Indiana Pacers center Daniel Theis earns bronze medal with Germany in EuroBasket

An Indiana Pacers player had a successful international competition.

Feb 26, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis (11) drives to the basket defended by Boston Celtics center Daniel Theis (27) at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Indiana Pacers center Daniel Theis, a starter for the Germany men's national basketball team, just helped his team to a third-place finish in EuroBasket 2022.

Theis, who the Pacers acquired in a trade earlier this offseason after sending away Malcolm Brogdon, has yet to play in a game for the blue and gold. But he is one of the oldest members of the team, and his NBA Finals experience, screening ability, and overall bruising play style could be a boon for the team during the coming season.

That experience, and all of those skills, were on display during EuroBasket competition. Theis was a starter for the Germans and used his pick-and-roll abilities to make life easier for Lakers guard and Germany teammate Dennis Schroder. For the tournament, Germany outscored their opponents by 46 points with Theis on the court.

"It's great to win a medal. We were all a little disappointed after the Spain game. We wanted to reach the Final and win gold," Theis said, per the official FIBA website. "But our goal before the tournament was a medal. And we achieved that."

The knockout stage of the competition was played in Berlin, so the German squad had a home crowd backing them for their third-place run. Theis' family was on hand to watch him take home the bronze medal after defeating Poland 82-69 on Sunday. Spain, who beat Germany in the semifinals, ended up winning the gold medal.

Theis had some injury concerns prior to the start of the tournament, but he ultimately was able to play in eight games. He averaged 8.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game during Germany's run to the podium.

Theis' best performance was a 13 point, 16 rebound masterclass against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece. Theis grabbed 6 offensive rebounds and canned 50% of his shots en route to a victory over the at-the-time-undefeated Greek squad.

At this moment, it isn't clear how much of a role Theis will have for the Pacers. The team has several frontcourt players — including Jalen Smith, Myles Turner, Osahe Brissett, and Isaiah Jackson — who are due for playing time on a developing Indiana team. Theis may provide some utility that none of his teammates can, but his older age means he is less important to Indiana's long-term success than other frontcourt pieces. Theis may get some minutes here and there with the Pacers, but his veteran leadership will be more important than his on-court play.

Still, if he can perform near the level he did in EuroBasket, he will give the Indiana Pacers a boost when  he is on the court. The five-year pro has played in 40 playoff games during his career.

Theis gained some experience as a leader last season with a younger Houston Rockets team. That will help him with the team in the Circle City this season as they will be focused on development for much of this season. Daniel Theis now enters the NBA season with momentum after a strong EuroBasket performance.

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