Isaac Bonga is something of an early bird in German basketball. After four seasons in the NBA, the national player is moving to Munich to become the runner-up. There he first works on his comeback.
Munich (dpa/lby) – He played alongside basketball superstar LeBron James, played over 140 games in the best league in the world and is considered one of Germany’s greatest talents: After around four years in the North American professional league NBA, national player Isaac returns Bonga (22) returned to the Bundesliga. The 2.03 meter tall all-rounder signed a two-year contract with FC Bayern until the summer of 2024, as the German runner-up announced on Friday.
After a total of 143 main round and five playoff games in the NBA with stints with the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors, Bonga is looking for a new challenge. “Bavaria is simply a very good organization. It offers you competition at a high level, especially with the Euroleague,” said the guard, whose parents came to Germany from the Congo around 25 years ago, explaining his decision for the Munich team. In 2018, Bonga moved to the USA from the Frankfurt Skyliners.
How can he help the squad of the impulsive FCB coach Andrea Trinchieri? “I think my strength is flexibility on defense as well as on offense. I can defend positions one to five and just want to bring my flow back to Germany,” said Bonga. Most recently, the basket hunter only appeared for Toronto’s farm team.
Around a week before the official start of training, the Bundesliga team, who are hungry for the title, will be presenting their fifth new signing in Bonga. It will be a while before Neuwied can stand on the field with his teammates. After an injury and ankle surgery, the basketball player is currently completing a recovery program. The Olympic participant from Tokyo is missing from the national team’s squad for the European Championships in September.
In German basketball, Bonga is something of an early caller. In February 2018, at just 18 years and three months, he was the youngest debutant in 40 years of DBB history in the World Cup qualifier against Serbia. Munich’s sports director Daniele Baiesi described the newcomer as “incredibly versatile and talented”. “He is a modern player whose great potential has not yet been fully realised.”
The new Euroleague season begins in October. By then Bonga wants to be fit again. He is confident: “The medical department at Bayern, as everyone says, is outstanding.”
