Adam Paige (203-F-2000, college: Alberta) is a 25 year old 203cm forward from Canada currently playing with Angeles de Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico-CIBACOPA). He played his rookie season in Germany with the Itzehoe Eagles (Pro B) averaging 19.8ppg, 8.0rpg, 2.6apg, 1.1spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 54.7%, 3PT: 41.4%, FT: 77.0% after starting the season in the Pro A with the Dresden Titans. He began his basketball career at Semiahmoo secondary high school. He then played at the University Of Alberta from 2018-2023 playing a total of 113 games and as a senior averaged : 15.1ppg, 7.3rpg, 4.7apg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 35.4%, FT: 69.4%. During his summers off the last few years, he got pro experience in Canada in the CEBL playing with the Fraser Valley Bandits and Edmonton Stingers. He spoke to eurobasket about basketball.

Thanks Adam for talking to eurobasket.com. You played your first season overseas for Itzehoe after starting the season with the Dresden Titans. Have you known other guys from Canada play in Germany besides Tanner Graham?

Ya, I know a couple of former teammates who played in Germany like Brody Clarke who played for Trier, Aiden Warnholtz who played for Frankfurt and now Giesen, Thomas Kennedy playing for Bonn, Aher Uguak playing for Chemnitz and Kadre Grey who played for Bayer Giants are a couple!

What kind of an experience was it being a part of the Dresden Titans and what have you enjoyed most about it?

Being part of Dresden was a great experience, even though it was short-lived it was my first impression of European professional basketball and gave me an insight into what to expect for the rest of my career. Not having to worry about school and solely focusing on basketball and your health as an athlete was very enjoyable for me.

Your lived in a very old and beautiful city Dresden. Did it remind you a bit of home as Surrey and Dresden both sit on rivers. What have you enjoyed most about the German culture?

Dresden is a very pretty city, especially in the city center. It has tons of beautiful buildings and walkways on the river and plenty of things to do when the weather is nice. I wouldn’t compare it at all to Surrey, the city and building structures are entirely different, and the European/German layout and history have way more character than Surrey does. Just going out on a walk in the city is more beautiful than it is in a city back home. Just being in Europe I love the accessibility to the entire city, makes getting around and doing stuff easier.

What was most enticing about joining the Dresden Titans? You had had contact with Tanner Graham. What exact positives did he tell you about the organization?

Dresden has been a successful team the last couple of years after moving up from Pro B, and it seemed like I could come into a good organization and help the team with their continued success. Tanner had tons of positives to say about the city, he really enjoyed his time there and gave me his stamp of approval that it was a good situation to go into.

You only played 2 games averaging 4,0 minutes per game. How tough was it making this kind of experience? What did you learn from this encounter?

It was definitely a very tough way to start my European career, knowing that I could contribute at that level but not doing it was frustrating, especially with a lack of opportunity. The biggest thing I learned was always to stay aggressive. This profession is a cut-throat business and if you don’t produce they will find someone else who will, even when struggling you have to do something that makes the organization want to keep you and separate from others.

Do you feel like you got a fair chance from head coach Fabian Strauss?

I do think I had an opportunity, I was there for 2 months and had my chances to showcase my skills. I do believe that it took me time to adapt and get into a rhythm and that once I started playing the way I knew I could it was too late, but that is on me like I said it's a cut-throat business, and sometimes you don’t get the time you need to be successful.

You then took a step back to play for the Pro B team Itzehoe Eagles. What kind of an experience has it been? What were the main reasons for having difficulty reaching the playoffs?

Playing for Itzehoe has been really good, even though our season has been full of ups and downs I've enjoyed it a lot. The organization, coaches, and players have all made my time here enjoyable. Taking a step down was hard but you have to look at your career in the full picture and I think it was the right step after Dresden. I know our team is very skilled and has a good roster of players but I feel like we never fully got into a swing and momentum with playing with each other. We couldn't string wins together and struggled with being consistent week in and week out.

What has it been like being teammates with Anell Alexis and Quadre Lollis Jr who have very well known dads. Did you ever hear any stories about them?

Anell and Q have been very good teammates, both have played in Germany before and have plenty of experience so learning from them and seeing how they play has been very beneficial. I have heard many stories about both their dads, hearing about how they played with each other and how successful they both were in Germany and Europe.

You came in and right away became the main go to guy averaging 19/8/2/1/1. How refreshing has it been for you being able to not only be a scorer, but be able to bring all facets of your game

It's been very fun, being able to go out and be trusted on both sides of the floor is all you can ask as a player. Having the ball in my hands and being a leader toward the other guys in my first year I think has helped me grow as a player and will help me as my career continues.

You had many great games with Itzehoe. What was your fondest moment possibly the win over Bernau where you scored 34 points?

Being able to have a performance like that in a brand new arena with a big crowd is always exciting, I think that always helps add a little extra motivation to play under the big lights. Going into the 4th and hitting multiple big shots to give us the win was the cherry on top.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 203cm forward that is very versatile. Tanner Graham compared his game to Larry Bird. Would a Bird fit your game as well?

Ya, you could say that although I can’t say that I know Birds game all too well. I think my versatility is my biggest strength so whoever you think fits the same mold is fine with me!

You’re a very versatile player that fills the stat sheet really well. What would you call a hidden strength in your game that is off the radar?

I think my communication, talking to my teammates on both sides of the ball on what I'm doing or where they need to be is something that can't be seen on paper but is a crucial part of my game that I learned in college.

You had a triple double in college and missed on 3 other occasions. Do you feel like you might get one as a rookie in Germany?

We’ll see, I haven't really been close yet this year and the season is winding down but we'll see what the last couple of games hopefully I get close!

You have been a solid 3 point shooter in school, but haven´t reached the 40% plateau yet. What is missing most to becoming an elite shooter?

I think consistency, I know I am a great shooter and have the confidence that I will hit every shot I take but being able to be consistent for an entire season has been my biggest issue.

What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of defender do you still want to become?

I think I am a versatile defender being able to guard 1-5, if needed I can guard a guard on the perimeter or switch onto a big and defend and rebound with them down low. As I reach higher levels the discrepancy between positions gets bigger, guards get quicker and bigs get bigger and stronger so being able to still be versatile is something that I want to keep.

On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?

I think being able to shoot it at an elite level, I know that mastering this skill will take my game to the next level and is something that every level needs.

You played at the The University of Alberta (U Sports) from 2018-2024. You averaged 13/6 in your last 4 seasons and made a huge jump in your senior year averaging 15.1ppg, 7.3rpg, 4.7apg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 35.4%, FT: 69.4%. How did your game grow in these years?

I think my ability to play both inside and outside and with the ball and without the ball really improved. By the end of my career, I was able to do whatever my team needed of me and be successful in that role. I played with many great players at UofA so it was not like I had the ball every possession but instead, I had to play off of others to be successful.

You averaged almost 5 assists in your last season. Is that a part of your game you want to continue to improve?

I like to think I am a pretty good playmaker when I am put into a position to be so, so hopefully that skill level continues to improve for me.

You had an incredible triple double of 22/12/12, but lost to Regina. How tough was that loss despite your great game?

Anytime you lose a game it sucks, especially one where you have a great game and are impactful. Regardless of the stats I would trade them away for a win 100 times out of 100.

You had many great games at Alberta, but what was your favorite game there?

My favorite game was the national semifinal in 2021 against Carleton. Even though we lost a heartbreaker by 2 points we played in front of a sold-out home crowd in our arena. That season was very successful and even though we didn't finish as we wanted that game was still an exciting nail bitter, a game that every athlete wants to play in.

How did head coach Barnaby Haddock groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

Barnaby was great for my development, he always had a projection for my career and how to shape it as I grew older and eventually a pro. He helped develop my well-rounded game from playing inside to being the big screening to eventually being the guard coming off of ball screens. He pushed me hard and turned me into the versatile player I am today by giving me a big leash to experiment and fail at the university level.

You had 3 summers of pro experience in the CEBL. How vital was this preparation for you, but also how tough not getting much playing time?

The CEBL was awesome, being able to play and practice alongside professionals every day in the summer especially as a college student was something that I never took for granted. It was tough to not get many opportunities after I would play great in practice but being the young guy on the team I learned you have to keep putting your head down and get better every day until your opportunity arrives. At the end of the day it is a business and being able to play professional basketball as my summer job was something I never took for granted or complained about.

Last summer you were teammates with veteran Nick Hornsby who has played in Germany many years. What could you soak up most from his game?

Nick was a great teammate, I think seeing how he carried himself on and off the court was very eye-opening. Basketball wise his vision and ability to play and read the game at a high level during games and practices was jaw-dropping, he would have numerous Magic Johnson-esque passes that I never understood how he saw or executed.

Who was the greatest player that you ever faced in your life that reached the NBA?

I played with AJ Lawson, Josh Primo, and Kareem Mane on the Junior Canadian National team, all of who have played or are still playing in the NBA currently. I also played against Reed Sheppard last summer. I did play against SGA in a scrimmage game… he killed us.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Brody Clarke, AJ Lawson, Shane Gibson, Tyus Jefferson, Thomas Kennedy

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Michael, Lebron, Kobe, Steph

Who is your GOAT?

Has to be MJ right now but once Lebron retires I will reconsider

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America film? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

I have not seen the sequel but the original is so good that they probably didn't need to make a new one as they are always way worse.

Thanks Adam for the chat.