NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 27: Greg Malinowski #11 of the Georgetown Hoyas seems on towards the St. John’s Purple Storm at Madison Sq. Backyard on January 27, 2019 in New York Metropolis, 5 questions with Lakeland Magic guard Greg Malinowski. (Picture by Steven Ryan/Getty Photographs)
This week, I had the chance to speak to Lakeland Magic guard Greg Malinowski and ask him just a few questions.
5 questions with Lakeland Magic guard Greg Malinowski
Greg Malinowski grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, and attended Episcopal Excessive College. Malinowski knew he needed to enter sports activities at a younger age. Throughout Episcopal Excessive College’s senior internship program, he was fortunate sufficient to have the chance to function a video productions intern at ESPN.
Again on the basketball courtroom, most of Malinowski’s presents got here from mid-major applications. He elected to remain in his dwelling state of Virginia and dedicated to the Faculty of William & Mary in 2013 whereas having presents from Princeton, UMBC, Boston Faculty, and some others.
In his first 12 months on the Faculty of William & Mary, Malinowski contributed solely as a task participant, placing up just below 5 assists. In his ultimate two seasons on the Faculty of William & Mary, Malinowski was given a bigger function and ended up beginning most of his junior season. He averaged eight factors, 4 rebounds, and one help per sport.
Then, in 2017, Malinowski transferred to Georgetown for his senior season. He served as a veteran off the bench and averaged six factors, three rebounds, and two assists per sport. Moreover, Malinowski graduated with a bachelor’s diploma in advertising from Georgetown’s enterprise faculty.
All through Malinowski’s collegiate profession he was an distinctive three-pointer shooter. He averaged 39 p.c from the three-point line in his 4 years enjoying collegiate ball.
After going undrafted, Malinowski continued pursuing knowledgeable profession in basketball by enjoying in Germany with the Ehingen Urspring in 2020. With the Urspring, Malinowski averaged 10 factors, three rebounds, and two assists per sport.
Following Malinowski’s stint in Germany, he returned to the NBA circuit. Malinowski was signed after which minimize with each the Greensboro Swarm (the Charlotte Hornets G League affiliate) and the Capital Metropolis Go-Go (the Washington Wizards G League affiliate) earlier than being signed by the Lakeland Magic (the Orlando Magic G League affiliate).
In his brief time with the Magic (solely 5 video games), Malinowski averaged seven factors, two assists, and one rebound in 14 minutes per sport. He continued his environment friendly taking pictures and shot 40 p.c from behind the arc.
Along with his skilled basketball profession, Malinowski is a profitable entrepreneur. Whereas he was not on the courtroom, Malinowski labored to create a profitable dropshipping model that has now developed right into a six-figure enterprise. He’s additionally a talented videographer and photographer which he usually showcases on his social media.
Right here’s the interview:
Q: You might be very captivated with pictures and videography. Inform me concerning the ESPN internship you bought in 2014. How did you get hold of that function? What was it like?
A: At my highschool, Episcopal, we had a senior internship program the final month of Could. I knew I needed to be within the sports activities world so I seemed into all prospects there. Fortunately sufficient, a detailed household pal from my church was the manager producer for PTI and Round The Horn. These reveals have been primarily based proper right here in Dupont Circle, Washington DC so it labored out completely. On the time, pictures and video weren’t actually on my radar, so it was the love of sports activities that attracted me to this chance. Usually, ESPN solely accepts faculty interns, particularly as a result of highschool applications (like mine) have been usually just one month lengthy. Due to this, my day-to-day was a bit extra distinctive than most. I spent days shadowing individuals in several departments of the workplace. It was a brilliant cool expertise to see how big-time ESPN reveals have been working.
Q: What’s it like making an attempt to run a enterprise whereas enjoying on the skilled degree?
A: In collegiate basketball, the hours not devoted to the courtroom have been devoted to the classroom. In skilled basketball, my off-time was devoted to studying construct a enterprise and rising my picture and video skillset. Whereas enjoying in Germany, my whole time dedicated to practices would perhaps max out at 4-6 hours. Estimating 8 hours of sleep, that also left me with 10 hours of “free time.” The primary a number of years of studying, failing, and making an attempt new issues exterior of basketball have been difficult, however in the end helped me develop exponentially.
Q: You by no means averaged over 10 factors in faculty, and have developed a really profitable enterprise on prime of your pictures and videography abilities. With all of this in thoughts, have been your eyes at all times on skilled basketball?
A: Sure, my eyes have been at all times on enjoying professionally. Just like virtually all basketball gamers, my dream as a child was to play within the NBA. Taking part in NBA pre-draft exercises and summer time league camp was a fantastic expertise. Nonetheless, enjoying abroad was additionally one thing I used to be very intrigued with. The facet enterprise got here because of the additional time I used to be afforded from enjoying professionally.
Q: Three G League groups this 12 months and simply 5 video games performed. What’s the battle of making an attempt to be picked up by a G League workforce? What has this course of seemed like for you over the course of your profession? Moreover, what was your choice to go to Germany to play ball, after which come again after only one 12 months?
A: Taking part in in Germany was a fantastic alternative. Nevertheless, it was a tough 12 months and didn’t pan out as I had initially hoped. After returning dwelling, I stayed in form by serving to Georgetown with apply. They have been right down to solely about six or seven scholarship guys. A month later, the world shut down because of COVID. I didn’t obtain any alternative that whole subsequent 12 months up till the autumn of 2021 once I acquired an invitation to a Greensboro Swarm exercise. The 12 months was positively very difficult. I used to be minimize (coaching camp GBO), then I used to be a apply participant (Capital Metropolis GoGo), then a signed participant (CCG), then minimize (CCG), then signed (CCG), then minimize (CCG), then signed by my third workforce, the Lakeland Magic. The final stint with the Magic was an superior expertise. I used to be lastly given a possibility to get in and play – this was my first time checking right into a sport since January 2020, 790 days prior. Persevering with to remain in form and stay prepared was extremely tough because of the sheer uncertainty of issues, but it surely was positively price it ultimately.
Q: Taking pictures is the strongest a part of your sport. Inform me a bit bit concerning the shooter’s mentality and the journey to changing into such an elite shooter.
A: It’s one thing I’ve at all times labored on since being a younger child. My dad helped information and train me once I was rising up. After I received again from Germany enhancing my percentages was one thing I actually needed to place an emphasis on within the low season. With the following 12 months being a semi-off 12 months because of COVID, it was one thing I used to be actually capable of give attention to lots. Particularly, honing in on mechanics, fundamentals and type actually helped me to return proper in with Lakeland and make pictures.
Thanks a lot to Greg Malinowski for these unbelievable responses. I encourage all followers to help their native G League workforce and attempt to attend video games as a result of the expertise there may be really outstanding.
