“A privilege”: Ex-NBA champion Ibaka strengthens Bayern
Spectacular transfer two weeks before the start of the Basketball Bundesliga: Long-time NBA player Serge Ibaka is joining German Cup winners Bayern Munich. The club announced this on Saturday. The 33-year-old, who became NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, signed a one-year contract with the Munich team.
Curious: The commitment was sealed in the evening with a handshake with club president Herbert Hainer on the sidelines of the Bundesliga game between Bayern and Bayer Leverkusen.
“It is a privilege for me to be able to join this historic, world-famous sports club so that the basketball team can also reach the top European level,” said Ibaka, who played a total of 1,071 games in the NBA after being drafted in 2008: “I had “It’s a long NBA career, but I’m approaching this new chapter with a lot of enthusiasm – I still have a lot of fire in me and love the game.”
Coach Pablo Laso is a reason for Ibaka’s change
In particular, Bayern head coach Pablo Laso, under whom Ibaka already played at Real Madrid, played a crucial role for the Spanish international with Congolese roots. “For me he is one of the best coaches in the world,” said Ibaka, who was most recently under contract with the Milwaukee Bucks before they parted ways at the beginning of the year.
“We are incredibly proud and happy that such a highly decorated athlete like Serge Ibaka believes in our path,” said Hainer: “We are convinced that he will not only be an enormous reinforcement in terms of sport and at the same time an enrichment for German basketball. I am sure that our young players in particular will benefit massively from his great experience.”
2023-09-16 15:23:12
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