Germany was “definitely our toughest opponent,” said US national coach Steve Kerr after his team’s difficult 99-91 win in a World Cup friendly against the German national team. On Friday, the selection of the German Basketball Association (DBB) starts in Okinawa against Japan in the World Cup tournament (August 25th to September 10th).
“They are a big, strong team. Dennis Schröder is very difficult to control,” continued Kerr, who even went one better: “Spain were excellent too, but it’s clear that Germany are one of the best teams in the world.”
Germany in the group of World Cup medal contenders
Praise from a qualified source – after all, Kerr has won the NBA championship four times as a coach with the Golden State Warriors, and was also “NBA Coach of the Year” in 2016. And so, after third place at the European Championships last year, Germany has risen to the extended circle of medal contenders at the upcoming World Championships.
That’s how Marko Pesic sees it. The managing director of FC Bayern Basketball sees Germany “at least as a medal candidate” and attributes this to the experience of the players and the continuity of recent years.
German basketball legend Dirk Nowitzki, who recently became a member of the NBA “Hall of Fame”, also believes that the DBB team could pull off a big coup in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.
USA top favorite – although the stars are missing
The yardstick will remain the USA, who will go into the tournament as favorites as five-time title holders, although they will compete without their most well-known NBA stars. That is different with the German team of national coach Gordon Herbert. With Dennis Schröder (Toronto Raptors), Daniel Theis (Indiana Pacers) and Franz and Moritz Wagner (both Orlando Magic) there are four NBA stars in the squad. In addition, Isaac Bonga (FC Bayern Basketball) is a former NBA player.
So much quality in the squad, it raises expectations. Especially since the successful EM team could be strengthened. “Moritz Wagner came along, who spent a lot of time with us last year but was injured. That also applies to Isaac Bonga, and David Krämer as well,” Maodo Lo told the kicker.
And Steve Kerr also joins in the chorus: “I wasn’t really surprised. They’ve been playing together for a few years. We know Theis, the Wagners and Dennis Schröder. They’re all excellent. These guys like to turn things up in the national team.” And further: “You are definitely a medal contender for the World Cup.” Germany won the only World Cup medal so far in the USA in 2002 – at that time Dirk Nowitzki led the DBB selection to bronze.
Schröder-Kleber dispute is over
The absence of Maximilian Kleber (Dallas Mavericks) and the dispute about him and Dennis Schröder beforehand also seems to have been forgotten: “It was an issue when it also boiled up on social media. I think a lot has already been said and written about it. As soon as the Once the preparations started, that was no longer an issue for us as a team,” said Maodo Lo, who will play for top European club Olimpia Milan in the future. Kleber had canceled his participation for this summer after captain Dennis Schröder had criticized him in clear words.
topic ticked off. It is important who is there. And there, Lo thinks, a really good cohesion has developed, almost like at the European Championship a year ago: “The team chemistry is similar because we have almost the same squad. The chemistry is excellent again,” said the builder. The USA’s toughest test opponent is preparing to reach for the stars at the World Cup.
2023-08-21 15:46:19
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