He wants to reach the BBL, the first national basketball league. Kevin Strangmeyer never left any doubts about this goal. The Stadtallendorfer hasn’t made it yet – after all, the Gießen 46ers have just been relegated from the upper house and will be active in the second-class Pro A in the future. He has now signed a two-year contract with them. For him it is a return.
In his youth, the 21-year-old was on the ball for the 46ers’ basketball academy. At the same time, he played in Pro B, the third-highest division, for the Licher Basketbären before moving to Baden-Württemberg five years ago. The 2.03 meter tall and 115 kilogram power forward has since played 111 Pro-A games for the Ehingen Urspring team. So he knows the league. In the past season, Strangmeyer was involved in all 32 games, averaging 7.3 points and 3.2 rebounds – in a team that was ultimately relegated.
Coach Ignjatovic praises the player’s attitude
In Gießen, he comes to a club that has different requirements and wants to return to the first division, at least in the medium term. It doesn’t bother him that he’s not necessarily planned as a starter for the “four” but rather as a backup. He wants to “take the next step”, he says, “do everything for it”. Branislav Ignjatovic likes this attitude: “He’s great as a human being, hungry and able to learn,” says the new 46ers head coach about his future protégé, whose development he has dealt with in detail: “He was born in 2000, still quite young, but already has well over 100 Pro-A games for Ehingen. The season and the role have improved from year to year.” And Sebastian Schmidt, managing director and sports director, is quoted in a statement: “We are convinced that he has not yet exhausted his potential and that he has done very well with us will continue to develop.”
Only six players in the squad so far
Those responsible for the Giessen 46ers still have a lot of work ahead of them this summer. For the Pro-A season 2022/2023, which begins in autumn, there are only six players in the Bundesliga relegated squad: in addition to Stadtallendorfer Kevin Strangmeyer, these are the other German players Luca Finn Kahl, Nico Brauner, Luis Elias Figge and Maximilian Begue as well the American Steffon Mitchell. The team is coached by Branislav Ignjatovic, who has signed a two-year contract.
He’s “really looking forward to coming back to Gießen to be able to play in front of the fans in the East Hall,” says Strangmeyer, speaking of a “teenage dream” that’s coming true. Another dream remains the top German division. He told the OP at the end of 2020 that he wanted to make it there within “three or four years”. Maybe it works with the 46ers.
By Stefan Weisbrod
