Pic credit: FIBA

It is no secret that at this time of year, it is a very hectic time for pro basketball teams overseas no matter if in Spain, Germany or Hungary. All teams are preparing for the upcoming season and with practice, individual work outs and pre season games, there is little time for anything else or is there? Well in Germany there has been extra interest growing since Germany won the Euro Bronze in 2022 and then winning the world cup a year later, Germany is on route again to do damage in the medal category. For Dragons Rhondorf player Kenan Reinhart (194-SG-2007, agency: Octagon Europe), this Euro is like any other always very exciting for him since he has played for the German national team youth teams, but also has Turkish ties. “Both countries are playing great. Turkey have dominant player 23 year Alperen Sengun who plays for the Houston Rockets and Germany is so deep. I really couldn´t predict who will win it all”, smiled Kenan Reinhart who averaged 6,5ppg and 2,3rpg at the 2024 Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim, Germany.

Germany have really dominated the tournament like no other team having a spotless 5-0 record while averaging an insane 105 points per game. They were still allowing too many points in the first 3 games allowing 85 points per game, but have cleaned it up in the last 2 games allowing only 59 points on average. While Turkey have been no slouch either scoring at ease scoring 91 points per game and defensively have been solid. When it comes to talking about the success of team Germany, you can hear an excitement in the voice of Kenan Reinhart. “Germany is very balanced. You have the perfect leader in Dennis Schroeder that always makes the right pass and can find his teammates, you have a defensive specialist with Isaac Bonga and a great scorer with Franz Wagner. Plus you have the best shooter with Andreas Obst and guys like Daniel Theis and Leon Kratzer who help on the boards. Germany has a player for everything needed on the court”, smiled Kenan Reinhart who is playing his second season with the Dragons Rhodorf.

The story of the tournament though has been Miikka Muurinen. Some basketball fans who necessarily haven´t followed this particular Euro closely will say who? In Frankfurt some basketball nerds might remember the last name Muurinen. Kimmo Muurinen played for the Frankfurt Skyliners during the 2010-2011 season and it is his son Miikka who has become a house hold name at the 2025 Euro because of 1 amazing pulverizing dunk that had fans jumping out of their seats wooing and wanting more. Miikka had really arrived in Europe for the first time while in Arizona at Arizona Compass Prep School, this kind of spectacular play was nothing new. In today´s age of social media, all it took was for one play to go viral despite him not being a major factor for Finland who are led by NBA player Lauri Markkanen. The spunky and charismatic Miikka only played 2 games at the Euro against Sweden and England scoring 5 and 6 points in 23 minutes in total.

Influencer Cam Wilder gave him the nickname Slim Jesus to Miikka Muurinen and obviously the nickname has been heard by all who have followed the Euro. “Many fans follow Miikka. All you have to do is open up your phone and you will find that dunk quickly. Then there you have Slim Jesus just like that on your phone”, stated Kenan Reinhart. You have to wonder how other contemporary players feel about the dunk and hype? Muurinen is 18 years old and the youngest player at the Euro. Reinhart is also 18 and a massive German talent. You have to wonder if a young player like Reinhart is a bit jealous for the publicity or genuine happy for a fellow prospect? “I mean the guy is highly hyped. He had a great dunk that went viral. Who wouldn´t want to get all that attention. For me the game is always more important than the hype, but if something like that ever happened to me, I would also be happy for it. But I still do wish him the best”, added Kenan Reinhart.

The funny thing is that not only Frankfurt fans may have gone hmmmmmm, I know that name, but also Kenan Reinhart. The interesting thing is that Kenan Reinhart actually battled against Miikka Muurinen a little more than 2 years ago at the 2023 Euro. Back then, it was a one sided show as Germany destroyed Finland 96-57. “I remember that game well. Finland had one good player. The difference was that we were a lot deeper and they couldn´t stop us”, remembered Kenan Reinhart. Germany had high skilled youth players at that time with 2025 U-19 World Cup silver medalist Declan Duru as well as other promising players like Davi Remagen, Matthieu Grujicic and Ivan Crnjac. Reinhart played 11 minutes with 2 points and 3 boards while Muurinen scored 11 points in 17 minutes. “I remember Miikka being very agile and had very good ball handling and outside shot for his size”, said Kenan Reinhart.

This past summer, the market for top Euro talents going to colleges and Universities in the United States to play has soared to crazy heights simply because now guys are getting paid very high sums to go to school and play basketball. Big German prospects like Ivan Kharchenkov, Matthieu Grujicic, Hannes Steinbach and Declan Duru have gone that route. It seems like Miikka Muurinen will go the same direction in 2026. The interest for slim Jesus has been massive as schools like North Carolina, Duke, Michigan and Kentucky have shown interest. Is there any chance that Kenan Reinhart might do that in the future? “I have thought about it and it could happen in the future. I have had some interest from one or two schools. I´m not thinking about it now, because I want to play a good season with the Dragons Rhondorf. I will see after this season what I will do”, expressed Kenan Reinhart. Back to the Euro 2025. If Reinhart could have a sort of hype experience like Slim Jesus Miikka Muurinen did, what would he chose? “I have been compared a lot to Andi Obst. We have a similar build and shot. I would love to hit a deep three in his face for that hype effect”, smiled Kenan Reinhart. And what about who will win the Gold Medal at the 2025 Euro? “Germany has 90% of reaching the final. I predict a Germany-Turkey final”, stressed Kenan Reinhart. And who will win? “Germany has 50% of winning”, smiled Kenan Reinhart. One thing is for sure. Kenan Reinhart can´t be disappointed if it is a Germany-Turkey final, because he won´t lose.