Despite sporting success
Contract with national basketball coach terminated
10/10/2025 – 11:43 amReading time: 1 min.
Lisa Thomaidis’ time as national basketball coach was actually successful. The paths are now parting – but not for sporting reasons.
The collaboration between the German Basketball Association and Lisa Thomaidis has ended. As the association announced, the contract with the national coach was terminated early and by mutual agreement.
Thomaidis took over the team in April 2023 and achieved considerable success during her tenure – including reaching the Olympic quarter-finals for the first time. It is now clear: the 53-year-old will not lead the DBB selection to the home World Cup in Berlin next year.
The association explained that the Canadian’s workload was not compatible with the intensive preparations for the tournament in September 2026. Thomaidis is active in college sports in her home country at the University of Saskatchewan. The DBB wants to “clarify promptly” who will take over as her successor.
Under her leadership, the German basketball players managed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time. In Paris the team reached the quarterfinals. Germany took sixth place at the 2023 European Championships, followed by fifth place in 2025 – the best result since third place in 1997. The team improved from 39th place to 12th in the world rankings.
Thomaidis did an excellent job, said DBB President Ingo Weiss, according to the statement. “Unfortunately, the framework conditions no longer match. I wish her all the best.”