Another champion for Bayern’s basketball team: Germany international Johannes Thiemann is moving to Munich. The 32-year-old world and European champion has signed a two-year contract with the German EuroLeague club, with an option for a further season. The versatile big man spent the past two seasons in Japan’s B.League with the Gunma Crane Thunders. Thiemann has made 110 appearances for the German national team and is also returning to the EuroLeague, where he has played 127 games so far.
“After two years in Asia and away from home, I’m really looking forward to returning to Germany and joining FC Bayern,” said Thiemann. “I’m happy to see so many familiar faces from the national team again in Munich and to be able to compete with the guys at the highest European level. I’m looking forward to the new challenges and, hopefully, many successes in the BBL and the EuroLeague.”
“I want to compete with the guys at the highest level”
At 2.06 meters tall, Thiemann is capable of playing both power forward and center, with his basketball IQ and physical play in the paint regarded as two of his main strengths. One of his good acquaintances at Bayern is co-captain Andreas Obst, with whom he spent several years in Bamberg and on the club’s farm team from 2011 to 2016. Together, they celebrated the German U19 championship in 2012 and promotion to the ProA with Baunach in 2014. Thiemann also made his BBL debut for the Baskets in October 2013 and impressed at the same time with the second-division team before moving to Ludwigsburg three years later, where he became a regular part of the rotation for the first time.
From 2018 until his move to Japan, “JT” played for ALBA Berlin, where he won three championships, was named Finals MVP in 2022 and eventually became team captain. Statistically, his final season in the capital in 2023/2024 was his strongest. In the EuroLeague, the post-up specialist averaged 12.7 points per game that season, along with 8.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game; in the BBL, his average of 12.7 points was also the best of his ten seasons in Germany’s top flight.
A great addition both as a player and as a person”
Thiemann also played a major role in the national team’s recent success. He averaged eight points at EuroBasket 2022, where Germany won bronze, followed by 7.0 points and 4.3 rebounds during the team’s World Cup triumph a year later, and 6.4 points at the 2025 European Championship win, along with 3.7 rebounds per game. Thiemann also represented Germany at the Olympic tournaments in Tokyo in 2021 and Paris in 2024, where the team finished fourth. He made his debut for the German national team in 2016.
“We are very proud and happy that Johannes Thiemann is continuing his career with Bayern and will help shape the sporting rebuild of our team with his great experience and quality,” said FCBB managing director Adrian Sarmiento. “Everyone in German basketball knows and appreciates his character and his physical style of play. Johannes Thiemann is an ideal addition to our team both as a player and as a person.”
Thiemann completed his second season in Japan this spring with averages of 11.4 points per game, 44.3 percent from three-point range and six rebounds. However, his season ended early, as the German center missed the final stretch due to a concussion. “That was unfortunate, but I’m feeling good again,” said the Trier native, who is set to rejoin the national team in July as part of the World Cup qualifiers.
JOHANNES THIEMANN (*6 February 1994, Trier)
Power forward, center – 2.06 m – 110 kg
- 2011 – 2016: TSV Breitengüßbach (NBBL), 1. FC Baunach (ProB/ProA), Brose Baskets Bamberg (BBL)
- 2016 – 2018: MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg (BBL, BCL)
- 2018 – 2024: ALBA Berlin (BBL, EuroCup, EuroLeague)
- 2024 – 2026: Gunma Crane Thunders (Japan)
Honours/Awards:
- European champion 2025
- World champion 2023
- EuroBasket bronze medalist 2022
- Universiade silver medalist 2015
- German champion 2014, 2020, 2021, 2022
- German Cup winner 2020, 2022
- BBL Finals MVP 2022