Ezra Mañjon Discusses his Journey to Germany and Lessons Along the Way
By: Dylan Tehada
Ezra Mañjon has been hooping for as long as he can remember. Ever since a young age Mañjon has fallen in love with hoops and has been committed to elevating his game to realize his unlimited potential. While he was growing up playing ball, Mañjon spent a lot of time with his older brother training and continuing to grow his skillset as he set his sights on playing more at a more competitive and higher level.
Mañjon has major ties in the Bay Area playing AAU for the Oakland Soldiers and high school ball at Heritage High School where he won All-Bay Area, All-Metro and All-Bay Valley Athletic League first team honors. He then took his talents to the collegiate level at UC Davis where he spent 3 seasons leading the Aggies, averaging 13.9 points and 3.6 assists per game. He then transferred to Vanderbilt University for two years where he continued to grow his game under the leadership of Coach Jeremy Stackhouse averaging 12.6 points and 3.8 assists per game and even winning SEC all-tournament team during his Senior season. After his collegiate career, he took his talent overseas to Germany where he now plays for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.
The transition from playing college basketball at the highest level in the SEC conference to playing professional ball overseas comes with a variety of nuances. While moving to Germany presents a great deal of change in terms of lifestyle, perhaps the biggest difference between playing college ball in the U.S. and professional ball for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg is what being a professional athlete entails. Mañjon has experienced firsthand the grind that comes along with playing at the highest level, and acknowledges that his only focus and obligation is basketball. Even though the circumstances have changed around him, Mañjon’s mindset and efforts are still fixated on one thing: getting better.
“I think the biggest thing for me was adjusting and being able to adapt. Over here [in Germany] the crowds are crazy and you get a lot of love in the city that you're in. But the goal is just to continue getting better and to continue to win and move up in the ladders over here,” Mañjon stated.
Mañjon cherishes every moment he gets to play the game he loves and playing overseas has been a dream come true for him. His path to Germany is characterized by a great deal of hard work and a strong support system around him. Mañjon credits a lot of his development to the coaches, like Coach Stackhouse, that he’s been mentored by and the trainers, like UPB’s very own Coach Packie, that have helped hone his skill set.
Playing basketball overseas is becoming more common than ever as the game continues to globalize, and former college athletes like Mañjon have taken advantage of the opportunity to continue their career and achieve their dreams of playing professional ball. According to Mañjon, for athletes looking to play ball overseas, the biggest thing to look for is a team culture that will help an athlete develop.
“Don't chase the money your first year. I'd say the most important thing is to find a team, you know, that's a good fit for you, and find a team that you're going to develop and is going to have chances to win games on the biggest stages,” Mañjon said.
Mañjon embodies the hard work and humility it takes to realize one’s full potential. He has found a great deal of success at every level he has played at and with every team he has been a part of. As he continues his next chapter in Germany, he seeks to continue elevating his game and reaching new heights as an athlete on and off the court. What’s the key to Mañjon’s success, you may ask, well according to himself, it’s finding joy in the present moment.
“Find joy in the ups and downs. When I was young, I wanted to reach a point where I was ranked and getting all these offers. I wanted to reach that point so bad that I was not living in the moment,” Mañjon said. “find joy in the process of becoming the player and the person that you want to be.”
Mañjon’s first regular season playing for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg is currently underway and he is already making a huge impact averaging 15 points and 3.5 assists per game. We are excited for all the great things ahead in Mañjon’s career overseas and cannot wait to see the impact he makes in Germany! We wish him all the best and have no doubt that he will continue to spread his endless joy and passion for hoops with everyone he encounters.
