Career: Bamberg (Germany-Bundesliga, 1997-2005), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, left in Dec. 2006), Bamberg (2006-08)

Steffen Hamann is a hard-nosed point guard who fits perfectly into the system of Dirk Bauermann. His quickness gets him into the lane for lay-ups, but he has traditionally struggled with his outside shooting though that wasn’t the case in Athens at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Hamann was sensational, particularly in the final game of the event which saw him bury two of three from three-point range on his way to 19 points. He ended up four of eight from behind the arc, and also averaged 9.2 points per game. Hamann’s biggest contribution to Germany, though, is his defense. He should start for Bauermann at the Olympics. Without his fiery play, the Germans would not have reached the Beijing Games.