After the siren sounded in Cologne giving the Dragons Rhondorf the 2024 Pro B title, there was complete bedlam among the Dragons players and fans. 9 months of absolute hard work had paid off. Antonio Pilipovic had showed his ex team that he was the ultimate sniper showing he was the Dragons own splash brother, Tyreese Blunt had hit big shot after big shot just to name a few, but all in all every player had given their 180% to the success of the season and the finals weekend. Players and fans were dancing on the court, water was being tossed around and pics were taken left and right to forever have that golden memory of the final game in Cologne. As I was tip toeing between the celebrating happy people, I observed Janne Muller sitting quietly with his dad. I guess he was savoring the moment in a way Franz Beckenbauer did 34 years ago after Germany won the 1990 World Cup over Argentina in Rome, Italy. However the young 17 year old of course was enjoying the moment inside, but at the same time he also had other thoughts. His teammates were focused totally on basketball, but he also had something else very much on his mind. “It was a tough period combining school and basketball. I had 4 Abitur exams during the playoffs. I had one on Monday and I couldn´t even celebrate in Cologne on Sunday. It was a lot of stress. Yesterday we had a team function and tonight celebrating with the fans. I go to a sport school and they really supported me very much in being able to combine studies and basketball”, stressed Janne Mueller (193-PG-2006).

It was a very special season for the Dragons Rhondorf as the playoff run to the final was no cake walk. The Dragons Rhondorf had to withstand 3 do or die games beating Rostock, Wolmirstedt and Berlin. In the 2 game final, the winner was crowned with the best points difference. The Dragons Rhondorf won game 1 in their living room with only 2 points allowing a 9 point run by the RheinStars to end the game. Despite the bad end to game 1, it could have been a blessing in disguise for them in terms of how the team mentality was for the last game. “ We went with mixed feelings into the final game in Cologne. The first game in Rhondorf didn´t feel like a win. That game gave us a push and even more focus needing to win in Cologne. We were better prepared and everyone knew how important the game was to win. We wanted to win the title for the fans and Bad Honnef”, warned Janne Mueller. One of the Dragons big strengths is their three point shooting which was spot on in game 1 in Rhondorf as they nailed 15. Who would of thought that the Dragons would hit 20 in game 2. “We had only a video session scheduled for Saturday, but then every player decided to get up shots on their own. Everybody wanted to be as best prepared for the last game. That last shooting practice helped us have the best touch for the last game”, stated Janne Mueller. The club wasn´t the best defensive team in the Pro B, but when it counted most, they came together and slowed down a explosive offensive team like the RheinStars as if it was nothing. “ We stuck together as a team on defense. We didn´t always play perfect defense during the season, but all 5 guys were always locked up on the court during the finals. We defended with passion. We made one adjustment during the final on Bjoern Rohwer to double him, but Ferenc Gille wanted to guard him 1-1. He did a great job on him and everyone helped when needed. Ferenc showed how confident he was and how he wanted to lock him up, but also knowing he had 4 teammates behind him to help”, commented Janne Mueller. Another blessing in disguise was Antonio Pilipovic who wanted to show his ex team RheinStars that he is an incredible player. He hit 13 three´s in total in both games including an explosive 8 in Cologne. “He was very focused in both games. He obviously wanted to paly very well against his ex team. He is one of our best shooters on the team. I think he just shot and shot the ball without really thinking about it. His self confidence rose with every new three pointer made”, expressed Janne Mueller.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Janne Muller in the Dragon Dome

The 17 year German youth national player who lists Gabriel Kuku, Ivan Kharchenkov and Martin Kalu as his toughest opponents on the court last season achieved an incredible feat winning a title in his rookie pro season. But it wasn´t only a group of guys that had great characters, but also simply a roster where every player was incredibly talented and were able to execute on a consistent level time in and time out. “This title is very special. It was my rookie season as a professional and we won a title. It was also very special winning it with a special group of guys. I think that we had unbelievable individual qualities. That was special and then all coming together and using those individual qualities and developing them further during the season was very key. We understood each other so well as well. We were very hard to beat with all this individual quality”, said Janne Mueller. It wasn´t only the players that contributed to the success, but also the coaching staff of Stephan Dohrn and KJ Sherril. Dohrn showed no adjustment time coming from Wedel, but quickly showed his incredible work ethic that was absorbed by his players. “Coach was a big part of the success. He really coaches at a very high level with tactics. We practiced hard every day. I believe we had 179 practices this season. After a while we got used to the system and stayed true with our principles. That helped give us confidence and continuity and could be successful even when we made adjustments”, added Janne Mueller.

The whole Dragons Rhondorf team were part of the success, but there were special guys who gave so much to the success like the motor Tyreese Blunt. His incredible focus and will on every possession was refreshing to observe. Tyreese was so important and one of the best scorers that I ever played with. He has an unbelievable focus and will to win in games. I want to develop that kind of focus in my game. It is very special. He had no fear and always played for the good of the team”, stressed Janne Mueller. Another vital player was Badu Buck who took a step back from the Pro A, but never let his ego get into the way. He made massive strides after his tough season in Schwenningen. “Badu is the veteran on the team and had the most experience. He communicated with every player so often and even had team talks. He can do a bit of everything and is so versatile. It is very special how he plays game”, said Janne Mueller. Two other key performers were the double double monster Avery Sullivan who was made big strides in his game and showed his 2 way player qualities and leader Kelvin Omojola who was the ultimate captain. “Everybody was impressed when Avery got to Rhondoorf after the first practices and games. He is strong and mobile and very versatile. He can defend 1-5. Even if he had an off day on offence, he always gave us that rim protection presence. He made big blocks and offensive rebounds as well. Kelvin always had us ready for games. He was so quick and did a great job with tempo in the game. He could score, but was a great playmaker and had games where he had 10 + assists. He was our leader and we followed him”, warned Janne Mueller. Another guy that also was huge off the bench was Marko Rosic who could have had Mr efficient as his middle name this season. “Marko is still very young and I think that people forget that because of how experienced he plays. His court vision is special. He found me all the time and always made my game easier. He had a good mix of scoring and knowing when to pass the ball. Even if Avery Sullivan improved a lot, you have to give the most improved crown to Jekabs Beck and Ferenc Gille. “It wasn´t easy for Beck, because he was injured ´so often. He did a great job in the playoffs against Andreas Seifert and Bjoern Rohwer when he came off the bench. He was very physical and when fit, he can show more. Gille gave us an extra push and I believe was a deciding factor why we won the title”, warned Janne Mueller.

The versatile teenager who hopes the Dallas Mavericks win the 2024 NBA title, but also wouldn´t be surprised if the Boston Celtics did had a solid first pro B season averaging 8,9ppg, 2,6rpg and 1,2apg. It was incredible to see how in a short time he could go from a bench player to a vital role player. “For me it was important that I made a step in the Pro B. I got used to the level quickly and took on a bigger role right away. In December we had injuries and I had to play more and take on responsibility. This phase helped me a lot and gave me added self-confidence. I think I had a good role in my first full pro season”, said Janne Mueller. It was his work ethic at the start that helped him be accepted by his coach and teammates. “I think I showed right from the start that I wanted to earn minutes by working very hard in practice. I wanted to do as much as possible so I could possibly get more minutes that were actually planned for me. Coach saw my work ethic and found trust in me and gave me a chance”, added Janne Mueller. He scored in double figures this season in 16 games including exploding against Breitengussbach with 24 points. Even if he didn´t have as big as a scoring role in the playoffs, he is still content with how his game developed. “The main factor in the playoffs is to win games. That was our focus. It didn´t matter who scored 20 points me, Tyreese or Badu. At the end of the day it was all about the success. I could have had more responsibility but other veterans at my position took over. My minutes went down, but I still gained a lot of experience. I drove a lot this season. I hope next season I can bring more of my 3 level scoring to my game. I want to play more pick and roll and shoot the three pointer”, stressed Janne Mueller. He obviously won´t forget the Breitengussbach game, but there were also other personal highlights. “I had a few good moments that I remember this season. The first game against Ludwigsburg where I played many minutes for the first time stands out. I also enjoyed the game against Fellbach where I hit a three late from the mid distance. I also thought that I played well in Berlin”, remembered Janne Mueller. He will turn 18 on August 31st and will grind in the gym this summer, so he can make the next step next season and reach big goals in the summer. “I will work more on my body. I need to get more physical and athletic. I need to jump better as well. I also will work on my shot and ball handling. Another big focus is the U-18 EM where we have to become at least 5th so we can qualify for the U-19 World Cup”, commented Janne Mueller. He has big goals for the next season as his drive is unending to become the best player that he can. “I practiced with the Telekom Baskets Bonn already a bit this season. My big goal for next season is to have a bigger role with the Dragons and be a leader on and off the court. I also want to practice full-time with Bonn and work for BBL minutes”, warned Janne Mueller.