Almost a year ago John Murry's annoying calamity began as instead of wearing a smug jersey of the NEW Elephants Grevenbroich (Germany-Regionalliga) during games, instead he was slouching into gym's in Germany with an expression on his face that could of even scared away the nastiest figures who lurk in the night. After playing only 8 games in his first 2 years of his professional basketball career in Canada and the CBA, the American from Indianapolis came into the 2019-2020 season excited and motivated to finally play his first full season. But instead he suffered a bitter metatarsal fracture that ended his season in preseason and then soon after during his rehab was hit with a second whammy with COVID-19 or was it really a whammy? Obviously getting injured was a massive tough set back for the athletic guard, but he didn't mope around or hang his head in the sand like an ostrich, but got into a serious rehab mode and worked like mad to come back 100% again. But along the way, the world was hit by COVID-19 which also changed the basketball world as this summer's transfer period was a lot different than ever before with falling prices. Even if COVID-19 effected the whole world in so many different aspects, the whole crisis actually was a blessing in disguise for him. Plus having the trust from NEW Elephants Grevenbroich (Germany-Regionalliga) manager Hartmut Oehmen didn't hurt either. 'As the world was affected by COVID-19 I was blessed by not being affected with the pandemic, also with the world being in a pandemic, it kind of slowed everything down for me and gave me more time to heal and get back to my old self again. The injury helped me slow my thinking down and study the game, I got smarter in areas where I was weak and got dominant in areas where I was strong. Things WERE NOT difficult for me AT ALL, I prayed and stayed focused on being better every day and before you know it, I was better after my injury than I was before! I am extremely thankful that Hartmut stuck behind me because a lot of people would not have done that. Me and Hartmut have developed a relationship during the time I was hurt and kept in touch while I was in the states. He knew how bad I wanted this opportunity to further my career. I feel like Hartmut appreciates my hard work and dedication to the game, he sees that I work my butt off, from the time I got hurt, until the time I was cleared to get back on the court. I don't make excuses, nor do I take days for granted, I take full advantage of elevating and getting better at all cost', warned John Murry (192-G-95, college: Austin Peay)

The 25 year old 192cm guard that began his basketball career at North Central High Schooland then played 2 years at Owens Community College (JUCO) returned back home before COVID-19 struck the world. He didn't waste anytime and began his comeback. I spoke to so many players during COVID-19 and not surprisingly most were able to find ways to stay in shape and work on their game even if it meant finding courts outside and battling the weather conditions, but it wasn't always easy for guys as the conditions weren't always great. But COVID-19 was never a road block for Murry to keep continuing his comeback. He did everything possible to be able to come back stronger even traveling hundreds of miles just to be able to work in a lab. 'The phrase 'The grind NEVER STOPS'!!! is not just a saying, it is a lifestyle that I live and maintain daily, so no matter what I had to do, where I had to go, or who I had to call. I was determined to put this work in. It got to the point where I had to fly to South Carolina and stay there almost 2 weeks just so I could work out every day. I didn't care what I had to, I refused to settle for being average, I wanted to be GREAT and the only way that was possible was by putting in work mentally and physically every single day', stressed



The guard who played at Austin Peay State University (NCAA) and averaged: 16.7ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 81.1% as a senior and has an unending chip on his shoulder because of playing in the fourth German league whereas there are other guys on this planet that had a lot weaker stats in the NCAA, but have made it to higher leagues is 100% healthy now. But the price he had to pay in terms of losing friendships was high, but he didn't want to come back at 80% or 90%, or not even at 99%. He didn't go the whole nine yards, but far beyond in his quest to be the old John Murry again. 'Things were very difficult and I'm putting emphasis on the difficulty. I reached new levels, my whole body felt better after the injury, things that hurt before didn't hurt anymore and my flexibility increased tremendously, which allowed me to be more active and athletic. I had to tap into a different place and lock in mentally for 6 months straight. It was like doing a plank core workout and holding that position for 6 months straight. The rehab period was very difficult because people didn't understand what I was going through and the odds that I was up against. People only understand what they wanted to understand and nothing more. I lost relationships with people just because I had made up in my mind every single day I'm going to work, I did not believe in cheat days or off days, during my rehab process. Some people were not very supportive with that idea. As of today, I am glad I went through it because it changed me, it made me mentally tougher and gave me the mindset of being even more unstoppable then before. It's like I could feel myself turning into an assassin. People telling me 'no I can't help you out' or ignoring me was one of the best things to ever happen to me. I NEVER doubted myself in any way at any time, I had unbreakable confidence during the whole process because I took time and stayed focused on the end result. I believe in God and I know with him NOBODY can beat me. He gave me the strength possible to get through and once I seen myself touch new heights; I knew the sky was the limit for me', warned

Murry is back in Grevenbroich now and preparing for the new season. Not to much has changed in the city except for the obvious with everyone wearing masks around which he calls the new normal. He is really excited to test the German Regionalliga west for the first time as is optimistic about the chances that the club has for being successful this season. 'I feel like we have some really good pieces on the team in order to be really successful. I like our energy every day in practice and we have done a great job in preseason. I don't see any reason why we can't keep this up heading into the regular season and into the playoffs. As far as myself, I'll let my game do the talking. I will say I pushed myself to exhaustion this whole summer, I spend countless hours in the weight room and on the floor being uncomfortable. I will carry that mentality onto the floor this season and throughout the playoffs', stressed



It will be interesting to see how John Murry will present himself on the court in Regionalliga gyms this season. He put in the work and has the massive self-confidence that he will put many smiles on basketball fans in Grevenbroch this season. 'I was anxious to come back and show exactly what it is the city of Grevenbroich and all of Germany had missed with me being hurt. I'm fearless when it comes to this game and had no fear when returning to Germany because I knew that I had put the work in. I gave it my all to be better, I did the little things and won the small victories day in and day out, ESPECIALLY during the pandemic and during rehab. That is what left no doubt or no fear in my return to basketball this season. I'm ready to give the city of Grevenbroich what they should have had from me a year ago', warned



The 25 year old 192cm guard that began his basketball career at North Central High Schooland then played 2 years at Owens Community College (JUCO) returned back home before COVID-19 struck the world. He didn't waste anytime and began his comeback. I spoke to so many players during COVID-19 and not surprisingly most were able to find ways to stay in shape and work on their game even if it meant finding courts outside and battling the weather conditions, but it wasn't always easy for guys as the conditions weren't always great. But COVID-19 was never a road block for Murry to keep continuing his comeback. He did everything possible to be able to come back stronger even traveling hundreds of miles just to be able to work in a lab. 'The phrase 'The grind NEVER STOPS'!!! is not just a saying, it is a lifestyle that I live and maintain daily, so no matter what I had to do, where I had to go, or who I had to call. I was determined to put this work in. It got to the point where I had to fly to South Carolina and stay there almost 2 weeks just so I could work out every day. I didn't care what I had to, I refused to settle for being average, I wanted to be GREAT and the only way that was possible was by putting in work mentally and physically every single day', stressed John Murry COVID-19 has so many restrictions that has limited the interaction of people in society. So staying in contact with friends wasn't always easy, but for John Murry the only contact he needed was with the equipment in a gym and a basketball. His focus was so strong that he sacrificed his relationships with people which didn't help for the future and some friendships, but in the end his comeback was rewarded by his hard work. 'During COVID-19 I stayed focused on my mission plan and took advantage of the world being shut down and elevated during that time to a level I had never been at before. There was nothing that I was willing to not do to make myself better. In all reality my time with family and friends decreased because I was so determined to be great and come back stronger that I used every minute of every day to be better. My schedule was so tight during that time that I kept anything that did not have to do with GOD or basketball away from my mental', added John Murry The guard who played at Austin Peay State University (NCAA) and averaged: 16.7ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 81.1% as a senior and has an unending chip on his shoulder because of playing in the fourth German league whereas there are other guys on this planet that had a lot weaker stats in the NCAA, but have made it to higher leagues is 100% healthy now. But the price he had to pay in terms of losing friendships was high, but he didn't want to come back at 80% or 90%, or not even at 99%. He didn't go the whole nine yards, but far beyond in his quest to be the old John Murry again. 'Things were very difficult and I'm putting emphasis on the difficulty. I reached new levels, my whole body felt better after the injury, things that hurt before didn't hurt anymore and my flexibility increased tremendously, which allowed me to be more active and athletic. I had to tap into a different place and lock in mentally for 6 months straight. It was like doing a plank core workout and holding that position for 6 months straight. The rehab period was very difficult because people didn't understand what I was going through and the odds that I was up against. People only understand what they wanted to understand and nothing more. I lost relationships with people just because I had made up in my mind every single day I'm going to work, I did not believe in cheat days or off days, during my rehab process. Some people were not very supportive with that idea. As of today, I am glad I went through it because it changed me, it made me mentally tougher and gave me the mindset of being even more unstoppable then before. It's like I could feel myself turning into an assassin. People telling me 'no I can't help you out' or ignoring me was one of the best things to ever happen to me. I NEVER doubted myself in any way at any time, I had unbreakable confidence during the whole process because I took time and stayed focused on the end result. I believe in God and I know with him NOBODY can beat me. He gave me the strength possible to get through and once I seen myself touch new heights; I knew the sky was the limit for me', warned John Murry With basketball on hold all over the world, John Murry had a lot of extra time in 2020 to work on his game while being 100%. He didn't lack working on many parts of his game as well as the metal aspect and the scouting part. 'This summer I studied the game over and beyond the point of focus. I made sure I locked in on my decision making and put myself in a better position on the floor to have more options as I make my moves. Also, I made sure I got my body right in areas to where I can set down on defense and shrink the floor with my length and quickness, aside from those things I just kept doing reps on reps on reps to perfect and polish areas that I already had success in. This summer was dedicated to being better than last year, that goes from performance on the court to be a better person off the court. I put just as much work in on my personality as I did my game, that is what made all the difference. Like I said before it was complete ELEVATION. The American got back to 100% physically as well as continued to work on his game to get better, but COVID-19 also had another big impact on him something he may not have witnessed had COVID-19 not become reality. 'During the pandemic I was able to slow down which I probably needed to do years ago lol. I played chess with my life, I processed my thoughts, and made my next move my best move every time I made a move. Every move made was with a purpose to be better. My theme all pandemic was ELEVATION. I watched film on myself and others EVERY single day. I searched for weaknesses in my game and my personality and attacked them full on. I narrowed my thinking down to God and basketball all pandemic/summer and never let a day go by without putting work in on the court and in the weight room. Things I joked about before I took seriously, I isolated myself and challenged my mind. When I thought I was good I did things over again to be GREAT! Long story short, with God as my leader, I made the impossible, POSSIBLE', warned John Murry Murry is back in Grevenbroich now and preparing for the new season. Not to much has changed in the city except for the obvious with everyone wearing masks around which he calls the new normal. He is really excited to test the German Regionalliga west for the first time as is optimistic about the chances that the club has for being successful this season. 'I feel like we have some really good pieces on the team in order to be really successful. I like our energy every day in practice and we have done a great job in preseason. I don't see any reason why we can't keep this up heading into the regular season and into the playoffs. As far as myself, I'll let my game do the talking. I will say I pushed myself to exhaustion this whole summer, I spend countless hours in the weight room and on the floor being uncomfortable. I will carry that mentality onto the floor this season and throughout the playoffs', stressed John Murry The club has a nice mix of experienced guys as well as young Germans and he is sharing the back court with Jonathan Coles who played at Emory University (NCAA3) and in Mexico and with ex BBL player German Moritz Krume (41 BBL games). He has formed a nice bond with them already on the court. 'Myself and Johnathan complement each other well. We are both pests on defense which makes a good backcourt, especially with our style of play from our tremendous coaching this preseason, we are looking pretty strong heading into this season. Mo is my guy. He performs well in practice and comes up big late in games with strong finishes around the rim and tough rebounds down the stretch. I have nothing but positive remarks about my new teammates. I really like his game and basketball mind', expressed John Murry It will be interesting to see how John Murry will present himself on the court in Regionalliga gyms this season. He put in the work and has the massive self-confidence that he will put many smiles on basketball fans in Grevenbroch this season. 'I was anxious to come back and show exactly what it is the city of Grevenbroich and all of Germany had missed with me being hurt. I'm fearless when it comes to this game and had no fear when returning to Germany because I knew that I had put the work in. I gave it my all to be better, I did the little things and won the small victories day in and day out, ESPECIALLY during the pandemic and during rehab. That is what left no doubt or no fear in my return to basketball this season. I'm ready to give the city of Grevenbroich what they should have had from me a year ago', warned John Murry The American who believes that the 2020 NBA final will consist of the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers and hope to recreate the old gold and green tradition from back in the Larry Bird and Magic Johnson days has the game to be very successful in the German Regionalliga, but it hasn't only been his abilities on the court, but having that incredible mindset of being unstoppable which has been there forever. It hasn't always been easy being mentally consistent of being unstoppable with the seemingly unending adversary that he has had in his career, but in the end, this nonstop mindset of no one being able to stop him has made him stronger. 'Keeping the mindset was definitely tough, but in the end, it was also what made me better. I wasn't even cleared to play basketball and I was walking around my city saying nobody can stop me and although at that time it may or may not have been true, it was the principle of getting my mind and body on the same accord. Yes, I was probably at 65/75% but it's the constant conversations you have to have with yourself to keep pushing yourself to absolute greatness. I remember an open gym in my city with all the pros being back who played in top leagues all over Europe and even in the NBA, I just kept telling them and myself, NOBODY can stop me I don't care who you are, that was what I call 'Mental Gymnastics'. I just knew once I could think mentally that I could perform the moves and actions physically after the injury. That was probably the sweetest part, just watching myself excel to new levels of the game', warned John Murry The last movie he saw was the incredible Netflix series about Michael Jordan called 'The Last Dance'. No matter if it's flying around the country to get better, working in the gym to exhaustion or finding another way to be able to study the game and get better with 'The Last dance', John Murry is the real deal who won't stop to being the best he can possibly be.



Tags : JOHN MURRY, NEW ELEPHANTS GREVENBROICH, GERMAN BASKETBALL