Following the completion of the roster, the FC Bayern basketball staff is now also fully assembled: The German EuroLeague contenders from Munich have added Tyrese Rice to head coach Anton Gavel’s coaching team. Rice will take up his new role as Head of Player Development at BMW Park on September 1. For the 39-year-old American, the appointment marks a return to Munich’s Westpark. During the 2012/13 season, the left-handed playmaker orchestrated Bayern’s offense in the club’s second BBL campaign after returning to the top flight in 2011. The then semi-finalists finished the season with Rice averaging 15.8 points per game.
Munich ultimately proved to be the springboard for his successful career, which reached its peak with EuroLeague triumph in 2014 with Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he was named Final Four MVP. In the Bundesliga, Rice also played for the Artland Dragons and Bamberg in 2018/19. His other EuroLeague stops included FC Barcelona, Khimki Moscow—where he won the EuroCup in 2015—and, towards the end of his playing career, Panathinaikos Athens. In total, he made 112 EuroLeague appearances, averaging 11.2 points and 4.2 assists per game.
FCBB’s playmaker in 2012/13
In recent years, Rice has already worked as an individual coach in Houston, supporting young talents as well as NBA professionals. “I’m excited and grateful to be returning to Munich,” says the former fan favorite. “It feels great to know that Thorsten and Anton trust me to help move Bayern Munich’s future forward in a positive way. And it feels good to return to a place that embraced me when I was a player.”
FCBB sporting director Thorsten Leibenath, whom Rice refers to, adds: “I knew that Tyrese was already working in this area and had received nothing but positive feedback. He was therefore a logical choice for us, as he knows the EuroLeague and the game at this level—and all the more so because he has such a positive history here at Bayern.”
André van Staa joins as rehabilitation coach
André van Staa is also joining Bayern as a rehabilitation coach and additional physiotherapist. The 29-year-old most recently worked as a physiotherapist at TSV 1860 Munich, spending two years in the youth setup before joining the first team of the club, which was competing in Germany’s third division last season.
Van Staa will primarily be responsible for the rehabilitation of players. With his arrival, FCBB has appointed a dedicated coach for this area for the first time.