Germany's Dennis Schroder to share flag-bearing honors with 2 other NBA stars at Paris Olympics
Several NBA players will have the honor of representing their home countries at the Paris Olympics and one of those is Germany's Dennis Schroder. Apart from Schroder, the German squad also includes Daniel Theis, as well as Franz and Moritz Wagner on their roster.
Among the four NBA players on Germany's roster, Schroder will have the distinction of being his nation's flag bearer for the opening ceremony. He is one of three NBA stars chosen as their nation's flag bearer, alongside LeBron James for Team USA and Giannis Antetokounmpo for Greece.
Alongside Schroder will be Anna-Marie Wagner, who is representing the Germans in the Judo competition.
Dennis Schroder has also earned the distinction of being the team captain for the German basketball team. His previous appearance in international competition was at the FIBA World Cup 2023, where he led the German national team to the gold medal. He was also named as the competition's MVP for his standout performance.
Also read: WATCH: Players have to be separated as Dennis Schroder and Evan Fournier scuffle in Germany vs France game
Dennis Schroder struggled to shoot against Team USA in their tune-up game
Team USA and Germany faced each other for their final tune-up game before the Paris Olympics begins on July 26. Both teams were looking to enter the international competition with as much momentum as possible and that was evident in their exhibition match.
This was especially true in the second half when the German squad was able to erase a double-digit lead that Team USA held.
In that game, Germany's team captain Dennis Schroder struggled to get shots over Team USA's defense. Schroder shot an abysmal 3-for-15, with all three of his made shots coming from beyond the arc. He also made four of six free throw attempts and finished the night with 13 points.
Schroder made up for his lack of scoring efficiency in other ways. He pushed the tempo for his squad and was instrumental in helping other players on the team find their shots. The Brooklyn Nets point guard was able to secure a double-double by way of the 10 assists he tallied. However, Team USA thwarted his efforts as LeBron James took over during crunch time to secure a narrow, four-point win (92-88).
Who will Dennis Schroder and Team Germany face in the Group Stage of the Olympics?
Dennis Schroder will look to lead his squad to another gold medal but in order to reach that goal, they will need to get past the Group Stage first.
The Germans are in Group B along with the Victor Wembanyama-led Framce, Brazil and Japan. The German basketball team will start the Olympics by playing against Japan on July 27, followed by games against France and Brazil.