The popularity of the NBA reaches beyond the national borders. Many players all over the world set the goal to join the National Basketball Association, and forgo their national leagues. One of these players is Dennis Schroder, a German citizen. He is currently a point guard for the Boston Celtics but he previously played for his native league. Read more to find out how he managed to enroll in the NBA.
Dennis Schroder – Early Life
Dennis Schroder was born on September 15, 1993, in Brunswick, Germany. He was the only black kid in his kindergarten and his life wasn’t easy as he battled racist comments but due to the support of his family he didn’t let it bother him too much.
At first, he wasn’t serious about basketball, but he promised his father that he would try his best before the dad passed away. Dennis was only 16 back then and it was a turning point in his life.
Dennis Schroder – Phantoms Braunschweig
Dennis Schroder went pro when he signed with SG Braunschweig, a nursery team of Phantoms Braunschweig. As a rookie, he averaged 7.8 points, 2.1 assists, and 1,6 rebounds per game which wasn’t a very impressive score.
He made big progress for the 2011-12 season and managed to help his team reach the playoffs as he averaged 17.8 points per game and 6.7 assists per game.
The same season he was called to play for the mother team, where he averaged 8 minutes per game. For 2012-13 he was given more opportunities to spread his wings and won the League’s Most Improved Player along with Best Young German Player honors.
In 2013 Schroder made himself eligible for the NBA Draft. He had a chance to show his skill at the Nike Hoop Summit, where he led his team to victory, posting 18 points, 6 assists, and 2 rebounds.
Dennis Schroder – Atlanta Hawks
Dennis Shroder was selected 17th overall in the 2013 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. He was a second point guard on the roster and played as a substitute for Jeff Teague. He had many turnovers and he was given fewer minutes as a result. He was sent to the NBA G-League to practice as a part of the Bakersfield Jam.
For the 2014-15 season, he was given another shot against the big dogs. He proved himself by scoring a career-high 22 points on December 22, 2014, helping his team to win over the Dallas Mavericks. On the All-Star Weekend, he participated in the Rising Stars Challenge.
He truly was a rising star and the season was named to be a breakout for the young player, as he appeared in 77 games, made 10 starts, averaging 19.7 minutes on the court. On March 15, 2015, he topped his career-high by posting 24 points and 10 assists.
For the next season, his position didn’t change as he was second to Jeff Teague. In February he managed to score 25 points and 10 assists. The team went into the playoffs, where Schroder posted a playoffs-high of 27 points in Game 1 of Round 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Hawks offered Schroder a four-year contract extension which he signed, as it would earn him 70 million dollars. He finally had a leading role in the team, because Teague was traded to the Indiana Pacers. He managed to score a new career-high on November 8, 2016, with 28 points. Just a month later, on December 9, 2016, he topped that with 33.
In the Game 5 of the Hawks’ first-round series against the Washington Wizards, Schröder scored 29 points, making five shots from beyond the three-point line and making 11 assists as the Hawks lost.
He tallied a career-high 34 points on January 12, 2018, in a 110–105 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets. On March 20, 2018, he surpassed his previous career by scoring 41 points in a win over the Utah Jazz.
Dennis Schroder – Oklahoma City Thunder
For the 2018-19 season, Schroder was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he was outshined by Russel Westbrook. He made his debut in the season opener, where he managed to post 21 points, along with eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Despite his effort, his team lost to the Golden State Warriors.
He was used mainly as a sixth man during the first and the second season with the Thunder and his role was appreciated. He was the runner-up for the 2020 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, as he averaged 18.9 points off the bench.
Dennis Schroder – Los Angeles Lakers
After two seasons with the Thunder, Schroder and the team parted ways, as he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He made his debut as a Laker on December 22, 2020. He scored 14 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and made eight assists.
The Lakers organization wanted to offer him a four-year contract extension but he decided not to sign it and become an unrestricted free agent. Later it was reported that Schroder never had this contract and it all could be just a rumor. Later, he had to be sidelined two times due to the health and safety protocols concerning COVID-19.
During the regular season, Schröder started 61 games and averaged 15.4 points and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 43.7% from the field and 33.5% on three-pointers but his performance was significantly weaker during the playoffs. The Lakers started to pursue Russel Westbrook, which was a signal that at the end of the day Schroder’s run with the team was over.
Dennis Schroder – Boston Celtics
For 2021-22, Shroder signed with the Boston Celtics. The contract was worth 5.9 million dollars which was much smaller than the supposed one offered by the Lakers. He couldn’t wear his former number, 17, as it was retired by the Celtics to commemorate John Havlicek, so he chose the 71 jersey number instead. With the Celtics, Schroder proved himself as a starter, at the same time performing worse while being used as a Sixth Man. His shooting percentage significantly drops, from 48,3% when he starts a game to 36,1% when he comes off-bench. His future is now in the hands of coach Ime Udoka.
Is Dennis Schroder’s hair a birthmark?
Before playing in the NBA, Dennis Schroder spent time in the German league, without his trademark blond spot or patch on his head. After his rookie year he experimented with different hairstyles from skinhead to mini afro. Unverified sources claim that this compromise was made between him and his mother who is a hairstylist and wanted him to fully dye his hair blonde. The 28-year-old has kept the look since, as it gives him an identity and he believes it helps him play better. Whatever floats his boat!
How much did Dennis Schroder turn down?
Dennis Schroder made his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers in a practice session and declared that he never had that contract offered for an astounding $84 million contract extension. “I mean, end of the day, there never was a contract,” Schroder said to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “There never was a contract, never rejected anything.”
How much does Dennis Schroder make annually?
Following his impressive performance with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dennis Schröder has inked a one-year deal worth $2.6 million with the Los Angeles Lakers. The contract is fully guaranteed and comes with an annual salary of $2.6 million for the 2022-23 season. In addition, it carries a cap hit of $1,836,090 and a dead cap value of the same amount.
