The 2024-25 easyCredit BBL champions are FC Bayern Munich, who won the final two games of the Finals to take down ratiopharm ulm 3-2. Bayern captured their seventh Bundesliga crown, defending their title from last season. Shabazz Napier was named Most Valuable Player of the Finals. The last weeks also saw Isaiah Hartenstein and the Oklahoma City Thunder win the NBA title. And the Ulm duo of Noa Essengue and Ben Saraf were both selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
In this section, we break out our English language skills and inform you about the latest news from the German easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga. If you’re short on time but still want your fill of Germany’s top basketball league then you are in the right place. Every week David Hein (Taking The Charge) brings you up-to-date in German basketball – the easyCredit BBL short and sweet:
Bayern go back-to-back for third time - Munich now have seven titles
The new easyCredit BBL champion is the old champion as FC Bayern Munich claimed the title for the 2024-25 with an 81-77 victory in Game 5 at home over ratiopharm ulm. Bayern now have seven Bundesliga crowns following 1954, 1955, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2024. This was the first Game 5 of a Finals series since Bayern took down ALBA BERLIN 3-2 in 2017-18. Ulm missed a chance to win their second crown following 2023. The club has now finished second twice with the other finals appearance coming in 2016, when they lost to Bamberg.
Bayern finish off Ulm, grab seventh Bundesliga title
FC Bayern Munich repeated their easyCredit BBL title with a thrilling 81-77 home victory over ratiopharm ulm in Game 5 after giving up a big lead. Bayern took their a 17-point advantage late in the second quarter but eventually fell behind in the fourth quarter. The final period went back and forth and Ulm were down just 79-77 with under a minute left. Nelson Weidemann missed a triple for Ulm and Devin Booker grabbed the offensive rebound on Shabazz Napier’s missed free throw with 20 seconds to go and Vladimir Lucic made it a two-possession game with a foul shot with 15 seconds remaining. Booker finished with 19 points, Napier had 15 points and Johannes Voigtmann chipped in 13 points and 6 rebounds. Ulm wasted 22 points and 13 rebounds from Karim Jallow.
Shabazz shines - takes home MVP award
The Most Valuable Player of the 2024-25 easyCredit BBL Finals was Shabazz Napier for his masterful performance in helping FC Bayern Munich fight off ratiopharm ulm 3-2. The 33-year-old came off the bench for all five games and provided the leadership needed with star guard Carsen Edwards sidelined with an injury. Napier averaged 14.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists, including scoring 15 points in Bayern’s final two wins in Games 4 and 5.
Bayern defense shuts down Ulm, ex-champs force Game 5
There were be a Game 5 in the easyCredit BBL Finals for the first time since 2018 after reigning champs FC Bayern Munich used an impressive defensive performance to beat ratiopharm ulm 67-53 on the road to even the series 2-2. Ulm missed their first opportunity to claim their second Bundesliga title following 2023 as Bayern went on a 22-2 run spanning the final two quarters. Shabazz Napier poured in 15 points and Devin Booker had 11 points in the defensive slugfest. Ulm had won 21 of their 22 home games in Germany including the last 16. Nelson Weidemann had 13 points in the loss, with Ulm scoring the fewest points in a game this season.
Jessup heroics give Ulm Game 3 road win, Bayern must win Game 4 in Ulm
ratiopharm ulm snatched home court advantage of the Finals series against FC Bayern Munich and moved to within one win of their second league crown as they won 81-79 on the road. Bayern now must win Game 4 in Ulm, where the home side has only lost one game all season. Bayern temporarily opened an 11-point lead in the second quarter but the entire second half was closely contested. Justinian Jessup knocked down 5 three-pointers in scoring 22 points - 10 of them coming in the final 152 seconds to decide the game. Ben Saraf chipped in 20 points and 4 assists in the win. Niels Giffey was Bayern’s top scorer with 16 points.
Ulm hold home court, even series after strong Jallow performance
ratiopharm ulm knotted the Finals series against FC Bayern Munich by allowing just 7 points in the third quarter of a 79-64 home victory to make it 1-1. Ulm blew the game open with a 13-point run early in the second half to open a 11-point lead and it wasn’t close the rest of the way. Karim Jallow poured in 23 points while four other Ulm players scored 10 points. Vladimir Lucic paced Bayern with 17 points.
15-0 close gives Bayern Game 1 home victory
FC Bayern Munich took the first step to defending their league title by going on a 15-0 run in the final 4 minutes to win Game 1 of their Finals series against ratiopharm ulm 82-66 at home. The game was tight for the first 36 minutes with 19 lead changes before Bayern finished off the game with the final 15 points. Shabazz Napier and Andi Obst both scored 20 points and Vladimir Lucic collected 10 points and 11 rebounds for Bayern. Justinian Jessup had 22 points in the loss.
Ulm talents Essengue and Saraf selected in first road of NBA Draft
ratiopharm ulm star talents Noa Essengue and Ben Saraf were both selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. The Frenchman Essengue was chosen 12th overall by the Chicago Bulls. Essengue did not play in Games 4 or 5 of the Finals because he went to the United States for the draft. Saraf, who elected to stay with the Ulm club, was taken 26th overall by the Brooklyn Nets.
Wolves stay busy: Sign Kone, Gunn and Nikic, say farewell to Kovacevic
SYNTAINICS MBC have continued their very busy early summer as they signed three new players - Bazoumana Kone, RJ Gunn and Kresimir Nikic. The German Cup winner already brought in Collin Welp and Marcus Foster since the end of last season. The 31-year-old German-Ivorian guard Kone arrives from playing last season at FIT/One Würzburg Baskets and has 131 games of experience in the Bundesliga. Gunn joins the Wolves after playing last season with Slovakian side Inter Bratislava. The 25-year-old power forward penned a one-year contract. Nikic meanwhile signed on a two-year deal as he returns to Germany after playing last season in the Spanish second division with CB Zamora. The 26-year-old Croatian spent six years in Germany before that, playing for ALBA BERLIN - save for the 2022-23 season on loan with Bayreuth. The center has appeared in 73 Bundesliga games and 41 EuroLeague contests. He is a three-time German champion and two-time cup winner. Besides the three new additions, the club also announced that guard Aleksa Kovacevic will leave the team and join second division ProA team EPG Guardians Koblenz.
Weißenfels name long-time coach Poropat as new sports director
SYNTAINICS MBC took a new step towards their future as they announced that long-time head coach Silvano Poropat was taking over the new function of sports director at the German Cup winners. Poropat will fulfill the sports part of the duties held by out-going managing director Martin Geissler while the club will look for someone to handle the business side of things. The 54-year-old Croatian Poropat served as Wolves head coach on and off between 2011 and 2021, coaching a total of 208 games in the Bundesliga, second division ProA and German Cup.
Heidelberg keep DJ Horne, lose Mikesell, Dibba
MLP Academics Heidelberg manage to keep another member of their strong team from last season with DJ Horne but will end up losing two other key figures in Ryan Mikesell and Bakary Dibba. The 24-year-old Horne, who was the second-leading scorer for the team, re-upped to play another season with Heidelberg. The club has now locked up 11 players for next season: Niklas Würzner, Dominic Vengert, Osun Osunniyi, Michael Weathers, Erol Ersek, Mateo Seric, Marcel Keßen, Paul Zipser, Marcus Weathers and Kevin McClain. The club were not able however to keep leading scorer Mikesell and Dibba. Besides being the club’s leading scorer, Mikesell also finished third in the voting for the German league Most Valuable Player award.
Filip Stanic returns to Oldenburg, Pjanic leaves
EWE Baskets Oldenburg added a major impact player at center as they brought back big man Filip Stanic though the club announced the departure of Alen Pjanic. The 27-year-old German Stanic had spent the last two years with Bamberg after having played two years with Würzburg and the 2020-21 campaign with NINERS Chemnitz. Stanic played four games with Oldenburg at the end of the 2019-20 season, which was cut short by the Covid pandemic. Pjanic played with Oldenburg since 2021.
Würzburg add German big man Edigin
FIT/One Würzburg Baskets made a move in the low post as they brought in German center Eddy Edigin. The 29-year-old signed a one-year contract and will help replace the departed Owen Klassen. Edigin spent last season playing for NINERS Chemnitz and SYNTAINICS MBC.
Rostock add Owen Klassen and Belgian international center Van Vliet
ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES have strengthened their low post presence with two signings - adding Bundesliga veteran Owen Klassen as well as Belgian center Andy Van Vliet. The 33-year-old Klassen penned a two year deal with Rostock - the sixth different German league club for whom the Canadian has played. Klassen arrives from FIT/One Würzburg Baskets and has played in Germany since 2021, totalling 233 games in the country’s top flight. The 2.13 meter big man Van Vliet started last season in his second season with Polish side Trefl Sopot and then moved to Greek club Maroussi before also playing at Gravelines Dunkerque in France. The 29-year-old Van Vliet helped Trefl Sopot to the Polish league crown in 2024.
Ludwigsburg add former NBA forward Elijah Hughes
MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg added a small forward with past NBA experience as they signed American Elijah Hughes for one season. The 27-year-old last played in Spain with Rio Breogan after having appeared in 54 NBA games for Utah and Portland between 2020 and 2022.
Bonn bring in Canadian center Jongkuch for two seasons
Telekom Baskets Bonn addressed their center position and signed Kur Jongkuch for two seasons. The 2.06 meter Canadian big man played last season with Slovenia club KK Ilirija Ljubljana. The 26-year-old Jongkuch averaged 10.1 points and 8.0 rebounds with Ilirija in the Slovenian league as well as 11.1 points and 8.6 rebounds in the second division of the ABA Adriatic League. Jongkuch was born in South Sudan and grew up in a refugee camp in Kenya before seeking asylum in Canada and eventually gained the Canadian passport.
Promoted side Jena add ProA Player of the Year Keith Braxton
Newly-promoted Science City Jena made a major addition to their team for their return to the Bundesliga by signing Keith Braxton - the second division ProA’s Player of the Year. The 27-year-old guard Broxton starred for VfL Sparkassen Stars Bochum, averaging 19.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists. Braxton and Bochum lost to Jena in the first round of the ProA playoffs.
Isaiah Hartenstein joins Nowitzki as second German NBA champ
Dirk Nowitzki has company in the annuls of German hoops history as Isaiah Hartestein became the second German player to win an NBA championship. Hartenstein contributed 7 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists in Oklahoma City Thunder’s 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. For the Finals, Hartenstein averaged 5.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Nowitzki and Dallas took the NBA crown in 2011.
German Top Five of the Week
G: Nelson Weidemann, ratiopharm ulm
Weidemann was a major factor off the bench for Ulm as he picked up 6.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game in the Finals.
G: Andi Obst, FC Bayern Munich
Obst was one of Bayern’s main weapons throughout the Finals, including scoring 20 points in Game 1. For the series, he tallied 10.2 points and 4.2 rebounds.
F: Niels Giffey, FC Bayern Munich
Giffey was a solid contributor the whole series, collecting 7.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
F: Karim Jallow - ratiopharm ulm
Jallow had good chances of winning the MVP if Ulm had won the championship. He also led the club with 22 points and 13 rebounds in Game 5. For the Finals Jallow averaged 13.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 2.4 steals.
C: Johannes Voigtmann, FC Bayern Munich
Voigtmann had a big Game 5 with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. For the tournament he averaged 6.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists
Germans Abroad
Maodo Lo, Leon Kratzer are French champions as they helped Paris Basketball win the ProA crown. The Parisians took down AS Monaco in five games for their first French league title - winning Game 5 99-93 as former Bundesliga star TJ Shorts had 27 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists. Lo contributed 4 points in the final game while Kratzer did not play.
