A 2.01 metres (6 ft 7 in) shooting guard/small forward, Rödl had great success and a number of championships over a long career in American collegiate and international professional basketball.
College career
Rödl was spotted by Smith's staff while he was an exchange student at Chapel Hill High School, a school located only a few miles from UNC's campus. Rödl and teammate Major Geer led the CHHS basketball team to the 1987 North Carolina State High School Basketball Championship.[1] He returned to Germany for 2 years before returning to Chapel Hill.
Rödl played for the Tar Heels from 1989 to 1993. Rödl's Tar Heels won the 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, making Rödl the third German to win an NCAA Title. He wore jersey #5 during his collegiate career. During his time at North Carolina Rödl averaged 3.4 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.[2]
Professional career
Rödl played professionally for ALBA Berlin for 11 years.[3] His team won the 1995 Korać Cup, a former European international pro basketball tournament, and began building a German basketball dynasty. Rödl's ALBA Berlin teams won seven consecutive championships in the Bundesliga from 1997 through 2003. His jersey number 4 was retired by ALBA Berlin in 2010.[4]
Rödl started his coaching career in the youth ranks of ALBA Berlin, before being named ALBA head coach in January 2005.[5] He was released in June 2007, but stayed on with the club serving as director of the youth program and coach of the development squad. In 2010, he became head coach of TBB Trier.[6] He left his job there 2015.
Already in May 2014, Rödl had been named head coach of the German A2 men's national team.[7] In 2015, he coached the team to a silver medal at the World University Games.[8] In January 2016, Rödl signed a deal as full-time coach of the German Basketball Federation,[9] continuing as head coach of the A2 squad and serving as assistant to Chris Fleming with the men's national team. Rödl took over the head coaching job on 18 September 2017.[10]
In October 2022, Rödl signed as the head coach of Al Ittihad Alexandria in Egypt,[12] a position he held until June 2023. In January 2024, he became the head coach of Egypt national team,[13] with his contract extended until the conclusion of the 2024 FIBA Olympic qualifications, where Egypt failed to qualify to the major tournament as they finished last in their group.[14]