What Zvezda Gains with the Weiler-Babb Signing? Ibon Navarro's "Swiss Army Knife" to Add a New Dimension to the Red-and-Whites /VIDEO/

Out of nowhere this morning, Crvena zvezda Meridianbet sent shockwaves through the basketball community by signing a seasoned German international guard, for whom the upcoming season will mark his seventh in the EuroLeague.

Although he was initially set to join French club ASVEL, having reached an agreement with them this summer, financial issues at the Villeurbanne-based club ultimately halted the transfer, pushing the player towards Mali Kalemegdan, where he was welcomed with open arms.

This is a well-known player to the broader European basketball public, who built his reputation during five seasons with Bayern Munich. There, he earned a reputation as one of the best "3 and D" players on the "Old Continent" and someone capable of making a significant impact for his team even without extensive ball-handling duties.

Weiler-Babb is a true all-around player who fills all statistical categories and provides his team with what it needs at any given moment. While he primarily built his name as an outstanding defender, he can also contribute significantly on the offensive end. This is reflected in his career statistics, where over six seasons, he has averaged 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and one steal per game.

He showcased his full potential in the 2024/25 season, becoming one of Bayern's key players on their path to the play-in, averaging 8.2 points (with 43% shooting from three), 4.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. This performance ultimately earned him his first international engagement. A one-year stint at Anadolu Efes followed, where he delivered despite the team's lack of success. However, this wasn't enough to keep him in Istanbul, and he now continues his career with Zvezda, where his qualities on both ends of the court will be invaluable.

Thanks to his large frame (196cm), a wingspan of 203 centimeters, and exceptionally quick feet, the American-German basketball player is an extremely difficult defender to play against, capable of guarding players from positions one to three with ease. His defensive prowess was confirmed in the 2024/25 season when he was named the EuroLeague's Best Defensive Player.

He consistently ranks among the EuroLeague's leaders in steals and defensive impact, aided by his exceptional ability to read opposing plays and anticipate. He often finds himself in passing lanes, effectively cutting off opponent attacks at their inception.

He is particularly strong in one-on-one defense, where opposing guards shoot below 35% against him in isolation.

Across all his EuroLeague seasons to date, he averages 1.1 steals per game.

While not a classic primary ball-handler, his high basketball IQ makes him an excellent secondary creator, reflected in his career average of 3.2 assists per game, with nearly five assists per game in the last two seasons.

He is known as an unselfish player who won't hesitate to make a timely pass to an open teammate, and someone who can make the best decision for his team in a split second. Zvezda fans will surely remember that incredible behind-the-back assist, practically from his own basket, which sealed the first play-in game of the EuroLeague two seasons ago and eliminated the red-and-whites from contention for a quarter-final spot.

He's not a player who will over-dribble or force things he's not proficient at, which is why he has a very good assist-to-turnover ratio. He plays smart, without rushing, and rarely makes easy mistakes that can often prove costly.

His aforementioned physicality and ability to anticipate where the ball will land after bouncing off the rim have earned him the reputation as one of the best rebounding guards in Europe, averaging 3.6 rebounds throughout his career.

Of those, 2.6 are offensive rebounds and one in the offensive phase, and he often secures loose balls.

His game package is rounded out by a solid shot from beyond the 6.75-meter line, and he is considered a fairly consistent shooter in Europe with 36.6% accuracy from distance. Two seasons ago, he was even at 43% from outside positions on a sample of about four attempts per game.

Zvezda could gain in him what, for example, Partizan had in previous seasons with Isaac Bonga – a player compared to a "Swiss Army knife" – who can serve various purposes depending on what the situation demands.

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