Over a dozen German basketball players are competing for the college title at March Madness, with many viewed as potential successors to the current World and European champions. One is even on the verge of entering the NBA.
Hannes Steinbach, a prodigious German talent praised by none other than Dirk Nowitzki, will only watch the thrilling March Madness tournament on television. Despite his strong collegiate performance, which might lead to an NBA leap this summer, his Washington Huskies team missed out on the prestigious championship. Nowitzki recently lauded Steinbach’s excellent season in Washington, calling him «the best player there as a freshman.» The NBA champion from 2011 expressed hope that Steinbach, 19 and from Würzburg like Nowitzki, would «take the next step – and we will hopefully see him in the NBA soon.» For now, however, Steinbach must idly watch as over a dozen other Germans compete for the university title starting Thursday.
Several of these young players could realistically make it to the NBA in the medium term or, alongside Steinbach, become key figures for the national team, following in the footsteps of the World and European champions. Point guard Christian Anderson stands out, having been hailed by captain Dennis Schröder himself as his legitimate successor. The American-born player was already part of the extended German national team squad before EuroBasket 2025.
Anderson recently stated, «As long as Dennis plays, I want to learn from him. After that, I hope to take over his role – he is one of the best players ever.» In his second year at college, he aims for a deeper run with the Texas Tech Red Raiders than their quarter-final exit last year. Regardless, a significant opportunity likely awaits this summer, as Anderson, like Steinbach, is considered a potential first-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Ex-Bayern Player Among Top Title Contenders
However, Anderson and his teammates are not widely considered top title contenders at March Madness. From a German perspective, Ivan Kharchenkov, 19, with the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats, has excellent prospects. Like Steinbach, the former Bayern Munich professional moved from Germany to college last year, where players can earn significant money through their Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) rights. This system has previously drawn criticism from the German Bundesliga.
This year’s tournament, featuring 64 teams in a knockout format heading towards the Final Four in Indianapolis (April 4-6), sees the highly-rated Duke Blue Devils, led by US young star Cameron Boozer, as strong favorites, alongside the Michigan Wolverines, alma mater of Franz and Moritz Wagner. Malick Kordel, another German, plays for Michigan, though he has seen limited minutes this season. Other notable German talents include Eric Reibe (UConn Huskies), who was a U19 Vice World Champion with Germany in 2025 alongside Anderson and Steinbach, and Sananda Fru (Louisville Cardinals).
Perhaps these talents will reunite someday in the German national team jersey, some possibly at next year’s World Cup or the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.