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Bayer Giants Leverkusen

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Bayer Giants Leverkusen
Bayer Giants Leverkusen logo
LeaguesProA
Founded1961; 63 years ago (1961)
HistoryTuS Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1961–1983
TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1983–2000
Bayer Giants Leverkusen
2000–present
ArenaWilhelm Dopatka Halle
Capacity3,500
LocationLeverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia
Championships14 German Championships
10 German Cup
1 ProB
Websitewww.bayer-basketball.de

Bayer Giants Leverkusen is a professional basketball club, part of the TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen sports club based in Leverkusen, Germany. It currently plays in ProA, the second division of German basketball.

Based on the number of titles, Leverkusen is the most successful team in the history of German Basketball.[1] In 2009, the Bayer company cut down sponsorship and the club went down to Germany's ProB (third division) to restructure. The license for the Basketball Bundesliga was transferred to the newly formed Giants Düsseldorf.

History

Founded as TuS Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 1961, the club moved up to first division Basketball Bundesliga in 1968. The club won 5 national championships and 4 German Cups as TuS 04 Leverkusen before it changed its name and continued its dominance as TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Until today, the club has won more national titles than any other German basketball team.[2]

To the disdain of all of its supporters, in 2008 the Bayer company decided to make dramatic cuts in its sponsorship for the team and simply focus on its football operations and amateur athletics. This move forced the club's basketball team to cede its Basketball Bundesliga license to the newly formed Giants Düsseldorf and move down to Germany's 3rd Division Pro B to restructure.

Thousands of club supporters gathered in the streets of Leverkusen to protest the company's move.[3][4]

In 2013, the club promoted to the ProA League.

Season by season

Nick Hornsby
Season Tier League Pos. German Cup European competitions
1989–90 1 Bundesliga 1st Champion 2 Cup Winners' Cup R16
1990–91 1 Bundesliga 1st Champion 1 Champions Cup QF
1991–92 1 Bundesliga 1st 1 Euroleague GS
1992–93 1 Bundesliga 1st Champion 1 Euroleague GS
1993–94 1 Bundesliga 1st Semifinalist 1 Euroleague GS
1994–95 1 Bundesliga 1st Champion 1 Euroleague GS
1995–96 1 Bundesliga 1st Runner-up 1 Euroleague GS
1996–97 1 Bundesliga 4th 1 Euroleague GS
1997–98 1 Bundesliga 8th 2 EuroCup R32
1998–99 1 Bundesliga 4th 3 Korać Cup GS
1999–00 1 Bundesliga 2nd 3 Korać Cup GS
2000–01 1 Bundesliga 3rd Third position 1 SuproLeague RS
2001–02 1 Bundesliga 5th 3 Korać Cup R16
2002–03 1 Bundesliga 8th 4 Regional Challenge Cup North RU
2003–04 1 Bundesliga 8th
2004–05 1 Bundesliga 13th
2005–06 1 Bundesliga 10th
2006–07 1 Bundesliga 8th
2007–08 1 Bundesliga 6th[a]
2008–09 4 1st Regionalliga 1st
2009–10 3 ProB 7th
2010–11 3 ProB 8th
2011–12 3 ProB 11th
2012–13 3 ProB 5th
2013–14 2 ProA 13th
2014–15 2 ProA 14th
2015–16 2 ProA 15th
2016–17 3 ProB 4th
2017–18 3 ProB 8th
2018–19 3 ProB 1st
2019–20 2 ProA 5th
2020–21 2 ProA 5th
2021–22 2 ProA
  1. ^ Sold its place to Giants Düsseldorf.

Honours

Winners (14): 1970, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
Winners (10): 1970, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995
Winners (1): 2013

Roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Bayer Giants Leverkusen roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name
G/F 2 Germany Merz, Robert 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 24 – (2000-02-21)21 February 2000
G 4 Germany Litera, Lennart 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 20 – (2004-04-15)15 April 2004
F/C 12 Germany Jostmann, Melvin 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 24 – (2000-07-12)12 July 2000
F 18 Germany Fankhauser, Thomas 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 23 – (2001-08-26)26 August 2001
C 22 Germany Heinzmann, Dennis 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in) 33 – (1991-01-22)22 January 1991
F/C 55 Germany Lungelu, Joel 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 21 – (2003-08-20)20 August 2003
PG 9 Germany Stoll, Marius 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) 25 – (1999-07-09)9 July 1999
G 21 Germany Drijencic, Robert 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 28 – (1996-04-20)20 April 1996
Head coach

Germany Hansi Gnad

Assistant coach(es)

Germany Jacques Schneider


Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured

Updated: June 12, 2022

Notable players

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official NBA match at any time.

Head coaches

Coach Start End
Germany Hans-Jürgen Gnad 2018

References

  1. ^ "Leverkusen, Bayer04: Bayer-Giants".
  2. ^ "Leverkusen, Bayer04: Bayer-Giants".
  3. ^ "Leverkusen: Giants-Fants buhen Dezernenten aus". www.rp-online.de. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Rettet die Giants! - Fans wollen Giants behalten (RP, 13.02.08)". Archived from the original on 2014-12-30. Retrieved 2010-03-31.