Children and drunks tell the truth, they say. Strictly speaking, the vernacular would have to expand this saying to include the species “basketball world champion captain”. At least around the name Dennis Schröder. Because when he and his teammates started the exuberant celebrations in the Philippines on September 10th around 11 p.m. local time as the newly crowned world champions, Schröder's central message was short – and honest. “I don’t want to hear anything about my name anymore. I just want respect.”
Respect – it was the unwritten message on Schröder's gold medal, it was visible to him alone on the award as the most valuable player of the tournament. Respect – that’s what the 30-year-old is all about. Always and always. But just as many observers have been asking themselves for years whether Schröder deserves the respect he demands.
In 2017, when he was arrested in Atlanta for assault. Or in 2021 with the fuss over an $84 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers that he allegedly rejected. Or like in the run-up to the World Cup, when he criticized national team and NBA colleague Maxi Kleber (Dallas Mavericks) in a podcast and Kleber then canceled his participation in the World Cup. The German Basketball Association (DBB) supported Schröder in the dispute, but large parts of the public simply saw their doubts about the captain confirmed. Many people felt that respect was inappropriate.
Dennis Schröder is not Dirk Nowitzki 2.0
On Sunday evening, however, Schröder's respect account was paid into once again. In Baden-Baden he won the coveted “Team of the Year” award with the national basketball team. However, in absentia. Like the Wagner brothers Franz and Moritz and Daniel Theis, Schröder could not be in Baden-Baden because of the busy NBA calendar.
Naturally Who else was the basketball team of the year? After all, Germany became world champions for the first time ever. And that at a time when Dirk Nowitzki is no longer playing. Nowitzki, the synonym for basketball in Germany. The superstar. The man from Würzburg who, with his outstanding CV, has unintentionally cast a huge shadow over all those who also successfully play basketball with a German passport – but above all over one person: Dennis Schröder.
Is he the new Nowitzki? No, right? He doesn't have what it takes to be an icon, does he? Way too controversial, right? Good, yes, but not as good as Nowitzki, right? Schröder has encountered doubts like these almost constantly in recent years. Spoken and unspoken. The sporting public called the Braunschweig native an NBA star, but when weighing his importance he was often found to be too light. Stop Nowitzki.
Of course, these doubts did not go unnoticed by national coach Gordon Herbert. And so after the World Cup triumph he had a clear message to everyone who doubted or doubted his captain. “Dennis has created his own identity. He won a World Cup. It's time we give him 100 percent respect. Dirk was then, Dennis is now. Dennis took over.” There it was again, the word respect. Schröder's constant companion. Schröder's constant driving force.
In Toronto he has to prove himself again
He has now been playing in the US professional league NBA for ten years. In mid-December he scored his 10,000 NBA point and earned the recognition of superstar LeBron James as a teammate in Los Angeles. And yet, Schröder was aware that when he started working for the Toronto Raptors before the current season, he would have to prove himself once again as world champion and MVP of the World Cup. The doubters in Canada would have to show it. Fresh respect would have to be earned. “You know what Germany did: wrote history. And of course everyone knows who won MVP and what I contributed to it,” reported the development player as a precaution. And he said: “I want to prove that I'm one of the best point guards in the league.” The fact that the Raptors are currently languishing in the league bothers him. The World Cup and its side effects seem far, far away.
Playboy award, Bambi, namesake of a school gymnasium
The World Cup triumph continues to resonate for Schröder. In a “Playboy” survey, respondents recently named him Man of the Year 2023. Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck and actor Matthias Schweighöfer were left behind. In mid-November he accepted the coveted Bambi for winning the title in Manila – albeit only via video link. And in his hometown of Braunschweig they renamed the sports hall of his former school “Dennis-Schröder-Halle”. As part of a school project, the national team captain was discovered as a talent there at the age of eleven. The measure is intended to honor “his loyalty and connection to Braunschweig” as well as his commitment to social projects. Schröder has also been the sole shareholder of the Bundesliga basketball team Löwen Braunschweig since 2020. He said at the time that he wanted to give something back to the region.
Schröder grew up in Braunschweig as the son of a Gambian mother and a German father. It wasn't always easy. His father died in 2009. Basketball gave him everything, and he gives everything for basketball. But not always on the straight path, not always easy to care for, not always without background noise. Schröder is offensive and sometimes appears arrogant. But he contradicts this image. “My hard work is the reason I am so confident. This has nothing to do with arrogance, but with what I invest every day. That's why I believe I'm one of the best. I believe that with hard work you can achieve anything,” Schröder told the German edition of Sports Illustrated.
As one of the best, Schröder also led Germany to the World Cup title in September, which was not thought possible. With some outstanding performances, with differences of opinion, with selfishness on the pitch as well as with teamwork. In golden shoes. As a father of three. In his own way. The Schröder way.
German basketball needs Dennis Schröder
No, Dennis Schröder is not another Dirk Nowitzki. But he is world champion. That wasn't Nowitzki. And during this time, Schröder serves the young fan generation Z via social media, he reveals a lot about his life. Gives German basketball a face and young people an idol. Both is important. For German basketball and sport in general. The kids love him and scream at autograph sessions after international games back home. “I hope that many children and adults will start playing basketball now,” he said after winning the World Cup.
This World Cup title was the largest single deposit to date into Dennis Schröder's Respect account. Accordingly, he fondly remembers the moments in the Far East. “I'd be lying if I said I didn't still watch clips,” he said. “It’s legendary, and I don’t know when it’s going to go away.”
The next highlight is coming next summer: the Olympic Games in Paris. Germany qualified directly as world champions. And as world champions, Germany is one of the favorites. Also because of his captain. And he can hardly wait for the Olympics. “This is really the biggest tournament in basketball,” said the gold medalist on “Spox,” “it will definitely be awesome.”
After all, the biggest tournament for Schröder is also about the greatest amount of respect. And where there is respect to be earned, Schröder is highly motivated. This driving force has not rusted after winning the World Cup. German basketball will be happy. Dirk Nowitzki will also be happy. He was there at the World Cup. As a fan of the German team. As a fan of Dennis Schröder. Respect!
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