At the beginning of the postseason - Controversial player turns into a crowd favorite.
Following his unflattering departure during the Hamburg match, Alba's fans were mortified. He spat on the floor and made a humiliating gesture with his fingers - certainly not typical of Alba players.
The disenchantment and rage over his three disqualifications and particularly his conduct afterwards were overwhelming among the Berlin supporters. Their patience had been tested beyond limits.
Germany's basketball community anticipated Koumadje's dismissal as well.
However, there were lengthy debates within Alba. While everyone agreed that this behavior would not be endorsed, Koumadje's actions were seen in light of his commendable conduct during his three-year tenure at Alba. "Koumadje is not a bad player," remarked a teammate.
The fact that they couldn't contend against Bayern in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) final without him and his imposing presence (2.21 meters) under the basket amid their confrontation with former NBA player Serge Ibaka played a significant role in the decision to hold onto Koumadje.
As a result, the fans also accepted the decision. This was evident during their surprising victory at home against Bayern (59:53). When Koumadje replaced Yanni Wetzell in the second quarter, he received a flood of supportive applause from the spectators.
The divisive Alba player appreciated this gesture: "That felt wonderful. It did me a lot of good after watching for so long."
It seems that the Alba fans have put the matter behind them and have pardoned Koumadje.
However, he may encounter more resistance outside Berlin. He's likely to still be a contentious character there. Koumadje is prepared for this, stating, "I'm still a controversial figure for rival fans. But I can ignore that. Meanwhile, it appears the Alba fans' adoration for me has resumed. I only experienced warmth from them when I was on the court."
Interestingly, veteran Alba player Niels Giffey, who joined Bayern in 2022 following a disappointing stint with Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania, was booed just moments afterwards when he entered the game. His defection to the archrivals had not been forgiven yet.
On May 17th, Alba and Koumadje face runners-up Bonn in the quarterfinals. The match begins at 6:30PM in Berlin's Uber Arena (available on Dyn).
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Source: symclub.org
