Q&A with eurobasket.com

by Moritz Korff - May 31, 2008

It's never easy if you leave home to start a job some place you have never been before. Especially when you are going overseas for the first time in your life. Like Stephen Cramer (188-G, college: Hope (MI)). Coming out of a small town in Michigan with a population of about 1,000, he decided to make the big step to Europe after having completed a stellar NCAA-career at Division 3-powerhouse Hope College in 2007 and having received recognition as an All-American as well as MVP-honors in the MIAA. He signed with the COOCOON Baskets Weiden and made an impact from day one. At least when Cramer scored 54 points for his new team in a preseason game, Weiden's Coach Uwe Glaser knew that he had picked the right player. And Cramer continued to put up outstanding numbers. Actually through the whole campaign, as he finished his rookie-season with a league-leading 32.2 points per contest and was named to the Eurobasket All-Regionalliga South-East First Team.Stephen took the time to answer some of our questions. If you want to learn more about Stephen Cramer, please check out his website: http://www.stephencramer.com

Please sum up your first season as a pro. Did it run like you had expected?
Honestly, I didn't really know what to expect in my first season as a professional basketball player. I also didn't know what it was going to be like living overseas since I had never been to Europe before this past year. I just wanted to be the best player that I could be and help the team the best I could. But as far as expectations I really didn't have any because I didn't know what to expect.

You scored 32.2 points per game for Weiden during this past season. In your senior-year at Hope College you had 17 points on average. Do the players in the NCAA Division 3 attach greater importance to defense than the players in the German Regionalliga?
There was more emphasis on defense in college than in the Regionalliga. However part of the difference from college to Weiden was that we had a team with lots of scorers so I didn't need to shoot as often and we often won by a large margin so I didn't play nearly as many minutes as I did this past season.

Besides your ability to score. What else makes your game special?
Well I have never tried to just be a scorer just be to an all-around player. I just try to see how the team is that I am on and figure out how I can best contribute to give that team the best chance of winning. This past season it was scoring but I feel like I can adapt and find my niche depending on the team. I played both the one and the two and I think I was able to create some things for my teammates.But overall I just try to be a good teammate and continue to encourage my teammates no matter what the situation is. I try to make that the most important part of my game because sometimes people have off days, I know no matter how hard I try there will be games that I don't play the way I want to, but I can always help my team by encouraging them to be a good teammate and do their best.

How did you get along off the court in your first year in Germany?
I felt like I got along pretty well. Obviously there were times where I really missed my family and friends from back home but I also made a good group of friends in the city of Weiden that I will never forget. I am very appreciative of the kindness they showed toward me and they made my transition of living in another country very easy.

Greg Immink, your teammate at Hope College, came to Weiden one year before you signed with the team. Who is going to be the next Flying Dutchman to play overseas?
I am not exactly sure who the next player will be. But a guy named Marcus Vanderheide just graduated from Hope and was an All-American this past season as well. He has shown some interest in playing overseas this next season and if he decides to do that and finds a team I think he can find success.

Hope College advanced to the NCAA 3 Final Four in 2007-08, only one season after you had left school. How does that make you feel? Happy or sad?
My senior year we were one game away from the Final Four. Only 3 points. That is obviously a sad feeling knowing you were so close to a goal that you and your teammates had worked so hard to make and it didn't work out. But as far as the 2007-08 team I think they gained some experience learning from the year before that and they used it to their advantage. I am very happy for them, they deserved to make it and had a great season. Of course I wish I could have made a trip their with a team myself but at Hope we are very close and I am in touch with a lot of those players and when I see them succeed I felt like a part of me succeeded with them.

You will run a basketball camp for children in the USA this summer. What are you going to teach them?
First of all my two favorite things to do are play basketball and work with younger people. So anytime I can do that I am going to have a great time. We are going to work on a lot of different skills and a lot of it has to do with footwork and how to position yourself in certain areas when you are playing. I want to show the kids that they really can become quicker just by using the correct footwork to put themselves in the right position during games. I am also going to give them lots of individual drills that they can use when they go home to become a better player. I also have some people that are going to speak on having good character, integrity and discipline. I want the kids to be able to take some things from the camp that they can not only apply to the basketball caourt but to things that will help them be a better person off the court.

Have you made any plans for the 2008-2009 season yet?
I currently do not know where I will be playing next season. I have been in contact with a few teams but besides that I am just working on my game. My only goal is to become the best player I can be and see how high of a level that can take me. I am not one of those guys who wants to stay in a lower league for a long time and put up a lot of points I would much rather play in a higher league and find a role and continuing to play against better and better players, which I know will make me better. But as of right now I have not counted anything out and we will see what happens next season God willing.

Does a player who averages more than 30 points a game in his rookie-season receive many offers from higher league teams?
Yes I have been in contact with some higher league teams and am just waiting to see if anything materializes.