More than eight years after his last appearance, Tibor Pleiß, 35, is returning to the national basketball team. The center, who grew up in Cologne, is part of new national coach Alex Mumbru‘s first squad and could play in the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Sweden.
The Spaniard Mumbru caused a few surprises when nominated for the two games in Stockholm (November 22nd) and Heidelberg (November 25th). Joel Aminu, Johann Grünloh (both Rasta Vechta), Elias Baggette (Rostock Seawolves), Kay Bruhnke (M Basket-Delamode/Lithuania), Jack Kayil (Mega Basket/Serbia), Dylan Osetkowski (Unicaja Malaga/Spain) and Nicholas Tischler (Niners Chemnitz) seven players make their debut.
Euroleague triumph for Tibor Pleiss
:Allow me: Germany’s most successful basketball player
Tibor Pleiss from Cologne is the first German to win the European basketball crown twice – in the final he plays one of the best games of his life.
Pleiß, who has been under contract with the Italian club Trapani Shark since this year, last wore the national jersey in September 2016 in Oberhausen. Afterwards there was a break with the then national coach Chris Fleming. The center played 105 international matches in his career. Pleiß, a former NBA professional, won the Euroleague title with Anadolu Efes Istanbul in 2021 and 2022 – the first in his hometown of Cologne. Mumbru, who inherited world champion coach Gordon Herbert, also called up the three world champions Andreas Obst (Bayern Munich), Johannes Thiemann (Gunma Crane Thunders/Japan) and David Krämer (CB 1939 Canarias/Spain).
The line-up at a glance: Joel Aminu, Johann Grünloh (both Rasta Vechta), Elias Baggette (Rostock Seawolves), Kay Bruhnke (M Basket-Delamode/Lithuania), Max Di Leo (EWE Baskets Oldenburg), Jack Kayil (Mega Basket/Serbia), David Krämer ( CB 1939 Canarias/Spain), Jonas Mattisseck, Louis Olinde (both Alba Berlin), Kostja Mushidi (BG Göttingen), Joshua Obiesie, Christian Sengfelder (both JDA Dijon/France), Andreas Obst (Bayern Munich), Kenneth Ogbe (Veolia Towers Hamburg, Dylan Osetkowski (Unicaja Malaga/Spain), Tibor Pleiß (Trapani Shark/Italy), Johannes Thiemann (Gunma Crane Thunders/Japan), Nicholas Tischler (Niners Chemnitz), Nelson Weidemann (ratiopharm Ulm).
