The RSB Thuringia Bulls have recently announced the signing of American international, Dylan Fischbach. The South Dakota native established a name for himself in the NWBA collegiate league whilst playing for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks. Since graduating in 2019, he has continued to be a standout player for the Milwaukee Wheelchair Bucks in the NWBA Division 1. He now looks to take the next step in his career by branching out into Europe. He spoke to Rollt.’s Dylan Cummings about signing for the Bulls.
Why did you sign for the Thuringia Bulls next season?
“I chose the Bulls because of the culture that they have established and the family atmosphere that they have. They have stood by me through some difficult times and not a lot of teams would’ve done that. Also, when I visited, I bonded well with a lot of their players and started forming some great friendships with them.”
You were meant to sign for the Bulls a couple seasons ago but didn’t due to personal reasons. How have the Bulls helped you over the last few years by keeping in contact with you?
“The Bulls helped me through some tough times by letting me know that they were always there for me. When I was in a hospital bed, there wasn’t a single team talking to me except the Bulls. That always stuck with me because everyone else had given up on me at that point.”
How do you intend to fit into the team and bring them further success?
“I think I will fit in by doing what I’ve always done, by shooting the ball, and creating for those around me. I think I will have the ability to help ease some of the pressure off of our other bigs like Alex Halouski and Vahid Azad.”
What challenges do you think you will face in the RBBL?
“I think the challenges I will face will be adjusting to the pace of the game and the overall size of everyone on the floor. Coming from the States, I think our league has much smaller players compared to those in the RBBL.”
How do you think the Bulls’ style of play will differ from the Bucks?
“The style of play is different in the ways that we use our bigs. The Bulls are a much bigger team, as with the Bucks we were much smaller, and we relied on our speed and outside shooting. The defence of the two teams is also completely different, we played man-to-man essentially with the Bucks, but the Bulls run a type of a zone defence that is highly effective and unique to them.”
What are your goals for next season?
“My goals are to just be the best that I can be and to help this team in any way possible. I just want to win.”
How would you describe your style of play?
“I would describe my style of play as a sort of new-age style of basketball. The game of basketball is changing lately, and the outside shot is something that’s becoming more of the norm, and I think I do a lot of my work from outside. I also like to use my outside shot in ways to set up my teammates.”
Who has influenced you the most in your career?
“The biggest influence for me has definitely been Jeremy ‘Opie’ Lade. He’s helped shape my career as a basketball player more so than anyone I can think of. From coaching me to giving me simple insight on the game, it’s incomparable what he’s done for me.”
What’s the best piece of advice that’s been given to you?
“The best advice I’ve been given is to believe in what you do and don’t let people tell you that what you’re going after isn’t possible. Believe in yourself.”
If you could train with three other players who you’ve never trained with before, who would you choose and why?
1.) Bobbie Nickelberry, because I think he’s the best big man in the NWBA league.
2.) Patrick Anderson, because I want to try and understand his mentality.
3.) Paul Schulte, because he’s always been an inspiration of mine and he could teach anyone something new about the game.”
Thanks for your time man!
Rollt. would like to thank Dylan Fischbach for the interview.
Dylan Fischbach Profile
Date of Birth: 27/03/1995 (aged 26)
Hometown: Vermillion, South Dakota
Started playing: 2005
Classification: 4.0
Disability: Single-leg amputee
Future Club: RSB Thuringia Bulls, GER (starting September 2021)
Former Clubs:
- Nebraska Red Dawgs, USA (2005-14)
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks, USA (2014-19)
- Milwaukee Wheelchair Bucks, USA (2019-21)
Career Highlights:
- Being a Warhawk and being coached by Jeremy Lade.
Interview: Dylan Cummings | Photo: Franziska Möller / RSB Thuringia Bulls