Leader with controversial star
Dennis Schröder isn’t giving up on the <a href="https://www.archysport.com/2022/01/nba-dallas-mavericks-winning-streak-ends-abruptly/" title="NBA: Dallas Mavericks winning streak ends abruptly”>Brooklyn Nets either
October 16, 2024, 8:15 p.m
Dennis Schröder has never been to the NBA Finals. That won’t change with the Brooklyn Nets this season, too many teams are better. But that doesn’t change the world champion’s demands. He also defends a polarizing newcomer.
Dennis Schröder always wants everything. “If you don’t go to the playoffs, then you’re not competitive in my eyes. Of course you always want to achieve the big goal and the big goal is a championship,” says the captain of the German national basketball team. The new season in the NBA begins next week, for Schröder it is the twelfth, and even with a middle-class team like the Brooklyn Nets, Schröder only has this goal before the start. “No matter which team I was on, I always wanted to reach the playoffs and of course I will give everything to achieve that,” emphasizes the 31-year-old.
Nobody from the generation of current German professionals can match Schröder’s NBA experience, and the number of teams is also unmatched: Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, the Lakers again, Toronto Raptors and since February now the Nets. The many stations since his NBA debut in 2013 have been valuable for the Braunschweiger’s network – but unlike the national team, the world champion has never managed to become the undisputed pillar of a team.
“I always found ways in the NBA, no matter who I played with, no matter what the situation, to help the team in some way,” says Schröder. “It would be cool if you had something like that, but we also have a lot of good players here, a lot of young players and of course I know how it all works in the NBA.”
Things aren’t easy for Ben Simmons
At the Nets, Schröder is one of the leaders; together with the polarizing newcomer Ben Simmons, he is supposed to give the young professionals support and ensure that something can develop in Brooklyn. “People forget that he was a three-time all-star and always talk very quickly. That’s really sad to see. I’m happy that I can be here with him and I think we’ll win a lot of games together,” he says family man.
Schröder feels comfortable, describes the organization as a “family” because of the warm welcome and the attention given to those around him – but then immediately caveats: “Of course the word family is difficult because you can really easily be traded .” It is not in his power to stay as long as he would like. Schröder knows this and doesn’t let it bother him.
No envy of Franz Wagner
It also doesn’t stress him out that Franz Wagner, another and younger German colleague, has just cashed in and signed a gigantic contract for five years and $224 million in the summer. “It’s a different time. I remember when I came into the league, I wanted to sign for 30 million because Jeff Teague and Ty Lawson and they signed that – and then I signed for 70 million,” says he. “Now I’m the older one. We all earn very, very well and I don’t have to worry about the future. I’ll never say, hey, why does he get this and I get that?”
Schröder is already a big Wagner fan and was there to cheer on when the Berliner and his brother Moritz Wagner played in the playoffs for the first time with the Orlando Magic last season. Schröder knows the atmosphere and the special features of the hot phase of the season. That’s why he wants to go there again. The Nets start their season on October 23rd with an away game at the Atlanta Hawks. Schröder knows his way around there too.
