The Partizan team currently features three German players this season: Isaac Bonga (2.03m, 26 years old) and Dylan Osetkowski (2.06m, 29 years old). Duane Washington Jr., who played 90 NBA games for the Indiana Pacers and Phoenix Suns between 2021 and 2023, subsequently secured a G League contract. However, Duane Washington Jr. is not yet fully German. Although born in Frankfurt, he has not completed all the necessary steps to be eligible for naturalized status.
“Unfortunately, he does not possess a German passport, so he cannot play for us. Otherwise, he is an excellent player,” stated coach Alex Mumbru.
Regardless, FIBA permits only one naturalized player per team. Therefore, Alex Mumbru will have to choose between Osetkowski, Washington, and Nick Weiler-Babb (Anadolu Efes). Weiler-Babb participated in the Paris 2024 Olympics, though without standing out significantly (averaging 3.7 points and 1.8 assists).
