A short bio of Adam:
Iâm from Copenhagen, Denmark. I attended the Global Squad Summer Academy for two summers with the goal to play college basketball (2013 & 2014). After a prep school year, I committed to St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, MN where I played point guard for all four years. Iâm currently in the first semester of my masterâs degree at Aalborg University in Copenhagen. I still play in Basketligaen, the top Danish league, for Værløse Blue Hawks. Iâm also coaching the U15/U16 boysâ club team here.
What do you think was the biggest difficulty for you as an international athlete trying to play college basketball?
The hardest part for me was definitely adjusting to the style of play and coaching. I was used to a much more free and creative playing style growing up and all the way through high school. In the US, coaches often have very rigid systems with a lot of rules and expectations, so I had to figure out a way to use my skills within those limitations. It forced me to improve other areas of my game, especially defensively, which wasnât exactly my strength when I first arrived.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice about your journey of playing college basketball, what would it be?
Donât let basketball define you as a person. Youâre not a better or worse person based on how you perform on the court. Let the game be the game, and enjoy it!
What was one thing you enjoyed about playing college basketball? One thing you wouldâve improved?
I enjoyed many things about playing college basketball. Iâve gained some amazing friends and met people I consider family. One of the coolest things about playing college basketball, though, is the impact that you get to have on the people in the local community. I loved feeling how much it meant to them that I was representing their team in a way they could be proud of. I donât have any regrets about my time in college. Thereâs always some things I wish I would have been better at basketball wise, but thatâs not something I can do anything about now. It would have been nice to make some deeper runs in the tournament though!
What do you think prepared you the most for your college experience both athletically and academically?
Obviously, Global Squad helped me a ton in preparing for college basketball. It was my first experience with high level American players and elite basketball culture. Global Squad also helped me find my prep school, West Oaks Academy in Orlando, FL. That experience made me a lot tougher and really got me ready for the workload and intensity of college basketball. Coach Chaney at West Oaks, introduced us to many different basketball concepts, and prepared us for playing in almost any kind of system at the collegiate level. It didnât make much sense to me at the time to switch offensive and defensive philosophy every two weeks, but it made sense later! Academically I think I was well prepared from my high school days where I had really good teachers, and coaches that held us accountable for going to class.
