That Vladimir Lucic speaks German has been known internally among the Bayern basketball team for quite some time. The good man usually likes to ignore that, but this time he pulled himself together and shared his progress in front of a large audience: “I want to say that I will be here next year,” said the captain of the German champions into the microphone after Munich once again reached the semifinals. The rest was cheering from the 11,500 fans in the SAP Garden, to whom he exclusively announced his contract extension until 2027.
The soon-to-be 36-year-old Serbian, who according to his coach Gordon Herbert lives “in the body of a 27-year-old,” will indeed complete a decade with FCBB: He transferred from former EuroCup winner Valencia to Munich in 2016, where the married father of three daughters has found a second home. With Bayern, he has so far won the championship and the cup three times each.
"We enjoy our time in Munich"
"I'm just happy and grateful to be in a position to continue competing at the highest European level with Bayern for another two years," said Lucic on Sunday. "For that, I’m very thankful to FC Bayern Basketball, the coaches, my teammates, the physios, the medical team, everyone working in the office for us, and of course, our fans."
He continued: "During my time in Munich so far, I’ve received an incredible amount of support, which has allowed me to achieve a lot together with the club. Even more important to me is the family we’ve built here in Munich — my three children are growing up in this city, and we’re truly enjoying our time here. Hopefully, my teammates and I stay healthy so that we can continue to achieve more and win additional titles in the future. These memories, I already know, will last forever."
"A Thomas Müller for us basketball players"
FCBB sporting director Dragan Tarlac said: “We’re very happy that Vlado is staying with us — it’s been clear to both sides for quite some time. Vladimir, with his character, passion, and identification with this club, his importance to the team and presence in the locker room, is our version of Thomas Müller in basketball. His commitment and professionalism are second to none, and on top of that, he continues to be an outstanding player, as we saw again on Saturday.”
On Saturday against Weißenfels, the small forward led his team in scoring with 19 points. In the upcoming semifinal series (starting Sunday at the SAP Garden, against either Heidelberg or Chemnitz), the 2.04-meter (6'8") team captain will play his 250th BBL game (currently at 247). In the EuroLeague, he has played 171 games in a Bayern jersey, plus 25 in the EuroCup. Across all competitions over his nine years with the club, Lucic has scored a total of 4,657 points for Bayern. In the playoff quarterfinals, he averaged 14 points and shot 50 percent from three.
"Has the body of a 27-year-old"
But Lucic is even more known for his hustle plays and relentless effort — like in April 2021, when his last-second block against Kaunas (70–69) secured the first-ever EuroLeague playoff appearance for a German team. That same year, he became the first player from a German team to be named to the All-EuroLeague First Team. He also overcame two or three serious injuries and fought his way back with determination. Unforgettable was how he returned ahead of the 2024 Cup victory — after months of forced absence, against doctors' advice, and after just one team practice — essentially putting himself into the lineup and playing a decisive role in the SIEGMUND TOP4.
"Vladi is a great leader, an outstanding player, and an even better person," emphasized head coach Gordon Herbert. “He is the face of this club, and it's fantastic for the club, the city, and for German basketball that he is staying and continuing to play. He is an exceptional professional who does everything necessary to remain in this kind of physical condition. Being able to keep him is huge for the club.”
World champion Niels Giffey, who recently kicked things off by renewing his own contract, also highlighted his teammate’s value: “It’s awesome that he’s staying — that’s really, really great. It’s good that we have continuity and that he remains here as both a character and a player; someone who’s just a great guy to have in the locker room.”