German Trio Martin Kalu, Johann Grunloh, and Antonio Dorn Make NCAA Commitments

The exodus of European talent to NCAA basketball in the United States is proceeding unchecked, and German talent is no exception. With the sport clearly on the rise in Germany - Franz Wagner’s NBA success and capturing gold at the 2023 FIBA World Cup - it’s no surprise that their top prospects are getting caught up in the NCAA recruiting buzz as well. The biggest NCAA commit is center Johann Grunloh, who comes over from Rasta Vechta.

Grunloh was seen as an almost guaranteed second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and is a massive coup for the University of Virginia. Grunloh will turn 20 this summer and at nearly 7-feet tall, he has a beautiful blend of skill on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he was a great rim protector in the Basket Bundesliga this past season and was also solid in drop pick-and-roll coverage. He is more than capable of being an elite defensive anchor at the collegiate level.

On offense, Grunloh brings a little bit of everything to the table. He has started 28 of 28 games this season, averaging eight points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 0.5 assists on 47/35/72 shooting splits. He is a very comfortable stretch-five, making him an elite pick-and-pop threat. While he isn’t a huge leaper by any means, he remains a threat in the pick-and-roll, too. He’s got touch around the rim, great hands, and sees the floor well, especially in short-roll situations.

Grunloh is not the only German center making his way to the States. He’s followed by Antonio Dorn, who played in Germany’s second division this season with Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim and has committed to Virginia Tech. Dorn is 21 years old, roughly 7 feet tall like Grunloh, and in 18 minutes per game in the German Pro A, he averaged 9.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks per game on 68/40/74 shooting splits. It’s important to note he has only attempted five three-pointers this season, but the 74 percent from the line gives reason to believe Dorn could develop into a stretch-five threat.

Dorn doesn’t move exceptionally quickly, but he is coordinated and has good touch inside to go with soft hands that help him in the pick-and-roll. However, he would benefit from trying to finish with authority more often. For his size, he should be dunking to finish more plays than he currently does. His energy is a plus as well. He was a relentless screener this season and great on the offensive glass. It will be great to watch Dorn and Grunloh face off against each other in ACC play next season.

Rounding out the German NCAA trio for the upcoming season is wing Martin Kalu, who has committed to Charleston. Kalu primarily came off the bench for Braunschweig this season and averaged three points and 1.9 rebounds per game on 47/31/38 shooting splits. He only took eight free throws all season. Having turned 20 in January, Kalu’s game is still a little raw. The shooting accuracy isn’t quite there, but the form looks good and the release is quick. He’s got a solid first step but gets himself in trouble with the ball, dribbling into crowded areas regularly and hoping he can just muscle his way out of it when he clearly doesn’t stand a chance. There’s plenty to like about his game, but he will be more of a project in his first season than Grunloh and Dorn project to be.

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