The champion stays on board: World champion Niels Giffey has extended his contract with FC Bayern Basketball ahead of schedule for another two years until the summer of 2027. The 33-year-old small forward is currently in his third season with the Munich team, with whom he has won the cup twice and secured the double, including the championship, last season.
With an outstanding shooting percentage of 60.5% (1.2 three-pointers per game), Giffey is by far the most accurate three-point shooter in the EuroLeague. In Bayern’s 81-75 away victory against league leaders Würzburg on Saturday, he was the team’s top scorer with 17 points.
EuroLeague’s most reliable Three-Point Shooter
"I’m extremely happy to remain part of the team for another two years," says Giffey. "If the core of the squad stays together, I strongly believe that we can continue to grow year by year and keep aiming for big goals in the future."
After missing several weeks in the fall due to a finger fracture, Niels Giffey is now back in top form. In the BBL, the reliable veteran is averaging 8.7 points per game in around 19 minutes of play. In the EuroLeague, he contributes an average of six points and two rebounds in just over 17 minutes per game. Coming off the bench, he often makes a significant impact – such as last Thursday in Bayern’s 89-74 EuroLeague win over Partizan Belgrade. With the team trailing 54-61 late in the third quarter, Giffey hit a crucial three-pointer to shift momentum. Head coach Gordon Herbert praised the shot as “a huge basket from Niels”, setting the stage for Bayern’s comeback.
Giffey has played 182 EuroLeague games (6.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG), with only captain Vladimir Lucic (211) and Johannes Voigtmann (281) boasting more experience at this level. In the Bundesliga, the two-time NCAA champion (Connecticut, 2011 & 2014) is set to make his 338th career appearance this Sunday at BMW Park (6 PM against Braunschweig).
In Munich since 2022
"Niels is a key and important pillar of our team with his quality and experience," says FCBB sporting director Dragan Tarlac. "Gordie has repeatedly stated that Niels is a great player and an even greater teammate—an even bigger personality. That perfectly sums up his value to our group. On the court, he’s always reliable, and off the court, he plays a crucial role in our outstanding team chemistry. He is a role model, and having early planning security with him makes us all very happy."
Giffey ended his German national team career after participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics, having played 118 international games and winning EuroBasket bronze in 2022 as well as the World Championship in 2023. He was also part of Germany’s Olympic squad in Tokyo 2021.
Before joining Bayern, he had a brief stint in Murcia, Spain, played for Zalgiris Kaunas (winning the Lithuanian Cup in 2022), and spent several years at Alba Berlin, his hometown club, where he won two German championships and two cup titles.
FC Bayern Basketball is thrilled that Niels will remain part of the team for the next two years.