Hannes Steinbach Worth A Look For Warriors In Draft, But He's No Dirk Nowitzki

Hannes Steinbach worth a look for Warriors in draft, but he's no Dirk Nowitzki originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

No matter where Hannes Steinbach lands in the NBA, he’ll be followed — maybe haunted — by the excellence of fellow German Dirk Nowitzki.

They’re the same height, 6-foot-11, but Steinbach has only one pro-ready skill that might help him escape Nowitzki’s Hall of Fame shadow.

Steinbach, who on Thursday worked out for the Warriors, conceivably is the best pure rebounder in the 2026 NBA Draft.

“Just my effort and my instincts,” Steinbach said after his workout at Chase Center. “Working for the rebound often and early and getting it.”

As a 19-year-old freshman at the University of Washington last season, Steinbach led college basketball in rebounding, grabbing 11.8 per game. His 22 double-doubles matched the total posted by Duke’s Cameron Boozer, projected to be among the first four players selected in the NBA draft next Tuesday.

Most mock drafts project Steinbach, who played center at Washington but projects as an NBA power forward, to be selected between picks 10 and 20.

The Warriors, who own the No. 11 overall pick, have worked out several forwards that could be available. Steinbach joins Michigan combo forward Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan forward/center Morez Johnson Jr. and Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr. among those who have visited Golden State.

It’s altogether likely that one of them could get the phone call.

The NBA comps for Steinbach, who turned 20 last month, range from rugged rebounders like fellow German Isaiah Hartenstein of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings and Alperen Şengün of the Houston Rockets. Video study of Steinbach displays shades of all three, with the closest being a poor man’s Şengün.

Steinbach, whose 3-point shot is in developmental stages, believes he can shoot well enough to fill the coveted role of versatile big man in today’s NBA.

“I think shooting, of course,” said Steinbach, who shot 34 percent (18 of 53) from deep in his lone season with the Huskies. “Being able to space the floor, like, make you go wide. Being able to run fast, pass off, and then just like being able to rebound to win the possession game.”

Scouts like Steinbach’s rebounding, his hands, his basketball IQ and his ability to finish at the rim. Concerns include soft rim protection on defense and spacing ability on offense.

Let’s be clear, though: Steinbach is not the next Dirk Nowitzki. They share size, an upbringing in Germany and EuroLeague experience. Nowitzki, however, entered the league with NBA-level skills in shooting, rebounding and passing. 

Steinbach, however, is willing to accept any advice from the man who led the Dallas Mavericks to the 2011 NBA championship.

“I talked to him once,” Steinbach said. “Yeah, he just told me to enjoy the (pre-draft) process. Yes, it’s stressful, but it’s a thing you go through one time. So, just enjoy it.”

Steinbach will enter the league with one easily identifiable skill — he snagged 24 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive glass, in a win over USC — and that’s more than can be said of many prospects. It’s enough to put him in play in the first round.

But questions about Steinbach’s defense surely will give the Warriors pause.

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