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Hannes Steinbach Introduces Himself to Montlake

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated Jul 31, 2025 5:02 PM ET

The media got a 15-minute sneak peek at the University of Washington basketball team on Thursday morning and, amid the clear upgrade in talent, the thing that left a lasting impression is 6-foot-10 Hannes Steinbach diving and reaching for a loose ball.

Running the floor effortlessly, Offering a full complement of basketball skills. Later making you laugh.

He's the incoming big man from Germany, a place that previously blessed the Huskies with Detlef Schrempf, the late Christian Welp and Patrick Femmerling among others, and he's motivated to play really well.

Steinbach, 19 and a freshman, just might turn out to be one of the biggest steals across the college basketball landscape this season.

It's not that other people didn't know about him and his well-rounded skills honed in Wurzburg, Germany. Yet the Huskies got in on him so early at the 2024 Eurobasket event, Steinbach visited only Montlake last November and he never really knew who else was contacting his agent about him from the college ranks.

"The visit when I was here, I got a really good feeling," he said. "Why would I go somewhere else when I got a really good feeling?"

Steinbach speaks with a heavy accent and a deep voice, different from the other German-born players who have become Huskies. His body looks filled out and sturdy enough that he'll be able to mix it up without drawbacks from the outset.

Coach Danny Sprinkle doesn't hide the high regard he holds for this newcomer who could make the UW a much different team with his hustle, unselfishness and shooting and playmaking gifts, while likely needing just a minimal adjustment from the European game to how it's played in the Big Ten.

"His skill level is just different for a big guy," Sprinkle said. "He thinks like a point guard and plays like a point guard. The game is pretty easy for him. He's [6-10], under control. Now he's just got to get used to the physicality of American play and the shrinking of the floor -- it's not as open as the European game. It's just getting used to that. He's been tremendous."

Steinbach currently lives in a UW dorm with the other freshmen such as point guard JJ Mandaquit, and guards Jasir Reacher and Courtland Muldrew. Unlike the others, he's got a single room. They all hang out together.

He knows of Schrempf, who still lives in the Seattle area, but hasn't met him. He's family friends with retired NBA great Dirk Nowitzki, the best player to come out of Germany. He met Femmerling, who helped sell him on the UW.

Steinbach also has a good sense of humor. He credits his 6-foot-11 father Burkhard, who played German pro basketball at times alongside Nowitzki, for getting him ready to compete at a high level.

He began beating his dad three years ago when they went one-on-one and said that's not going to change back, especially with the older Steinbach turning 55 this week.

"I would win probably right now," Steinbach said, laughing as he explained the situation, "because he's getting old and slow."

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This article first appeared on Washington Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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