By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
After three years with the German national team, during which he won the 2022 EuroBasket bronze and the 2023 World Cup gold medal, Gordon Herbert has returned to club basketball by joining BBL champions Bayern Munich.
In an interview with BILD, he explained his decision, emphasizing his desire to stay in Germany as one of the reasons.
“I really wanted to stay in Germany. I really enjoy working here, I like the Germans. In July, Marko Pesic and Herbert Hainer called me to convince me to join Bayern. I was very pleased. Bayern is one of the biggest clubs in the world, and they allow me to train some of my national players. And one day, I can work as an assistant coach with my son Daniel.”
Herbert’s last game with the German national team was for the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, led by the experienced Svetislav Pesic, Serbia prevailed.
“If someone had told us three years ago that we would just miss out on bronze at the Olympics, everyone would probably have been happy. But we set very high standards during that time and became world champions last year. That’s why I’m not satisfied—nobody is satisfied. On the other hand, it was, of course, a high-class tournament, and every team that reached the quarter-finals could have made it to the final.”
He’ll now have the chance to work with Marko Pesic, general manager of Bayern Munich and the son of the aforementioned Svetislav Pesic.
“I am looking forward to working with Marko and hope that I can learn from his father Svetislav. He is often in Munich, so I can make him my mentor.”
Alex Mumbru took his spot on the German national team’s bench, and Herbert found out the name of his successor just a night before the official announcement.
“I think someone told the players the name in the locker room before the bronze medal game. I don’t know who or how, but it was discussed. I wasn’t asked for my opinion either. I would have liked to have seen one of my assistant coaches, Bret Brielmaier or Klaus Perwas, as my successor, but they weren’t even asked, as far as I know. I don’t even know if they would have wanted the job.”
Now he’s returning to the EuroLeague with Bayern Munich, despite reports linking him with other clubs. Herbert admits he was close to joining the Chiba Jets in Japan.
“Many people think that I am going to Bayern because of the money. But that is not true; I had much higher offers. I was close to signing with Chiba, but there was also another team,” Gordon Herbert concluded.