National basketball coach Gordon Herbert will have to do without the stars of the successful home European Championship in the two World Cup qualifiers against Sweden this Friday (7.30 p.m. / Magentasport) and three days later in Finland.

Dennis Schröder and Franz Wagner are challenged in the NBA, the pros from Alba Berlin and Bayern Munich are active in the Euroleague. From the squad that won bronze at the European Championships last year, only Justus Hollatz and Johannes Voigtmann are there.

Old workplace

And above all, the commitment of Voigtmann is not a matter of course. After all, the center was still on the floor with Olimpia Milan in the Euroleague on Thursday evening. But despite the tight schedule, Voigtmann definitely wants to be there at his old place of work in Frankfurt am Main.

"He called me and said he wanted to play," Herbert said. "And if a Johannes Voigtmann says he wants to be there, then of course you take him on as a coach." Voigtmann is scheduled to play against Sweden this Friday - just 24 hours after his assignment in Milan.

In view of the fact that the World Cup ticket has long been booked, the national coach is primarily concerned with testing young players in the two games. "With his great experience and above all his impeccable attitude, Jo can of course be a great role model for the boys," said Herbert. After all, Jason George, Till Pape, Jonas Richter, Len Schoormann and Nelson Weidemann are five players in the squad of 14 who have never played for the senior national team.