The signs point to a storm at FC Bayern Basketball. After four years, the Munich team finally wants to celebrate the championship again. And also have an eye on European titles.
It was in 2019 when Bayern were able to lift the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) championship trophy for the last time. After that, in four seasons they had to give way to Alba Berlin three times and most recently ratiopharm Ulm. Two cup wins and two play-off appearances in the EuroLeague were a consolation, albeit a weak one. That’s why FC Bayern is now launching a major attack. “It’s enough now,” says FCB President Herbert Hainer about the years without a championship.
A year before the opening of the new basketball and ice hockey arena in Munich’s Olympic Park, the basketball department, led by managing director Marko Pesic and sports director Daniele Baiesi, is preparing to catch up with the European leaders in all areas. The infrastructure with the new LED glass floor in the BMW Park at home, which will only be used for one game, and the new SAP Garden, which will be moved to for selected games in 2024, already meet the highest standards. In terms of sport, we’ve been lagging behind a bit lately. But that should now change. The conditions for this seem better than they have been for a long time.
The new head coach Pablo Laso
Coach Pablo Laso: Personality with a winning gene
With Pablo Laso there is a new coach on the command bridge – one who exudes authority, who has won everything there is to win with Real Madrid and who is considered one of the most recognized and best coaches in Europe. The 55-year-old should be assured of the respect of the professionals. After three years under Andrea Trinchieri and many Serbian-influenced coaches before that, it will be interesting to see how the Spaniard lets play and changes the characteristics of the Munich game.
Transfer coup: NBA star Serge Ibaka in the Bayern jersey
The squad for the 2023/2024 season, which begins on Friday with the home game against Central German BC, is stronger and deeper than ever before. In fact, the current cup winner has two competitive teams at the start in order to cope with the extreme double burden of the championship and EuroLeague (with at least 34 additional games). This is also why Laso speaks of the “great expectations” he has.
With the signing of NBA star Serge Ibaka, who won the championship in the best league in the world with the Toronto Raptors in 2018/2019 and most recently played for the Milwaukee Bucks, the Munich team has achieved perhaps the biggest transfer coup in the history of the BBL. Ibaka is already 34 years old, but he should be able to leave his mark on games in both the BBL and the EuroLeague.
Managing director Marko Pesic and top newcomer Serge Ibaka
Impressive squad depth means great things to come
With returnee Devin Booker, we know what he can do, especially under the baskets. In addition, Carsen Edwards (Fenerbahce Istanbul), Leandro Bolmaro (CB Canarias Tenerife) and Sylvain Francisco (GS Peristeri), three top players, were added to take the build-up game to a new level. Since top performers such as captain Vladimir Lucic, Augustine Rubit, Nick Weiler-Babb and, above all, the three German world champions Andreas Obst, Isaac Bonga and Niels Giffey were able to be retained, one can confidently speak of the best FC Bayern basketball squad of all time.
The new coach and the squad are two reasons that speak for a top season for FC Bayern Basketball. In addition, the biggest competitors all have to overcome upheavals. Many top performers from the past, very successful years said goodbye to long-term competitor Alba Berlin. Last year’s main round winner and runner-up Bonn left no stone unturned – the coach and the entire squad are new here. And champion ratiopharm Ulm also lost some of its best professionals to top European clubs.
President Hainer demands nothing less than the championship title
The path to the first championship since 2019 seems clear, and in the EuroLeague they are also hoping for an improvement and a return to the top eight teams. Captain Lucic formulates the club’s self-image as follows: “We have a goal, of course. For the club and the brand we represent, it is a must to win titles,” he told the trade magazine BIG.
President Herbert Hainer is even clearer: “It is clear that we want to move into the SAP Garden as German champions.” In any case, there should not be a fifth season without a BBL championship cup. The league has to prepare for a major attack by FC Bayern Basketball – and perhaps basketball in Europe too.
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Source: BR24 September 29, 2023 – 6:30 p.m
