Basketball World Cup
Obst as a German hero – “Best thrower on the planet”
Best German player in the semifinals: Andreas Obst. photo
© Matthias Stickel/dpa
In the World Cup semi-finals in Manila, Bundesliga professional Andreas Obst trumped all NBA stars. The basketball player is celebrated by his teammates around Captain Schröder.
In the 113:111 spectacle in the World Cup semifinals against Olympic champions USA, Obst became the face of the basketball coup with 24 points and an important three-pointer in the final phase. “I still have to pinch myself a little bit. It’s an honor to play with this group,” said the 27-year-old.
The focus in Manila was not on the German captain Dennis Schröder or the US stars around Anthony Edwards and Jalen Brunson, but on the otherwise often inconspicuous Obst. When the national player entered the dressing room after Germany reached the final for the first time, Schröder and Co. shouted loudly: “MVP! MVP! MVP!” Everyone considered Obst to be the most valuable player in a game that the world association Fiba called “one of the best games in World Cup history” that night. On Sunday (2:40 p.m./ZDF and Magentasport) Obst and his team can become world champions against Serbia.
Praise also from high places
The winger, who simply lay on his back and enjoyed after the final siren sounded, received compliments from all sides. “That was the decisive point in our defeat. Great respect for Schröder, who can move to the basket as a quick builder. But I think that fruit was the key to victory for the Germans,” said US national coach Steve Kerr.
Johannes Voigtmann was also thrilled by his teammate’s memorable performance. “We always say Andi is the best thrower on the planet. He’s incredible,” said Voigtmann. Obst himself didn’t want to celebrate too much, but he still shared a rare feeling of happiness with his fan base. “Best doping test of my life,” Obst proudly announced via X, formerly Twitter, from the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, where he can win World Cup gold on Sunday.