Posts tagged ‘Marcus Stout’

Whats up!

Its been a while since I have updated you on what has been going on over here in Austria. Well honestly not much has been going on. We are now deep into the season and are entering the part where it starts to get tough to find the energy to get up every day and practice twice a day. But that’s why we are professionals and we put our all into everyday to become the best players and team that we can.

We are currently in third place right now, one game behind first. At one point we had a 2 game lead in first place but we have recently hit a little losing streak and fell back to third place. In every season there are going to be peaks and valleys and right now we are not playing our best basketball. The true character of a team is how they respond when things are not going good. We are confident that we will come out of this an even stronger team and going through this will only make us better in the end. In the league here in Austria after you play each team twice the league is divided into the top six teams and the bottom six teams. All the teams in the top six are very good so we are going to have to bring our A game every night. As basketball players we are very competitive and this is what we live for, to play the best teams every night so it will be a lot of fun.

We have a month and a half left until the playoffs and are focused on getting back on track and finishing strong. We still have our eyes on the championship but are taking it one step at a time. I wasn’t here last year but the team lost the last game, game 5, of the championship series on a very questionable call. We feel like its our turn this year to take what we feel is ours and bring a championship to the Oberwart Gunners!

- Shout out to all the people who have showed me love since I have been here in Oberwart. Marko, Haxi, Peanut, Jason, Ulle, Milan, Zwiebel, Adis aka Boobie, Boris and my road dogs Jae and Byron. If I forgot anyone I’m sorry!

- Here is a video of our game against Vienna. It doesn’t show the actual game but just shows how we prepare for the game and what goes on behind the scenes. It mostly shows Jae, #13 because it was his idea and he did all the talking but it gives you an idea of how we do things.

(Video production by Byron Joynes and Jae Youngblood)

Peace,

Marcus Stout

www.pistonscast.com

Hi everybody!

Its been a while since my first entry and a lot has happened since then. We are now 6 games into the season and our record is 4-2. We lost a tough game last night when the center on the other team, Traiskirchen Lions hit a 3 point shot at the buzzer. We were up 2 points and missed a shot and they pushed the ball down the court and he was trailing all alone and hit the 3 pointer as time expired.

It was a tough road loss but we played good and will learn from it and come back stronger next time. Overall, we have been playing really good so we are just focused on improving everyday and keeping our eyes on the ultimate prize which is winning the championship.

Personally, I am focused on just getting better everyday also. I feel like this is an extra year of preparation for me after college to get to my ultimate goal which is to play at the highest level, the NBA. I think about that every day and keep it on my mind every time I go to the gym so I can push myself to become the best player I can be.

A very interesting situation happened to me off the court also. One day a few of my teammates and I were driving on the autobahn (the highway in the States) and all the lanes were cut off and you had to drive through a back way. There were at least 50 cops back there and they were checking every car that passed through. As we were driving through, they pulled us over and started speaking to us in German. No one in the car spoke German so we were trying our best to communicate with him.

Eventually we had to pull over to the side and he took all my information because I was driving and says that I will have to pay 300 Euros because I didn’t have an Austrian license or a Vignette. A Vignette is a sticker that you must have when you drive on the autobahn. No one informed me of this before this incident.

So we called some people and had to wait about an hour until they came to help us. I ended up having to pay 120 euros for not having the sticker but got out of the rest because the cop was lying about the required Austrian license. The rule is you can be here for about 3 months before you are supposed to get an Austrian license. I knew he was lying because what if a tourist was here? He was basically saying that they wouldn’t be able to drive a car for transportation.

When I told my other teammates the story, they were all laughing and saying this is the first time they have ever heard of someone getting stopped for that. Some of them don’t have it on their cars because they said that the police never check. This whole year is a big learning experience for me so this is just another situation where I am going to learn from.

Other than that everything has been good. They recently opened a hooters and a movie theater here so me and my American teammates had our thanksgiving dinner at Hooters!!!! The theater only shows movies in English on Tuesday’s but we have yet to go catch a movie. I got to talk to my family on Thanksgiving which was great but also put back in my mind how much I miss everyone and wish I was there to laugh and joke with everyone. I hope everyone had a great holiday and I will get back to you soon!

-Marcus Stout

www.pistonscast.com

Hello everyone. My name is Marcus Stout and I am a graduate of Detroit Renaissance High School and Fordham University in the Bronx, New York. I will be blogging about my experiences as a professional basketball player in Europe.

I played summer league with the Detroit Pistons and I am currently playing in Oberwart, Austria for the Oberwart Gunners.  This is my first year out of school and my first time ever being out of the country.  I have been here for about a month now and so far it has been a good experience.

Before I left I had to get everything together and I was running around to different stores and getting things that people told me I would need. I bought things such as a slingbox which allows me to watch the television at home on my computer while I am hers so I can keep up with everything thats going on. I bought a new computer, bulks of toiletries, and some of my favorite foods.  My father accompanied me to Best Buy to get a new computer and while I’m trying to decide which computer I wants he says, I think you should get the most expensive one!!!  I started laughing and thats when it really hit me that I am entering another phase of life because this time I wasn’t spending his money but I was spending my own for the first time.  The day before I left I stayed up all night packing because I wanted to sleep on the flight.

The overall trip took about 18 hours.  I flew to Chicago O’hare airport and had a six hour layover.  Then flew to Warsaw, Poland and finally landed in Vienna, Austria. The flight wasnt that bad because I am used to flying and I was asleep the whole time. Really the only negative was the food because I did not know what it was so I just ate the bread and left the rest of the meal alone.

One of the main reasons I choose to play in Austria this year is because one of my childhood friends, Jae Youngblood also plays here. He told me that it was a good opportunity and I knew that it would help me adjust alot better with him being here for 2 years already.  All the worries that I had before I came over here have not been an issue thus far.  I live in a house with Jae and have my own  car. I took me about a week to learn how to drive stick but I got it down now for the most part.  The food that I have eaten since I been here has been good. The restaurants that I have gone too have served mostly American food. There is a McDonald’s right down the street which didn’t suprise me because there is a McDonald’s on every corner in the States.

So far everything has been a good experience. I don’t want to write too much for the first entry because I have alot to talk about but I will get back to you soon with alot of stories to tell.

P.S- Wanted to give a shoutout to my mom, dad, sister and my girlfriend. I miss you all. I also added some pics of my house and car.

-Marcus Stout

www.pistonscast.com

What’s going on World?

John W. Davis.  I was doing a little youtube searching and look what I came across, some go ole’ Marcus Stout footage.  Check out the video below and watch him make a great game winning layup.  (Marcus is wearing Number 1)  Shoutout to Marcus Stout for being on Episode 61.  Best of luck to Marcus and he has an open invitation to come on Pistonscast anytime.

 Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

Whats up World?

John W. Davis here. Check out our audio interview with Marcus Stout Episode 61.

Marcus is a Detroit native who played collegiately at Fordham University. Marcus played his high school ball at Detroit Renaissance where he was a state champion. He played with the likes of Malik Hairston (San Antonio Spurs), Joe Crawford (Los Angeles Lakers), and Tajuan Porter (University of Oregon star point guard). Basically his team was loaded and he was over looked. After getting an invite by Joe Dumars to a pre-draft workout, he was invited to play for his hometown team in the Summer League.

Marcus talks about his summer league experiences, what’s next for him and what he needs to show NBA personnel to make it to the NBA. (Spoiler: The Pistons’ front office see him as a point guard.) Marcus also stuck around after his interview to host the rest of the show.

Our thanks goes to Marcus Stout and we wish him the best in the future. He is welcomed back on Pistonscast anytime!

Off the Cuff Audio Chat with Marcus Stout

http://www.pistonscast.com/podcasts/pistonscast061.mp3

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

Mystery Guest Revealed!  Episode 60

When we recently spoke to Walter Sharpe he said his mindset would separate him from all the other 2008 Draft Picks. All 59 other picks. He feels that his self confidence and desire will make him a very valuable Detroit Piston. We caught up with Walter Sharpe who was out to dinner at home in Alabama on his way home. (That should speak to you about his character.)

Off the Cuff Audio Chat with Walter Sharpe

http://www.pistonscast.com/podcasts/pistonscast060.mp3

Interview Recap

Pistonscast: Thanks for coming on to the show. When you were drafted by the Detroit Pistons, Joe Dumars, you knew he was going to pick you the whole time…

Walter Sharpe: I had an idea but you never know, with things like Darrell Arthur falling in the draft you never can be too sure.

Pistonscast: How did you feel when you saw guys like DeAndre Jordan, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Bill Walker go after you?

Walter Sharpe: It wasn’t amazing to me, but with nobody really knowing me, it made it a big thing, but I never felt like any of those guys were head and shoulders above me or anything like that. You know I go into every workout just like I don’t know anybody.

Pistonscast: You definitely carry yourself in a poised manner. A lot of people are comparing you to Tayshaun Prince. What do you think about that?

Walter Sharpe: Aww man Tayshaun is a great player man. So being compared to a player like that how can you complain.

Pistonscast: Are their any players in the league now or in the past that you would pattern your game after?

Walter Sharpe: That’s tough man, because it makes it so different because I’m playing the three now, what I used to play the 5 and 4, a three man, a small forward in the game, I like McGrady man.

Pistonscast: Walt, you played inside a lot in the past, in high school, at Mississippi State and at University Alabama Birmingham you played the four and five. Then Joe Dumars and the Pistons are like we need a backup to Tayshaun Prince, What is that transition like?

Walter Sharpe: Its been tough, its not tough like so much as just having the ability to do it, I think I have the offense ability to do it, it’s the transition with the little things like defense, the positioning, moving all the time. Its so much constant movement with the guard spot that it is with playing the 4 and 5. Its more than just shooting the ball and offense doesn’t get you on the court its more defense.

Pistonscast: Walt how would you rank yourself as a defense player, do you consider yourself a defense stopper, do you enjoy playing defense?

Walter Sharpe: Its new to be playing the three, but defense stopper… I wouldn’t quite say im a defense stopper yet…

Pistonscast: Not Yet! But you will be, because the buzz that going around is look at him now and he still doesn’t know how to play the position yet..

Walter Sharpe: Exactly…

Pistonscast: What thoughts when through your mind when you saw guys like DeAndre Jordan not get drafted, and the Pistons selected you at the 32^nd pick?

Walter Sharpe: Well first, what people don’t realize is that those guys are a lot younger than me. I don’t really watch a lot of college basketball, I know Bill Walker and the big name guys but I never really knew them from watching them play. So I never really had the fear or question myself like that. It’s basketball. That’s what I have been doing all my life. I’m looking at players in the NBA who I think I might be able to match up with not really college players.

Pistonscast: Who are you looking at? Are you looking at KG…

Walter Sharpe: Yeah! Yeah! I’m looking at KG and guarding guys like Kobe and T-Mac Im not really concerned with those (college) guys.

Pistonscast: If you can guard KG one night then T-Mac another night and then Kobe the next… They don’t have a digit made up for the amount of money that you are gonna be worth.

Walter Sharpe: Those guys its about containing its not about stopping Kobe, we wont even bring that up right now we’ll wait like two or three years to bring that conservation up…

We not even gonna talk about that man, Kobe and T-Mac man, I’m just saying that’s what I’m looking at as far as those guys should go before me. I looked at the guys in my class, I was in the class with Josh Smith and Dwight and all those guys. I was in the class of ’04 coming out of high school. I really like seeing their games and seeing them play.

Pistonscast: What is like then when you see Josh Smith and Dwight Howard guys you were in the high school class with, already excelling in the NBA?

Walter Sharpe: It’s like I seen them in high school and through out that process and all them was good now, I played with Dwight and all them guys but it makes you think like man, I should be there. It’s almost like motivation to go out and work harder and get there myself.

Our thanks to Walt Sharpe! We will catch him another time on Pistonscast.

Stay tuned for Episode 61 when Marcus Stout a member of the 2008 Detroit Pistons Summer League team will be a special co-host, only on www.pistonscast.com

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com