PARIS (France) – The upcoming Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024 will witness Germany taking their first footsteps at the Games and although that in itself is caudse for celebration, it's straight into the fire for the first-timers.
Pitched into the so-called 'Group of Death' with title holders USA, 2020 runners-up and FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2023 winners Japan, as well as FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2023 champions Belgium, there could barely have been an Olympic initiation quite as fierce.
So, will Germany sink or swim?
The Roster
On paper, there are plenty of reasons for Germany to be positive, right from having someone in head coach Lisa Thomaidis who knows how to handle the Olympic ropes having been playcaller for Canada at Tokyo 2020.
The frontcourt is also superb and there will be no shortage of strength in the paint. Sister act Satou Sabally and Nyara Sabally are a powerful forward duo, with the former in particular no stranger to the elite level through her exploits at club level.
Marie Guelich is a rock solid anchor under the basket and with the hard-working and underrated Luisa Geiselsoder also an option, the paint is relatively stitched up for Germany.
The backcourt and wings were maybe more of a concern, but the arrival of a naturalized guard in Alexis Peterson will go a long way to making them super competitive.
Last but not least, Leonie Fiebich has been the centerpiece of this team in the past couple of years and been simply immense. A fabulous wing player who puts up super numbers, good things can happen for Germany if she finds her usual eye-catching form.
The Question
Will the 'Group of Death' just be too much for the Olympic rookies, or will they actually turn out to be the fly in the ointment for the other nations in the Group?
For obvious reasons, most observers will probably have Germany down for last spot and an early hop home. That would be understandable since they're facing the Olympic holders and two Continental champions.
But whisper it quietly. They're super hard-nosed as a team, very strong defensively on recent evidence and if they get even one win, something by no means beyond them, the script for this Group will be torn up into pieces completely.
The Hope
For several years, Germany have gradually been looking like a nation ready to rise up and so it has proven. With a number of exciting young talents also in the pipeline and with the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 on home soil to come, everything is really positive.
The one 'gap' or major concern was certainly the lack of a top quality performer in the backcourt. The big hope is that the additon of Peterson makes them able to punch their true weight and realize their potential.
Although it will be interesting to see if this tournament comes too soon and her impact might be felt more at next year's FIBA Women's EuroBasket and then at the World Cup after that.
The Fear
Germany might have some excellent players, but the experience of the top national team level is just not there on the court yet.
A historic 6th place finish last year at the FIBA Women's EuroBasket in Ljubljana was very impressive - especially without Satou Sabally, but it remains a one-off. A glance at the last 10 FIBA events below reiterates how Germany are almost starting from a ground zero.
There is no substitute for experience of the biggest FIBA global competitions at the senior level and Germany are the only team at Paris 2024 with absolutely none in this respect.
The last 10 FIBA Events
FIBA