Basketball World Cup
Theis declares Zoff in the DBB team to be over
NBA professional Daniel Theis (l) is one of the top performers in the German national basketball team. photo
© Hiro Komae/AP/dpa
Captain Schröder grumbles at Daniel Theis, and then the coach reprimands: The scenes from the German time-out went around the basketball world. They no longer play a role for Theis.
For national basketball players Daniel Theis has no further effects from the violent dispute during the time-out at the World Cup game against Slovenia. “Of course it looks stupid, but it gave the team a push. After that, it’s over, that’s no longer an issue,” said Theis at the team hotel in Manila.
At 100:71 over the Slovenians with NBA star Luka Doncic, the two friends Dennis Schröder and Theis initially clashed. Then national coach Gordon Herbert yelled at his captain Schröder.
Schröder and Theis reconciled during the game, further talks are therefore not necessary. “After that it’s over. Dennis and I have known each other for 14 years. We both just didn’t play well. We addressed that directly. He told me that I didn’t play well – I assumed that,” reported Theis. On Wednesday (10.45 a.m. / Magentasport), Germany will contest its first World Cup quarter-finals since 2006, the opponent is Latvia.
Head coach Herbert also no longer wants to comment on the incident. Asked if he had shown authority with the duo’s subsequent substitution, the 64-year-old said: “We had a break. They were on the field in front and we had to change something. We were at the back and we had to change things. It worked just for everyone to sit down so I can explain something about how to proceed,” said Herbert. Theis noted: “He took us out so we could go down. It helped in the end.”