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Daniel Theis Rumors
The Lithuanian fans always support their national team and delivered again in Tampere, Finland, but Germany was simply on another level. The defending world champions trailed only twice in the game (15-13, 18-15) and against Lithuania, delivered a masterclass, getting an easy 107-88 win for a 3-0 start in the tournament, scoring for the third straight time more than 100 points. Dennis Schroder with 26 points, Franz Wagner with 24, and Daniel Theis with 23 on 9/9 FG led a balanced effort as the winners shot with 58% in field goals until the end of the third period.
Germany finalized the 12-man roster for the 2025 EuroBasket upon completion of training camp games Saturday with a win over Spain. The players that compile the EuroBasket squad are the following: Isaac Bonga, Oscar Da Silva, Tristan Da Silva, Justus Hollatz, Leon Kratzer, Maodo Lo, Andreas Obst, Dennis Schroder, Daniel Theis, Johannes Thiemann, Johannes Voigtmann, Franz Wagner
Daniel Theis says Knicks wanted him to back up Mitchell Robinson
“Obviously, we understand you moved to Monaco because you wanted more playing time. But did you get any NBA offers?” Danel Theis: “I did. I could’ve gone to the Knicks, for example. But it was more of an insurance role in case Mitchell Robinson didn’t come back fully from injury. I talked to Coach Thibodeau and he said, ‘You’ll be like a backup — an insurance option in case he can’t go.’ Basically, the same thing I did with P.J. Tucker in Philly. And especially with Thibs, if you’re not a fighter, you won’t get a lot of playing time. So I started thinking — if I sit the whole year, what are my chances of signing somewhere in the summer? I figured, okay, let me go overseas, play well, and maybe boost my chances that way. That was my whole mindset behind going to Europe. If [Spanoulis] never called me, I probably wouldn’t have gone. It wasn’t about chasing money. I had to consider everything — living conditions, safety, schools. At this point, it’s bigger than just me.”
Daniel Theis: "Dennis and I are very similar in that way — we really don’t care what people say. If you get tattoos, you do it for yourself. You’re not walking around asking people, 'Do you like my tattoos?' Sure, if it's your wife or your kids, of course you care. But beyond that, you do it for yourself. Germany can be tricky. If someone’s outgoing, or they make money and drive a nice car, people get jealous. That’s part of the culture. I remember an interview with Sandro Wagner — he said in Germany, if you drive a nice car, you better park three blocks away so nobody sees it. That’s how it is. Dennis and I — we don’t care what people think. Drive what you want, wear what you want, tattoo your face if you want — it’s your life. That’s why we like the U.S. more. It’s more relaxed. People have seen everything already. Face tattoos, piercings — nothing surprises anyone anymore."
Daniel Theis: “Yeah, I definitely had a lot of incredible teammates — future Hall of Famers, champions. I think what separates those guys from the good or average players in the NBA is really their work ethic. Like, my first year with Kyrie — everybody thinks he’s just God-gifted talent, and yeah, some of it is. But his finishes? Left hand, right hand, top of the backboard — he worked on those every day. He’d stay in the gym by himself, doing left-handed high finishes, using the glass. That’s what sets him apart. A lot of players work hard, but guys like Kyrie or James — they’re obsessive about perfecting one or two moves. James Harden, for example, that step-back — it didn’t just happen. He perfected it. And when teams started taking it away, he developed the counter — floaters, crossovers, sidesteps. Same thing with Jayson Tatum — he's 6'8" or 6'9" with a super high release. You can’t block his shot. And he doesn’t care if you’re contesting or not. They just don’t see you when they shoot. So yeah, part of it is talent, but it’s also the specific, detailed work they put in.
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Daniel Theis: I had an offer from the Knicks before returning to Europe
He had an offer to join the New York Knicks before he decided to move to Monaco. “Before coming to Europe, I had an offer from the Knicks. Mitchell Robinson was coming back from injury. I spoke with Thibodeau and he told me I would be insurance for them if Robinson couldn’t play. I thought, if I stay until the end of the season and don’t play, what chances will I have in the summer? So I said, ‘I’m going to Europe. If I play well, I’ll have better chances.’ Maybe I wouldn’t have come to Europe if Spanoulis hadn’t called me. I didn’t just look at the money, but the school, the life, everything.”
Franz Wagner goes off in 18 points in 17 minutes as Germany beats Luka Doncic, Slovenia
Franz Wagner outdueled Luka Doncic as Germany started their FIBA EuroBasket 2025 preparations with a 103-89 win over Slovenia in Ljubljana. With Dennis Schroder, Daniel Theis, and Maodo Lo not available for Germany, Wagner helped Germany, along with 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting in just 17 minutes on the court. Doncic had 19 points and 5 rebounds for the Slovenians.
Amid strong EuroLeague interest and ongoing speculation, Daniel Theis is expected to remain with AS Monaco for at least one more season, sources tell BasketNews.
Partizan Belgrade targeting Daniel Theis?
Now, some European powerhouses have set their sight on the former Boston Celtics‘ center. Following Real Madrid’s interest in the player, Partizan Belgrade has also asked for his status. According to Mozzart Sport, the black-and-white Serbian team is looking to reinforce their roster and inquired about Daniel Theis’ availability to change teams. However, still according to the Serbian outlet, his agents have answered that staying in Monaco is the most realistic outcome at the moment for the 33-year-old center.
Ahead of that campaign, the team organized a trip to Nashville, Tennessee to get together ahead of the season. They bonded and worked hard on the hardwood. Star guard Tyrese Haliburton and the newly-added Bruce Brown were the leaders when it came to planning that trip. Turner showed up and was struck by the attendance. “Just seeing everybody’s ability man… seeing the dedication,” Turner recalled of the team playing in the Music City. They were able to get on the same page before the season even started, and only T.J. McConnell (recently became a dad) and Daniel Theis (coming off of international play) didn’t make the trip. It was as close to a training camp as a possible given how much of the roster made the trek.
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In addition to Nesmith, Boston also sent Nik Stauskas, Daniel Theis, Juwan Morgan, Malik Fitts and a 2023 first-round pick to the Pacers. One tweet in particular caught Nesmith's eye. Bleacher Report posted a SpongeBob SquarePants meme: "What the Celtics gave up for Brogdon," with an open hand with just a paperclip and spare string in the palm. “As soon as the trade happened I saw the tweet and I saved it immediately,” Nesmith said in 2023. "I’m someone that takes things personally and I think that helps make me better. It’s what makes me drive to the gym at night. Seeing that tweet is always on my mind for sure.”
Morant’s thin frame also takes a pounding on his drives to the hoop, and he was injured on three collision plays this year: twice when he was undercut in mid-air and once on a crunching screen by Daniel Theis. He hasn’t played more than six consecutive games since March 2023. He got to six just once in that time. Morant played only 57 games even in his best season and has averaged 44 per over the last four years. Morant also has some work to do on other fronts. League sources I spoke with wondered whether the Grizzlies had the right coaches and staff in place to reach Morant, as his multiple suspensions in 2023 don’t seem to have changed him.
Daniel Theis: Kyrie Irving knows he can't score on me
Asked whether a star like Kyrie Irving ever "cooked" him in practice, Daniel Theis smiled and insisted it never happened—before sharing what impressed him most about NBA stars. "No. He knows he can’t score on me," he jokingly said. "But it’s fun. It’s also amazing to see how much work those guys put in off camera—what people don’t see. They’re not just naturally that good. They’re talented, but they also put in hours—before practice, after practice, lifting, taking care of their bodies. It's impressive," he noted.
When asked about the toughest opponents he faced in the NBA, Theis didn’t hesitate to name the reigning three-time MVP. "Hardest player? If I go by position, probably Jokic," he revealed. "He’s very hard to deal with. Then Anthony Davis, because he can face up, shoot, and post up. You can go down the line—KD, Jason Tatum, Kyrie... There are so many."
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