Graduating from perennial Toronto powerhouse Eastern Commerce in 2001, where he was a two-time Toronto Sun All-Ontario All Star and was listed as one of the Toronto Star’s Fab 5, Jermaine Anderson (born Feb 8, 1983), nicknamed “Rock,” attended Fordham University from 2002-2006.
Playing for the Rams he led the team in assists his rookie season dishing out 70 in 28 games for a 2.5 average. He started five games during the 28-game season. During the 2004-2005 campaign he shot an impressive 81% from the free throw line converting 29 of 51. He also led the team in three-point field goal percentage at 39.7%.
He was second in scoring his senior year, averaging 15.6 points per game. He also averaged 3.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and shot an impressive 41% from three-point range hitting 89 of 215. He was selected an All Atlantic 10 second team All-Star.
During the summer of 2006 he was a member of the Toronto Raptors summer league team averaging nearly two points per game in the Toshiba Vegas Summer League.
Hitting the pro circuit in 2006-2007 he played for the Briose Baskets Bamberg in Greece along with court time in the German and Polish leagues.
The 6-foot-2 guard then stayed home for a while in 2007-2008 suiting up for the Halifax Rainmen (American Basketball Association) where in 20 games he averaged an impressive 15.1 PPG and 6.5 APG before packing his bags and heading to Germany to play for the Walter Tigers Tubinghen.
He would spend the entire 2008-2009 campaign with the Tigers averaging 12.8 PPG and 3.6 assists. For 2009-2010 he suited in the for red-and-white uniform of Cedevita Zagred in the Croatia pro circuit reaching the Kresimir Cosic Cup semi-finals and gaining All-Adriatic League honourable mention. They play out of the 2,000-seat SD Sutinska vrela Podsused.
In 2010-2011 he played for BC Triumph Lyubertsy in the Russian Professional Basketball League (PBL) averaging 10 PPG. For the 2011-2012 season, Anderson suited up for the KK Budu?nost Podgorica from Podgorcia, Montenegro. In 2012-2013 season home uniform is with the KK Cibona in Croatia and then Phantoms Braunschweig. Jermaine currently plays for TBB Trier.
He has been a member of Canada’s senior men’s national team from 2004 on. In 2007 he was second on the team in scoring, 11.4 points per game, at the Pan American Games. Anderson participated in the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship; he helped lead Canada to a 4th place finish losing in the 3rd place game to Argentina. The 88-73 loss to Argentina was also Anderson's best game of the tournament scoring 19 points, 11 assists and 4 rebounds. Anderson was voted to the all-tournament third team along with teammate Joel Anthony.
Of his own style of play Anderson said in an interview, “I would say that I have an up-tempo style of game. I like to play fast, and make decisions on the fly. But I like to make the safe and simple play to keep turnovers at a minimum which is the biggest thing in my opinion for a point guard.
“I don’t think I play like anybody I just try and learn by watching other solid point guards whether it is in the NBA or Europe and try to incorporate it into my own game. But the player I try to learn from the most is Steve Nash; this is because I had an opportunity to practice with him a few years ago when he was with the national team.”
Insight and research provided by Curtis J. Phillips