FIBA - Profile of 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup wild card candidate: Germany

MIES (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - On 1 February 2014, FIBA's Central Board will announce the national teams that will be the recipients of the four wild cards to complete the field at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Fifteen national teams from across four FIBA zones submitted their applications for the wild cards. They all participated in their respective 2013 continental championships which are qualifying tournament for FIBA's flagship event in Spain next year (30 August-14 September 2014).

The 15 candidates are: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Nigeria, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Turkey and Venezuela.

In the lead-up to the decision on 1 February, we will profile all 15 applicants.

Today we look at Germany (GER).

Recent history in international competitions: Germany started EuroBasket 2013 with a huge highlight by beating eventual champions France. But consecutive losses to Belgium, Ukraine and Great Britain meant an early exit from Slovenia despite knocking off Israel in their final First Round game. It was the 11th consecutive EuroBasket appearance for Germany, dating back to their only European Championship triumph back in 1993. The Germans' other top European highlight came in 2005 when Dirk Nowitzki guided the team to second place. Germany have competed at the last three FIBA World Championships, taking bronze in 2002. They were granted a wild card for FIBA's flagship event staged in Turkey in 2010. Germany went through the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2008 to advance to the Beijing Olympics, taking 10th place in their first Summer Games appearance since 1992.

Ingo Weiss, the President of Germany's National Basketball Federation (DBB), took time to state the case on behalf of his national federation to be given one of the four wild cards for Spain 2014.

FIBA: What are the three main reasons why Germany deserves to receive a wild card to participate in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup?
Weiss: The German basketball team is a group of young and very talented players who have proven what they are capable of doing such as in the EuroBasket 2013 game against France. Our team is highly ambitious, creative and competitive. The development that German basketball has made in recent years is tremendous and would be supported by the participation at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. In cooperation with the German League - which has grown and developed strongly - Germany's players and clubs are emerging within Europe. In addition, Germany is an economically and financially strong partner to our Spanish friends especially. The businesses in all sectors (TV, advertising, international partnerships) are stable, solid and professional. As the Spanish will surely be great hosts, we promise to be great guest, tourists and fans.

FIBA: If given a wild card, how competitive can we expect Germany to be and how confident are you that the team will feature all its leading/best players?
Weiss: We can assure you that Germany will bring their best and most competitive team available including our NBA players Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Kaman and Dennis Schroder. The German team will for sure feature top Euroleague players such as Tibor Pleiss, Robin Benzing, Lucca Staiger and Heiko Schaffartzik.

FIBA: How will having your national team play at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup help the growth, development and popularity of the sport in your country?
Weiss: The wild card will boost basketball in Germany as the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup is the most important and certainly the most spectacular basketball event in 2014. With 82 million inhabitants, Germany has all the means to become a basketball country. However, it is crucial that the German national team, which holds a high degree of interest and attention to the general public, participates at this important event. Young kids and potential future basketball players need to see their role models compete at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Germany's public TV has already declared their support and coverage of the event which would increase basketball's popularity in Germany tremendously.

FIBA: What do you consider as the greatest moment in your country's basketball history?
Weiss: Even though German basketball featured several great moments in the recent history - such as the qualification for the Olympics in 2008, the silver medal at EuroBasket 2005 and the bronze medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championship - winning the European title in Munich 1993 surely sticks out. Our team grew together throughout the competition and won the title as the underdogs. What a terrific story!

FIBA