By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
One of the greatest honors an athlete can receive is to be a flag bearer for their country at the Olympic Games.
Dennis Schroder will have this honor at the 2024 Paris Olympics, being chosen to carry the flag of Germany at the opening ceremony.
The 30-year-old point guard for the Brooklyn Nets and captain of the 2023 FIBA World Cup champions is thrilled to have the historic opportunity to be only the second basketball player after Dirk Nowitzki to bear the German flag.
“It’s insane. Of course, with my background as well, my mom from Gambia and me being dark-skinned in Germany, it’s been tough sometimes growing up, but now, to be able to represent Germany is insane. It’s great for my family, not just me, but for people with a similar background. It’s a big statement in Germany,” Schroder said.
He won a vote among fans and German Olympic athletes, beating out 2021 tennis gold medalist Alexander Zverev and pistol shooter Christian Reitz.
Schroder was born in Braunschweig and started his basketball career there before being selected as the 17th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft. He has played for the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, and Toronto Raptors, and as of 2024, he is a point guard for the Brooklyn Nets.
Besides leading Germany to World Cup gold last summer as the tournament MVP, he also won a bronze medal at the 2022 EuroBasket.