BBL final: Bavaria vs. Ulm-Zoff, chaos and NBA dream in danger!

BBL final: Bavaria vs. Ulm-Zoff, chaos and NBA dream in danger!

The BBL final around the German Basketball Championship between FC Bayern Munich and Ratiopharm Ulm came to an end on June 17, 2025 with a clear 82:66 for the Munich. However, this game was not only characterized by sporting importance, but also by violent disputes and an appointment chaos. Even before the first game, there was massive pressure on the Ulm, who asked the Bundesliga authority to adapt the schedule to enable their talents Noa Essengue and Ben Saraf to participate in the upcoming NBA draft. The NBA draft, which will take place in New York on June 25th and 26th, is an essential chance for young players. Essengue is acted as a possible top 10 pick, which underlines the urgency of Ulm's request. SPORT1 reports that the BBL Ulm's application led to a violent conflict.

Ulm coach Ty Harrelson was concerned about the mental burden of his players, since the pressure before the draft and the view of a possibly decisive participation in the final games became an additional source of stress. Essengue and Saraf found themselves in a difficult situation before the first game, because both showed weak performance and visibly had difficulty coping with the pressure. The BBL pointed out that the game dates had already been determined at the beginning of the season in order to also take into account the NBA draft-a decision that did not affect Ulm's consent. According to Tagesspiegel conflicted the views of the two teams.

a game full of tensions

The game itself was characterized by intensity and resistance on the part of the Ulmer. The young talents Noa Essengue and Ben Saraf were particularly outstanding, which despite their challenges showed both risk and potential in advance. Bavaria, on the other hand, countered the allegations that they were not ready to find flexible solutions. The Munich residents had already sold 8,000 tickets for the game on Saturday, which made a shift in the appointment practically impossible. Bavaria refused to agree to a proposal in Ulm, who provided for a game in Ulm on Sunday, as this could increase the risk of injury for her players. Sport1 emphasizes that the discussions about the planning and the associated incidents also emphasize and possibly negatively influence the entire final series could.

A look at the future

The decisive games four and five of the final series are still pending for June 24th and 26th. It remains questionable whether Essengue and Saraf can play in these games. Your future in the NBA could depend on the current situation. However, both teams will do everything possible to decide the championship title. It remains to be seen how this sports drama continues to develop while the basketball world is watching spellbound. In view of the current circumstances, the final could not only be a sporting discussion, but also an example of how the schedule and young interests in the basketball Bundesliga collide.