Former Berks Catholic and Bucknell star center Nana Foulland

After a standout career at Bucknell, Nana Foulland played professional basketball in five countries over four years.  While young athletes often dream of turning pro, Foulland's experience was challenging.  "It's a toll on your body and overseas it's a toll on your mind. You're away from everything. You feel isolated. You don't feel like you belong. You always feel like an outsider," he told SV Sports' Paul Roberts.  Foulland discussed the good times and the bad in his book, "Through the Lens of a Game."  The 6'10 center said professional basketball can be "cut-throat" and because he was from America, he was expected to produce.  Foulland played in Israel, Romania, Poland, Italy, and France.  Rome, Paris, and Jerusalem are his three favorite cities.  Foulland explained that he had to change his mindset and stop viewing himself as a victim.  Traveling allowed him to get his mind off of basketball.  He noted that little things like taking walks helped him as well.  Foulland has been working for the Oklahoma City Thunder as a video analyst.  He's come a long way from his days at Berks Catholic High School.  Despite his size, Foulland didn't receive significant playing time until his junior season.  The 2014 graduate became a two-time All-State selection while scoring 1,075 career points.  When Foulland arrived at Bucknell, he quickly realized that he had to raise his level of play even higher.  He replied, "I never set goals that I can't reach...and then making a plan. I just stacked days after that, keep stacking days."  Foulland's extraordinary work ethic made him a three-time All-Patriot League pick.  In 2017, he was named Patriot League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.  Foulland finished fourth in league history in both rebounds (907) and blocks (212).  He racked up 1,754 points for the Bison.  The 27-year-old said that writing a book was a demanding process.  "I wanted to keep my brain sharp. I wasn't going to school anymore, just playing basketball. I just started writing each year about my experiences," explained Foulland.  His wife served as the editor.  "I'm glad I did it and went through with it," he stated.