REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - Germany is widely considered one of the biggest emerging markets of new talent in Europe and the next wave of young prospects is coming as four players could make their senior national team debut in the up-coming window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers.

Germany have already qualified for China 2019 and that gives head coach Henrik Rodl a great opportunity to inject the next infusion of talent into his national team.

Germany were already one of the youngest teams at the FIBA EuroBasket 2017, where they reached the Quarter-Finals for the first time since 2007. The roster included 24-year-old Dennis Schroder, 25-year-olds Maodo Lo, Daniel Theis, Johannes Voigtmann and Patrick Heckmann, 22-year-old Ismet Akpinar and 19-year-old Isaiah Hartenstein. Rodl took over as head coach from Chris Fleming and the former European champion and Olympian has used the European Qualifiers campaign to give more young players a chance, including 19-year-old Isaac Bonga, 21-year-old Karim Jallow and 22-year-old Andreas Obst.

Akpinar, Jallow and Obst are all in Rodl's squad for the up-coming window, which sees Germany on November 30 play at joint Group L leaders Greece, who like Germany are 8-0 and already qualified for China 2019; and then host Estonia on December 3. And there should be chances for Rodl to give a senior national team debut to four players: 19-year-old Philipp Herkenhoff, 20-year-old Kostja Mushidi, 21-year-old Tim Schneider and 25-year-old Sid-Marlon Theis.

Herkenhoff's progress to the senior team is only natural after he played for Germany at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2015, FIBA U18 European Championship in 2016 and 2017 and the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017. He has already become a solid rotation player with Rasta Vechta in the German league, averaging 4.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 16 minutes a game.

Mushidi has been an even bigger part of the German youth ranks, having played at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2014, the FIBA U18 European Championship in 2015 and 2016 and the FIBA U20 European Championship in 2016 and 2018. The guard was named to the All-Star Five of this summer's U20 European Championship as he helped Germany to their first-ever U20 podium finish. Mushidi has also played in the Basketball Champions League, averaging 9.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists for Serbian club Mega Leks last season. Mushidi was dealing with injuries last season and that's one of the reasons Rodl could not bring him into the senior national team mix.

Schneider meanwhile has been rewarded for a major improvement in the past two years, which has seen the 21-year-old become a major part of the rotation at Alba Berlin despite his age. Schneider, who played at the FIBA U20 European Championship in 2016 and 2017, is averaging 5.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.9 steals in nearly 15 minutes a game for Berlin.

Sid-Marlon Theis, who is not related to Daniel Theis, gives Rodl another option in the low post. The 25-year-old power forward is averaging 4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds this season and is the first Science City Jena player to be nominated for the senior national team. Theis has played for Germany once, playing at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2011.

As mentioned earlier, this group of four is just part of the next wave of young players who are close to making their way into Germany's senior national team. And the final window in February 2019 - with games at Israel on February 21 and at home against Greece on February 24 - could see other youngsters called up by Rodl.

Louis Olinde from Brose Bamberg and Richard Freudenberg of Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt are 20-year-olds who helped Mushidi and Germany to the U20 European third placed finish this past summer. The 19-year-old Nelson Weidemann of Bayern Munich was on the team as well and could be called by Rodl. There is also the Alba Berlin duo of 18-year-old Jonas Mattisseck and 17-year-old Franz Wagner, who are making in-roads into the regular rotation in the German capital. And 21-year-old David Kramer is emerging into a major contributor for ratiopharm ulm.

All in all, Germany is rightfully considered one of the emerging powers in European basketball. And the up-coming window will give just another glimpse of that bright future.

David Hein

FIBA

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