Bearer of hope

From Altenmarkt to the big basketball world

A Styrian is currently causing a sensation in international basketball and excitement among international scouts. Fynn Schott from Altenmarkt near Fürstenfeld impressed with his performance at the "Adidas Next Generation Tournament" in Paris. The "Krone" spoke to his former club Fürstenfeld and to the jewel himself about his dream.

Fynn Schott's path should lead him to the heights of basketball. That much is clear. The young Styrian recently made it into the top five at one of the most important junior basketball tournaments in Paris with top ratings. "He will make his way", his former Fürstenfeld coach Pit Stahl is certain. With the Panthers, Fynn became Austria's youngest ever senior national team player at the age of 16 years, two months and 20 days, while Stahl regularly threw him into battle in the second division at the age of 15 - over the full distance, mind you. Schott is now causing a stir in Spain.

"It was time for me to get out of Austria," says the jewel himself. But Schott doesn't mean that disrespectfully at all. "The level in Austria is not bad at all, but if you want to go to a top country like Spain or Italy, you have to take the plunge earlier to get in. At 22, that's too late." 

Schott, an inside player at a stately 2.02 meters, is far away from summer, sun, beach and sea on the vacation island of Gran Canaria. Gran Canaria has a team in Spain's top professional league, the ACB - THE dream destination for European basketball players. Schott actually plays in the professionals' farm team, in league three. "But I'm already in the second team squad and I'm also playing in the U18 league. April will be tough," laughs Schott, who hasn't been back home in Altenmarkt since last August. "But then it'll be time again in June."

Schott in a Panthers kit in Super League action.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Where can his journey take him? Is Fynn Schott even the next Jakob Pöltl, from whom he has already picked up tips in the national team? "Phew," laughs the 17-year-old, "I'd rather not think too far ahead, stay in the now. Otherwise it's easy to lose focus. Of course, the NBA is everyone's dream, but my type of player isn't that popular there. If I manage to make it to the ACB or the Euroleague, for example, I've already achieved a lot."