EWE Baskets Oldenburg surprisingly part ways with coach Krunic!

EWE Baskets Oldenburg surprisingly part ways with coach Krunic!

On December 7, 2025, EWE Baskets Oldenburg made the decision to separate from their coach Predrag Krunic. This move comes just seven months after his return, and those responsible are hoping to bring a breath of fresh air to the team with a change in the coaching bench. The reason for the change of coach is the disappointing sporting record, which only shows one win in the first nine games of the season. Majority shareholder Hermann Schüller expressed gratitude for Krunic's previous achievements and explained that the season is still young and the goals set remain achievable, as WELT reports.

Krunic's split was described as "amicable and with great mutual respect" and comes just two days after another loss to Fitness First Würzburg Baskets, which ended 71-82. Under Krunic's leadership, the Oldenburgers have shown a weak performance, especially this season, and are currently in the penultimate place in the table - only Veolia Towers Hamburg have an even worse record of 0:8, as sport1 added.

A look at the past

Krunic was not an unknown quantity in Oldenburg basketball. He had already coached the team from 2007 to 2012 and led the Baskets to the German championship in 2009. His return in May last year was accompanied by high expectations; but the sobering reality was that the team could only manage one win out of a possible nine during that time. This led to the current situation in which those responsible saw a clear need for action.

The new coach, Lazar Spasic, who previously acted as an assistant coach, is now stepping into big shoes. He should provide the necessary impetus to get the team back on track. “We are confident that Lazar will have a good hand for the coming games,” said Schüller.

What's next?

The situation at EWE Baskets remains tense. The insight into the table shows the challenges the team faces. Oldenburg is currently in second-to-last place with one win and eight defeats. Six games with defeats are already raising questions about the team's ability to catch up with the top places in the table. This can also be understood by analyzing the previous games under Krunic, which did not achieve the desired effect in the current Bundesliga season.

The decision to install a new coach could be the decisive step in bringing the long-awaited success back to Oldenburg. Schüller is optimistic: “The season is still young and we firmly believe that we can achieve our goals.” The coming weeks will show whether this courage will be rewarded and whether Lazar Spasic can bring about the turnaround that the EWE Baskets so urgently need - the basketball team, which has achieved historic achievements in the past, is faced with the question of whether it can also reinvent itself in the present.