Alan Ibrahimagic never looked for the big spotlight. Nevertheless, he stands in the middle of the European Basketball Championship – as an interim chief coach of the German World Championship around Franz Wagner and Dennis Schröder. Actually intended as an assistant coach, the 47-year-old took responsibility at short notice and emergency, after national coach Alex Mumbru failed due to illness at the beginning of the tournament.
The Spaniard was shortly before the German team’s opening game Eurobasket 2025 In the Finnish tampere against Montenegro with an acute infection, admitted to the hospital and treated there for a few days. Ibrahimagic jumped in and coached the German team for five safe victories in five games.
Much praise from Dennis Schröder and Co.
After Montenegro (106: 76), Sweden (105: 83), Lithuania (107: 88) and Great Britain (120: 57) had already been beaten clearly, host Finland was also no hurdle for the German team in the final preliminary round on Wednesday evening. Schröder and Co. won 91:61 and go to the KO round as group winners. The next opponent is in the Portugal quarter -finals on Saturday.
On the way there, Ibrahimagic consistently relied on the fast playing style planned by Mumbru: creative turbo basketball with early finishes and a lot of movement on the field.
“Alan makes it great. He gave us a lot of confidence,” praised Franz Wagner. “Nothing changes for us. Alan also has experience as a head coach,” said Dennis Schröder.
Ibrahimagic himself does his job according to his nature: meticulously and focused – at the same time always calm, reserved and modest. “I tried to fulfill the role from the start as long as it is necessary,” he said during the European Championship in a media round. However, he hoped to be able to return to his old role soon.
Bosnian roots, home in Berlin basketball
Ibrahimagic was born in 1978 as the son of Bosnian parents in Belgrade, today’s capital of Serbia. At the age of 14 he came to Berlin and quickly managed to integrate in his new home through basketball. Ibrahimagic first played in the youth VfB Hermsdorf in the north of Berlin and later for the TuS Lichterfelde In the 2nd Bundesliga.
After a three -year stay in Australia, where he also received Australian citizenship, Ibrahimagic returned to Germany in 2004 and initially worked for his youth club as a youth coach and later as a coach of the men’s team.
There he fell to those responsible for the “big” Berlin basketball club, Alba Berlin on, who made him assistant coach of the later world champion coach Gordon Herbert in 2011 with their Bundesliga team.
Two years later, the German Basketball Association (DBB) Ibrahimagic hired as a youth national coach and in parallel as an assistant coach of the A national team from 2017.
Under Ibrahimagics management, the U20 won EM bronze in 2018 and 2019. He coached the German U18 in 2024 to win the European Championship and most recently he became vice world champion with the German U19 in June 2025.
Moritz Wagner: “Favorite person”
In the basketball environment, Ibrahimagic is occasionally called “Ibrahi -Magic” with a wink – a nickname that underlines his ability to celebrate surprise success again and again with young teams.
The fact that the German national team works so well under his leadership at the Eurobasket 2025 is not only due to its coaching skills, but also because he has known many of the players who are in the European Championship squad since their youth-including the Wagner brothers Franz and Moritz and Justus Hollatz.
Moritz Wagner, currently not on the floor due to injuries, but only as a TV expert, calls Ibrahimagic “one of my absolute favorite people. Top level when it comes to the coach, but also as a person. He has a totally good feeling for team dynamics and relationships,” said Wagner.
“New tournament” at Ko round in Riga
In the European Championship preliminary round, the collaboration between Ibrahimagic and the German team worked perfectly. Now it is important to take the flow to the co-round with you played in the Latvian capital Riga. “Now a new tournament begins,” said Ibrahimagic.
This applies to the team, but also to the head of interim. Because maybe already against the Portuguese, but at the latest in the semi -finals, Alex Mumbru is said to return to the bench.
This is not a problem for Alan Ibrahimagic. He will then simply step down again and, as an assistant, continue to do everything to ensure that his players can have the greatest possible success.