Christophe Ney of www.europeanprospects.com helped me out with finding some info, and providing his own insight into the Lucca Staiger situation. Pretty interesting stuff.
First, is the article that he pointed out to me, which you can check out here: http://www.spiegel.de/sport/sonst/0,1518,673020,00.html
Here it is in Google-Translated English:
Sudden departure: Because basketball national player Lucca Staiger at his college in the United States no longer at ease, he will return in the middle of the season in Germany. Here, the winger wants to enforce in the Bundesliga.
To someday play in the NBA, is a dream of many basketball players. Even Germany's national player Lucca Staiger wanted to make it there. But the 21-year-old has recognized that this desire is unlikely to be met. And since he has felt in his college team already doing poorley, he returns Iowa State in the middle of the season's back and will now prefer to play for a division club in Germany.
"It's important for me to handle this step now because this opportunity can not subsequently offer," says a statement by the 1.96-meter wing player, who only a few weeks ago Dreipunktewürfe ten o'clock in a game for Iowa State had taken. "I know that it is not a good time. There has arisen for me but the opportunity to play professionally in my home country, I have taken the decision."For which club Staiger will play in the German Bundesliga, is not yet known. However, the industry leader Alba Berlin confirmed that it would hold talks with him soon. "In the past, he was worth for us, now he is, of course," said Alba spokesman Justus Strauven SPIEGEL ONLINE.
"Lucca is no longer felt comfortable in his role at Iowa State," said Ralf Young SPIEGEL ONLINE. Under the coach of second division and co-operation partner of Alba Berlin, Ehingen / Urspringschule had Staiger played before joining the USA.
Lucca as Luca
"Lucca at Iowa State was regarded as a pure shooter. His role in attack was very limited, but he can more clearly. He just could not show it. The Bayern Munich Luca Toni was also not happy with his situation. And now he shoots Rome once again on goals, "said Young, who had flown only a few weeks ago, even in the United States to discuss the situation with Staiger too. "Therefore, one must sometimes decide to switch, if its role is no longer happy. And because he was unhappy about this, and again received lucrative offers from clubs in Europe, he has now decided to take this step."
In the national team under coach Dirk Bauermann Staiger is a set for the World Cup to be held in August and September in Turkey. "I would have preferred it if he had played the season in the U.S. to an end. But apparently was suffering so great that he has decided to take this step," said Bauermann SPIEGEL ONLINE. "This must be accepted. Where is the limit, the player ultimately has to decide himself."
Allegations in Internet forums: selfishness and lack of loyalty
At his college, there were negative reactions to the sudden departure of the Germans. Internet forums he is accused of selfishness and lack of loyalty. "We are very disappointed by his decision. Especially the timing. Nobody has seen this move," said Iowa State coach Greg McDermott, the U.S. sports channel ESPN. "Certainly there will be people that this step is to interpret it negatively. Lucca still very young. But if he has only shown once in Germany, then this will be quickly forgotten," surmised boy.
Three years ago, Staiger had gone to the U.S. to gain there over the basketball training at a prestigious college best possible conditions for the leap to the NBA. Now it says in its statement: "I realized that this dream has become unlikely."
"When one is regarded as a pure shooter, does not grab that one so much NBA-interest," said Young. Since a change would have been within the United States due to the strict rules of college sports a lock from one season to follow, "is trying Lucca now to assert itself on excellence in Germany," said Young. "I trust him to all." Even coach Dirk Bauermann is convinced Staiger's talent, but warns: "It is important that he not only trains at a high level, but also plays."
I also got some insight from Christophe and here's what he had to say on the reasoning for the departure:
For me, one of the main reasons why he left is the fact that Lucca was not happy with the role he had at ISU. This has been confirmed by the former German coach in the National Press. Additionally, German Senior NT Coach Dick Bauermann was touring the States during the last weeks to meet his national team players. He also supported Lucca as far as I know.
Lucca wants to develop a PG game, and not be limited to a shooter role.... Bauermann probably supported him in this.
Bauermann is not known for being a defender of College Basketball. He also said this summer that he hopes that Gonzaga will develop Elias Harris' outside game as this would be his future, however Harris currently plays mainly the 4 at Gonzaga; he plays SG for the German National Team.
So probably Bauermann was also in the decision process somewhere of Lucca leaving ISU. Why now and not next week for example, that I don't know.
On where Lucca might end up:
The team he is supposed to play for, ALBA Berlin, is like the biggest team in Germany. They have currently no injury problems in a way that they needed him right away. However, they need to have an additional German player next season (foreign player max is reduced), so they need an quality player for next season.
They have a very complex offense, and they probably want him to sign now to learn and be ready for next season. Several high quality European Player Veterans could not learn all this in 3-4 months.
The money situation for Lucca:
The money he would make with ALBA Berline is difficult to say. I guess, they will sign him for a long term deal, like 3-4 years. The top players there earn around 250k-300k Euro per year, so I imagine him starting around 100k maybe.
Definitley interesting. Sounds like a conflict of interest in terms of how he could play here vs. there, and it sounds like everyone around Lucca wanted him to leave.
Great stuff from Christophe, and big thanks to him with helping us try to make sense of what happened.
As always, as I find more, I will share.
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