Roster rundown: ratiopharm Ulm

ratiopharm Ulm checks in for its 10th season in the EuroCup – and eight in a row – with a largely new-look roster and a new man at the helm in head coach Anton Gavel. Although there have been many changes, some things remain the same in that Ulm’s squad features highly touted youngsters and reliable local veterans. A quarterfinalist last season, Coach Gavel and Ulm will surely be aiming high in 2023.

BACKCOURT

There is no shortage of dynamic talent in the Ulm backcourt. All eyes will be on top prospect Juan Nunez, who is expected to get his chance to run the offense. After showing off his stuff in limited action, Nunez should have a big role in Ulm. He will share point guard duties with Yago Mateus dos Santos, a 23-year-old who will play in Europe for the first time after starring in his native Brazil. Thomas Klepeisz, a 45.7% three-point shooter in his two EuroCup seasons, can serve as an additional ballhandler or as a scorer alongside the main point guards. Matt Mobley could emerge as the team’s go-to scorer; he was second in the German League with 20.0 points per game for Frankfurt two seasons ago. Teenage swingman Fedor Zugic had a key role in the rotation last season and should see an uptick in minutes in his age-19 campaign.

FRONTCOURT

Karim Jallow was a part-time starter at small forward last season, his third in the EuroCup, and should provide valuable leadership as well as athleticism at the position. Robin Christen gives the team a different look at the ‘3’ as an outside marksman. Latrell Grosskopf provides depth at the position in his first season with the senior team. Athletic power forward Josh Hawley will play at the high European level for the first time after impressing in recent seasons in Georgia and Romania. If the soon-to-be 26-year-old adapts, he could be a difference maker. Philipp Herkenhoff was one of the stars of last season’s eighthfinals upset of Joventut Badalona and should again have a big role on the frontline. Sagabe Konate, who arrived on a two-year deal, brings great athleticism to his first EuroCup season. Homegrown center Nicolas Bretzel enters his fifth EuroCup season despite being only 23 years old. He boasts soft hands and great size in the paint.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Juan Nunez cracked Real Madrid’s first team last season and made 10 appearances in the EuroLeague. He was on the 12-man roster for the championship game against Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Nunez made even more headlines over the summer as the MVP of the U20 European Championship before making his debut for the Spanish national team at the senior level. Now he looks to take the reins of the Ulm attack and prove himself over a full season. A lefty who can finish with both hands, Nunez is a creative player and excellent passer who will be fun to watch all season long.

OUTLOOK

The start of the season will be interesting for fans of Ulm as the team brings a lot of young players and EuroCup debutants to the competition. However, the goal is not to start strong but to finish strong. The tail end of the regular season sees Ulm play three of its final four games at home, so even if the young players stumble out of the gate, as long as they pick up steam along the way, Ulm should be in the mix for a spot in the knockout stages and a fun team to watch along the way.