When the German national basketball team plays its exhibition games for the European Championship on August 28 in the Audi Dome with the World Cup qualifier against Luka Doncic's Slovenians, someone could be playing in familiar surroundings with his new number 6: Bayern guard Nick Weiler-Babb received his naturalization certificate this Friday after a positive decision from the relevant authorities and will join the German Basketball Federation's European Championship squad as early as Saturday in Cologne. The 26-year-old has been in contact with national coach Gordon Herbert and the federation's top management for some time, and the FCBB top performer is expected to play for the DBB squad in the long term.
Kansas-born Nick Weiler-Babb, whose family has German roots, has already been living and playing in Germany for a good three years; first in Ludwigsburg and since 2020 with Bayern Basketball, where he recently extended his contract for two more years until 2024. With his German passport, the versatile combo guard and defensive specialist will no longer be counted towards the quota of international players in the BBL for the coming season.
"The sustainable perspective appeals to me"
"Of course, this is a very important, a very personal and carefully considered decision that I made some time ago," said Nick Weiler-Babb after receiving the naturalization certificate at Munich's KVR on Ruppertstrasse, where DBB Secretary General Wolfgang Brenscheidt was also present.
"I am very grateful and happy about the initiative of the German federation and the support from many sides. I have a special relationship with Germany and German basketball and feel very comfortable here with my wife. After the great experience with Bayern in the EuroLeague, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to prove myself now at the highest level of the national teams. The long-term perspective with a European Championship in Germany, hopefully with a World Cup, Olympic Games with the German national team and some more, that is really exciting. From now on, a very exciting time is waiting for me and I hope that we will be successful."
The DBB and the FCBB accompanied Weiler-Babb's application for naturalization in the past months as national coach Gordon Herbert expressed, "Nick was excited about the prospect of playing for Germany right from the start. This is a great thing for us as well as for him! He is a great guy who will fit in well with the national team. He has played in Germany for a number of years and I am very excited to have Nick as part of the team."
Federation President Ingo Weiss added: "I am delighted that such an outstanding athlete has committed himself to our country and declared his willingness to play for the German national basketball team in the long term. With his class, Nick Weiler-Babb will make a great contribution to helping us achieve our goals in the coming years."
The DBB squad, which currently includes Bayern guard Andreas Obst, will face the Czech Republic, among others, at the 33rd Basketball Supercup in Hamburg on August 19-20. The next World Cup qualifier is on August 25 in Sweden, before the showdown with Slovenia on August 28 in the Audi Dome. The Germans kick off the European Championship on September 1 against co-favorites France.
Nick Weiler-Babb played the second-most minutes under Bayern head coach Andrea Trinchieri last season in both the EuroLeague (around 26 minutes) and the Bundesliga (24). He brings not only his offensive skills and great athleticism, but also his outstanding defense. In the 2022 BBL Playoffs - the first postseason of his career ever due to his foot injury the previous year - he raised his season average (8.6 ppg) to 14 points per game shooting just under 58 percent plus 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists as an MVP candidate. He also ranks among the best on-ball defenders in the EuroLeague (6.2 Ppga, 3.7 rpg, 1.2 stpg).