His last of six assists – a touchdown pass thrown under intense pressure, upside down and with his back to the target, spanning the entire court to Devin Booker – has been etched into the virtual memory of FC Bayern Basketball since Tuesday evening. Because this absurd play marked the emotional peak of a wild night in the electrifying SAP Garden, and was likely the game-winning moment in the overtime Play-In spectacle against Red Star (97:93).
Nick Weiler-Babb received a tangible memento of what is already an outstanding EuroLeague season for his team the day after: the 29-year-old point guard of the German champions has been awarded the "2024/2025 EuroLeague Best Defender", the title for the best defensive player in Europe's top basketball competition.
In his Fifth Year for Bayern
This is the first individual award ever received by a Bayern basketball player. In 2021, team captain Vladimir Lucic had been selected for the "All-EuroLeague First Team." The team’s standout shooter, guard Carsen Edwards, narrowly missed out on the "Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy": it went to the presumed MVP Kendrick Nunn of defending champions Panathinaikos Athens, who finished the regular season with 21.1 points per game – just ahead of Bayern's energizer Edwards (20.5 PPG). No Bayern player had ever come close to such numbers before.
Nick Weiler-Babb, now in his fifth year with the Munich team, has long been known as an outstanding defender. This season, his clutch defensive plays in narrow wins against Monaco (against Mike James) and in Barcelona (against Kevin Punter) remain memorable. The versatile all-rounder, who won bronze at the 2022 European Championship with the German national team, leads the EuroLeague in steals with an average of 1.6 per game. He also grabs 4.2 rebounds on average.
Top Thief in the League
Assigned the role of starting point guard for the first time in a Bayern jersey by new head coach Gordon Herbert, the Texas native has also expanded his offensive game: averaging 8.4 points and 5 assists, he's playing his best season yet in that area as well.
FC Bayern Basketball congratulates Nick Weiler-Babb on being named EuroLeague Best Defender – we’re proud of you, NWB!