 3 rebounds for the Spanish national team against Ukraine.
8:20 - Up-coming event we are watching - Real Madrid will be hosting AX Armani Exchange Milan on Friday March 11 in the EuroLeague. Real have lost four straight games as well as eight of the last 13 games.
Before we get into the talk with Deniz Aksoy, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with German forward Luc van Slooten from Basketball Löwen Braunschweig - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
10:45 - Sneak preview of interview
Deniz Aksoy, Turkish basketball commentator (17:25)
Here is a rundown of the interview
18:15 - If she ever gets confused knowing which show she is actually doing
20:20 - Her insight into the status of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul
25:30 - How she thinks Anadolu Efes Istanbul are holding up as reigning EuroLeague champs
30:05 - The start of her journey in the basketball world - and early memories of Efes
33:00 - About going to Italian high school in Istanbul
36:00 - Why she studied in Milan
37:05 - As someone who really shows her fashion, what was it like being in Milan
39:10 - Why Salma Hayek, Nadine Labaki, Monica Bellucci and Penelope Cruz are her role models
41:20 - Which one movie from that quartet she would watch as a final movie
42:55 - What she learned from traveling in Peru about 10 years ago
45:10 - How she started getting in the media world
47:25 - What she did at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 in Istanbul - working for YouFirst
49:40 - How she remembers her experience working in China at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019
52:55 - About moving from Milan back to Istanbul to work for S Sport
54:50 - What other job she would do if she had had a chance
55:25 - What her favorite interview was
58:50 - Any role models/mentors among media people
1:00:05 - About her role as a role model as a female in the basketball world
1:03:25 - What she has learned from Murat Murathanoglu
1:06:20 - What was the experience like being at the NBA Draft with Alperen Sengun
1:10:35 - About watching Anadolu Efes Istanbul winning the EuroLeague title - but watching it from home.
1:13:50 - Future goals/aspirations
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast and this week’s interview is with Xavier van Lierop, trainer with All Day Athletes in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He talks about ADA’s background, some of the past players who went through the organization, how it advises players on the next step and if Amsterdam could be considered an emerging hotbed of basketball amongst much more.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
2:15 - Story we are watching - The war in Ukraine and what ramifications it is having for Russian clubs in basketball.
4:35 - Young player of the week - Killian Malwaya - guard with ASVEL Villeurbanne who helped the French club win the Adidas Next Generation Tournament Belgrade and was MVP.
6:55 - Up-coming event we are watching - The Play for Passion tournament in Bassano, Italy, hosted by Orange1 Basket Bassano. The U16 event running from Thursday to Sunday has the Bassano team as well as Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Olimpia Milan, Promitheas Patras, Ratgeber Academy and Real Madrid.
Before we get into the talk with Xavier van Lierop, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Australian wing Luke Travers from Perth Wildcats - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
8:30 - Sneak preview of interview
Xavier Van Lierop, trainer with All Day Athletes in Amsterdam, Netherlands (13:30)
Here is a rundown of the interview
13:55 - Some background about All Day Athletes
17:00 - What basketball was like in Amsterdam when the organization was started
18:50 - How they were trained to become trainers
21:50 - What kind of connection ADA has with the Netherlands basketball federation
22:50 - Who some of the players are who came through the organization
24:45 - Structure of ADA - not a club
27:05 - Reaction from Netherlands clubs to their work
28:05 - What work is done with veteran Netherlands players
29:45 - How ADA gets their players tryouts with teams - such as Barcelona and Joventut
31:35 - How a tryout with Barcelona or Joventut can help a youngster in their development
33:40 - How ADA advises where players should go for their next step
36:10 - What ADA does better than other organizations
36:55 - If Amsterdam could be considered an emerging hotbed in basketball
41:10 - The importance of Netherlands being in Division A at FIBA U16 European Championship
43:50 - If Netherlands is becoming a place where young players can stay and play in the local league
46:05 - Goals for the future
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast and this week’s interview is with Michele O’Keefe, member of the FIBA Central Board and the FIBA commission on Women in Basketball as well as the Niagara College athletic director. She talks about the Canadian women’s national team and their chances at FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022; her mentors on the road to becoming the president and CEO of Basketball Canada; the country’s biggest moment - winning the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017; the goals/objectives are for the FIBA commission Women in Basketball; and how people can support the push in women’s basketball.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
3:40 - Story we are watching - The globe is in national team basketball fever as the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Qualifiers run this weekend from Thursday to Monday.
4:55 - Young player of the week - This week there are 12 Young Player of the Week honorees and they are the players selected for the Next Generation Team Belgrade for the Adidas Next Generation Tournament Belgrade. That dozen of lucky players not only get to play in one of the best youth club competitions in the world but they get to be coached by the legendary Vassilis Spanoulis.
6:45 - Up-coming event we are watching - The Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Belgrade starts on Friday in the Serbian capital and it’s like Christmas for youth hoops fans. Nuf said.
Before we get into the talk with Michele O’Keefe, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Polish center Aleksander Balcerowski from Mega Belgrade in Serbia - on loan from Spanish side Gran Canaria - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
10:35 - Sneak preview of interview
Michele Okeefe - Athletic Director at Niagara College, member of the FIBA Central Board and also a member of the FIBA commission Women in Basketball (15:10)
Here is a breakdown of the interview
15:30 - Thoughts about the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 Qualifiers
17:35 - How she dealt with watching FWBWCQ or Winter Olympics
18:40 - Feeling in Canada after the country lost in the quarter-finals of men’s ice hockey
21:50 - Chances of Canada at FWBWC 2022 in Australia
25:20 - Who some of her role models or mentors were over the course of her rise in Basketball Canada
32:00 - Goals for Basketball Canada when she took over as president and CEO
34:25 - How the country learned from losing to United States in the final of the FIBA U16 Americas in 2015
38:25 - How magical the title was at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017
45:20 - How did Basketball Canada deal with players who decided against playing for the national team - youth and senior national teams
50:40 - How good Canada can be when all of the provinces start producing more and more players
55:15 - How she sees her legacy at Basketball Canada
56:35 - What some of the goals/objectives are for the FIBA commission Women in Basketball
1:04:40 - More details about the Adelante program
1:08:30 - Some issues that the FIBA Central Board is looking at
1:10:20 - How can people support the push for women's basketball
1:12:15 - What are some of the things she is doing at Niagara College
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast and this week’s interview is with Himar Ojeda, the sports director at ALBA Berlin. He talks about dealing with a burdensome schedule, Covid restrictions and protocols, having five Berlin natives on the court at the same time, his efforts to push the club’s women’s team, the ALBA Berlin College, four Spanish coaches in the German league, Franz Wagner and the team’s chances of three-peating.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
3:00 - Story we are watching - Ukrainian team Prometey’s club president said they will be moving their teams outside of the country - the men’s team to Czech Republic and women’s side to Bulgaria - for two weeks due to increasing concern about a possible invasion by Russia.
5:25 - Young player of the week - Mert Akay was a feel good story with his return to the court after an ACL tear. But the Dynamic Belgrade point guard has torn his ACL again and will now face another long recovery. Speedy recovery Mert!
6:35 - Up-coming event we are watching - This is cup weekend in Europe and there will be great action throughout the continent.
Before we get into the talk with Himar Ojeda, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Turkish point guard Mert Akay from Dynamic Belgrade in Serbia - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
8:05 - Sneak preview of interview
Himar Ojeda - ALBA Berlin sports director (13:45)
Here is a breakdown of the interview
14:00 - State of the team at the moment
16:35 - The meaning of beating s.Oliver Würzburg after losing five straight
18:15 - What it’s like dealing with all these Covid cases, Covid restrictions and protocols
22:45 - Dealing with such a tight schedule with so many games
31:55 - Thoughts about December 10, 2020 - the EuroLeague game against Fenerbach Istanbul when the game ended with five Berlin natives on the court
41:10 - About his efforts to push the women’s team at ALBA Berlin as well
54:10 - Update/status report on the latest with ALBA Berlin College
1:02:00 - Thoughts about having four Spanish coaches in the German league and how that actually might help basketball in the country
1:18:45 - How he sees Franz Wagner and his play in the NBA
1:33:00 - How he feels about Berlin’s chances of a three-peat in the German league
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
If you know someone else who would enjoy listening to the podcast, please share it with them.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast and this week’s interview is with Danny Mills, the general manager of basketball operations of the Perth Wildcats. He talks about taking over his hometown club as well as brings us down memory lane of scouting the world of youth hoops and provides some tips for young scouts looking to rise in the game.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
2:30 - Story we are watching - A very interesting tweet from super agent Misko Raznatovic about player signings and the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
3:35 - Young player of the week - The 2002-born big man Khalifa Diop is seeing his draft stock rise, especially after his latest game in the 7DAYS EuroCup. The Senegelese center collected 18 points and 9 rebounds in 23 minutes of Herbalife Gran Canaria’s big overtime win over Valencia. He came up with some big time plays in the fourth quarter and overtime to show he can be counted on in big moments. That followed him collecting 11 points and 5 rebounds in 19 minutes of his previous EuroCup game against Promitheas Patras. Diop has also scored in double figures in four games in the Spanish ACB.
4:40 - Up-coming event we are watching - Interational basketball is great and here we have four totally different styles clashing at the 2022 FIBA Intercontinental Cup. Can’t wait to watch these games!
Before we get into the talk with Danny Mills, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with DR Congo forward Yannick Nzosa from Unicaja Malga - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
5:30 - Sneak preview of interview
Danny Mills - Perth Wildcats General Manager of Basketball Operations (12:50)
13:10 - State of the Perth Wildcats so far
17:50 - Meaning of taking over the Wildcats as someone from Perth originally
20:40 - Role models for the current position
24:00 - Benefit of having a full-time physiotherapist on the team
27:40 - How good the NBL is and how it’s being marketed
32:35 - Advice for young scouts looking to rise in the game
37:15 - Differences between seeing players on tape or live
40:45 - How evaluation differs from roles a player has in different teams
43:35 - Take on the debate of practice with veterans but not much playing time or playing with smaller team
46:40 - Biggest challenge of scouting European players
49:55 - What makes Eurohopes so successful
53:45 - How much NBA people read/follow these scouting websites
56:45 - Is scouting becoming easier or harder
59:20 - Difference between scouting Europe/international and college basketball
1:03:00 - How has the Centre of Excellence changed over the years
1:08:00 - How good was a young Andrew Bogut
1:11:05 - Thoughts about the future of Luke Travers
1:14:05 - What scouts can do for their partners to help make up for the time taken away by basketball
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
If you know someone else who would enjoy listening to the podcast, please share it with them.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast and this week’s interview is with Kuany Ngor Kuany, a member of the South Sudan national team who also plays in Croatia for Osijek. He helps give some more information about one of the most up-and-coming federations in world basketball.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
2:15 - Story we are watching - Euroleague Basketball has created a new design for its website and reactions are mixed.
4:05 - Young player of the week - Superstar talent Victor Wembanyama has not really had a great first season in the EuroLeague butthe league wrote an article about him. One of the biggest takeaways is he wants to just have fun.
5:40 - Up-coming event we are watching - Basketball Champions League Americas is finishing off its second window this week.
Before we get into the talk with Kuany Ngor Kuany, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Bosnia and Herzegovina forward Tarik Biberovic from Fenerbahce Istanbul - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
8:00 - Sneak preview of interview
Kuany Ngor Kuany of South Sudan and Croatian club Osijek (11:35) - Link to FIBA article
Rundown of the interview
12:10 - Health update after having missed about a month of action recently
14:50 - How much he feared possibly missing the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers in the next window in February
16:00 - How excited he is to play in a World Cup Qualifier for South Sudan
17:40 - About South Sudan’s road to the FIBA AfroBasket 2021
20:35 - About reaching FIBA AfroBasket and performance at the tournament
23:45 - Reaction to being among the top eight teams in Africa
24:40 - Losing to Tunisia in the Quarter-Finals
26:20 - Lessons learned from first experiences at FIBA AfroBasket
28:45 - Rwanda will be first opponent at World Cup African Qualifiers in February FIBA window in Senegal
30:55 - Looking ahead to playing again against Tunisia after losing to them in AfroBasket Quarter-Finals
31:50 - Third game in three days being another tough one against Cameroon
33:55 - Thoughts about when FIBA introduced South Sudan as a new member to the basketball family
36:05 - His background and what South Sudan means to him
38:10 - If the South Sudan national team is a positive for the people in South Sudan
40:25 - How the people back home will think about South Sudan playing in a World Cup Qualifier
41:35 - The impact Luol Deng has had on South Sudan basketball
45:00 - The importance of other South Sudan legends such as Manute Bol
48:00 - How good can South Sudan be down the road
51:20 - About playing his first season in Europe in Croatia and playing a fellow South Sudan national teammate Jackson Makoi
53:25 - About playing college basketball in Honolulu, Hawaii
56:25 - How much he misses the ocean or seaside in grey landlocked Croatia
59:30 - What are some of his next goals
1:01:30 - About his Kuany Kuany Foundation
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
If you know someone else who would enjoy listening to the podcast, please share it with them.
Get full access to Taking The Charge at takingthecharge.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast - this week we are talking with Miguel Bullon, CEO of NBN23. The topic of the interview is the group’s digital scoresheet project.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
1:55 - Story we are watching - Covid has caused so many cancellations of games but we had a different reason for a cancellation this week - snow … in Athens.
2:55 - Young player of the week - Rumors are going strong that Tristan Vukcevic of Real Madrid will be heading to Partizan NIS Belgrade on loan. It’s not a done deal but it’s reportedly close.
4:05 - Up-coming event we are watching - There is still one more Basketball Champions League Play-In series to finish. But the Round of 16 has already started - with some big games already.
Before we get into the talk with Miguel Bullon, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Croatian forward Matej Rudan from Mega Belgrade - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
6:40 - Sneak preview of interview
Miguel Bullon, CEO of NBN23 (9:25)
Here is a breakdown of the interview
9:45 - A description of the NBN23 project
10:45 - How it started
13:30 - How did the technology part work out
15:15 - How does it work
17:55 - Features of the In-Game and Swish apps
23:15 - How much more work is there for scorekeepers
27:35 - Leading current and past stars have supported the project. How that has helped
30:10 - What NBN23 stands for
31:25 - Statistics about how widespread the use is
35:00 - Who can take part and use it
36:55 - What impact the Covid pandemic had
38:55 - What professional leagues are using it
40:45 - Any national team games or tournaments
41:40 - Goals for future
45:05 - A U16 Spanish basketball league fantasty game
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
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Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast - this week we are talking with Ivana Jagla, who serves as a “personal trainer/mental coach” at the FC Bayern Munich basketball club in Germany.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball with the Big Three
2:15 - Story we are watching - It appears that there is a push in the works to move the 2022 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four from Berlin, Germany to Belgrade, Serbia.
4:50 - Young player of the week - The 2000-born guard Arturs Zagars has moved from Joventut Badalona in Spain on loan to German side Basketball Löwen Braunschweig in what is a great opportunity for the Latvia talent.
7:20 - Up-coming event we are watching - This week are the final games of the Play-Ins for the Basketball Champions League. And then on Monday is the first game of the Round of 16.
Before we get into the talk with Ivana Jagla, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast interview with Belgian center Haris Bratanovic from Filou Oostende - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
8:20 - Sneak preview of interview
Ivana Jagla - “personal trainer/mental coach” with FC Bayern Munich (15:30)
Here is a breakdown of the interview
16:00 - Her work with FC Bayern Munich
20:45 - Her family connection to basketball and what the game means to her
23:55 - How the connection with Bayern started and developed
29:30 - How it started working with more Bayern players
35:25 - About working full time with Bayern since the beginning of training camp
38:10 - About getting a master’s degree in sports psychology and how that helped
42:25 - What subjects in the studies translated most to her work
45:20 - How she starts a dialogue with the players
49:15 - How many other clubs have positions like hers in their organizations
51:55 - About a vegan lifestyle for athletes
59:25 - Later goals for her
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
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Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast - this week we are talking with a young Greek player in high school in the United States: Gianni Ferentinos of Webster Groves High in St. Louis, Missouri.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball for the Big Three
2:30 - Story we are watching - Postponement of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Munich
4:00 - Young player of the week - Ja Morant with one of the best blocks of all time. As Lebron James said afterwards: "It starts with timing and also just … you know … stalking your prey. And that’s exactly what Ja was doing that whole play. I saw it happening, I didn’t know he would do it in that fashion. His uh … they got rockets in his calf muscles. It was a spectacular play.”
5:25 - Up-coming event we are watching - Still more and more game suspensions in the EuroLeague
Before we get into the talk with Gianni Feretinos, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast with Lithuanian guard Dovydas Giedraitis from Lietkabelis Panevzys - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
7:10 - Sneak preview of interview
Gianni Ferentinos - 2005 - Greece - Webster Groves HS, St. Louis, USA - 11:35
Here is a breakdown of the interview
12:00 - How he thinks the season is going so far
13:10 - Competition level he is facing
14:20 - What it’s like playing for EYBL Bradley Beal team
16:15 - Impressions of Peach Jam and other players out there
18:00 - His beginnings of basketball in Greece
19:25 - Basketball scene on the small island of Chios - off the coast of Turkey
21:40 - The move to Athens in 2018 and playing in Panionios system
23:10 - Greek youth national team experiences
24:15 - Visit to the United States and then starting high school in the USA - and that during Covid-19 pandemic
27:05 - How playing organized basketball in Greece helped in playing in the US
27:45 - Playing without a shot clock
32:20 - What he will look for in a college
34:55 - Rapid fire questions
40:05 - Basketball role models
41:05 - Greece national team system and possibly coming back this summer - for FIBA U18 European Championship 2022
42:00 - About the 2004/2005 Greek generation
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
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Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast - this week we are talking about Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) with Andrew Petcash, an NIL expert who runs the substack Petcash Post.
Before that … let’s take a quick look around the world of basketball for the Big Three
2:10 - Story we are watching - a possible Covid-19 outbreak in German basketball
5:50 - Young player of the week - Franz Wagner lighting up Milwaukee with 38 points for Orlando
7:00 - Up-coming event we are watching - If EuroLeague has any games this week
Before we get into the talk with Andrew Petcash, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast with Serbian center Marko Pecarski from Borac Cacak - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
12:20 - Sneak preview of interview
And now onto our Interview of the Week … we hope you enjoy this chat with Andrew Petcash - 19:10
19:45 - What is NIL - Name, Image and Likeness
22:00 - What kinds of brands are involved and what NIL deals can look like
25:45 - What kind of money is involved at the moment
27:10 - How do these deals get set up
29:40 - Thoughts on the deal that Mikey Williams signed with Puma
31:40 - About states allowing for NIL in high schools
33:50 - About high school players possibly moving to different states to also sign NIL deals
35:55 - Other states close to legalizing NIL deals
36:40 - How a player can get paid in a crypto-currency in Web 3.0
40:20 - Describing what an NFT is and how players can produce one
44:55 - About international players not being allowed to sign NIL deals
49:25 - Coaches’ reactions to the NIL world and how they are using them in recruiting
Are you looking for more Taking The Charge? Here are the first 300 episodes of Taking The Charge, just click here and head over to heinnews.com.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
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Welcome back to the Taking The Charge Podcast - this week we are talking about pre-game shows of major events, focusing on the 2021 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Cologne, Germany. And we are talking to Francesca Mei, the New Events and Entertainment Senior Manager at Euroleague Basketball.
Before we get into the talk with Francesca Mei, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast with French point guard Hugo Benitez from JL Bourg en Bresse - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
3:00 - Hugo Benitez interview sneak preview
And now onto our interview with Francesca Mei about the 2021 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Cologne, Germany.We hope you enjoy the interview
8:00 - Her duties as New Events and Entertainment Senior Manager at Euroleague Basketball
10:00 - Possible role models in this career
12:40 - About Filmmaster Events, the agency which created and produced the award-winning EuroLeague Final Four pre-game show
15:25 - About the pre-game show creation process and how it changed after it was determined fans could not attend the event
17:10 - What does augmented reality mean
19:05 - About winning first and third place awards at the Best Event Awards (BEA) World - first place: category Digital Transformation; third place: category Use of Technology
22:00 - What gave the EuroLeague show the edge to win the awards
25:30 - About taking third place the the BEA Best Sports Events category for the 2019 EuroLeague Final Four at the Fernando Buesa Arena in Vitoria Gasteiz
27:05 - The time frame to produce the whole show
30:40 - Current status of the 2022 EuroLeague Final Four in Berlin at the Mercedes Benz Arena from May 27-29
33:15 - Plans on-going for a show in Berlin with and without fans
36:40 - Any secret details about the 2022 EuroLeague Final Four show
37:00 - When does relaxation kick in at the Final Four
39:50 - What her biggest nightmare/worry was in the build-up to Cologne
Here is a video of the pre-game show
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
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This week’s interview is with Kris Thiesen, head coach of the St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo and director and head coach of Tokyo Samurai. We deep dive into youth hoops in Japan.
Before we get into the talk with Kris Thiesen, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast with German guard Len Schoormann - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
3:25 - Len Schoormann sneak preview
And now onto our interview with Kris Thiesen about youth hoops in Japan - We hope you enjoy the interview
8:10 - Youth structures in Japanese basketball
13:50 - What types of kids are playing in the B.League U18 league
15:45 - What are some hotbeds for Japanese hoops
17:05 - State of the game in Japan and its development over recent years
20:45 - Basketball’s status compared to baseball in Japan
22:35 - What happens to players after high school
27:40 - International school leagues in Japan
32:20 - Club and school playing year round
33:55 - Impact of Avi Schafer being brought into the Japanese national team ranks as someone from international schools
39:30 - Three Tokyo Samurai players at U18 Japanese training camp for FIBA U18 Asian Championship 2022
42:15 - Who are some players who have come through the St. Mary’s school and/or Samurai
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
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This week’s interview is with Carlos Martinez, founder of EcoBallution, which takes old fishing netting and other trash from the oceans and turns them into products including basketball and football/soccer nets - among other projects
Before we get into the talk with Carlos Martinez, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast with Hungarian point guard Adam Somogyi - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
4:25 - Adam Somogyi sneak preview
10:55 - What is EcoBallution
13:45 - How did the idea start
20:20 - How long did it take to go from idea to first products
22:10 - Where are the EcoBallution nets being used
23:50 - How does it feel to have nets being used by ACB’s U12 Minicopa Endesa
25:00 - What’s been the reaction to the nets and products
26:20 - How many nets is EcoBallution producing
27:15 - Motto of EcoBallution and next goals for group
29:10 - How can others get involved?
32:00 - Thanking him for his work and effort
Here are the links and contact for EcoBallution
https://ecoballution.com/
https://twitter.com/ecoballution
https://www.instagram.com/ecoballution/
Email: contacto@ecoballution.com
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
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This week’s interview is with Don Showalter, who never lost as head coach of the USA cadet team at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship and FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup - claiming 10 gold medals at the continental or world level from 2009 to 2010. Now he is serving for USA Basketball as the Coach Director, Youth & Sport Development.
Before we get into the talk with Don Showalter, we would like to give you a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast with Finnish power forward Mikael Jantunen - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
3:05 - Mikael Jantunen sneak preview
Okay, then let’s get to the big interview for the week. As mentioned, this is our chat with Don Showalter and we talk about the following topics:
7:50 - Duties as coach director, youth and sports development with USA Basketball - and his history with Dirk Nowitzki
11:25 - how USA Basketball finds high character guys
18:00 - how do you put together a team in such a short time before a competition
23:30 - do any of the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup titles mean more than any of the others
28:40 - Falling behind Canada by more than 20 points early in the second quarter of the Final of the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2015 and coming back
35:15 - About the 2014 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup Final - a 99-92 win over Australia
39:40 - Is the world actually catching up with the rest of the United States?
45:05 - Shotclock in the United States
50:30 - A look ahead to the United States at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022.
If you enjoyed this interview or any of the other content on the Taking The Charge substack, please, do yourself a favor and click on that “Subcribe now” button. That way you will not miss any posts when they are published. If you decide to be a paid subscriber, you will get access to the Taking The Charge Prospects podcast as well as the archived editions of the Talking Talent podcast.
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This week on the Taking The Charge podcast is Boki Nachbar, the managing director of the Euroleague Players Association (ELPA).
Before we get into the talk with Boki Nachbar, here is a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast with French power forward Alexandre Sarr - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
3:20 - Alexandre Sarr sneak preview.
Let’s move to the big interview of the week. We talk to ELPA managing director Boki Nachbar about the following topics:
5:40 - State of the EuroLeague this season
8:30 - How has your game-watching changed since you took over as ELPA managing director
11:55 - Beginning of the ELPA
17:25 - First things ELPA wanted to work on
22:00 - Feeling of getting the Euroleague Framework Agreement started
24:20 - How his relationship with Euroleague Basketball has changed since the start and development of ELPA
28:15 - “Role models” as a managing director of a players association
31:55 - How would his career been different if he came up in the game now
35:15 - How are players covered who are not in the EuroLeague any more
38:35 - Thoughts on EuroLeague considering being a closed league
42:15 - The FIBA-EuroLeague dispute and the FIBA windows
45:25 - The departure of Jordi Bertomeu and his legacy
48:20 - Watching Luka Doncic and what he means to Slovenia
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This week on the Taking The Charge podcast is Benjamin Schröder, a 2003-born German wing who is playing for KICKZ IBAM this season and will play next season with the Oklahoma Sooners.
Before we get into the talk with Benjamin Schröder, here is a sneak peak of the Taking The Charge Prospects Podcast with German point guard Justus Hollatz - which is part of the paid subscription section of the TTC substack.
Click below and subscribe by the end of Black Friday and save 20 percent on your monthly or yearly subscription
2:40 - Justus Hollatz sneak preview.
Let’s move to the big interview of the week. We talk to 2003-born German talent Benjamin Schröder about the following topics:
6:30 - Why he picked Oklahoma
9:10 - What attracts him to US style of basketball
11:10 - What things about the US he is looking forward to experiencing
13:25 - About American football and Sooners QBs, former basketball alumni
14:50 - A test about Oklahoma
17:35 - Lessons from being relegated at FIBA U16 European Championship 2019
24:05 - About winning the German U16 national title
25:50 - About going from FC Bayern Munich to KICKZ IBAM
30:05 - About sneakers and cooperation with Kickz
32:10 - Beating Bayern in NBBL U19 league
36:50 - Talking to other Germans about playing in college
38:50 - Thoughts about future Big 12 opponents
40:30 - About being part of a promising German future
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This week on the Taking The Charge podcast is Henrik Dettmann, the head coach of Finland’s senior national team as well as a member on the FIBA Competition Commission Youth Basketball.
This week we talk to Henrik Dettmann about the following topics:
3:35 - How the Finnish players are doing around Europe
4:30 - State of the Finnish team and the next generation of youngsters
6:30 - The two games to start the FIBA World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers - in Stockholm against Sweden and then at home against Croatia in Espoo.
8:15 - General thoughts about the FIBA windows.
9:30 - Qualifying for fifth straight FIBA EuroBasket.
11:30 - The background on Mikael Jantunen leaving Utah in the United States to come back and play in the FIBA window in February 2021
14:25 - The FIBA EuroBasket 2022: Playing in Group D in Prague with Serbia, Czech, Poland, Israel and Netherlands.
16:35 - Youth teams in Finland - with all three U16, U18 and U20 teams being in Division B
20:30 - Duties of the FIBA Competitions Commission - Youth Basketball
23:30 - Suggestions to improve the youth events
26:45 - The structure of youth championships around the globe
30:35 - Calls for FIBA U20 European Championship to be discontinued
33:30 - The FIBA U15 and U17 Skills Challenges
35:55 - Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on youth development in countries
38:25 - Situation in Finland during Covid-19 pandemic
40:00 - Other suggestions for the Youth Commission
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The wait is over … after three and a half years … the Taking The Charge podcast is back. We start off the relaunch of the show with Jorge Garbajosa, the president of the Spanish Basketball Federation FEB and also a member of the FIBA Central Board.
In this episode we talk to Jorge Garbajosa about:
5:20 - having fans back in the stands
7:20 - the retirement of Pau Gasol
9:40 - the future of the Spanish national team
13:45 - accomplishments as FEB president
16:35 - next tasks ahead
18:45 - the lack of Spanish players on some teams in the league
22:30 - 3x3 basketball
29:10 - FIBA-Euroleague dispute
33:30 goals of the FIBA Competition Commission.
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