A shooter for up-tempo basketball: Bayern signs Duane Washington Jr.

Fresh shooting power for Bayern Basketball: Munich have signed Duane Washington Jr. The NBA-experienced guard joins the German EuroLeague contender on a two-year deal through 2028. The 26-year-old American, who made his European debut with Partizan Belgrade over the past two seasons, appeared in a total of 79 NBA games (9.1 ppg) early in his pro career for the Indiana Pacers and later the Phoenix Suns. With Partizan, the Frankfurt-born playmaker was the team’s second-leading scorer last season, averaging 14.9 points per game.

“Everything happens for a reason: I was born in Germany, now I’m 26 and I’ll be playing there – I’m really excited about the environment at Bayern and the fresh start we’ll all have there as a team with the new coach,” says Washington, who is currently in Indianapolis with his family. He adds: “In Munich I want to show even more leadership and prove to everyone how much I love this game. I want to win a lot of games and every trophy we can get.”

79 NBA games, key player at Partizan

New FCBB sporting director Thorsten Leibenath is happy to match the player’s enthusiasm for the deal. “We’re very pleased to bring in Duane, because he fits our profile extremely well,” he says. “On the one hand, he’s still young for a basketball player and hasn’t reached his EuroLeague peak yet, even though he was already a key contributor at Partizan. On the other hand, he’s a very versatile player who can cover multiple positions and thrive in an up-tempo system. He’s going to bring a lot of joy to our fans in Munich.”

After his college career in Ohio (16.4 ppg in his final season), Washington showcased his skills as an athletic guard in the NBA as a rookie with the Pacers at age 21. He played 48 games for Indiana, averaging 20 minutes and 9.9 points (38% from three). In parallel, he also made eleven appearances for Indiana’s G League affiliate (19.5 ppg).

The following season he moved on to Phoenix, where he donned a Suns jersey 31 times, averaging just under 13 minutes (7.9 ppg) and posting a career-high 26 points in late December 2022 – before an odyssey of two-way and short-term deals plus multiple waivers followed. By October 2024, the New York Knicks alone had seriously considered signing him on four separate occasions (Charlotte once), before Washington, after yet another flurry of trades, finally committed to Europe with Partizan.

Contact with Andi Obst

At the end of his first season in Belgrade, he completed a domestic double (ABA League and Serbian League), earning Playoffs MVP honors nationally. Despite a turbulent second season at Partizan, Washington blossomed in 2025/2026 into the team’s go-to guy, describing himself as a “predominantly ball-handling guard” – and in late December 2025 he set an all-time record in the Adriatic League by dropping 48 points (10 threes) on Krka. In the EuroLeague he shone especially in the spring against eventual champions Olympiacos, scoring 28 points, before missing the final third of the regular season due to injury.

Now Washington is ready and fired up for Munich: he says he’s already ordered EuroLeague and BBL basketballs online – “and I bought FC Bayern jerseys a long time ago; now I can finally put them on and show them off!” He has already reached out to Bayern sharpshooter Andi Obst: “He’s one of the best shooters out there,” Washington says. “We can become a very dynamic duo that’s going to be extremely hard to guard.”

“Wiz” Washington Jr. is the son of Duane Eddy Washington, the former NBA and European pro, who played in Germany’s BBL and second division for Rhöndorf and later for Frankfurt Skyliners, who would go on to acquire the Frankfurt license. Duane Jr. was born back then in the Main metropolis. His uncle is five-time NBA champion (and later Knicks head coach) Derek Fisher, with whom the youngster fine-tuned his game in Los Angeles at the end of his high school days.

Duane Washington Jr. is married and the father of two children. “Our third is on the way – and will be born in Munich,” he says.

DUANE WASHINGTON JR. (born March 24, 2000, Frankfurt)

Guard – 1.91 m – 89 kg

• 2011–2016: Grand Rapids Christian High School, Sierra Canyon School
• 2018–2021: Ohio State (NCAA)
• 2021–2022: Indiana Pacers (NBA), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (NBA G League)
• 2022–2/2023: Phoenix Suns (NBA)
• 2/2023–2024: Westchester Knicks (NBA G League)
• 2024–2026: Partizan Belgrade (EuroLeague, ABA)

Honors & achievements:

• Adriatic League champion 2025
• Serbian champion 2025
   
• Serbian Playoffs MVP 2025