Couch instead of parquet: How Niels Giffey continues to be part of the German basketball team

Niels Giffey isn't exactly relaxing on his couch these days. The Berlin basketball pro is experiencing reflexive transitions from horizontal to vertical during the German national team's European Championship matches. On Wednesday, for example, during the quarterfinal against Slovenia , a slightly nervous tension not only pervaded Latvia's Riga Arena, but also pervaded Giffey's wiry body. "I jumped up from the couch a few times and got upset about Luka and his flopping," Giffey said one day after the German team's 99-91 victory.

Luka is Luka Doncic, a basketball virtuoso and the leader of the Slovenian national team. Doncic made some exceptional shots on Wednesday, but stood out above all for his tireless fouling. He nearly knocked Germany out of the European Championship tournament and nearly drove Niels Giffey crazy. But only nearly... Germany won and will play Finland in the semifinals on Friday (4 p.m., MagentaSport and RTL) for a spot in the European Championship final.

Last summer, Niels Giffey resigned from the national team

It's a sporting privilege that was long unthinkable for Germany's basketball players, including Dennis Schröder and Franz Wagner, but has now become almost a habit. At the European Championships in summer 2022, the national team ended a nearly 20-year semifinal drought. The record since then: a European Championship bronze medal, a World Championship title, and a disappointing fourth-place finish at the Olympic Games. Niels Giffey witnessed it all – thanks to his 118 international appearances.

Last summer, Giffey became the first player of Germany's golden generation to retire from the national team. The current European Championship is the first in a long time that he isn't participating in. "Emotionally and physically, I'm definitely still fully involved," says Giffey. He describes a rather indescribable feeling. At its core, it's an emotional, mental thrill, but so intense that it also has to erupt physically to be bearable.

It's a new kind of excitement for the long-time captain of Alba Berlin in the context of the national team. After all, he didn't just cheer for the game, he played for it. The fact that this is no longer the case triggers mixed feelings for the 34-year-old. "I'd really like to play and be with the guys," says Giffey. At the same time, his first summer without the national team was "absolutely brilliant."

It's an ambivalence perfectly illustrated when Giffey recounts his visit to one of Germany's test matches this summer. During the match, on the sidelines of which he was honored for his performances in the national team jersey, his fingers were already itching to play. "At dinner, the boys told me they were boarding the plane at 10 a.m. the next day," says Giffey, "and I was just happy to be able to spend the next 14 days at home with my wife."

Giffey is now back on the road – with FC Bayern Basketball in their preseason training camp. His thoughts are still in Riga, however, with his former colleagues, with whom he stays in touch via WhatsApp. He knows what's on their minds and knows how to put it into context. He also highlights the special relationships within the German team: "It's not just that most people have known each other for a long time, it's about the quality of the relationships." Not only in sporting terms, but also personally, everyone invests a lot in the national team, says Giffey, adding: "Everyone puts their ego aside completely – and that starts right at the top with the top performers." It's a picture that national coach Alex Mumbru fits perfectly into.

Of course, during the match against Slovenia, it was clear in every fiber of the Spaniard's body how much he would like to be back on the German sidelines permanently after his hospital stay. Several times he suddenly stood gesticulating next to his assistant and deputy Alan Ibrahimagic. A few pacing steps later, however, he sat back down in his chair, from which he will also largely watch the match against Finland. Giffey sees the fact that the German team recently stood behind their coach – literally – at a media briefing as a further sign of solidarity. "They built a kind of wall, provided clarity and said: For us, this matter is closed," says Giffey.

Germany only needs one more win for a medal

Before the match against Finland, another topic, another fact, is in the foreground: The German team needs one more win to secure a medal – and is now very familiar with this situation. "What's new is that there's a certain amount of pressure now," says Giffey. The fact that the German Basketball Association (DBB) has set "only" one medal as its goal for the European Championships doesn't change the fact that Germany has been the favorite for the title, at least since the Serbians were eliminated by Finland. Especially since the DBB players have been talking about wanting to win gold all summer anyway.

"It's a pressure you've earned," says Giffey. A self-confidence that the German team has earned over the past few years. The question remains whether they can live up to it in the semifinals after their decisive victory against Finland in the group stage. Niels Giffey will be watching his former teammates closely as they answer this question – sometimes lying on the couch, sometimes standing in front of it.