ARG – Herrmann takes a break, maybe for good

CORDOBA (Olympics) - Walter Herrmann.

You know the name, and remember him making headlines with so many teams, be it in Spain, with Argentina or in the NBA.

At just 31 years of age, Herrmann has the ability to be playing the game, at the very least, at the highest level in Europe.

Yet the former Argentina international’s last game was with Caja Laboral, when Baskonia completed a 3-0 sweep of Barcelona in the 2010 ACB Finals.

He doesn’t sound as if he’s in a hurry to return to the court.

"At this time, I haven't been playing since I left Caja Laboral,” he said in an interview with Live Basketball TV in Cordoba. "We won the league and I took this year as a sabbatical.

“We will see if I return to the court or not. I'm very calm.

“I thought I would miss playing much more, but right now I am entertained by other activities. I will wait until the season is over and see if I return next year.”

Herrmann made a lot of headlines as a player.

"When I look back at my career, I see it as very positive,” he said.

“I have looked back to see what I have achieved and when you start, you dream of many things but you don't imagine such a career.”

Included in his career was a gold-medal win with Argentina at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

"The Olympics was something that I thought would be very difficult as a boy,” he said.

“2004 was incredible.

“I also value a lot the ACB titles and having played in the NBA (with Charlotte and Detroit), although the Olympic gold was the peak of my career.

"You don't value it as much at the time but looking back, you do.”

Herrmann was in a talented Argentina squad that unfortunately did not afford him the amount of playing time he desired.

"There were many tournaments after that (Athens 2004) where I played less, including Japan (2006 World Championship), and I was tired of that,” he said.

"For some time I also had considered retirement.

"I was saturated.

“I guess looking back, I could have played a few years more for the national team but having played a World Championship and Olympics, I didn't want to continue to play less."

Herrmann also talked about his departure from Spain’s ACB and Unicaja Malaga in 2007 to the NBA.

"I left Malaga and went to the United States,” he said.

“I went to a summer league and I got a two-year contract with Charlotte.

“I didn't seek it that much but it coincided with a trip I made to the USA and I was invited to this league.

“I only played one game, 20 minutes, and they signed me. I was enthusiastic but it wasn't the case that it was a must for me to play in the NBA.

"Then I was traded to Detroit but I didn't play much.

"(Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations) Joe Dumars offered me a further year but I had not been competing and I wanted to fight for a title and that is why I returned to Spain and played for Caja Laboral.”

Even in Spain, looking back at last season, everything was not straightforward for Herrmann.

"It was complicated at the start because I underwent knee surgery,” he said.

"The good thing is I arrived fresh to the Finals when most of the team was already exhausted."

Herrmann has endured tragedy in his life.

In 2003, his mother, sister and then fiancée were killed in a road accident while travelling to see him play, and in 2004 – exactly one year later – he returned to his hotel after being named MVP of the South American Championship and was told that his father had died of a heart attack.

He continued to play the game and eventually got married.

His wife is Elena.

FIBA