Maodo Lo is not an ordinary basketball player. At the European Casketball European Championship, he shines with special moments, away from the parquet, his personality stands out-but without the extravagance of his famous artist mother. By Jakob Lobach
Almost leisurely, but steadily, the digital watches tick from Tampere in the Nokia Arena. Maodo Lo had an eye on her. A change of hand through the legs to the left, one to the right. A touch of fear lay on the concentrated face of opponent of Azuola’s tubelis. The Lithuanian knew what would happen now. Anyone who knows Maodo Lo knew it. One last change of hand, long and lightning fast, two side steps, one litter. While the siren boomed, the ball rushed through the net.
This litter, this so-called step-back triano at the end of the first quarter in EM game against Lithuania It’s been a few days. Nevertheless, he stayed in the head basketball lovers-just as much stays in the head what Lo does with the ball in his hands. The Berliner is a player for the special basketball moments.
A Berlin fundraising coach as a master of communication
As a substitute national coach, the Berlin Alan Ibrahimagic currently represents his sick boss at the Casketball European Championship. In the unexpected spotlight, he also impresses with excellent communication. Jakob Lobach has known him for a long time.more
Ibrahimagic has known Lo for a long time
The national player can rely when big games are played on the largest stage. But it is more than that.
Maodo Lo creates special moments even if their circumstances are completely common. He once did this in the Alba Berlin jersey and does this again at this year’s European Championship, where Germany wants to make place in Group B on Wednesday against Finland (7:30 p.m.).
This goal is shared by Maodo Lo, among other things Alan Ibrahimagic, the substitute coachwho is once more represented by Alex Mumbru, which has not yet been completely recovered. Ibrahimagic is also at home in Berlin-and experienced one of the special LO moments there 20 years ago. “When I saw Maodo for the first time, he was twelve,” he said on Tuesday afternoon, “I came to the hall and there was the only one who was the only one to have his head up.” Even more: “He did a change of hand and broadcast security and self -confidence.”
Unusual Career steps
For Ibrahimagic, this was reason enough to remember the name ‘Maodo Lo’. And yet the talent, as a youthful talent, always floated under the radar. He played at DTV Charlottenburg instead of Alba Berlin – not to mention the youth national teams. Instead of becoming a professional, he went to the USA – only to a very small, then for four years to Columbia University in New York.
It was a step that subsequently says a lot about Maodo Lo. Columbia is academically one of the best universities in the United States, but it is definitely not sporty. If you study there, you have to do more than playing basketball, you have to want more than being the stereotypical athlete with sporty blinkers. At Lo, this starts with the fact that he is the son of the artist Elvira Bach – a representative of the new wild one in the 1980s.
The view outside the box
Back then, large pictures, lively formlessness, strong and bright colors shaped their neo -expressionism. Painting as a often massive expression of your own great emotions. Elvira Bach clearly sees her art in her own expressionist appearance. With her son she left traces more intrinsically. Only a play style on the basketball parquet is elegant and extravagant. But he does not dress particularly colorful, nor is it particularly loud. On the contrary: “He is a very pleasant, a very quiet person,” says Alan Ibrahimagic.
Lo is not interested in art and culture – it is not for nothing that he spent most of his professional career in cities such as Munich, Berlin, Milan and Paris. Cities with history and character, with museums and galleries. In addition, Lo is not only interested in many things, but is also very reflected in many things. Be it dealing with personal blows of fate, such as the early death of his older brother, social issues or psychological phenomena. If you talk to Lo, then he thinks before answering you. And if the framework of the conversation allows it, then he not only answers, but also asks questions.
Knee injury in mind
Lo is also one of the players around the European Championships around the European Championship, who are least speaking in the usual trained platitudes. After Second group game against Sweden For example, Lo, the European Championship preparation of which was crossed by a knee injury, missed training sessions and test games, was asked about his physical condition. Although laughing, but seriously, the 32-year-old questioned “whether I would get to a hundred percent in my career.”
So it was hardly surprising that Germany’s coaching team LO last Absurd high victory against Great Britain Better to be protected after he had previously complained about an uncomfortable feeling in his damaged knee. Against Finland and in the co-phase in Riga, Lo definitely wants to be back on the floor-if possible with the rhythm that he has earned at the start of the tournament.
“He has been very important for us so far and will remain in the further tournament,” said his coach on Tuesday and justified this as follows: “If Maodo feels comfortable on the field, then he does things that don’t do many.” In other words, Maodo Lo is always good for the next special moment.
Broadcast: RBB24, 01.09.25, 9:45 p.m.
