For national basketball coach Alex Mumbru, the strongly occupied Supercup in Munich is the last chance to clarify the open questions in the squad for the European Championship (August 27 to September 14, 2025).
Almost two weeks before the beginning of the European Championship, the anticipation of the German Basketball fans is growing: As the German Basketball Association (DBB) reported, the Supercup is almost sold out for more than 11,000 fans at the weekend in Munich’s basketball temple.
The strongly occupied mini tournament is for the DBB team, after two games against Slovenia with a warm-up character, the first real hardest test in front of the European Championship: The first opponent in the semi-finals on Friday (15.08.2025, 6 p.m.) is Turkey, a secret favor at the EM. On Saturday the final (8:45 p.m.) or in the game for 3rd place against Vice World Champion Serbia around NBA superstar Nikola Jokic or the Czech Republic.
DBB team: Supercup as a show for final EM squad
The DBB traditionally organizes the Supercup in August, shortly before a big tournament. For the national coach, the mini tournament against well-known opponents in the past often served to make the last decisions in the squad before a tournament.
DBB coach Alex Mumbru travels to the Supercup with 15 players. He is allowed to nominate twelve players for the European Championship, which begins on August 27 with the opening game against Montenegro. Mumbru recently left it open whether he will name his final EM squad after the Supercup weekend.
There are also question marks because not all players have entered the EM preparation completely fit. In the victory against Slovenia in Mannheim, only ten players were ready for use, co-captain Johannes Voigtmann also went into play with an infection. Therefore, according to the national coach, it has it at the moment “No sense of talking about who is cut” when “.
Resilient tendencies, which players Mumbru in the end, and probably also initial decisions will be made after the Supercup weekend. Afterwards there are only two test games against Spain before the team travels to Finland for the European Championship preliminary round.
Ten world champions in the preliminary DBB contingent
Mumbru can build on the core of the team at his first big tournament as a national coach, which under his predecessor Gordon Herbert heralded the most successful time in the DBB team: Ten out of twelve world masters of 2023 are again in the provisional squad, led by captain Dennis Schröder.
Anyone who gets the minutes behind Schröder in the game maker position is the first tricky question that the national coach has to solve. The 19-year-old Christian Anderson made his debut for the A national team in preparation and initiated himself against Slovenia with a monster-dark.
However, the leader of the U18 European championship team had not played a game on profile veline before his international debut. His strengths are also clearly on the offensive, less on the defensive – but here the DBB team lacks a strong defender. Nick-Weiler-Babb, a reliable size in the successful tournaments, has canceled the national coach this time, for family and health reasons.
Anderson, Hollatz, Lo, Weidemann – Who gives Schröder-Backup?
Therefore, there is a lot of things to nominate Nelson Weidemann, one of the supports of runner-up Ratiopharm Ulm, who can also be of great value for the EM with his energy and aggressive defense for the DBB team.
In the past, Maodo Lo was set as a playmaker next to Dennis Schröder-and more than a back-up for captain Schröder, especially when winning EM bronze 2022. But the Berliner had repeatedly struggled with injuries again and again, also struck the European Championship preparation. When he is fit, he shines with his pace and final qualities. Like last season in Paris when he won the double. For the 32-year-old, his great experience from ten years speaks in the Euroleague.
Because Mumbru will not take more than three “one”, as the playmaker position in basketball is called, will take the tournament, Justus Hollatz could get a world champion that is not nominated for the European Championship. Hollatz was unable to prevail at the Anadolu Efes Euroleague club and did not play a major role at Bayern either.
On the offensive, the roles are clear that the DBB team can rely on proven forces: Andi Obst and David Krämer, in the future at Real Madrid, are the best shooting guard duo in Europe. In addition to Schröder and NBA overflow, they should ensure the scoring.
Theis struck – question marks in the big positions
On the other hand, there are still many question marks in the big positions: Daniel Theis, defensive anchors and key players under the basket, drags a knee injury with him and was only able to train to a limited extent in preparation. Isaiah Hartenstein, NBA champion and probably the best German center, canceled the DBB team.
The injured Moritz Wagner is particularly missing, not only because of his qualities as a clearer under the basket. The older of the two Wagner brothers was also an emotional leader of the team at the recently successful tournaments.
A team-mate of the Wagner brothers could provide reinforcements in the front court: Tristan da Silva, who has had a good first NBA year in Orlando. His brother Oscar da Silva from FC Bayern is also in the squad, as is Leon Kratzer’s strong defensive.
The national coach will still have to decide who he takes from the Guard of the “Big Men” to the European Championship. This also depends on how Fit Theis is. Leon Kratzer, who won the Champions League with Bonn and Paris, has been in the provisional squad three times, but was always painted before the tournament. This could now threaten him again.