basketball
Herbert relies on the EM squad – NBA professional Kleber
National basketball coach Gordon Herbert relies on a well-rehearsed team. photo
© Sebastian Gollnow/dpa
The basketball players travel to the World Cup with a strong team. The provisional squad includes five NBA professionals. The framework is formed by the bronze heroes of Cologne and Berlin.
NBA professional Maximilian Kleber is returning to the German national basketball team this summer. The 31-year-old power forward from the Dallas Mavericks is in the provisional World Cup squad that national coach Gordon Herbert announced. For health reasons, Kleber did not take part in the home European Championships last year, where Germany won the bronze medal in Cologne and Berlin.
The squad from the successful European Championship also forms the core of the 18-player squad for the World Cup in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia from August 25th to September 10th. Led by NBA star Dennis Schröder, all twelve players who impressed at the European Championship are there. In addition to Kleber, there is also NBA professional Moritz Wagner, who had injured himself in the run-up to the EM in 2022, Isaac Bonga, Leon Kramer and Oscar da Silva from FC Barcelona.
“We have a great group coming to the training camp. Everyone is showing great commitment. Each of these players wants to represent their country at the highest level,” said Herbert. “It’s an honor for all of them to play for Germany. I’m really looking forward to it continuing. We’re playing for a medal at the World Cup,” said the national coach, who still has to drop six players before the start of the World Cup. NBA professional Isaiah Hartenstein and Euroleague veteran Tibor Pleiß are not in the squad.
In the preliminary round in Okinawa, Japan, the German team meets hosts Japan, Australia and Finland. Herbert gathers his team around him for the first time on July 31 in Bonn. The first test match against Sweden is also scheduled there on August 6th. The highlights of the preparation are the Supercup in Hamburg (August 12th/13th) and two friendlies against Greece (August 19th) and the USA (August 20th) in Abu Dhabi.