Now playing in the Georgian Superleague, former Ohio Bobcat, Nick Kellogg, is still fighting for his dream of playing in the NBA.
Like any mother would be, Nick Kellogg’s mother, Rosy, was nervous when he told her he was moving to Batumi, Georgia to pursue his dream of becoming a professional basketball player.
Kellogg had been preparing for the move to Europe since he graduated from Ohio in the spring. He had workouts before the 2014 NBA Draft with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers, but was realistic that the best roster spot for him would likely come overseas.
Kellogg, a four-year starter on the Ohio squad from 2010 to 2014, is the all-time leader in 3-pointers made in the Mid-American Conference. He led the Bobcats to two MAC Championships and a NCAA Tournament appearance, which included a cameo in the Sweet Sixteen in 2012.
“The process was challenging,” Kellogg said of trying to join an NBA team. “But it was also something that was fun for me. Coming from a mid-major school, I didn't really know what to expect as far as NBA goes.”
BC Batumi, Kellogg’s current squad, plays in the Georgian Superleague, the highest level of professional basketball in Georgia. Unlike the NBA, where the teams are only affiliated with geographic regions and cities, Georgian teams are represented by cities, such as Batumi, and state departments, such as BC Armia, which is affiliated with the Georgian Ministry of Defense.
Though Kellogg, a Westerville native, played as a guard during his four years at Ohio, he plays forward for BC Batumi. In his seven games so far this season, he’s averaged 15.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
Kellogg isn’t the only well-known Ohio basketball player to go overseas in the past few seasons. D.J. Cooper, who last played for Ohio during the 2013-14 campaign, is currently playing with Russian basketball club Enisey Krasnoyarsk.
Despite his position change and the obvious geographic change, Kellogg hasn’t been fazed by the change in scenery.
“It's just basketball in my eyes,” Kellogg said. “There are a few rule differences here and there, but the fundamentals are the same.”
Though the game might be the same for Kellogg, transitioning to a foreign nation and culture is challenging. Besides Kellogg, Chris Pelcher, formerly of New Hampshire, and B.J. Young, formerly of Arkansas, are the only Americans on the BC Batumi roster.
With the obvious language barrier, Kellogg says that communication is the biggest challenge. Communicating with his non-English speaking coaches is especially difficult, but he notes that there are a few players on the team who can quickly translate for him.
Despite the obstacles he’s encountered, Kellogg still has his eyes set on his ultimate goal: making the NBA. Despite the overwhelming odds he faces, there are a number of players who first got their start overseas.
As for now, Kellogg still has a lot of work to do to achieve his dream.
“My next steps are just to keep improving my game and hopefully keep moving up,” he said. “Whether that's to a better league in Europe or a roster in the NBA.”
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