Basketball: Álex Mumbrú: New head of the German basketball family

Young, hungry, with experience at the top level, someone who gets involved. This is how association president Ingo Weiss describes the profile of the new national basketball coach Álex Mumbrú. At his press conference for the launch in Berlin on Thursday, the 45-year-old Spaniard didn’t show much of it. In good but not perfect English, his first words as national coach sound emphatically calm and humble: “It’s an honor to be here. I am ready to continue the wonderful work that the national team and Gordon Herbert have done over the past few years.”

Mumbrú faces a difficult task, because things can hardly go any better for the German basketball players than they have in the past three years. Under his predecessor Gordon Herbert, he first won bronze at the home European Championships two years ago. Then followed the sensational world championship title in 2023. And despite all the disappointment about missing out on a medal, fourth place at the Games in Paris was the German Basketball Association’s (DBB) best Olympic result to date in the 5×5 version.

The native Catalan therefore wants to make the change in the coaching position as gentle as possible: “If something works, you don’t have to change it. This is not the moment for fundamental changes.” Instead, he wants to maintain the special team spirit that has recently characterized the Germans: “When you watch this team, you see that there is something special.” As a former professional, he knows how important it is that the national team makes you feel like you are with your family.

Until six years ago, Mumbrú itself was still active. During his career, the 2.02 meter tall winger was part of the golden Spanish basketball generation around Juan Carlos Navarro, José Calderón, Rudy Fernández and Pau Gasol. At her side, the new national coach became European champion in 2006, won silver at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and gold again at the 2009 World Cup.

After ending his career at Bilbao Basket, he moved directly from the parquet to the Basques’ coaching bench in 2018. Two years ago he moved to Valencia FC. There, Mumbrú reached the Spanish playoffs twice, but was fired after an early exit from the Euro League in April.

Now he should keep the German team on the wave of success over the next two years. That’s what DBB boss Weiss’ instructions sounded like: “If you’re world champion, you can’t actually get any higher. We want to stay at this level.” The first goal is the European Championships next year. If things go well, the Spaniard’s contract can be extended for another year until the 2027 World Cup. There is then another option for an extension until the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In order to be successful at the coming tournaments, it will take more than just a good atmosphere. The German team also benefited from their solidarity at the Olympics. The special team chemistry also reached its limits at the games in Paris. Against France in the semi-finals and against Serbia in the game for third place, there were defeats against teams that were less experienced than the Germans, but had the greatest talent in Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic, probably the best player in world basketball at the moment.

Mumbrú did not reveal on Thursday how he wants to further develop the German basketball players tactically in order to survive in the duels with the sports superstars. There was only one small note: “People who know me know that I value defense.” Otherwise, the tactics depend on the players, not the coach.

Who they should be in the future is another question that the Spaniard will have to clarify in the coming months. His predecessor Herbert had asked his players to commit to the game over three years in order to build a solid team for the games in Paris. This commitment expired at the end of the Olympics.

So there will be no complete “business as usual”, even if captain Dennis Schröder has already announced that he wants to continue until 2028. For the new national coach it will also be a matter of slowly aligning the team with Franz Wagner. The 22-year-old professional from the Orlando Magic has the greatest potential to break into the ranks of NBA stars.

Álex Mumbrú has already experienced during his time in the Spanish national team how to celebrate great success with a very talented team even without absolute world-class players. Now he should also put this experience into practice as a coach for the German basketball players.