Erzählcafé: Basketball ist Jazz – Über Improvisation, Klasse und die kulturelle Kraft des Sports

Ireti Amojo, Henning Harnisch, Svenja Brunckhorst, Tsellot Melesse (Mod.)

What do basketball and jazz have in common? Both thrive on collaboration, intuition and the ability to make the right decision at exactly the right moment. Rather than following rigidly choreographed structures, their most memorable moments emerge through improvisation, mutual trust and collective attentiveness. As part of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026, this Erzählcafé invites audiences to think about basketball not only as a competitive sport, but also as a cultural practice.

Hosted by Tsellot Melesse, ALBA Berlin Vice President Henning Harnisch, Olympic champion Svenja Brunckhorst and former German international and TV analyst Dr Ireti Amojo discuss the social power of sport and the ways in which basketball can create spaces for community, participation and identity. The conversation will also address questions of class and access: who is able to participate in sport? Which structural inequalities continue to shape women’s basketball today? And how are visibility, gender equality and economic conditions interconnected? A conversation about sport as a social and cultural practice – and about the beauty of playing together.

Tsellot Melesse is a director and casting director, and one of the defining voices of a new generation of Black filmmakers. Most recently, Melesse was responsible for casting the widely acclaimed dramedy series »Schwarze Früchte«, which was nominated for the Grimme Award in 2025. Questions of representation, identity and community lie at the heart of Melesse’s own artistic practice.

Known as »Flying Henning«, Henning Harnisch made basketball history. The 1993 European champion won nine German championship titles and inspired an entire generation of fans. Today, as Vice President of ALBA Berlin, he oversees the club’s youth development programme and has long been committed to education, inclusion and the wider social significance of sport.

By winning the gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games, Svenja Brunckhorst became part of sporting history. Following the end of her playing career, the former German international moved into management at ALBA Berlin, where she focuses on advancing women’s basketball and building sustainable structures for future generations.

Former German international Dr Ireti Amojo combines sporting experience with a strong commitment to social change. As a television analyst and Head of Girls’ and Women’s Basketball at ALBA Berlin, she advocates for greater visibility, participation and accessible pathways into the sport. A particular focus of her work is supporting girls and FLINTA* people in basketball.