Until Johannes Voigtmann turned 15, basketball had hardly been a part of his life. He grew up in Eisenach, a town of 42,000 inhabitants in central Germany.

As he took up handball as his sport of preference, he didn't even think he was going to hoop for a living. Despite being a late bloomer, once he tried to see how good he would be at it, there was no going back. 

"Probably one of the advantages I had over other players was that I had a fresh mind, a lot of motivation, and fun playing," he conceded during a phone interview with BasketNews.

"There was a blank page in my book and I was able to fully experience something new. So, I had to start from a low level."

As time went on, Voigtmann managed to carve out a career as extensive and varied as few players have been able to do.

And he did so following his breakout season with the Frankfurt Skyliners in 2015-16, which produced the second international title for German basketball at the club level.

Even though the FIBA ​​​​Europe Cup isn't among the most prestigious trophies in the Old Continent, it served as a springboard for Voigtmann to break into the EuroLeague, where he has been playing for nine straight seasons.

Voigtmann's familiarity with coach Gordon Herbert and the challenge of returning to Germany were two factors that showed the veteran big man the direction he should take – and that his next destination was going to be FC Bayern Munich.

"Being in Germany and part of a EuroLeague project in my own country and Munich, my second home was a great opportunity," he says.

He's also shooting 35.5% from a distance, which isn't his best percentage since he recorded a phenomenal 58% during his 2017-18 season with Baskonia. 

Voigtmann's versatility and shooting ability have been his passports to a long-lasting EuroLeague career. However, in terms of his shooting style or form, there have been three players who have somehow influenced the German forward. 

"At the beginning, I was mostly looking at