By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
Starting his overseas career after playing for the Raptors 905 in the G-League and after a small experience in the Dominican Republic – the country of birth of one of his former high school teammates, Karl-Anthony Towns -, Breein Tyree didn’t experience the greatest of debuts team-wise.
Probably the third-best team in last year’s Basketball Champions League Group C after Galatasaray and Hapoel Holon, Filou Oostende started the season 0-2, losing against both of the already-established powerhouses in the competition. As time passed by, however, things changed.
After a loss in Poland and with back on the walls, the Belgian team managed to beat both the Turkish and the Israeli giants, earning a spot in the Play-Ins. In the 95-86 win over Hapoel Holon, the then 24-year-old guard erupted for a career-high of 31 points with 9/15 from the field and 9/10 at the line.
Despite being unable to progress in the Play-Ins against Bahcesehir, he still showcased his talent with 16.7 points per game, going all the way to finish the season with a BNXT Supercup, the Belgian Championship, and a spot in the BNXT Dream Team, alongside Brian Fobbs, Vincent Cole, Thijs De Ridder, and Pierre-Antoine Gillet.
Talking about his former team, he set his attention on them. “They have Khalil Ahmad, I’ve seen him close out the game against Pinar Karsiyaka: he’s playing great, just like Damien Jefferson. Pierre [Antoine Gillet] got Team of the Month in the BCL: that’s cool to see because I got to play with him last year and see what type of professional he is, he deserves that. Dario [Gjergja] is a great coach and he always has his team ready to play”, he said starting the interview with Eurohoops.
After establishing himself as one of the most interesting rookies in the European landscape, he moved to Sassari, and he now has the opportunity to extend his experience within the Basketball Champions League, putting another piece in his basketball puzzle, that started even before the NCAA with Ole Miss.
Living the Island with Dinamo Sassari
Ending this year’s Group D behind AEK and MHP-Riesen Ludwigsburg, they entered the Play-Ins. Once there, they found a great beginning to the best-of-three series, getting the 21-point win (93-72) on the road against Cholet Basket, receiving the opportunity to close things up at home tonight. Breein Tyree had a difficult shooting night but still contributed with 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Talking about the French opponents, he affirmed respect is on the table. “They’re a good team, they have a lot of weapons like an experienced point guard [TJ Campbell], they just signed Craig Randall who is a really good shooter and scorer. Tidjane Salaun has a lot of potential. I think we have one thing over them, which is European experience, especially at the 4 positions: he’s 18 years old”, he commented about one of the several promising talents for France shortly.
Despite being only one victory away from reaching Unicaja Malaga, SIG Strasbourg, and the winner of the Play-Ins series between Tofas Bursa and PAOK – now at 1-1, waiting for the decisive Game 3 -, the season didn’t start well. “I never want to make any excuses, but there were a lot of injuries starting the season. I was out about two months to start the year, we started the BCL on my only second game back, where I had only 3 points against King Szczecin“, he said about Sassari starting the BCL 0-4.
However, he grew as time passed by, just like what happened in Belgium in the 2022-23 season. His scoring performances increased game by game, reaching a season-high of 26 points in the decisive do-or-die game to progress against the Polish team. “We just came together, we focused on what we needed to do to get better, which was playing better defense and faster on offense, sharing the ball better to get open shots. That’s what we’ve been doing”, he then praised the whole Italian team.
The essence of this club, representing the Island of Sardinia, is all there to be discovered. “Dinamo Sassari is not talked about enough in Europe, but there’s a great platform here, playing in one of the best domestic leagues in Europe. I’ve seen a bunch of guys go on and get really good jobs after playing in Sassari. It’s not really all about where you are, it’s about where you trying to go”, he commented, considering the case of great players like David Logan, Rakim Sanders, or Shane Lawal in the past.
After a complicated beginning with coach Piero Bucchi, the white-and-blue team is starting to deliver, catching more outside attention. “It set up for us to do great, and I don’t care being talked about. As long as the results are the results, winning some games, I’m happy with that. When you win, that’s where people start talking. Last year I played in Belgium for another team which is not Real Madrid. One day I could be on a team where this will be the case, but it doesn’t really matter to me”, he added.
Moreover, he was already used to being surrounded by calm and “sole” places. “I went to school in Mississippi, which is almost an island itself. It’s very safe and quiet most of the time. When I first got here over the summer it was gorgeous, a lot of different things to do, going to amazing beaches. A great vibe and atmosphere here. Right now what you can do is focus on what you can do in basketball. We’ve got 24-hour access to the gym: that’s what I’m focusing on”, Breein Tyree commented.
Being the only successful team in Sardinia, able to win several titles in the last decade, basketball is almost like a religion in Sassari. “The city is amazing, the people around town always recognize me and it’s always a great feeling. It’s a lot of tradition. During one practice we had some fans coming and talking to us: it was the first time I have seen that fans care so much to wait a whole practice and then talk to the team. We’re trying to make them feel proud of us”, the 25-year-old American player shared.
Having a best friend in Wade Baldwin IV
Playing in the Basketball Champions League, Breein Tyree doesn’t have a lot of time to catch up with some actions within the same competition, spending most of his time checking in with what happens around Filou Oostende or Unicaja Malaga, where a good friend of his like Tyson Carter plays.
In the EuroLeague, instead, he follows a lot of American guys, whom he has either played with or against since the start of his career, like “PJ Dozier on Partizan Belgrade or Markus Howard on Baskonia“. He’s also a big fan of both Mike James and Jordan Loyd, so Monaco is one of the most-watched teams on his EuroLeague TV. However, he mostly follows Maccabi Tel Aviv because there’s somebody he knows from his high school days in St. Joseph, that he was actually calling before the interview.
Breein Tyree is the best friend of Wade Baldwin IV, who also took time to visit him last season as Filou Oostende played in Israel against Hapoel Holon. “Wade [Baldwin IV] has a tremendous story. He’s an amazing player, one of the best I’ve ever played with in my life. He can do everything on a basketball court, playing point guard or shooting guard, he’s got length, size, a seven-foot wingspan, talent, ability, and athleticism. He checks in every single box”, he praised the Maccabi Tel Aviv‘s player.
Now established as one of the best guards in the whole EuroLeague as part of the deadly duo with Lorenzo Brown, there were moments in which he was really considered unable to shine in Europe after starting his career in the NBA. It happened with Olympiacos, for example. “A lot of people say he had attitude problems, but I think at that time he was misunderstood. Especially because a lot of that is just his fire, he’s got a lot of competitive mindset that can be taken as arrogant, but really it’s just nothing but competitiveness”, Breein Tyree added about the 27-year-old player.
His career turned when he joined Andrea Trinchieri in Munich. “As he went to Bayern, he got an opportunity to play and be a part of games, being a leader on the team: they had one of the best years they’ve ever had when he was running the show over there”, he said before touching on Wade Baldwin’s following experiences. “With him, Baskonia didn’t do so well, but his numbers even got better. At Maccabi, he completely flourished Maccabi: he got a lot of trust from the organization”, he added.
Finally, the 25-year-old player said Wade Baldwin is the one he calls when it’s needed. A friend for life. “He’s got a fire about him that can be misunderstood, but I’ve known him his whole life and that’s how he’s always been. Basketball-wise, he’s one of the best guards in Europe, he should be in the NBA, for sure. I’ll hate if he reads this because I talk a lot of smack with him”, he said laughing. “But he’s an amazing player, and I learned a lot from him. If I ever have a question about basketball, a team, or me signing somewhere, he’s the person I go to. He’s got a lot of knowledge in the game”, Breein Tyree concluded about his best friend.
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PHOTO CREDIT: Basketball Champions League