Basketball player horrified by DBBL: Germany’s key player without USA for European Championship

The basketball player was stunned by DBBL
Germany’s key player does without USA for EM

06/15/2023, 08:08 am

At the age of 23, Leoni Feibich is already the most valuable player and cup winner in Spain. In the European Basketball Championship, he plays an important role in the German team. For this he keeps the American League waiting while being dazzled by the Bundesliga.

Leonie Feibich has to laugh a little. The 23-year-old hasn’t given as many interviews in the past year as he does these days. But the happy nature born in Landsberg Am Leg calmly takes the unfamiliar exaggeration of her person, nay, she is happy about it. After all, the reason for the increased interest in her and German women’s basketball in general is a very positive one: for the first time in twelve years, Germany is back in the Women’s European Championship. Starting this Thursday, Fiebich and Co. in Slovenia. Their sidelined game wants to be in the spotlight a little longer.

“I’m really looking forward to this match and I’m in the mood for it,” said Feibich. He also ruled out a trip to the US to compete in the European Championships in Slovenia and Israel. “Playing for the national team is very important for me. I’ve been in the senior team for five years now and we’ve been working really hard to qualify,” said Feibich. “That moment in Bosnia, when we finally qualified, it was a goosebumps moment, I felt like I was playing a good match with the girls,” Feibich said. “That’s why I decided against the USA this summer and for the European Championship.”

Most valuable player in the league

Feibich is currently under contract with Zaragoza in Spain. There he won the trophy last season and was named the league’s most valuable player. Her rights in the American WNBA are owned by the New York Liberty. “I’m in touch with New York. I think I’ll go there next summer,” Feibich said. Now the focus is on EM: “We want to go early round,” he declared.

However, the 1.92-tall winger wasn’t always as cheerful and motivated as he is these days. In 2021 he moved from Wasserburg to French club Flames Carlo Basket Ardennes. A change that nearly destroyed his career. “I had a really bad experience with a coach that completely took away my confidence,” Fybich said in retrospect. “I was completely defenseless then.”

Fortunately, the opportunity to visit Australia arose spontaneously. Although not very high quality in terms of sport, the Australian calm and good weather still got Fiebich’s career back on track. “Australia gave me back my confidence and brought back my creativity,” Feibich said of her time in Perth. “You spend a lot of time at the beach, enjoying life a little bit, and I think that’s incredibly important to me.” Newly adjusted and more confident, Feibich moved to Spain and played the best season of his career at Zaragoza. Cup win, player of the season award. “The season has been amazing,” Feibich said.

Anger about the German league

She has reasons for returning home. “The quality of the DBBL is declining drastically, the level is much lower than elsewhere,” Fiebich told the Süddeutsche Zeitung. “The way the league is raising it, it seems so unprofessional,” bothers her. On the other hand, in Spain “former players are in key positions, they have a lot of expertise – in Germany those who have no plans are responsible”. It’s “definitely cool” that the 2026 World Cup will be held in Berlin. But Fiebich sees no major breakthrough: “From the outside it looks like a boom, but in Germany nothing has really changed.”

Feibich wants to change that. The European Championship, MagentaSport shows all German sports for free, should be an advertisement for women’s sports: “We hope we can attract more attention.” After all, women “work just as much as men”. Feibich himself is a good example of this.

Great praise from the national coach

He will play a key role in the plans of new national coach Lisa Thomaidis. “Leoni is a great talent. When he’s on the field it makes a big difference to the team,” said the Canadian, who took over from this summer. “We’re a completely different team with her.”

The collaboration between the experienced Thomitis and the inexperienced German team resulted in two victories in Israel and Italy at the end of the production. After a tough start against hosts Slovenia (Friday) and Great Britain (Sunday) this Thursday (8.45 pm / Magentasport), co-favourites France need more wins to follow to survive the opening round. “Then anything is possible in a match like this,” said Feibich.