The Secret to Perfecting Your Basketball Shot Featuring Terrell Stoglin

Tristan: Alright, welcome in everyone. We have with us on the line a very special guest. He's Terrell Stoglin of the Zamalek professional team of the Egyptian Basketball Premier League. He's playing professionally overseas right now. Just won a championship last year actually with the Zamalek crew over there. Terrell, how are we doing today?

Terrell: Doing good man. How are you?

Tristan: Doing great. Appreciate you being able to make the time and glad we were able to get this on the schedule. Always happy to talk to somebody that's living, breathing it right now. And I know our young athletes will definitely benefit as well. Let's just start from where you're at right now. You just won a championship last year with the Zamalek crew over there in Egypt. How was that? What was that experience like and what kind of brought you to that cumulation at the end of the season?

Terrell: Honestly it was, it was one of the hardest years of my career. You know, moving to Africa was really tough. They do things a lot differently and it was a challenge for me as a person to be out there first and foremost, you know? And, it was a long season. We finally got to the end. We ended up pulling it off. We got the championship. That's the first time they won in 12 years. It was my first year there. So I built a core fan group and I've been enjoying it ever since. I took a little break from the team. I've been here with family in the United States, and that's where I'm at right now.

Tristan: There you go. You just told us before the interview. First Christmas spent home in the last six years. I'm sure they appreciated it, but I'm sure you're also itching to get back out there on that court knowing the competitor in you of course. So rewind a little bit. You did go to University of Maryland. You played under Gary Williams while you were there. What was that recruiting experience for you like? I know you were one of the top players coming out of Arizona, your hometown. What made you go all the way cross country to Maryland, what drew you there and just tell us a little about that experience?

Terrell: It just goes to who I am. I like to be challenged, you know what I mean? And, Maryland was the ACC, you know. I'm a West coast boy, so like the Pac-12, Pac-10 was what we were. You know, it was either Arizona, UCLA, USC, you know what I mean? And, I just, I wanted to take the challenge, man, it would seem like the best opportunity. Greivis Vasquez. He was a legend over there. He had just graduated and went to the NBA and that point guard spot was open, so I wanted to get in there and see if I can manage playing on the East coast.

The recruiting was great. It was actually fun. You know, I'm from a little, small town in Arizona, so it was a lot of attention. What drew me to Maryland was, it was like a family. They were coming to my math class, you know, and making sure I was going there on time and they was beating me to my parents' home. You know, while my mom is cooking for my coach, you know what I mean? And I never seen anything like that, only in the movies, you know what I mean? So I decided that was on my team to go to

Tristan: Well obviously you were an important piece while you were there. You played there for a couple of years. You were the ACC scoring champion in 2012, your sophomore season. Then you take the leap over to professional when you decided to go overseas. You played for a couple of different leagues, couple of different countries overseas. What's the main difference? You know, supplanting yourself in a new environment like that. What's the main difference in the style of play? How did you adjust to that and give us a little insight maybe if one of the countries, one of the leagues that you played in was particularly more difficult or on the other end of the spectrum?

Terrell: It's always, it's always a give and take. Especially living overseas is either the living there is going to be great and the pay won't be great, or the league won't be great, or it'll be in vice versa. However way you want to flip it. So it was very hard to find a spot that you really feel is home. You know what I mean? And you really have to just focus in and dial in and just really just focus on basketball and everything else pretty much works itself out, especially if you believe in God, you know? So that's pretty much what I did. Just dial in and just have faith.

Craig: Yeah. So coming out of out of school, tell us a little about where you started your journey.

Terrell: Maryland was a great experience. I was there for two years. My first year I was there with Coach Gary Williams, the legend. And then the second year I was there with Coach Mark Turgeon. I ended up leaving enter the draft to get drafted over some reasons why I left Maryland. From there I went to Greece and I played there for my first year. I led that league in scoring and then in my sophomore year, it was crazy. I played for five different countries. And then after that, I went to the Middle East and I've been in the Middle East for the last six years, I believe.

Craig: Wow.

Tristan: Yeah, once you get over there, I mean that's, to make that leap five different times in the season... I know you have a kid now. Did you have to worry about moving the family along with you? What all played into that and how does exactly did you get your mind right once you were signed onto another team?

Terrell: Well, personally, man, I really feel like me going to those different teams prepared me for the Middle East because the Middle East is a place that's very different from all of the places in Europe, right? So like, I didn't have a family then. I was 20 years old, so it was pretty much fun. It was like an adventure for me cause I was still like a college kid. So every country I went to, I had a great time. So it didn't really matter for me if I was leaving or not. I was just looking for a new adventure at that time of my life. When I had my son, I had him in Lebanon. I had been stable there for about three years, so I praise God, I had the ability at that time.

Craig: Tell me about the style of play between some of those regions. You know, playing in Europe or in Greece as you started out compared to playing in the Middle East. What's different about the game?

Terrell: Oh, what's different about the game, it was more... How would I say it? It's more sensitive. The game is more sensitive. You know, like you will watch a game and you know, you see the guys playing Euro league and different stuff. They're actors, know what I mean? They get touched and oh, it's a big problem where you hit a guy in the face on accident and they're gonna fall on the ground and act like they're bleeding and hurting and stuff like that.

Well, in the Middle East, it was more rugged. In Africa, it was more rugged. It was more as if like you're playing basketball in the NBA in the 80s when Jordan was playing the Pistons. You go into the lane, you get on your butt, you fall on your butt, you got to get up, you bleed, and there's no call. Get back on defense or you're gonna lose your job. You know what I mean? So I appreciate playing over there and I think that's why I stuck over there so long because I feel like that's who I am and that's my game.

Tristan: Yeah, definitely grow a little hair on the chest there whenever you're playing that kind of play. Definitely. That's for sure. So let's talk a little bit about your training regimens. I mean, that's what we're all about here at Hustle. Keeping the mind right, keeping the body right in the offseason and during the season. Give us a typical day for you in the offseason. What time you getting up, hitting the gym? What kind of drills do you like to touch on first?

Terrell: Well, just a typical day in my life. I'll wake up around 6:00 AM and I'll run three miles, three to four miles. If I'm in the season, I run two miles just to keep miles off my knees, but I'm running every day. I'll come home, I relax for a couple of hours. I'll eat, and then I'll get back in the gym. I shoot 500 jump shots... Well, I gotta make 500 jump shots and then, I'll call a couple of friends over and we'll go to the gym. My dad, he's a basketball coach out of middle school out here. So I have the keys to the gym, so it'll just be four of us. We'll play 2-on-2 full court, best out of five. And, that would be my day pretty much. That's it.

Tristan: 500 shots a day, you're hitting that no matter what?

Terrell: You gotta make them. 500 shots a day.

Tristan: So maybe, you know, could be 800, could be 1,000 shots. Who knows? That's quite the commitment there. No doubt. But obviously what you need to do, if you wanna play at the next level like you are. So tell us now, maybe we're starting up a season. Like you said, you got to cut back on the mileage in terms of how much you're running. Are you cutting back on the shots as well?

Terrell: No, 500 shots are being made per day. That's been my formula since I was in high school. I just make sure I do that.

Craig: And how do you track that?

Terrell: It's either, it's however I feel. If I'm tired and I'm just going to do just spot shots, you know what I mean? If I'm feeling a little good, you know what I mean? I'm gonna do one dribble shots or I'll do a pull up, you know, and just work on something. But pretty much most of the time, I already had ran during that day. So I'm just taking spot shots, you know, working on my form. Just focusing on making the shots. I don't want to take more than a thousand sometimes.

Tristan: Yeah, especially if you got a game that day.

Terrell: Truthfully.

Tristan: Yeah. So let's move and progress a little bit more through the season. Obviously last year you did win the championship with your squad over there in Egypt. Did you find your training regimen changing up at all as you got towards those playoff moments or those playoff days? Are you still going out there with the same mindset? Are you thinking, "Hey, I gotta save a little more juice up for tonight?

Terrell: Oh, definitely during the playoffs, especially playing it easy, because honestly, the courts in Egypt and Africa are not the best. They don't have like that gooey bounce to the wood that you have in United States. So you have to adjust to where you're at. So I take care of my legs. I'll be honest with you. During the playoffs, I'm just icing. I'm icing and resting as much as I can, man. Cause you know, they depend on you so much.

Craig: Yeah. And that's where that conditioning comes in towards the end of the season. Going back to kind of your skillset as a guard. We know you take a ton of shots, but is there a specialty that you have or a certain skill that you're most known for in the league in which you play?

Terrell: They call me Magic. You know, not Magic Johnson, but they say I'm a magician, is what they say. And I guess just cause I just make plays, man, you know, if I see someone open, I'm gonna give them a nice pass and put some flair on it for the crowd. I like fans. I love the fans. So, I try to be a showman, you know, when I get out there. So that's what I like to do. Just shoot a long three-pointer or crossing somebody, you know what I mean? I just like to have fun. Cause I'm a kid and I'm a fan of the game and I like to imagine myself, if I'm out there watching how I used to be. And if I'm watching my favorite player, how would I, you know what I mean?

Craig: Yeah. No, I get what you mean. Putting on a show, I completely get it. So it sounds like, you know, while you're working on your game, in order to be able to do that, in order to make the right move at the right time, you have to work on situational kind of drills. You know what I mean? Our listeners really like to hear about any kind of new drills or interesting ideas to maintain that level of creativity out on the court. Are there any specific kind of interesting, situational drills that you do to make sure that, you know, you make the right play at the right time?

Terrell: Well, yeah, I mean, you just gotta know who you are as a player. And what I would tell any kid is I don't know what their trainers are having them do. So I would tell them everything that your trainer has you do on the court, do it as if you're in a game. Pretend like someone's guarding you while you're making a move. So if you're trying to say, let's do an in-and-out crossover, and then I want you to take one dribble to the right and pull up, then okay, well, I'm an act like there's a dude guarding me and I'm gonna hit him with this in-and-out, and I'm pulling up with five seconds left. You know what I mean? So every shot is repetitive repetition to the brain.

Tristan: Obviously we've all been out there on the court at some point saying, "3, 2, 1...

Terrell: Exactly. Exactly. Just have fun.

Tristan: Just have fun and continuously switch it up too, to make sure you're as complete as can be. Let me ask you a kind of an interesting question. Just kind of how your mindset is made up. Do you set goals before a season, and do you come up with bullet points of how you could reach each of those goals? I think it might be helpful for some of our young listeners out there, whether they're looking to play in college or maybe looking to make that jump from college to the pros right now. How exactly do you go about your process to get to where you want to make?

Terrell: Yeah. I mean, when you're in high school, you just have to have a list. Like who are the top players in your city, and who are you going to be playing against and how can you outplay them? How can you outperform them? So then it's your job to figure that out. If you're going from college to the pros, I would just say... I'll just strictly tell them to just make sure you win. Because when you're in the pros, it's all about money now. And it's easy for them to find someone that can do what you do because there's so many of us now. So like if you win and do what you do, then they're always going to love you. You know what I mean? So we'll just do that and you'll make the most money this way.

Tristan: Got it. Yeah. So obviously you're a winner through and through. You proved that in high school, in college, like you said, made that jump to the pros. Did you feel like in each of those levels that you had to turn it up a notch, or did you always just kind of have that drive in you? If you did, how do you think that you attained that?

Terrell: Well, I think it was a little both. I praise God first and foremost, because I, I put a lot of trust in him, especially going into games. I'm always nervous in every game, you know what I mean? That's true. And, ask Him to bring me out on top every time. I really do. I really do that. So I had to put that out there and everything else just seems like it's just fun. You know what I mean? I just love competing. I mean, if you put me around the best players, I know I have to work harder or not even just work harder. Just adjust. I'm a firm believer if you make shots, you could beat anybody. That's all basketball really is, who could make the most shots. So if you could make shots and stay consistent in that, I feel like you could play at any level.

Craig: What's kind of next for you in your career? As you mentioned, you're likely heading back to Egypt. What are the next moves after that?

Terrell: Next moves. I really don't know. I really want to stay in the states. My plan personally is to play and finish in Egypt. We're an African cup. It's sponsored by the NBA this year, so it should be big. If we win now I want to win that and win the league. Come back and play in the TBT. You know, I played the first two years of the TBT and then I quit because I got married and I was taking my summers and relaxing with my son. But this year is different. I want to go somewhere by the time I'm 30. I don't know where that's going to be at though. My goal is to stay in the States, you know? I think that's everyone's goal, you know what I mean? But I really want to seek it out now. You know what I mean? I've been absent for the last three years, four years.

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Craig: Sure. Yeah. I can understand. Do you see any kind of training other players eventually in your future?

Terrell: Yeah, that's another goal that I want to do. I want to start a foundation, but that's just like a thought right now. I want to put it into action either this summer, or that following year, you know what I mean? I want to start something up where I'm just training players and teaching them about God, the love of God, you know? And just go from there. That's something I would tell a college player going to pros as well. Don't focus so much on the basketball aspect and look more to connections.

Tristan: Oh yeah, I'd say no matter what you end up being, you definitely have to have the right network out there and have the right people looking out for you as well. That's certainly a good piece of info that we can pass on to them. Moving a little bit, so really happy to hear about what you eventually give back to the community with the foundation and instilling in them some of the values that you were brought up on. Moving a little bit more back to the training aspect don't want to keep you much longer here. I'm going to ask you about tools. Any sort of tools that you really incorporate into your training? Whether it's cone drills, whether it is the pretend defensive guys that you're playing against, is there any sort of technological tools that you play with? Anything along those lines?

Terrell: Me personally, not right now. I'm actually starting something with a guy named Bert Fielding. He's actually been on me, been on me hard for the last year and I'm going to give him a chance now. He deals in nutrition and just the body. The right chemicals that my body needs instead of taking vitamins and different things like that. But he's a chemist and a whole bunch of other different things. You know what I mean? So I'm gonna start working with him. I'll just keep it simple. I keep the fundamentals to a T as far as just keeping my handle. You know, I do my own drills for that, and just making sure that my shot stays right because I feel like if you could make shots, you could play 'til your 40.

Tristan: No doubt, Well look at Vince Carter right now. He's still getting a paycheck for that.

Terrell: Exactly. If you could make shots, man, you could sit in the corner and shoot shots for living. Play until you're 40 or 45 years old, you know? So I'm focused on that.

Tristan: Well you bring up another good point there too. I mean, especially as you're getting up more in the years and maybe there's some younger legs under you, you definitely got to take care of the body. Nutrition is key and keep that shot. Don't lose that shot. Whatever you do, don't lose it. Awesome. Well, Terrell, really appreciate your time here today. I want to close out here with something we do with all of our coaches and players here on the podcast. It's a little rapid fire round. We're just going to shoot some questions at you. You catch and release as quick as you can. Fire right back at us with the first thing that comes to mind. Sound good?

Terrell: Yeah.

Tristan: All right. I'm going to start here with what I always start with, what is your favorite sports movie of all time?

Terrell: Love and Basketball.

Craig: It's a good one. Yup. Can you tell us the name of any coaches that you had really early in your basketball career? Say before even playing in college. Anybody that really made an impact in your game?

Terrell: My father and my high school coach, Jim Ferguson and Joe Stoltz.

Craig: Okay.

Tristan: Well, you just brought up a little something there on nutrition. What is the perfect pregame meal for Terrell Stoglin?

Terrell: The perfect pregame meal. Oh, a lot comes to mind. For me, I'll say pasta, I'll say pasta and a salad. And I'll eat that. I would eat that like six hours before I play and that'd be perfect for me before the game. That'd be perfect. But that it's, it's almost a tie though, because I mean, a steak is always great for me. You know, the steak would asparagus on the side and some mashed potatoes. Like six or seven hours before the game. I'm good.

Craig: That's good. Another question is you know, what's your favorite basketball shoe of all time?

Terrell: Oh, wow. I grew up an Adidas kid. But I'll say the best basketball shoe of all time? The Adidas Pro Models. Remember those ones with the patent leather with the stripes on the side?

Craig: Yeah.

Terrell: The pro models. Yeah. Yeah.

Tristan: That's throwing it back right there, that's for sure. I like that though. All right. Last one here, best pregame music to warm up to?

Terrell: Pregame music. Gospel. I'll say Hosanna from Kirk Franklin.

Tristan: That's great. Awesome. Yeah. I'm gonna have to go throw that on here right after we're done with the interview here. Terrell, appreciate your time here, at the end of the day, man. This has definitely been enlightening. I think our young guys can definitely take a lot away. You played at a lot of different levels for a lot of different folks. Like you said, make sure you keep nutrition up to key, body up to key. Make sure you never lose that jumper either. It's Terrell Stoglin. You can catch him hopefully playing a little bit here for the Zamalek crew over there in the Egyptian Basketball Premier League. You can catch him on the social channels too, @TStoglin12. Terrell, appreciate your time again today and hopefully we can check in with you down the line. Good luck with everything you got coming up here.

Terrell: Hey, God bless. I'm happy I could help man and take care.