The German basketball media landscape in the middle of a very interesting, if not unofficial competition. Which media outlet can get the biggest NBA player to possibly play for the German national team – this time it’s Portland Trail Blazers center Joel Przybilla.
After the German magazine 5ive found out that Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman had German great grandparents German DBB basketball authorities worked for nearly six months to get Kaman’s paper work cleared for him in time to play at the 2008 Olympic qualifiers and then the 2008 Games in Beijing.
Then the basketball portal Crossover posted a message to German national team coach Dirk Bauermann that Sacramento Kings small forward Donte Greene was born in Munich, Germany and even linked an interview with bucks.com about his past time in Germany. Greene apparently has dual citizenship and DBB officials are supposedly trying to determine if he must be naturalized or not. But it is unclear if he can play for Germany since he played for the United States at the 2007 U19 World Championships.
And now the German basketball magazine Basket has reported on its website that Portland Trail Blazers center Joel Przybilla has German roots – Polish as well. “I have German and Polish roots. My mother’s family tree goes back to Germany,” said Przybilla, who was born in Monticello, Minnesota. He said he had not yet talked to Chris Kaman, German superstar Dirk Nowitzki of German authorities but added to Basket: “I am definitely interested. It would be an honor to play for Germany.” The magazine’s website also had a quote from Bauermann about the Portland big man: “Przybilla would be sensational. From a sports standpoint we could use him without question. I will personally look into this surprising tip.”
Stayed tuned for more news on Przybilla – one thing is clear, the DBB would have to work quick to have him cleared in time for the 2009 EuroBasket.
For those who do not know the German media scene, there are still a couple of basketball outlets yet to have uncovered an NBA player without a German background. Some forums in Germany are saying Shaquille O’Neal has German roots. But let’s leave that one alone.