‘I’m not there yet’ - USMNT rising defender Noahkai Banks stays focused on growth with Augsburg amid rising hype

It's hard to pinpoint Banks' exact "Welcome to the Bundesliga" moment. He played eight times in the league for Augsburg last season after starring for the club's reserves. This season, he's featured 17 more times in Germany's top flight, becoming an integral part of the team. 

That was proven even more recently when, after serving a suspension for yellow card accumulation in Augsburg's win over Bayern Munich, Banks was tossed right back into the team the next week against St. Pauli. There was no sticking with the team that had just taken down Germany's best team. Banks is simply too important to leave out, even when others impress in his absence.

In terms of his big Bundesliga welcome, though, you could say it came back in October. Making his first of the season, Banks scored his first senior goal in the opening minutes of a 3-1 win over Wolfsburg, announcing himself to the public with a rare contribution in the other box.

"I think because the goal was in my first start, it was great," he said. "It was the third or fourth minute, so it was a great start to the game. I was so chill after, but the emotions were crazy. I think it was one of the best moments of my life. My mom was sitting in the first row, and I saw her crying. That was very cool for my whole family."

It was the type of moment he'd always dreamed of. Banks grew up idolizing Jerome Boateng, looking to the former Germany and Bayern star as the prototypical center back. Now, he, too, is playing in Germany's top flight and showing he belongs. This season, Banks is in the upper echelon of Bundesliga defenders in Tackles, blocks, and duels. He's also seemingly blossomed as a passer, sitting in the 75th percentile of center backs in passing percentage despite playing for a team hovering just outside of the relegation zone.

"I think the biggest changes come with experience," he says. "Before, I played with the second team, and now, it's like, when you play against [Bayern Munich's Michael] Olise, it's different than when you play against a fourth division player because, if you position yourself wrong, he's gone and it's probably a goal. It's a lot of positioning and things that come over time. I think I've made steps there, but I can make more steps in the future."

The USMNT are surely watching those steps eagerly, as Banks has the potential to be a key figure in both the present and the future.

In September, Banks received the best email of his life. He's been called up to USMNT camp for friendlies against South Korea and Japan. Having shined on the youth level with the U.S., this would be his first taste of the senior team, and it came at a crucial point in World Cup preparation.

Banks didn't see the field in those two games. The invitation was more of an introduction than a baptism by fire. Banks was brought in to get a taste of the USMNT, and that experience proved incredibly valuable, on and off the field.

"I was pretty nervous when I got into camp," Banks admitted. "I was 18 years old at that moment, so I thought that maybe the older guys would think, 'Who's that?' or 'What is he doing here?', but it was great, to be honest. It was incredible because players like [Christian] Pulisic, [Tim] Weah - they helped me a lot. My first experience has been great. Also working with Pochettino, I think he's one of the biggest coaches in the world. He has trained some of the best players of all time, so yeah, he helped me a lot in those 10 days. The whole camp was great. The players, how they welcomed me, how they made my life easy, was very cool, to be honest.

"Tim Ream, the first day of training, helped me a lot. He also plays my position, so he coached me a lot and helped me get into training and into the new tactics. Obviously, it was a bit new, but all the older guys at dinner said to come sit at their table. It was great."

Banks didn't just get to know his USMNT teammates, but also Pochettino, who has already had a massive influence on the defender.

Even with Pochettino's praise, Banks isn't letting anything get to his head. Even if he wanted to, those around him would never let that happen.

"My mom would kick my a-- if I wasn't grounded anymore," he said with a laugh, "so there's no chance of that."

So, when he arrived at the USMNT camp after seemingly impressing Pochettino, Banks didn't want to rest on his laurels. Instead, he set out to learn from the manager, a former player who played at the levels Banks himself aspires to reach. In his heyday, Pochettino was a center back for Argentina while also featuring for clubs like Espanyol, Paris Saint-Germain, Bordeaux, and Newell's Old Boys. That meant there were plenty of tricks of the trade that Banks could learn from the USMNT boss during their short time together in September.

"He knows the position very well," he says. "He has helped me with small details like positioning and stuff like this. It's just small things that make a difference at the highest level. He gave me some tips, and I just hope I can do what he told me to do in the future."

That future, at least for the moment, is tied to the USMNT. Banks doesn't see that changing any time soon.

Banks remembers that, early in his career, he was written off. At eight, he was told he would never make it, only for one youth coach to step in and offer him a chance to prove he could. Then, later on, the U.S. offered him a similar chance, allowing him to grow with the youth national teams.

Banks' father is American, but his mother is German and Spanish. He spent most of his childhood in Germany and is eligible to represent their national team in the future. He hasn't played in an official match for the USMNT yet so he isn't definitely tied to the U.S. just yet. In his mind, though, that's where he'll stay.

"I've been in touch with Germany before, to be honest, but, as I've said, I was always very happy with the U.S," he said. "You can never tell what happens in the future, but at the moment, there isn't a thought of switching because I'm happy with the U.S. You can never tell what happens in the future, though."

The reason his future remains with the U.S.? His experiences in the past. Banks cited U.S. U-17 coach Gonzalo Segares as one of the mentors who really helped him grow. It was his experiences with that U-17 team that really helped build his connection to the U.S. and to a group of teammates that he now calls his close friends.

"I was always happy with the U.S. because I got invited to the U-17 level and had a lot of friends back there, so I was always happy to get into camp to see my friends. I played the U-17 World Cup, which was incredible and one of the best experiences of my life. Then the U-19 and U-20 level, I was just happy to be in camp and see my friends again. It's not just going to the national team and playing football; it's being with your friends and getting to play football with them, too."

Banks has largely outgrown the youth teams. There's a large contingent of USMNT fans who want to see him debut for the senior team in March in the team's final friendlies before Pochettino selects his USMNT roster. That path to the World Cup is there, and there are plenty out there imagining how Banks could walk it. He isn't one of those people, though.

Banks isn't one to get worked up about the future. In fact, he's way more into the quiet life. Off the field, he generally retreats into the comfort of home, particularly in these winter months when the weather isn't great in Germany. His primary hobby? A good movie, one that can help him decompress from Bundesliga life.

"There's a new movie in the cinema called 'The Housemaid'. That was great," Banks said. "I also love 'The Equalizer' and 'Man on Fire' because I love Denzel Washington, because he's my favorite actor. It's been a lot of movies with him, Kevin Hart movies, all kinds. I'm watching a lot because the weather is just bad."

During those quiet moments, Banks says he doesn't really think about the future. He does dream of playing for Barcelona, his favorite team, but that's more something for the childhood version of himself, not the current one. The World Cup is coming, sure, but he says he doesn't really think about it because it would prevent him from living day by day.

"I think it's not the right time to think about the World Cup because we have a lot of games left here [at Augsburg] and we want to win those games because we have goals for the season. It's really about focus. I know a lot of players say it, but I really mean it," Banks said. "I really just focus on the games we have here and then we can see what happens in the summer. That's not my main focus at the moment; my main focus is finishing the season strong with Augsburg, and then let's see."

The road to a World Cup is right in front of Banks, and the man who ultimately makes the decision, Pochettino, clearly believes in him. Again, in the words of the 19-year-old, let's see how the defender approaches the next series of big moments of his budding career.