Moritz Wagner showed perseverance. In addition to Dennis Schröder’s autographs, his signature was particularly in demand after the German national basketball team’s lackluster 87:68 friendly win against Sweden on Saturday evening in Bonn’s Telekom Dome. He patiently fulfilled every selfie wish of the mostly young fans and posed with the victory sign.
Before that, it was Wagner who, with his energy, had led the German team to a clear victory in the final quarter, which had not looked like in the 30 minutes before. It was the German team’s first official test on the way to the World Cup in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, which begins on August 25. National coach Gordon Herbert has just under three weeks to give the team the necessary finishing touches.
Herbert: “We have grown”
The test against combative but conservative Swedes proved that this is necessary. After a strong start (15:4/7th minute), the German team became careless, no longer played their offensive systems consistently and allowed themselves to lose a few balls. A lot remained piecemeal for the German team that evening, which is perhaps understandable after five hard days of training in Bonn.
However, the preparation for the World Cup is accompanied by Herbert’s self-confident statement that at the World Cup they will be “a much better team than last summer”. “We’ve grown,” emphasized the Canadian. At last year’s European Championships, Germany won the bronze medal. A medal is also the goal at the upcoming World Championships, emphasizes Herbert. It should also come without the support of Maximilian Kleber: The Dallas Mavericks forward decided not to participate after being criticized by teammate Dennis Schröder for his cancellation of the European Championship last year.
The coach draws his optimism from the fact that the squad has been strengthened compared to the European Championship even without glue. Above all with Moritz Wagner, who was still injured at the European Championships in 2022. “I’m really looking forward to the tournament and I’m happy to be playing in such a great team,” said the 26-year-old after the game. They have “a great group together”, and that probably also applies to his younger brother Franz Wagner. Both play together at the NBA club Orlando Magic, at the last European Championship the five-year-old was the shooting star of the German team.
Believes in a successful World Cup: national basketball coach Gordon Herbert : Image: dpa
The international match against Sweden was the first in which both Wagners played together. It is obvious that Moritz Wagner, with his enthusiasm, his passion and his will, gives the German team something that has been missing so far and can make the difference in tight games. The Big Man doesn’t have his brother’s wit or the self-confident attitude of Dennis Schröder, but he can give every game a new twist with his positive attitude. “I couldn’t imagine a better sixth man,” Herbert ennobles his “game changer,” who wasn’t in the starting line-up against Sweden either, but is supposed to bring a breath of fresh air off the bench with his energy.
Two players still have to give way
Shortly after the game, the German Basketball Association announced that, as expected, preparations would continue without Jonas Mattisseck, Christian Sengfelder, Louis Olinde and Jonas Wohlfarth-Bottermann. “We want to select twelve players and form a team as quickly as possible,” said Herbert. Two players still have to leave the current 14-man squad. The national team’s next stop is Berlin, where a test match against Canada is scheduled for Wednesday. Playing in the city of his birth is something very special, emphasizes Moritz Wagner. “I’m trying not to get too euphoric about it,” said the 2.11-meter-tall actor, who, like Brother Franz, was trained at Alba Berlin.
A quick return to Berlin is the game at the Mercedes Benz Arena for Maodo Lo, who moved from Alba to Olimpia Milano in Italy in the summer and is the second playmaker in the national team behind Dennis Schröder (playing for NBA club Toronto Raptors next season) is set.
Sixth man: Moritz Wagner scores against Sweden. : Image: Imago
Niels Giffey wore the jersey of the capital city for seven years, he currently plays for FC Bayern Munich. Unlike the Wagners and Lo, the forward can’t be sure of his World Cup ticket yet; in the test against Sweden Giffey was not in the squad. With his Munich teammate Isaac Bonga, who – unlike Giffey – was not part of the bronze medal team at the European Championships last year due to an injury, he has great competition for his position.
David Krämer, the best German basketball player in the Bundesliga last season, also used the second half against Sweden for self-promotion. In addition to Schröder, the two Wagner brothers and Lo, another NBA player, Daniel Theis (Indiana Pacers), the centers Johannes Voigtmann and Johannes Thiemann and sniper Andreas Obst are sure to be in the EM squad.
Jürgen Kalwa, New York Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 8 Published/Updated: Katja Sturm Published/Updated: ,
Robin Benzing, who had been removed from the squad shortly before the European Championships in 2022 by national coach Herbert, was officially bid farewell to the national team during the test match in front of 6,000 spectators in Bonn. “My heart is broken,” the longtime captain commented on the decision at the time. Benzing completed 167 international matches for Germany. “I will always remain connected to the national team,” said the 34-year-old as he left.