Speaking to Dirk Sing of German outlet Augsburger Allgemeine, Mavericks forward/center Maxi Kleber says he has no intention of returning to Germany’s national team going forward.
Kleber, who previously represented his home country in international competitions, including the 2014 EuroBasket and the 2019 World Cup, opted not to play in the 2022 EuroBasket tournament after a deep playoff run with Dallas. Kleber was criticized for that decision by team captain Dennis Schröder, causing the big man to withdraw from consideration for the 2023 World Cup. Schröder later apologized.
Kleber also didn’t participate in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, but he says he watched the tournament and still supports the team from afar, even if he will no longer be playing for Deutschland in an official capacity.
“The situation was what it was. That’s why I had to come to terms with it,” Kleber said (hat tip to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net). “I watched the games as a fan, of course, because it is always positive for German basketball when the national team is successful.
“It’s ultimately about basketball continuing to grow in Germany. And the Olympic Games that everyone can watch on television is a great platform. I know a lot of guys on the team very well or are my friends, it was also great to watch them. … The national team is definitely over for me. So, there will be no return.”
Here are a few more international basketball notes:
- Admiral Schofield, who spent four seasons in the NBA before signing with ASVEL Basket over the offseason, has parted ways with the French club in what the team called a mutual agreement, per Askounis of Eurohoops. The 27-year-old forward, who was a second-round pick out of Tennessee in 2019, recently fell out of ASVEL’s rotation, Askounis notes.
- Former NBA forward Kenneth Faried has signed with Italy’s Pallacanestro Reggiana, the team announced in a press release. An eight-year veteran who spent seven seasons in Denver, Faried last played in the NBA with Houston during the 2018/19 season. The 35-year-old made previous international stops in China and Russia before returning to North America to play in the G League, having spent the past two seasons with the Mexico City Capitanes.
- Longtime NBA veteran Patrick Beverley signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv over the summer, but he says he’s “50-50” on whether he’ll stay with the Israeli club due to family pressures, as BasketNews.com relays.
- Former Mavs and Clippers big man Johnathan Motley decided to leave Hapoel Tel Aviv earlier this month over concerns over his safety. He wound up signing a G League deal while still under contract with Hapoel, but didn’t receive a letter of clearance from FIBA. In a strange twist to an unusual situation, Motley has returned to Hapoel on a two-year contract, the team announced (link via BasketNews).
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