Markus Hallgrimson Is A German Playing The Game He Loves In Morocco, Africa

Markus Hallgrimson (video) is a 34 year old 190 cm German-American guard that has a shocking resemblance to American actor Kirk Cameron that became famous for the hit TV show Growing Pains. Since starting his basketball career in 1995, he has been somewhat of a nomad having found 13 different teams in this time. He went to the States in 1995 to have the total high school experience playing for Mercer Island. In 1996, he returned back to Germany playing for USC Heidelberg. He then decided to return back to the States and play NCAA2 ball for Montana State-Billings from 1997-2000.

He led the NCAA in 1999-2000 with an all-time NCAA record 6.2 three pointers per game. He also set a new NCAA record with 16 three pointers in one game. He scored 51, 50 and 45 points and averaged 24 points per game, 4th best in the US for Div. II. He was voted to the 1st team NCAA Div. II All-American team. Hallgrimson then returned to Germany and from 2000-2004, he played for Avitos Giessen, BCJ Hamburg NVV Monchengladbach, TSK Wurzburg and BG Chemnitz. In 2004-2005, he left Germany and headed Spain for a short stay playing for Los Barrios Cadix (Spain-LEB1) but was released in October playing 4 games and averaging 3.7ppg 0.2apg. In April 2005, he signed at Geneve Devils (Switzerland-LNA) playing 13 games and averaging 12.0ppg, 1.2rpg, 2.2apg, 2FGP: 60.0%, 3FGP: 35.7%; In the playoffs, he played 12 games averaging 9.0ppg, 1.2rpg, 1.6apg, 2FGP: 83.3%, 3FGP: 35.7%. In 2005, he played briefly at TV Langen, before returning back to the Geneve Devils (Switzerland-LNA) playing 15 games and averaging 10.3ppg, 1.3rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 34.4%, 3PT: 41.1%, FT: 93.8%.

In 2006-2007, he left the Geneve Devils and then went back to Germany to play for ASC Theresianum Mainz and for the Mitteldeutscher BC playing 21 games and averaging 11.4ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 54.3%, 3FGP: 40.9%, FT: 63.6%. In 2007-2008, he went to England to play for the Worcester Wolves (United Kingdom-BBL) playing 6 games averaging 7.5ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 25.0%, 3PT: 19.7%, and in Nov.’07 moved to SCH Wuerzburg Baskets (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 20 games and averaging 17.5ppg. In 2008-2009, he continued with SCH Wuerzburg Baskets (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 24 games and averaging 11.1ppg.

This season, he is playing in Africa in Morocco for the Ithri Nador Baskets. He had a talk with German Hoops about all kinds of topics.

Hi Markus, thanks for talking to German Hoops. You will be starting your 10th professional season. Not tired yet?

Not too tired yet. I still love the game and love to be a part of a team.

How do you motivate yourself each summer when you are one year older to work hard for the next season with conditioning?

It gets tougher, the older you get. But having been raised in a USA basketball mentality, it becomes a lifestyle. No one tells you that you have to stop playing at age 30+. You play as long as you can. This is what I always wanted to do. It’s a great and fun job.

You have been jumping around European leagues quite a bit the last years. How is the nomadic lifestyle??

I love it. I love the travel and life experiences it brings. Spending months at a time in different cultures, allows me to meet new people and new friends for life. Networking.

Last season, you played for Wurzburg in the Regionaliga. Are you surprised that you were never able to have a long career in the BBL?

I’m not surprised. That’s German basketball. You get labelled as a certain player, regardless if you have changed over years as a player or person. There are no 2nd chances. I know, I could have been in the BBL my whole career, but I made mistakes also, which cost me. When I did play in the BBL, I was successful.

Isn´t a league like the German Regionaliga kind of an insult to your playing qualities?

Not at all. I went back to Wuerzburg, because I had a good time there in the BBL and my girlfriend still lived there. I was convinced of the new managements outlook for the future. Sometimes it is not the level, but the situation. And the situation in Wuerzburg was good. We might have played in the RLSO, but everything else in Wuerzburg was Pro A/BBL standard.

Now you are about to jump into an adventure in Morocco. How did you decide to play in Africa next season?

Well, this job came out of nowhere. A former teammate of mine(Hamburg Tigers)Mark Considine, called me up one day and told me about this situation in Morocco. I felt it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. It should be very interesting and a fun adventure!!

Where will you be playing and what are you expecting to experience in Morocco?

I will be playing for a team called Ithri Rif Nador. (www.inthribasket.com)
It is located 10 minutes from the Spanish enclave of Melilla. The team has only been in the 1. league for one season, so I hope our team can improve from last season’s 4th place.
I also want to experience the Moroccan culture and learn something about their interesting history.

You are German-American. What was your childhood like?

Well, I was born in Loerrach, Germany while my father was an exchange teacher. My family then moved to Langen in 1979, where my dad coached TV Langen to the BBL in 1981. I grew up in the TV Langen youth program and still reside there to this day.

Who were your basketball idols growing up?

Magic, Bird, Dr.J, Jordan, Kerr

You started with the TV Langen juniors in the early 80s and returned in 1995 and 2005 shortly to play there. What were the biggest changes that have happened with TV Langen in this time??

The Frankfurt Skyliners came into the Region. Langen has had a successful program since many years.

You then went to high school in the States and played at Montana State Billings. Did you develop into such a good shooter at Montana State or were you already a deadly shooter before that?

My dad Paul was a great shooter. He passed it down to me.

You still have two NCAA Records, making 6,2 three pointers per game and 16 in one game. That is pretty amazing. Did you have the automatic green light from your coach to just shoot in games?

Yes, I did. I was lucky to be in a program, where the shooting guard had the green light. The team was always in the Top 3 in NCAA D2 in Scoring and 3-pointers made. The guys before and after me led the nation in 3 pointers made. I just took it to the next level.

How many shots did you usually take per day at Montana and did that change as you became professional?

Hard work pays off. If you want to become a good shooter, you have to put in the work. Minimum 300 shots on a work day. At MSU-billings I shot 500.
Muscle memory.

After having so much success at making three pointers, were you able to know at the release point if the shot was going in or not?

I think every good shooter knows when he releases it, that it will be going in or not. Repetition, technique and practice.

You played NCAA 2, but how much coverage did you get at this time with your great three point shooting?

Playing NCAA D2 doesnt mean anything negative. All levels in the USA are competitive. NCAA D1,2,3, NAIA and even Juco. I personally led the nation in 3 pointers made my last two seasons. I was preseason All-American my last year and at the end of my senior year, I was 1st team All-Conference, 1st team All-West region, 2nd team All-American. 3rd in NCAA D2 in scoring. The two highest points in a game in NCAA D2, 51 and 50. I also hit 71 3-pointers in my last 7 NCAA games. And I am still one of the best 3-point shooter’s in NCAA History. I think, that is enough recognition. But, All these accomplishments dont mean anything over here. It is nice to know that you accomplished something in the past, but overseas in Europe, half the people dont even know what NCAA means and don’t really care.

In your Eurobasket profile it says that you have NBA potential. Was it ever a dream of yours to play in the NBA?

I don’t know who wrote that on my profile, but I never had that dream. I always knew in High School/College, that I would play in Europe if I worked hard. That was my big picture. My goal was to become a professional player. And now I even made it to Africa.

Were you simply too one dimensioanl just with good shooting? What other strengthes do you have?

I might have been coming right out of College, but players keep developing. Today, I still have my shot, but take pride in my passing and team play. I guess I’m just a Veteran now. You can’t buy experience.

You played in Germany, Spain and Switzerland. Where did you have your nicest basketball experience?

All the places I played at, gave me a lot of life experiences, on and off the court.
For basketball, it has to be these 3 teams.
2002 2.BBL North Champions, Hamburg Tigers. Crazy year (team went bankrupt), but the best TEAM I’ve ever been apart of.
2005 Swiss LNA Vice-Champions Geneva Devils.
2009 RLSO Champions Wuerzburg Baskets (my first ever Undefeated season).

Do you follow the BBL league? Why isn´t basketball more popular in Germany and no TV deal?

Not really. To me, the BBL is the CBA of Europe. I just hope they change the rules in the future, to give more Germans chances to play in the BBL. There is enough talent out there. look at the national team. There are 5 players with NO Contract(JOB). Also, not just basketball has problems and no TV deal, but all other sports in Germany have trouble vs. Football. Germany is a football country. I think it’s unbelievable that Germany has one of the best player’s in the World in Dirk Nowitzki, and people can’t even watch an NBA game on TV. Nowitzki has been on Top for a while now. Football, soccer,Football. That’s it!!!

What is the biggest problem that the BBL or German basketball has?

The People in power positions have no basketball background. But think they do.

What would you like to do after your basketball career?

I have already started on my future after basketball. My father, has a student exchange business and has been sending foreign exchange students to High Schools in the US for the past 25 years. A lot of the students he sends are athletes from various sports. Some former students include, H. Meew(Olympic Silver metalist, 2004) Henrik Roedl, Dennis Wucherer, Marko Pesic, Jan Jagla, Konrad Wysocki, David.Arigbabu, and many more. I have helped him in the past and for the last 3 years, I’m in charge of the college division. I find talented players scholarships to play College basketball. For example; I placed 6 male and 2 female student athlete’s at various colleges around the USA for this up and coming school year.

Do people ever mix you up for the actor Kirk Cameron? On your eurobasket foto, you look just like him.

lol. No, never had that happen to me.

Do you think that your daughters will play basketball one day?

I hope not. No, they are into gymnastics and tennis at the moment. They have enough time to figure out what their passion is.

What was the last DVD that you saw?

Michael Jackson’s Number Ones

Thanks for the interview. Good luck in Morocco!!