REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - Moritz Sanders is all smiles when he gets to talk about Holger Geschwinder. The young German big man is thrilled to be working out with the long-time mentor of Dirk Nowitzki.

The 18-year-old Sanders made headlines in Germany this off-season when he left powerhouse Brose Bamberg to play for nearby Nurnberg Falcons. One of the reasons for the move was that the second division ProA club agreed to have Geschwindner work out with the team’s youngsters.

It was a matter of Sanders remaining loyal to Geschwindner, who developed Nowitzki into one of the greatest players in NBA history.

"He's so much about the small details," said Sanders about what makes Geschwindner special. "He gives you tips after every repetition. He’s perfect with everything he does, and I'm really happy I have the chance to work out with him. I had to take this opportunity."

The opportunity came up while Sanders was playing in the Bamberg youth ranks. 

"(Former Bamberg general manager) Wolfgang Heyder arranged (meeting Geschwindner). I originally worked three or four times a week with him," said Sanders, who also went to Geschwindner’s summer camp at Lake Starnberg in southern Germany.

That camp exhibited some of the different principles that Geschwindner uses in his training. He had his campers go rowing on the lake instead of lifting weights and to help build team morale while inviting leaders in other sports - such as former German football national team player Simon Rolfes and ex-NFL player Christian Mohr - to give the campers a different perspective on sports. Geschwindner also had former Senegal international basketball star Boniface N’dong at the camp.

Despite the success of Nowitzki, Geschwindner, who played for the German national team at the 1972 Olympics, was a controversial figure. Many questioned the methods of Geschwindner, who applies a lot of mathematics to his training concepts.

Geschwindner's critics called his methods nonsense so he countered by saying they were applied nonsense and even calls his office in southern Germany the Institute for Applied Nonsense.

Geschwinder was working out Sanders as well as two other young Bamberg talents - Nils Hassfurther and Manuel Feuerpfeil. And then Nurnberg coach Ralph Junge decided to bring Geschwindner on board his staff to work with the team’s youngsters.

"With this partnership, our project has reached a new dimension," said Junge, who himself was well-known in Germany for developing young talent such as Lucca Staiger, Maurice Stuckey and Akeem Vargas.

"The coming years will be a lot of fun. Together with Holger Geschwindner, we want to develop and implement a support concept as individual as possible for the guys," Junge said at the announcement of Geschwindner joining the club. 

(Geschwindner) is so much about the small details. He gives you tips after every repetition. He’s perfect with everything he does, and I’m really happy I have the chance to work out with him. I had to take this opportunity." - Sanders

Like Geschwindner, Junge believes that many German youth players do not receive enough individual support and also do not get enough playing time.

Junge hiring Geschwindner also meant that the Falcons would get a boost of young talent as Sanders, Hassfurther and Feuerpfeil all changed clubs to join Nurnberg.

When asked what it's like having Geschwindner so much more active in German basketball now, Sanders said: "I think it's really important because he’s one of the best individual coaches there is. Everybody wants to work out with him."

Sanders mentioned that even NBA superstar Kevin Durant expressed a desire to work out with Nowitzki’s guru. But Geschwindner turned it down.

"Just imagine, KD (Durant) is one of the best players in the world and we have the opportunity to practice with (Geschwindner). So, it's just unbelievable for us."

Sanders was originally considering playing college basketball in the United States. He says that idea is history now that he is working out every day with Geschwindner.

"I want to learn as much as I can from Holger and see where that takes me," said Sanders.

Consider the German big man a loyal supporter of a different school - the Institute of Applied Nonsense.

David Hein

FIBA

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