​Getting Fynn Lastring to the United States proved to be a bit of a hassle. “I had some problems getting the visa,” the 6-foot-10 German freshman center for the UNM Lobo men’s basketball team said on Wednesday. “That was a little rough.” After signing in April, Lastring finally arrived in his new temporary campus home in Albuquerque, and on his second full day there he spent time with his new teammates watching the World Cup, while his beloved German national team suffered the tournament’s biggest upset thus far—an elimination by Paraguay on penalty kicks. “Maybe my first or second day, yeah. That was a little tough,” Lastring reflected. “To lose against Paraguay is a little crazy. I hope next time it’s gonna be better.”
Fortunately, Lastring has spent the past 10 days jumping into the fire with his new team, embracing acclimation to a system he loves and the benefit of an internationally diverse roster of fellow newcomers. He’s found the transition enjoyable and rewarding. “Everything’s been really good here,” Lastring said. “I mean, I’m just happy to be here now to be able to practice … Just doing basketball (now), it’s great.”
Even though he speaks fluent English, Lastring noted that having two Austrian teammates—Beni Schuch and Imran Suljanovic—who had a three-week head start at UNM and who speak German have helped him feel at ease and catch on more quickly.
Video: Eric Olen on summer workouts (July 8, 2026).
On the court, UNM coach Eric Olen has described the 19-year-old German, who played this past season for the Artland Dragons in Germany’s second-tier pro league and who has been part of the Rasta-Vechta club team in recent years, as being exactly what they hoped for in a newcomer. “I think Fynn is a really talented guy,” Olen said. “He has great size, understands the game, has played at a high level, really shoots the basketball; so he gives us a different element with shooting at that position that we’re always looking for. He’s done a good job so far. I mean, he’s learning quickly and seems to be acclimating well.”
Lastring has been impressed by how his teammates have welcomed him so far, despite still adjusting to a new environment. “It’s my first real practice with guys from America. I’ve never done that before,” he said. “I mean, Jake’s shooting (referring to sophomore guard Jake Hall), and the other guys and how athletic they are—that’s something new for me. I didn’t know that.”
Looking ahead, the NCAA is expected to decide on a second location for preliminary games for the expanded 78-team tournament format. UNM has submitted a bid to host in The Pit, a development reported by the Journal last month. As the Lobos push through summer workouts and preparations for the season, Lastring’s arrival adds a promising dimension to the roster and a personal milestone in his own cross-continental journey.