Sometimes, life is about risking everything for a dream no one can see but you. And after three All-SEC seasons, former Auburn basketball player K.T. Harrell has taken his leap of faith.
Harrell’s 5.2 points per game on 27.3 percent shooting wasn’t enough to secure a roster spot this past summer with the Philadelphia 76ers during the NBA Summer League, but the 6-foot-4, 212-pound shooting guard from Montgomery remained optimistic.
Harrell opted to continue his basketball career overseas — signing with Akhisar Belediye of the Turkish Basketball Second League.
And although Harrell was born on European soil — in Wiesbaden, Germany — the 23-year-old suddenly finds himself in unfamiliar territory.
Harrell shared some of his experiences with The Auburn Plainsman’s C.J. Holmes in an exclusive 1-on-1 interview.
Q: How did you end up with your current team?
Harrell: Basically, they scouted me when I was in Philly playing summer league, and the head coach gave my agent a call when I got back. He contacted my agent and called me with a lot of interest, and I ended up coming out here.
Q: What was the exact moment you realized, “I’m definitely not at home anymore?
H: The exact moment I realized I wasn’t home anymore is when I saw that I was the only black person here, and I saw a lot of people staring at me and wondering why I was here. It definitely made me realize that I wasn’t home.
Q: What's the pro game like overseas?
H: You have a lot of skill players here. A lot of veteran guys, a lot of older guys. Very patient. Back home you usually see a lot of fast-paced basketball, but guys out here are really patient. They look for open shots — they don’t force a lot of shots. It’s something I definitely had to adjust to. Taking my time and being more patient.
Q: In what ways have you had to adjust your game?
H: Like I said, the biggest thing for me was just being more patient. A lot of people here, they don’t force a lot of things because a lot of coaches trust them to pass the ball, and everybody’s touching the ball looking for the open shot.
Q: What kind of league do you play in?
H: I play in the second division here in Turkey, which is a really good division. Of course, the first division is the best division, but we have a lot of good competition here and a lot of great basketball players. It’s been a really humbling experience to play against a lot of really good competition.
Q: What is the fan culture like?
H: It’s really good. Our last game we had great fan support. The crowd was going berserk, and it was a lot of fun. They really love their sports here.
Q: Describe your living situation.
H: I have a one-bedroom apartment. It’s real nice. Got a nice balcony with a nice view. You get to see the mountains. It’s really nice — nothing spectacular, but it gets the job done. I like my apartment.
Q: What's the area like?
H: It’s pretty chill. It’s not like the bigger cities like Istanbul and Izmir, but it’s a place where you can drive around and get where you need to go. It’s not real busy like Istanbul. If you go there, it’s going to take you an hour to get from one place to another because there are so many people. I like it, man. It’s got nice views of the mountain. It’s a real chill area.
Q: Take us through your daily routine.
H: Depending on whether or not we have weights, I wake up in the morning, make breakfast, go to weights, come back, take a nap because usually we have weights around nine and I’m kind of tired. Then we’ll usually have practice around five or six, and then after practice I’ll probably go with my teammate to a restaurant at the mall and eat dinner. After that, I’ll just come back and chill to get rest for the next day.
Q: It’s one thing to have teammates from all over the country, but what’s it like having teammates from all over the world?
H: It’s really no different. Globally, there’s a certain perception you have about teammates. They’re supposed to have your back, and they’re supposed to always be there for you. Just like it was back home, that’s how it is here. We all have each others back, and they always want what’s best for you. Especially when you’re out there on the court and stuff goes wrong, they’re always there to pick you up. It’s the same thing whether you’re back home or overseas.
Q: What’s it like playing for a coach that doesn’t speak English as his first language?
H: A lot of players have struggled because some of the coaches out here don’t speak English at all, but I’m fortunate enough to have a coach that speaks really good English. It definitely helps a lot.
Q: At the end of the day, basketball is a job and you play to put food on the table. With that being said, take me through your emotions when you cashed your first professional pay check.
H: It was an amazing feeling. You put so much work into the game, and you finally see the results from it. It was a great feeling, something that I will always take with me for the rest of my life. I’m going to continue to make money playing the game I love, but I’ll always remember the first time I got paid. It was very rewarding to see the results of all the hard work that I’ve been putting in over the years and finally get the benefits from it. It was great.
What are your personal and team goals for this season and beyond?
A: “As a team, we want to make the playoffs and eventually win the championship in our league. I think that’s everybody’s goal. Individual goals never really meant anything to me. Of course I want to be the best player I can be but that’s for the team. I want to be the best player I can be for the team and whatever individual rewards I get from that that’s great, but if we don’t win and get the goal as a team then it really doesn’t matter. That’s what I’m striving for. To be the best player I can and help us get to the playoffs and win a championship.
What is the biggest misconception about overseas basketball?
A: “A lot of people think that there isn’t as much talent than there is in the NBA. There’s a different level. The NBA is the highest level of basketball but there are some very talented basketball players here overseas, some really great teams overseas and great coaches. A lot of guys think that it’s easy to come overseas and play but it’s not. You got a lot of great players and great teams.”
Q: What advice would you give to college basketball players considering the overseas route?
A: “Well, you definitely have to prepare, It’s not for everybody. If you’re somebody who’s dependent on family members or friends, it’s something you need to really consider because when you come out here, you’re out here on your own. You have to fend for yourself, you have to provide for yourself – being able to cook and do other things for yourself is important. You can’t just look a it like, ‘I’m just going to go overseas and make the money’ because it’s not about the money. It’s about making sure that you’re in a good area, you’re in a good situation and not dependent on anybody. I think that’s the most important thing. When you ask yourself, ‘am I dependent on anybody? Can I do things without needing anybody’s help? Can I go a couple of days without speaking to the people that I love and care about and still be able to do my job?’ That’s the most important thing. My advice would be to sit down and weigh the pros and cons and really ask yourself those questions.”
Search "Catching up with Auburn Basketball's K.T. Harrell" in YouTube for video of C.J.'s time with K.T. in Turkey.
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