Dennis Schröder and Daniel Theis describe themselves as brothers. The images of their heated battle in a World Cup break went around the basketball world. The question about the boss has been answered.
In a series of shared Oho moments, Dennis Schröder and Daniel Theis delivered a particularly memorable one at this World Cup. “I’ve been trying to get the best out of you since you were 14 years old. Am I not doing that?” Schröder snapped at his buddy Theis during a break – and hundreds of thousands of viewers in front of the screens watched the argument live.
The duo now absolutely want to set the next Oho moment, which amazes the audience, in a sporty way. It would be best on Wednesday (10.45 a.m. / Magentasport), when the first World Cup semifinals since 2002 and the ticket for the Olympic Games in Paris are possible against Latvia.
The team does not want to let the clear role as favorites get to them. “Fortunately we don’t listen to that. Latvia beat France and Spain. We don’t think it will be an easy game. They play incredibly well as a team,” warned Theis on Tuesday at the team hotel in Manila. The basketball players who have been so strong recently really don’t want to stumble over themselves. This was exactly what seemed to be threatening when the heated battle of words escalated and national coach Gordon Herbert not only yelled at Schröder, but also grabbed his arm.
Spectacle against Slovenia
Then things turned out differently. The 11:16 deficit in said time-out turned into a real spectacle against the Slovenians around superstar Luka Doncic. Final score: 100:71. Schröder and Theis reconciled on the sidelines and put the incident into perspective in interviews. Coach Herbert, whose authority was at stake in the delicate scene, repeatedly joked about the duo’s common youth in Braunschweig. And announced that they wanted to finally clarify the issue internally.
For Theis and Schröder, another discussion was not necessary. “Dennis and I have known each other for 14 years. We both just didn’t play well. We addressed that directly. He told me that I didn’t play well – I accepted that,” said the 31-year-old Theis at the team hotel in Manila. He is well aware of the external impact of the incident. “Of course it looks stupid, but it gave the team a push. After that, it’s over, that’s no longer an issue.” Herbert also waived further sanctions.
The Schröder/Theis generation is currently working on their own monument in Asia. With an expected victory in the quarterfinals against the Latvians this Wednesday, the next milestone would be set – and all that just a year after winning the bronze medal at the home European Championships in Cologne and Berlin. It was the first medal at a major event since 2005.
Everything revolves around Schroeder
The concept of the Schröder/Theis generation is actually imprecise. Because in the German team, everything revolves around the 29-year-old Schröder, who in the national jersey, as a leader praised by all sides, accumulates so much power that even ex-superstar Dirk Nowitzki never had.
“Great praise to everyone who is in the dressing room. Everyone puts their ego aside for the team. And everyone also lets me lead the team. Everyone listens to everyone and that distinguishes us,” said Schröder of all places on Sunday when he Coach Herbert didn’t listen at first and was given a short reminder by the 64-year-old in the form of a substitution. “He took us out so we could go down. It helped in the end,” Theis described.
Old friends
Not only do he and Schröder both play in the NBA, they have also been good friends since they spent together in Braunschweig in 2010. “The blind understanding makes us so strong,” explained Theis, who, as an athletic great, is all too often a customer for Schröder’s high passes. Coach Herbert has long since established the spectacular duo as an axis for his team. “They grew together. They have this special connection to each other. That helps because we don’t have much time together,” said Herbert. Schröder himself calls Theis “a little, big brother”.
How great Schröder’s power is can also be seen during the World Cup. The professional of the Toronto Raptors gets – also from coach Herbert – special freedoms, has his whole family with him and is not criticized by his teammates. Before the tournament, which ends with the grand finale in Manila on Sunday, Schröder’s sharp criticism of Maximilian Kleber indirectly ensured that the Dallas Mavericks professional announced his withdrawal from the World Cup.
Schröder apologized, but the fact that the team finally traveled to Asia without glue should not have been wrong for the captain. In view of the huge quality in the big positions, the Würzburg player was not really needed in Schröder’s opinion. And off the field, after the broadside in a podcast, every little thing would have been interpreted. So everyone rallied behind boss Schröder, who led the team to a flawless 5-0 record and impressive victories before the hot knockout phase in the Philippines.
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
