Esterkamp succeeds Taylor as Science City Jena's new head coach

Basketball-Bundesliga team Science City Jena has appointed Steven Michael Esterkamp as their new head coach. The American coach makes the move to Jena from the second-division club Eisbären Bremerhaven. He takes over from his compatriot Mike Taylor, who concluded his interim role as "firefighter" after successfully guiding the team to avoid relegation and has now returned to the USA for family reasons.

Esterkamp expressed his enthusiasm for the new opportunity, stating, "I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to coach this club and look forward to working with everyone involved. I can't wait to get to work with Science City Jena and build a team that will fight in every game and make the club and our fans proud."

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I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to coach this club and look forward to working with everyone involved. I can't wait to get to work with Science City Jena and build a team that will fight in every game and make the club and our fans proud.

This appointment marks a return to Thuringia for Esterkamp, who is no stranger to German basketball. From 2014 to 2017, he served as an assistant coach for Oettinger Rockets Gotha. Following his time in Gotha, he held head coaching positions in Wolfenbüttel, Paderborn, and most recently, spent the past two seasons with Bremerhaven.

Reflecting on his departure from Bremerhaven, the 45-year-old Esterkamp described it as a "very difficult decision." He praised his former colleagues, saying, "Everyone I've worked with over the past two seasons has been great. It was always fun to come to work because of the people here." As a player, Esterkamp had stints with notable German clubs, including ratiopharm Ulm, Rasta Vechta, and s.Oliver Baskets Würzburg.

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It was a very difficult decision to leave the Eisbären. Everyone I've worked with over the past two seasons has been great. It was always fun to come to work because of the people here.