“Would like to be the next John Patrick”

Ludwigsburg. In 2018, Josh King was still working under John Patrick as an assistant coach at the MHP giants Ludwigsburg and last season he took on a head coaching position at the Czech first division basketball team USK Prague for the first time. Despite his three years in Ludwigsburg, his language skills are not yet sufficient for a conversation in German. “But I promise: If I stay here as long as John Patrick was here, I’ll be able to speak German,” laughs King in an interview with our newspaper.

John Patrick still casts a big shadow in Ludwigsburg – does that influence your work in Ludwigsburg?

I’m replacing a very good coach. But John is also a mentor and a friend. It doesn’t matter whether I was in Ludwigsburg, Prague or Brisbane – I was always in contact with him. I don’t see it as extra pressure. Because whenever you take on a position, there is pressure to be successful. John did a great job and I’m trying to continue that.

How is your relationship with John Patrick?

John is a really good friend of mine, not just a colleague. We speak daily. That was already the case last year when I was in Prague. That’s what happens when you have a mentor or someone you look up to.

Looking at the team straight away, how much of Josh King and how much of John Patrick is in the giant roster?

First we put the squad together as a team. I have good assistants that I can rely on for scouting. Of course I sometimes ask John for his opinion, but it’s not his team that has been put together for this season. We will still have a similar style of play as under John Patrick.

Weren’t there any thoughts of changing this?

As the saying goes: If something isn’t broken, you don’t have to fix it. I only worked for John in Europe before and was on my own in Prague. I’m not John, I’m Josh. With me as coach, we will primarily think defensively and play physically. We have players who can play many positions and we will have a small line-up, it’s no secret.

John Patrick was a trainer and manager in one person. Are you going to continue like this?

That’s the coach’s role here. When you’re a head coach, you can’t coach players you didn’t choose. President Alexander Reil allows the coach to choose the players he wants to coach. My role in this is the same as John Patrick had last year.

In the basketball Bundesliga there is a group of successful young coaches, including Tuomas Iisalo and Pedro Calles. Are these sporting role models for you?

The two are among the best basketball coaches in the world. Pedro was immediately successful in Vechta, he is in his fifth year, now in Oldenburg. He always made the playoffs. Of course I would like to have the same success.

Who influenced your way of playing basketball?

Basketball here in Europe is a different sport than in the US. It’s more of a team sport, which I think is great, it’s more intense. I always say that ever since I’ve been in Europe, John Patrick has really influenced my philosophy and idea of ​​the game. We want players here in Ludwigsburg who can play offense and defense very well.

How have your last few weeks been?

I was at the Summer League in the US in early July. We signed the last player on our schedule in Ronnie Harrell a week ago. We had our core of German players very early on, which is necessary. After that we had five import players early on.

So your squad is complete?

Yes. We start with six import players in the preparation. We have a lot of talented German players, as well as veterans like Yorman Polas Bartolo, Eddy Edigin, who last played for Pedro Calles in Hamburg, and Jonathan Bähre, who stayed with us.

But overall the team is significantly younger than last year and has lost experienced top performers in captain Jonas Wohlfarth-Bottermann, Jordan Hulls and Tremmell Darden.

Wobo went to Hamburg, Jordan ended his career. Of course I would have liked to keep both of them here. But when those two left, we focused on getting younger players. It doesn’t have to mean that it will be better – hopefully it will be. But we wanted young, hungry guys that we can push every day.

Isn’t that a risky path – after all, young Americans in particular often have a hard time in their first year in Germany?

Sure, but experience doesn’t mean that you’re better. There is a risk with every signing, but especially with inexperienced players who have never been here. Until we’ve seen the players in training there’s always some concern, but at the same time it’s a surprise I’m looking forward to.

What about Tremmell Darden? Could he play another year in Ludwigsburg?

Tremmell is almost 41 years old. I don’t know what will happen.

And if he says he wants to come back, is there a place in Ludwigsburg for him?

Based on the current status, I would say there would be one here. But we must remain patient for several reasons.

In your presentation as a giant coach, you mentioned that you are very well connected in college basketball. How much did that help this transfer summer?

It can always help to get information about players quickly. I can just pick up the phone and research players. But of course, almost all teams now have well-functioning scouting systems. We also only signed one player straight from college in Ben Shungu.

Where is the team stronger this year than last year?

That is hard to say. I would say we are younger. In a relay race we would probably win. But we have to get the guys on the floor and then see where we are stronger and weaker. We probably have more energy, but that doesn’t say anything about whether we’ll be better.

Is there a goal that you have announced for the coming season?

It sounds cliche, but the goal is simply to get better every day. Of course there is a high standard of success in Ludwigsburg. The team was very successful for three years. But I generally don’t like long-term goals. Of course I would like to get into the playoffs and have a successful season here in Ludwigsburg, but if you get better every day it solves some problems and answers most questions.

Is there anything you still want to achieve in the next few years?

Naturally. In my head I would like to be the next John Patrick. But in order to achieve long-term goals, you have to tackle the short-term goals.

Is there a player in the squad you’re most looking forward to?

That’s like asking a father who his favorite child is (laughs).

Exactly.

These are all new guys. I already know what they’re bringing. But I look forward to Friday like a child to Christmas. I’m so excited about what we’re going to see on the floor in the first practice session. We scouted intensively, I think we know what the guys can bring to the team. Just look at Markell Johnson on Youtube.

But every player looks great on highlight snippets on the video platform.

Exactly. That’s often the case in scouting. Three years ago we had a boy whose name was Jaleen Smith. Today it’s easy to say that he’s a great player. Just like Khadeen Carrington, Nick Weiler-Babb, Thomas Wimbush or Tanner Leissner. The guys are good, but back then they were completely unknown. I coached Jaleen Smith in college. And I would be lying if I said it was foreseeable at the time that he would make it into the Euroleague. Let’s just wait and see. Sometimes it takes patience. If you put a steak in marinade, you also have to let it sit patiently. But I’m looking forward to it.

You mentioned Tanner Leissner. According to our information, he was about to return to Ludwigsburg.

There were conversations. I’ve known Tanner for a long time, but it just didn’t work out. But there’s no bad blood, there’s always an open door and we’ll see what the future brings.

How was your basketball career?

I got a scholarship to college after Trinity High School in North Carolina. I started coaching right after college. Knowing what I know now, I probably would have tried my luck in Europe back then. I don’t know if it would have been enough for the BBL. Probably more for the second division. I was never a star, but I was a good shot.

Then why did you become a coach?

People in the US don’t know much about basketball in Europe. Thanks to the Euroleague, however, it is now becoming somewhat more popular. But I was in the same boat back then. I thought to myself: If I can’t play in the NBA, where should I go? I had no connection to get to Europe in any way. And I always knew that one day I wanted to be a coach. But today I always say to the players: play as long as you can. I think Tremmell Darden is quite good at that (laughs).