NBA Draft

Ivan Kharchenkov Has Worked His Way Into Bayern Munich’s Rotation

Russian prospect Ivan Kharchenkov was not expected to be part of Gordon Herbert’s plans during his first season in charge of the German club, but after only a handful of games, he seems to have carved out a small role in their rotation.

Andrew Bernucca

Ivan Kharchenkov
Ivan Kharchenkov / fiba.basketbal

Bayern Munich is one of the biggest surprises of the EuroLeague season so far. They have a 6-2 record through eight rounds of play and are in a four-way tie for first place. Their two losses came back-to-back in Rounds 2 and 3. This strong start came after a summer when their former head coach, Pablo Laso, spontaneously resigned after only one season in charge and left for a job with Baskonia. Their former Sporting Director Daniele Baiesi resigned as well and while Gordon Herbert was a quality head coach hire, he joined after the Olympics with Germany, with nearly the entire offseason behind them. 

Big names such as Isaac Bonga and Serge Ibaka departed as well, and except for Shabazz Napier none of their signings were regarded as the quality of player that could help change a team's fortunes. But here we are. Napier and Carsen Edwards are racking up points, Johannes Voigtmann and Devin Booker (not that Devin Booker of course) are providing quality big-man play, and they’ve made things work with their wings. Part of that solution has been 18-year-old Russian prospect Ivan Kharchenkov. 

Kharchenkov hasn’t stepped into a massive role or even one with significant impact, but he’s up to nearly eight minutes per game in EuroLeague action and that’s eight more than anyone expected heading into the season. Part of the reason he’s been serviceable for coach Herbert is his size. Kharchenkov is 6-foot-6 and has nearly 230 pounds of muscle. He is shredded and is not a youngster that more experienced veterans can punish physically. 

Kharchenkov’s stats are modest - 2.8 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game on 38/15/87 shooting splits - but he’s shooting the three with confidence and in domestic league play has found plenty of opportunities to score as a cutter. Additionally, when driving lanes are left open he attacks them at full force, and given his size, there aren’t many opposing defenders who want to get in front of him once he gets momentum. 

Kharchenkov’s ability to eat minutes and not cause any harm has been a welcome addition to Bayern’s rotation that, simply put, is light on quality wing play. Vladimir Lucic is past his best and Niels Giffey and Oscar Da Silva are fine, but neither worthy of playing time that should strip opportunities from others. With the minimalist offseason in terms of roster construction Herbert got creative with his five-man units and wasn’t scared to experiment. He has played three guards -- Edwards, Napier, Andreas Obst, or Nick Weiler-Babb -- together and decided to give Kharchenkov a chance. 

Reinforcements are now arriving. Former Chicago Bulls wing Onuralp Bitim is coming back to Europe, having signed a deal with Fenerbahce but he’s expected to join Bayern Munich on loan for the upcoming season. That could take away the minutes Kharchenkov may have become accustomed to or mean less three-guard lineups. Regardless of how it all shakes out, Kharchenkov has proven capable of making winning plays at the EuroLeague level at only 18 years old. If he can become a reliable three-point shooter, he could soon be climbing up future NBA Draft boards or become a major NIL target for college teams. Kharchenkov’s opportunity has been small, but he’s made the most of it. Usually, that’s a great sign for a young player's future.

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Andrew Bernucca
ANDREW BERNUCCA

Andrew has covered professional basketball overseas for the better part of six years. He has written scouting reports, profile pieces, news briefs, and more. He has also covered and writen about the NBA as well during his time as a journalist.

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