Basketball European Championship: Love: Schröder Between Inspiration and Protz

Dennis Schröder has secured its place in the German Basketball Olympus since the World Cup title at the latest. He has to continue to fight for recognition and respect in society-says Schröder himself, who spoke an interview about everyday racism, borders and honor as an Olympic flag bearer for him and basketball predecessor Dirk Nowitzki just before the European Championship.

“Back then I thought: How cool, there cannot be a greater appreciation. Today I know: It is a great honor, but it will never be like Dirk. I won’t get the same love in this country because I am dark -skinned,” Schröder told the “star”. He had not been asked about the Nowitzki comparison, but asked the importance of the flag bearing decision for him.

“The Germans have certain ideas”

The statements of the 31 -year -old captain of increasing racism and typical -German expectations caused a sensation – and attracted social debates. Especially since Schröder added: “The Germans have certain ideas about how a star has to behave. But with modesty and reluctance you don’t get far as a boy from Braunschweig in the NBA.”

For Schröder, the European Championship, which begins on Wednesday (3:30 p.m./RTL and Magenta Sport) with a game against outsider Montenegro, is the fourth tournament, which he tackles as the undisputed leader of the national team. Schröder led the talented generation to EM bronze in his own country, to World Cup gold in Manila-and then became the flag bearer of the German Olympic team in Paris in 2024.

“This is the best thing that has happened to me in my life as an athlete,” said Schröder. Schröder had clearly prevailed in the voting among fans and under the German Olympic team.

Rolex watches and business class

The basketball player in Germany was long controversial, mainly because of his species, which is often characterized by Protz. A golden car and golden shoes symbolically stand for the man who gave his colleagues with Rolex watches and ensured that the national team flying business class.

Schröder still feels convicted – which is also and above all on social media. “I made mistakes, I’m not perfect. Nevertheless, it is wrong to judge someone you don’t know in more detail. These people have never spoken to me, they only see my watches and my cars, and then they stamp me off,” Schröder described the situation. Social media make “this superficiality and hatred only stronger”.

Schröder – at the latest since he is world champion – is inviolable in the national team. The association and the team of coaches give the Sacramento Kings NBA professional a special status and lots of freedom. Schröder pays back with maximum use and strong performance. The equation, which rose from 2022 to 2024 with national coach Gordon Herbert, is also to work at the European Championship in Tampere and Riga under his successor Alex Mumbru.

Children’s book and struggle for fair premiums

His teammates have followed him for years – and are enthusiastic about the captain. Team colleague Moritz Wagner called Schröder “an inspiring personality”. When it came to the flag carrier voting, famous personalities such as Kai Pflaume and Jürgen Klopp also campaigned for Schröder.

The NBA professional developed itself and its profile away from the parquet. Schröder has released a children’s book (“We boys from the Prinzenpark”), fights for their team and the basketball players for fair bonuses and sees his future after the NBA career in his homeland in Braunschweig.

There he not only wants to appear for his own basketball club, but also get involved in society. “I will soon put a lot into practice. I would like to start a school in Braunschweig, including kindergarten,” said Schröder. Founding a school in his own city has been “a dream” for him for a long time.

Schröder: “Far from being arrogant”

Schröder continues to move between the worlds. On the one hand, the basketball player still documents his luxurious life by streaming a family outing with the yacht for hours. When the flag carrier was searching in the previous year, Schröder said: “I have to wear the flag! If not now, when then?” Many found this to be presumptuous.

He sees it differently. “If you want to assert yourself in the NBA, you have to be extremely confident. I can’t change that some people interpret this appearance differently. In my opinion, I am very far away from being arrogant,” said Schröder in an interview “Dein SPIEGEL”, the children’s edition of the mirror.

The promotion of young people and the published book, which Schröder’s childhood tells in Braunschweig, are for Schröder’s heart concerns. “I grew up as a dark -skinned boy in Braunschweig. It was not always easy, I had to deal with racism early. Nevertheless, I never stopped believing in myself,” said Schröder.