Speak ya clout is a series of heart to heart conversations, exclusively found at BSTN Chronicles. From insiders of the fashion business to blazers of new trails and creative forces from other industries, topics vary for each conversation. This time, we sat down with a pioneer of European basketball players (and buzz cuts) in the NBA, 3x All Star, and 2x Sixth Man of the Year Detlef Schrempf.
On playing the stacked forward positions in the mid to late 90s:
Oh yeah, it was definitely a challenge. I mostly played as a Small Forward throughout my career – even though I did play some two guard and also some Power Forward, depending on who we were playing against. But the Small Forward position was the high-scoring position in the NBA for many years. When I came in, there were guys like Larry Bird, Alex English, Kiki Vandeweghe, Mark Aguirre … all those guys averaging 25 points per game. And they were shooting the ball a lot. So you had to be ready to play in every game because the guy you were defending was getting up 25 or maybe even 30 shots every night. It was certainly competitive, but it was a great position to play.
Early on, it might have been a little more defined whether you were a Small Forward or a Power Forward. But over the years, it changed, and you couldn’t really tell the difference a whole lot anymore. In the 90s, many guys were doing similar things at both positions, also depending on offensive and defensive matchups.
It’s always a challenge because you’re playing against the best 400 players in the world, but I enjoyed the challenge because those reps on the highest level also hardened you.
On who he looked forward to playing against the most:
I guess the thing I looked forward to the most was playing on the biggest stage. When you play against a team that might not be doing so well and the arena is not full, it certainly makes a difference on the atmosphere. That’s why I always enjoyed playing in places like the Boston Garden, when the Celtics were good, or in New York at Madison Square Garden.
That also includes playing in rivalry games. When I was in Indiana, we didn’t really get along with the Pistons or the Bulls. And when I played for Seattle, we looked forward to our games against the Blazers – with Portland being basically just a few hours down the freeway – but also our games against the Lakers.
Also, for us, it was also nice to get into a market where there was a little sunshine. (laughs) In Seattle, the weather can be grey and rainy a lot. So, it was nice to be in Phoenix or in Miami every once in a while and see the sun.
On the NBA potentially returning to Seattle:
We certainly still have hope here in the city. We still have a great support system for NBA basketball. There is a very strong base for Sonics fans. The NBA is still holding its cards pretty close to its chest. We have not heard anything like: “We will get a team back to Seattle, it’s just a matter of time.” Nothing like this has happened yet. I think that Seattle has always been and still is an option, but it’s all part of the ongoing negotiations about which cities might be part of a potential expansion. It’s been fifteen years already, time goes by quick. Hopefully we can get a timetable soon.
On his memories of the adidas Top Ten:
Basketball was not necessarily a priority for the brand at that time. When I started, they had a great shoe in the Top Ten. I’ve gone through two or three different versions of that shoe. There were heavier ones and lighter versions as the shoe evolved. For my feet, which are not the best, it was difficult to find the right fit. But once I did, I was able to play in the Top Ten for many years.
On being part of the original print ad campaign for the Top Ten in Germany:
In the NBA, the majority of the guys were with Nike at the time. And there were some other, smaller brands but most of them would not be around for a very long time. So, for me, it was cool to be a part of this German brand both here in the US as well as back home in Germany.
When it comes to ads in magazines though, there wasn’t much marketing involving me personally in the States but at least we did a little bit back in Germany. (grins)
I’ve always wanted to make an impact in Germany and therefore I was looking for a partner to help me do that. And together with adidas, we were able to make an impact through the different camps, including the ABC camps, and the streetball tournaments that we did together. I still remember the final tournaments of the streetball tours, which took place in Berlin most of the time. Those were always the biggest events and something that I really enjoyed.
On whether he ever thinks of playing in today’s game and launching way more threes than he was able to back in the day:
Oh yeah, I think I definitely would enjoy playing in today’s game. My body would probably be in better shape than it is, too, because it’s not as rough as it was when we played. But the game just evolves based on analytics, increased shooting, and long rebounds. It’s just a different game than it used to be.
That being said, I always had a hard time taking a lot of shots. Coaches would often tell me that I needed to shoot more. I think my highest number of FGA was 25 [in a 2OT game]. But most of the time, I would not take more than ten or eleven shots per game. It just wasn’t in my nature to shoot more. I always looked to get everyone else involved.
But if they told me to jack it up and take significantly more threes, I’d probably adjust to it. (laughs)
On the success of European players in the NBA:
When I started, I was by myself. Plus I had gone through the American high school and college route. There was hardly any scouting in Europe for players though. When we played in the European championships, there were maybe two or three pro scouts in the building. It’s a totally different situation now. Today, the game is global. Not only does the NBA make a lot of money in markets outside of the United States, but scouts are working all over the globe now, too.
I believe that European players in particular have had so much success because in Europe, they are not restricted to coach the guys. There are so many restrictions here in the US at the high school level, at the college level, how many hours you can actually train and work with the guys, and so on. Then you throw in AAU basketball, which is not necessarily helpful in developing players because only certain guys handle the ball. In Europe, you don’t have those restrictions. It’s a lot different from a youth development standpoint as a whole, not just a difference in teaching the fundamentals of the game.
From a youth development standpoint, I think Europe has jumped ahead of the United States when it comes to what they are actually teaching the players. There are obviously still tons of talent in the US as basketball is one of the if not the major sport for most kids growing up. Whereas in Germany and many other European countries, that’s still soccer. But from a training and coaching standpoint, I think young players get exposed to a lot more in Europe than they do here.
