“I see myself as a leader”

Quite a few had rated your move a year ago from ex-serial master Bamberg to almost relegated Crailsheim as a step backwards.

Stuckey: Oh, I don’t really care what others say. For me personally, it was a special situation in Bamberg at the time, in which it no longer worked for me, what can happen. Crailsheim was already on a play-off spot at the time, and in the first discussions with Tuomas I noticed that it can go well together for both sides. In terms of sport and emotions, that was the right decision then and from today’s perspective, because I just wanted to go back to the field and gamble.

In Crailsheim you are a top performer, this season you spend almost 18 minutes per game on the floor, often during the important phases of a game.

Stuckey: I also see myself as a leader, as an emotional leader, as someone who helps young players and newcomers and gives tips. I think I’m doing a pretty good job defensively. In the attack I stumble a little, which may also be related to my fluctuating playing times. But the coach trusts me, so that’s okay. And I am sure that the knot will still burst offensively!

Now it goes back for you with the Merlins to Würzburg, where actually ??

Stuckey: ?? That’s not quite true with my return, because Würzburg is now the center of my life. My friend Sabine and my little daughter Solea, who will soon be half a year old, are at home here. I make sure that I can be here as often as possible. The last time I was in Würzburg was on Wednesday (December 30th), when we had no training after the Ulm game the day before. Crailsheim is just under an hour away. And of course, when I switched a year ago, it also played a role that I didn’t have to sit on the train for six hours to see my family. That was extremely important to me. Because logically the priorities have shifted. You used to hang out with your buddies in your free time or play PlayStation. Now a different time management is required so that the professionalism and focus on basketball does not suffer.

Last summer you also had time for some old companions with whom you threw a few baskets in the Baskets training center on Frankfurter Strasse.

Stuckey: Yes, that was a nice group, including Brazzo Henneberger, Felix Hoffmann, Joe Richter, Max Ugrai and Consti Ebert. And now I can count myself as a Würzburger (laughs)! I hope that we can do that again this year and that Corona doesn’t put a spanner in the works.

Felix Hoffmann will cross paths this Sunday in the s.Oliver Arena in an encounter in which the Merlins are favorites, right?

Stuckey: If you look at the tables, yes. We’ve got a good run and we’re confident, but we take every opponent seriously. And Tuomas will make sure that we don’t let up. Especially since the Würzburg team has shown a significant improvement recently, the comebacks of Justin Sears, Brekkott Chapman and Alex King give the team noticeably more stability.

Apropos Alex King: His return to Würzburg a few weeks ago as a “prodigal son” could be an example for you and possibly a third engagement with the Baskets!

Stuckey:You should never exclude anything in life, this also applies to this topic. I also never thought that I would play a second time in Bamberg or leave Würzburg again. But it is still too early for such simulation games. I feel very comfortable in Crailsheim, the club is very similar to the Baskets with its family environment. We’ll see what happens next summer. Right now I’m just enjoying the wave of success we’re riding in Crailsheim.