EX-FLYERS STAR HEADS TO EUROPE
St. Henry grad hopes to make his debut Saturday in Germany.
Former Dayton Flyforward Ryan Mikesell will start his professional basketball career in Germany.
The Tübingen Tigers announced the signing of Mikesell on Friday. The team plays in Germany’s ProA league, which is the second level of pro basketball in Germany.
Mikesell’s former teammate, Trey Landers, was also playing in Germany in Basketball Bundesliga, the top league in Germany, with Ratiopharm Ulm until leaving the team in December. Mikesell flew to Germany from
the United States last week and had to pass two COVID-19 tests and quarantine for five days. He started practicing with the team Thursday, and in a text message Wednesday, he said the goal was to play Saturday.
“I’m very happy to be able to wear the Tigers jersey for the rest of the season,” Mikesell told the team’s website. “I want to give the team renewed energy and a push.”
Mikesell replaces another American on the roster: forward Isaiah Crawley, who was lost for the season because of a knee injury.
“We were in close contact with both Isaiah and our medical department and were fully aware of the situation,” manager Robert Wintermantel said in a news release. “Accordingly, we have been constantly exploring the market for options. Ryan was on our radar last summer, but because of the difficult situation, he wasn’t a realistic option. When we were certain that Isaiah would have to undergo a knee operation, we contacted them. I had a very good conversation with the player. Ryan is already very professional and very hungry for his age. You could tell from the first impression. He is also a team-oriented player who can play different positions and brings a lot of energy. This variability fits our game very well.”
Tübingen is located in southern Germany about 19 miles south of Stuttgart.
Mikesell, a St. Henry High School graduate, finished his college career in March of 2020, averaging 8.5 points as a fifth-year senior for a Dayton team that finished 29-2. He scored 847 points in his career.
Last summer, Mikesell played for the Dayton alumni team, the Red Scare, in The Basketball Tournament. The pandemic made it difficult for him to find a team overseas. He hosted a basketball camp for kids in December. He was scheduled twice to provide analysis of Dayton games on ESPN+ broadcasts, but both games were postponed because of COVID-19 issues with the other team.