"Hamburg Hollatz rings the warning bell at the European Basketball Championship"

In a column published on the Bayern Munich homepage, Basketball World Champion Justus Hollatz expressed his concerns about the increasing number of games in European basketball.

The EuroLeague, which will expand to 20 teams for the upcoming season, and the EuroBasket tournament have been subject to Hollatz's criticism. The former Bayern Munich player pointed out that the team was physically exhausted, having played more than 80 games during the recent championship series against Ratiopharm Ulm.

Hollatz, a native of Hamburg, cited the recent injuries at the EuroBasket as a reason for his criticism. He specifically mentioned the absence of Johannes Voigtmann and Rokas Jokubaitis, who are currently recovering from surgeries due to their injuries. He also referred to the Serbian player Bogdan Bogdanovic, who is out for the rest of the tournament due to injury.

The increase in the number of teams competing in the EuroLeague for the 2023/2024 season, currently standing at 18, has been a cause for concern for Hollatz. He particularly criticised a EuroBasket with 24 teams, expressing his belief that the lack of quality among the smaller teams could lead to burnout for the top athletes.

Hollatz did not mince words when he described the current scheduling in European basketball as unsustainable. He lamented the fact that the physical exhaustion of his former team, Bayern Munich, during the championship finals was a common occurrence. He also criticised the EuroBasket for its scheduling, stating that it was not conducive to the well-being of the players.

Despite his concerns, Hollatz remains optimistic about the future of European basketball. He believes that a reevaluation of the scheduling and the number of games played by each team is necessary to ensure the longevity of the sport and the health of its athletes.

"Hamburg Hollatz rings the warning bell at the European Basketball Championship"