Who is Andreas Obst? Closer look at Germany’s 3-point shooting threat

Andreas Obst appears to be an X-factor for Team Germany in the upcoming Paris Olympic Games. Besides NBA veterans Dennis Schroder, Daniel Theis and the Wagner brothers, Obst looks to be a key factor in their quest for the gold medal after winning the FIBA World Cup last year.

Born in Halle, Germany, in 1996, Obst plays as a guard for Bayern Munich and the German national team. Initially interested in swimming and soccer, Obst admitted that he didn't have much fun practicing those sports.

His mother, who used to play basketball at a young age, was the person who took Obst to try out for a club. Once he knew basketball, everything changed. He had to leave Halle and move 250 kilometers away from home after trying out for the youth team at Brose Bamberg.

He was a regular on the German junior national teams, getting more experience in Germany before moving to Spain to play for Obradorio.

Andreas Obst went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft after playing with the Rockets Gotha, but that didn't stop his evolution. Obst has played international basketball since 2019, appearing in four games with Germany. He represented his country in the 2020 Olympics and last year's FIBA World Cup, where he became one of the biggest surprises of the tournament.

Obst averaged 6.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. When the playoff arrived, his numbers increased to 12.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg and 2.6 assists, propelling the team to big wins against some of the best teams in the world.

He's a 3-point threat, shooting 41.3% from deep for his career on 4.3 3-point attempts per game. In his last season with Bayern, Andreas Obst averaged 7.5 ppg, shooting 43.8% from the field and 40.9% from deep.

Andreas Obst has exceeded in recent games against Team USA

First, he won Player of the Game honors during the FIBA World Cup semifinals against the North American squad. Obst posted 24 points against the Americans, including a clutch 3-pointer with 1:14 minutes left on the clock.

That game sent Germany to the final, where they beat Serbia to win the gold while Team USA played for the bronze against Canada, ultimately losing against their neighbors.

On Monday, he posted a notable game against Team USA, scoring 17 points on 46.1% shooting from the field and 45.5% from beyond the arc. He was the second-best scorer of the team behind Orlando Magic's Franz Wagner, who scored 18 points in the 92-88 loss.

Team USA are aware of the German guard's threat and they should be careful about him in a potential Olympic matchup.