By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Lille, France – A flagbearer for Germany in the 2024 Olympic Games, Dennis Schroder savors the experience. Eventful moments extended to his Olympic debut with a win against Japan on Saturday.
“It was great,” Schroder talked about his major role in the opening ceremony on Friday, “Almost the whole team came. We had ten people from our team. I think it was great.”
“It is an event which you dream of as a young kid,” he added, “And we were on a boat. They did a great job, just organizing everything. Great show, and yeah, it was good for us.”
“I did not really sink it in yet. I think that is the biggest honor Germany could give me, and I am really grateful for that. I am grateful for all my teammates who came, all the fans who were there,” said Schroder.
From there to running point for the FIBA World Cup champions. In the opening game, the 30-year-old point guard posted a 13-point, 12-assist double-double.
“I want to prove that our team is legit,” he mentioned on representing Germany in the Olympics, one year after leading his country to gold in the World Cup, “We are going to go game by game, and try to win as many games as possible.”
🅰️🇩🇪 Dennis Schröder kicks off Paris Olympics with a MASTERCLASS! #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/79PKOJqo2a
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) July 27, 2024
“It is the biggest tournament in the world,” Schroder described the basketball tournament of the Olympic Games. A regular with the senior national team of Germany over the last decade, he missed the opportunity to play in the Tokyo Games in 2021.
“Nothing changes when you play with these guys,” he noted chemistry with his international teammates, “Those guys in the locker room, it is always the same feeling. We go out there and compete. It does not matter if it is a preseason game or any big tournament game because everybody is so high IQ, high character guys.”
👏🇩🇪 Germany starts with the right foot beating Japan by 20 points! pic.twitter.com/KDZ718brdR
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) July 27, 2024
Resuming action in Lille on Tuesday, Germany faces Brazil. Wrapping up the round-robin schedule in Group B of the preliminary round, host France is the last opponent on Friday.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL