BallinEurope is previewing all 18 Euroleague Basketball teams ahead of the start of the season. Today it’s the turn of Gordie Herbert and FC Bayern, who have undergone roster turnover but have set a high goal for the season ahead.
FC Bayern are moving into their new SAP Garden ready to welcome them and Euroleague Basketball. Gordie Herbert wants this to be a playoff team. With the roster at his disposal, that’s an enormous ask.
Last season
Euroleague record: 13-21
Regular season position: 15th
Playoffs: NA
Bundesliga record: 28-6
Regular season position: 1st
Playoffs: Won finals vs Alba Berlin (3-1)
Other: Won BBL Pokal (ratiopharm Ulm)
Who’s gone?
Pablo Laso (coach, Baskonia), Serge Ibaka (Real Madrid), Dino Radoncic (Real Betis), Sylvain Francisco (Zalgiris Kaunas), Nelson Weidemann (ratiopharm Ulm), Niklas Wimberg (Hamburg), Leandro Bolmaro (Olimpia Milano), Isaac Bonga (Partizan).
Who is new?
Gordie Herbert (coach, Germany national team), Shabazz Napier (Olimpia Milano), Yam Madar (Fenerbahce), Kevin Yebo (Niners Chemnitz), Oscar da Silva (FC Barcelona), Johannes Voigtmann (Olimpia Milano).
Who stayed?
Vladimir Lucic, Carsen Edwards, Nick Weiler-Babb, Andreas Obst, Niels Giffey, Danko Brankovic, Elias Harris.
BallinEurope is ramping up its YouTube game this season. Subscribe to our channel now for player exclusives, analysis videos, and much more.
Need to know
The roster Gordie Herbert has at his disposal is a combination of two useful elements. There are veterans nearing or in the backsides of their careers (Napier, Giffey, Lucic, Voigtmann). There are guys looking to get a shot at bigger roles in Euroleague Basketball (Madar, Da Silva). Of course, FC Bayern also has reliables still at or near their peaks (Obst, Weiler-Babb). Collectively, that’s a good mix to work with. The question is, whether it’s good enough for a big jump.
What the bookies think
The sportsbooks have a wild range on FC Bayern. They are as short as 45/1 and as long as 100/1 in Euroleague Basketball betting. The closest to a consisten price for Gordie Herbert’s men is 66/1.
BallinEurope has a book, a real life actual book called I Like it Loud, and you can buy it on Amazon now. It’s here as a book and here in Kindle form.
What we think
On paper, this is a team that has dropped in talent from last season. In practice, it looks like one designed to have much improved chemistry. Last season’s FC Bayern had some big names but rarely looked capable of putting it all together. There will probably be some nights where it goes really badly for them in Euroleague Basketball this season. Those will be fewer in number than most think. This team has a bit of steel to it.
Fearless prediction
While I expect the win number to increase this campaign, I don’t expect it to jump significantly. Looking at this roster as a whole, it feels about two regular minutes guys away from where it needs to be. That can create an enormous gulf in Euroleague Basketball. I think Gordie Herbert can narrow it a bit for FC Bayern. I just don’t think he can narrow it enough.
Pick: 13th in the regular season
