Last Updated on July 24, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
Maxi Kleber has earned respect as a versatile big man whose defensive mobility and willingness to do the dirty work have made him an important piece on playoff-caliber teams. Capable of protecting the rim, switching onto smaller players, and stretching the floor with timely three-point shooting, he brings the kind of low-maintenance, high-impact game that coaches value.
Here’s a detailed profile of Maxi Kleber:
- Full Name: Maximilian Kleber
- Nationality: German
- Age: Born on January 29, 1992
- Hometown: Würzburg, Germany
- Height: 6 feet 10 inches (208 cm)
- Weight: 240 pounds (109 kg)
- Wingspan: 7 feet (213 cm)
- Shoe Size: 15 (US)
- Shoe Brand: Jordan Luka 2, Nike Kyrie 7, Nike Zoom Rize, Nike Hyperdunk X, Nike Hyperdunk 2017
- Jersey Number: 42
- Position: Power Forward / Center
- High School: Attended school in Germany (specific high school not widely publicized)
- College: Did not attend college (played professionally in Germany)
- NBA Draft: Undrafted in 2014; signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 2017
- Teams Played For:
- Germany:
- Würzburg Baskets (2011–2014)
- Bayern Munich (2014–2017)
- NBA:
- Dallas Mavericks (2017–Present)
- Germany:
- Championship Rings: None as of 2024
- Kids: No known children
- Siblings: He has a brother named David Kleber.
Maxi Kleber’s player archetype is a floor-spacing defensive big who has spent much of his career filling the gaps around higher-usage teammates rather than chasing individual numbers. At 6-foot-10 with good mobility, he is comfortable switching onto perimeter players in stretches, rotating to protect the rim, and using positioning instead of overwhelming physicality to defend. His offensive role is intentionally simple, built around setting solid screens, making the extra pass, and spacing the floor as a capable three-point shooter who keeps opposing centers away from the paint. Injuries have interrupted his rhythm at various points, but when healthy, Kleber’s combination of size, defensive flexibility, and willingness to embrace a complementary role has made him a valuable fit in modern lineups.
Scouting Report
I’ve always thought Maxi Kleber’s value starts with the fact that he makes life easier for everyone else without needing the ball to do it. Offensively, he understands spacing as well as almost any complementary frontcourt player, drifting into the right passing window after setting a screen, popping beyond the arc to pull rim protectors away from the basket or immediately swinging the ball to the next advantage instead of holding it. He isn’t someone who creates offense with a polished post game or off-the-dribble package, but he knows exactly when to slip a screen, when to hold contact and when to roll just enough to occupy the low man before fading back to the perimeter. That’s where his impact often gets overlooked. His shooting forces defenses to respect him, yet his willingness to keep the ball moving prevents possessions from stalling. Defensively, he thrives because he processes actions quickly. He can survive switches onto guards for a possession, contain drives long enough for help to recover and rotate from the weak side without losing sight of his own assignment. Rather than chasing blocks, he stays vertical around the rim and consistently arrives in the correct spot before the offensive player commits, which is why he contests so many shots without putting the defense out of position. The trade-off is that stronger interior scorers can dislodge him on deep post seals, and asking him to create his own offense late in the shot clock exposes limitations in his handle and self-creation. He’s much more valuable as the player who completes possessions than the one who starts them. Teams built around high-level ball handlers, spread pick-and-rolls and defensive switching maximize everything he offers because he fills gaps instead of demanding touches. To me, his game has similarities to Channing Frye as a floor-spacing big who quietly opens the floor for others, while there are shades of Shane Battier in the understated defensive discipline and willingness to do the unglamorous work that keeps an entire scheme functioning.
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