Dennis Schröder (on the ball) was often able to prevail against the NBA stars of the USA in the last friendly.
Photo: AFP/Giuseppe Cacace
Before the men’s basketball world championship, which starts this Friday, it will be quite difficult for normal German ball flat holders to shed their role as co-favourites. Even Steve Kerr, coach of the first gold contender USA, said after the last friendly between the two teams: “That was our toughest opponent. They are a big, strong team. Spain were excellent too, but it’s clear that Germany are one of the best teams in the world.” As a reminder, Spain’s basketball players are world and European champions. The multiple NBA champion Kerr, however, considers the selection of the German Basketball Association (DBB) to be even better.
The praise that was pouring down on the DBB squad from all sides, even before the first ball was thrown onto the basket of the host Japanese at the start of the World Cup, is somewhat reminiscent of the last World Cup. In 2019, the DBB entourage traveled to China and confidently spoke of the best squad that had ever been assembled. That sounded like an indirect request to the team to win a medal, after all there had already been bronze in 2002. After two narrow preliminary round defeats against France and the Dominican Republic, the quick end was sealed instead.
The fact that the DBB is now adopting the mantra of the national coach Gordon Herbert, who was hired at the end of 2020 and who sets a medal as the goal, at least shows courage. However, a lot has happened since 2019. Just two years later, the Germans reached the Olympic quarterfinals in Tokyo without their best NBA players, and in late autumn 2022 they celebrated bronze at the European Championships in Berlin with almost the best players.
Last year’s team remained almost unchanged, with the then injured Moritz Wagner (Orlando Magic) and Isaac Bonga (FC Bayern) it was even strengthened again. So it’s no wonder that even international experts now see Germany as a contender for a World Cup medal, after it was still a purely German (mis)impression in 2019. A strong World Cup preparation confirms that. The defense is variable and only had problems against a few exceptional athletes from Canada and the USA. Everyone knows their role offensively: Dennis Schröder is the driver and has all the freedom. The second throwing option is the versatile young Franz Wagner, whose star rose at the EM 2022. There are also three-point specialist Andreas Obst and a group of great players who can shoot under the basket as well as from distance. In terms of play, this team has everything it needs.
In addition, self-confidence has grown so much that almost everyone supports the ambitious goals: “We have very high standards for ourselves. The time when the German team only wanted to play a little bit at a World Cup is over. I would put us in the circle of top favorites myself,” said defensive specialist Bonga. When colleagues like Johannes Voigtmann prefer to play a little deeper, that’s also accepted: “For me personally, the goal is to play a good tournament at a high level. Everyone goes about it differently to motivate themselves. But all of us want to win every game. That unites us.«
Each squad member has also committed to sacrificing the summer days to the DBB team for at least three years. And nobody questions his role, even if it’s much smaller than at the club. David Krämer, for example, who scored an average of 17 points for Braunschweig in the Bundesliga, accepts the fact that as the twelfth man he might not play a minute at all. “I’m just happy that I can be there this time and will support the team from the bench,” said the 26-year-old after he was kicked out of the squad shortly before the EM in 2022. Apart from that, national coach Herbert loves his philosophy of »Racehorses and Pigs«: some players are allowed to be the racehorses, the others serve as fighting pigs. And everyone goes along with it.
The fact that Germany is one of the favorites is also due to the fact that, with the exception of Luka Dončić from Slovenia, the biggest stars are not taking part in the tournament in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines to recover from injuries or to prepare specifically for the Olympic season. Serbia and Greece are missing the best players of the past four NBA seasons, Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo. And also in Team USA you won’t find the really big names of the scene. At least the Americans are still believed to be able to win gold after a preparation without defeat, after all there are still many NBA players. Coach Kerr’s squad, which no one calls “Dream Team” anymore, but certainly not, is unbeatable. This was shown not least by the DBB selection, which had already led by 16 points in the last test before it finally ran out of air.
After several days of regeneration, the condition against the preliminary round opponents Japan (Friday), co-favorite Australia (Sunday) and Finland (Tuesday) should no longer be a problem. Instead, it comes down to putting the talent on the field when it matters most. That the Germans can meanwhile do that, too, they proved at the European Championships at home. Now there should be a sequel.
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