Several European prospects played themselves into the limelight at U18 Eurobasket. German big Hannes Steinbach, who was crowned MVP of the regular season in the U19 Bundesliga (Germany) a few weeks ago, also had a breakout event. Pro Insight met up with the Würzburg native for a chat during the event:
Pro Insight: How did you get into basketball in the first place?
Hannes Steinbach: I started playing basketball because of my father. I used to watch him play when I was younger. Later on, we had a basketball hoop at home and I started to play against him for fun. That’s how I kinda got more into the game, but it was part of my life since I was little.
PI: Do you have any other professional athletes in your family?
HS: Yes, my father used to play basketball professionally. He also played Bundesliga in Würzburg.
PI: What have you learned from him?
HS: My dad is and was my coach for a majority of my career – he taught me that I always have to work on my game and try to improve. His years of experience in the professional basketball world are of great value for me
PI: Let's get to the Euros, here! What has been your impression of the event and how satisfied are you with the team's performance?
HS: The event in general has a very high level of talent regarding the players individually but also the teams as a whole. It’s impressive to watch the different styles of playing/playmaking depending on each team on this international level. So far I think that we’re doing well. However, we have to stay focused and concentrate on the upcoming games.
PI: You are one of the most dominant bigs of the event. How do you manage to grab and put back so many rebounds?
HS: I think I’m always trying to fight for position early and try to gain an advantage. I think it has a lot to do with the way I fight for my position under the basket early into a possession. That way I’m trying to gain an advantage over my opponent. Maybe I’ve learned that throughout my years in U14 and U16 when I wasn’t the tallest or most athletic player at my position. You have to fight hard for every rebound. So I kind of internalized the way I have to position myself when getting the rebound.
PI: What are your goals for next season after the tournament?
HS: I‘m trying to establish myself in the pro team. I signed my first pro contract for next season and I’m looking forward to this new challenge. Furthermore, I want to show my leadership in a great season with the second team in the ProB league.