World champion Mumbrú is starting a new era in basketball
New basketball national coach Álex Mumbrú must step into the footsteps of World Cup coach Gordon Herbert. Despite the impending upheaval, the 45-year-old is not afraid. He feels it as an honor to work with "some of the best players in the world".
The new era in the land of the World Cup began with Álex Mumbrú with a laugh. In the courtyard of the luxurious five-star hotel in the western part of Berlin, the new basketball national coach beamed as he posed for the cameras together with DBB president Ingo Weiss. The Spaniard, it became clear immediately, is eager for the difficult mission of creating an upheaval and at the same time continuing the impressive path of successful coach Gordon Herbert.
"It's an honor for me to be here," Mumbrú said at his presentation: "I'm ready to continue the wonderful work that the national team has done in the past. I'm ready for this challenge." And the work began immediately. Many conversations await the 45-year-old, whose task it will be to form a new winning team for the 2025 European Championship after the golden years.
That the internationally renowned Mumbrú, who as a player won the World and European Championships with Spain and as a coach was recently in office at EuroLeague club Valencia Basket, is exactly the right man for the job was clear to the decision-makers at the German Basketball Association (DBB) quickly. "We were looking for a national coach who is hungry, competent, and highly motivated and radiates that he really wants to work with the team. Álex Mumbrú convinced us of this very quickly," said Weiss.
"I of course spoke with many friends in Spain who said: If you get him, excellent man. That also confirmed us a little bit at the end of the day." We had already essentially agreed with Mumbrú before the Olympics.
"Some of the best players in the world"
Mumbrú's contract, which runs until the end of 2026 and includes options for the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, is to be seen as a vote of confidence. The DBB wanted a "long-term agreement to build something," explained Weiss. Mumbrú knows, however, and it was important for him to emphasize, that he is working on a well-stocked field after Herbert's departure to Bayern Munich.
Elegantly dressed in a black suit, Mumbrú appeared friendly and gave his answers in English. Many details of his plans and his working methods will only become apparent in the coming months. He prefers a game with a focus on defense and fast counterattacks, he said. But ultimately, the coach must always orient himself to the players he has available.
"It's very important for me to have the same team chemistry as under Gordon Herbert," he said. Also, players like Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner, and Moritz Wagner are "some of the best players in the world." Mumbrú will speak to all of them before his debut on November 22nd in the European Championship qualifying game in Sweden. Although the NBA stars and probably also the EuroLeague professionals will be missing there, it is essential to work out the future face of the national team in parallel.
A gentle upheaval in the team is inevitable
At least a gentle upheaval is probably inevitable, even if, according to Mumbrú's statement, no player has spoken to him about retirement yet. Several World Cup winners like Daniel Theis, Niels Giffey, or Johannes Voigtmann could now end their DBB career after winning bronze at the European Championship in 2022, gold at the World Cup in 2023, and finishing fourth at the Olympics this year. But both Weiss and Mumbrú were not worried about the future.
"If someone steps back now, we have many good young players in our team," said Weiss. Veteran NBA center Isaiah Hartenstein is just as much a candidate as rookie Tristan da Silva or World Champion Justus Hollatz, who was recently cut just before Paris. "It's incredible for me to have such a big team," said Mumbrú excitedly, adding, "Isaiah and Justus Hollatz are players who get closer to the team. Everyone has the chance to make it into the team." For a new era has begun.
Mumbru's upcoming conversations with notable players like Dennis Schroder, Franz Wagner, and Moritz Wagner are crucial, as they are considered "some of the best players in the world." In his attempt to maintain team chemistry, Mumbru emphasizes the importance of having a similar dynamic to what was established under Gordon Herbert's coaching.
