By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
In the past few days, Dennis Schroder publicly called out Maxi Kleber for not being with Germany at the 2022 EuroBasket, where his national team won the bronze medal at home, in Berlin. Now, the Dallas Mavericks‘ player responded with an open letter published in the German magazine BIG.
“My goals in playing basketball and representing Germany are to be 100% healthy and help the team win and be a good teammate. The (very tough) decision last summer not to play was due to an injury I had played with in the last four months of the 2021-22 NBA season. I needed complete recovery and rest. If I had been healthy, I would have liked to play with pride for our NT. All communication from my side with all relevant persons was done in an honest and respectful way”, Maxi Kleber started.
Then, the 31-year-old former Obradoiro and Bayern Munich player said he doesn’t want to destroy the German national team’s chemistry created last summer. “I followed the team’s success with joy and was proud of what they achieved. I started this summer with the full intention and motivation to join the national team at the World Cup. However, the recent unfortunate and inappropriate public statements about me have made it 100% clear that I am not fully welcomed in the NT. It’s not my goal to destroy the good chemistry in the team last summer, nor do I want to be a source of distraction”, he went on saying.
Finally, he announced his decision to step back from playing at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where Germany is set to face Japan, Australia, and Finland in Okinawa. “That’s why I decided it’s best for everyone involved if I don’t play. Instead, I will cheer and support the team as a fan. I have no intention of continuing to speak publicly about this matter. I wish the NT every success!”, Maxi Kleber concluded.
The 31-year-old power forward last averaged 5.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game with the Dallas Mavericks in the 2022-23 NBA Regular Season, while having 11.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game with the German national team at the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
— BIG – Basketball in Deutschland (@BIG_Deutschland) July 18, 2023
PHOTO CREDIT: 2019 FIBA World Cup