I have wanted to catch up with Doug Davis ever since he signed professionally back in August with the Walter Tigers but we didn't have a chance to exchange emails until this week.
What follows is a tidied-up version of our correspondence. Davis' team is off to an 0-3 start in the German Bundesliga and the former Princeton standout is averaging 4.0 PPG off the bench, scoring nine points his last time out.
You can track his complete season statistics here.
Doug, glad I could finally hunt you down. Can you take me through the path that led you from graduation in June to signing in Germany?
Well, it was a weird process. A lot of waiting and hoping and praying that something would come through. Getting game film to my agent was huge. A lot of European coaches wanted to take a look at my game film and see how I played.
How much did the Las Vegas showcase you played in (that Kareem Maddox was also part of) help get you exposure?
The showcase in Las Vegas was very important as well. There were a couple of teams in Vegas that wanted to scout my potential. It was good to have Kareem down there with me because he had already been overseas and we hung together for most of the trip.
Were you playing elsewhere to stay in game shape?
The Las Vegas showcase was the only time I played competitively this summer. I worked out everyday by my house, just getting up as many shots as possible and running to stay in shape.
When did you head to Germany?
I got to Germany on August the 8th, I think. It was a long, long flight, so I tried to mentally prepare myself for Germany, even though I had no idea how to. So far it's been interesting. I think that I have learned a lot and have a lot more to learn.
Tell me about your experience so far with Walter Tigers. What does your role with this team look like? What do you sense the expectations are of you? I know I read a quote from your coach saying that "[you] had a totally different role at college then what he will have here."
The team is great. We have a good group. We get along on and off the court. My role on the this team is different. When I get in the game my job is to run the team, play defense and hit open shots when I get them.
Speaking of Igor Perovic, how is he different as a coach than Coach Johnson or Coach Henderson?
I think there is a big difference between Perovic and Coach Johnson and Coach Henderson. I think that the biggest diffence is the style of play and level of play. There are only 24 seconds on the clock so you have to be quick and smart about every decision you make. However, I believe that running the Princeton offense over here works very, very well.
How have the games been going since the season started last week?
The games have been tough so far. I think that we have a lot of work to do, but we have talent and a solid group. I know we will turn things around.
What have the biggest adjustments been for you on and off the court?
The biggest adjustment has been trying make reads on the fly. Knowing who to get the ball to and where on the court to give it to them. Off the court the toughest part has been cooking for myself and driving [Davis was quoted in this article from August about his troubles driving stick shift. - JS] I always had mom or dad or the dining hall, I'm on my own over here.
Driving is getting a whole lot better. I think I got the hang of it. I'm not stalling out anymore, so that's a good thing.
Has the transition to a professional career been a different one than you anticipated?
I think that the transition hasn't been so much hard as it's been different. I think that living in a different country is the biggest transition. I pretty much knew what I was going to get when playing basketball, but this is my first time out of the country so that mental transition is still tough.
What advice did any of your former teammates who are playing overseas have for you? Any chance one of you will be traveling to see the other play?
Talking to Kareem [Maddox] and Dan [Mavraides] and a lot of players already overseas, they all told me to bring an iPad. That was their advice and that's what I did. I would love to travel to see those guys play and travel in general. But it really depends on my schedule. Coach keeps us busy with sometimes three practices a day, usually starting at 10 am-1 pm and then 8-10 pm. So it's pretty tough.
What is Tubingen like? Have you had a chance to explore the city?
I have explored the city a little bit. It's not that big but there are a lot of students in the town. There are also good food spots downtown, so when I don't feel like cooking I have an alternative.
When you cook for yourself, what do you make? Is there any German cuisine you've discovered a taste for?
You caught me on a good night. I made some garlic shrimp with mashed potatoes and broccoli. But the team's go-to restaurant is Coyote, a spot that features German cuisine as well as American food.
I really have developed a taste for schnitzel. Its a type of boneless meat that comes with either pommes (fries) or noodles. Pretty good and inexpensive.
Awesome. Thanks a lot Doug. Good to hear from you.
