The German national basketball team wants to attack at the European Championships at the beginning of September. Legend Dirk Nowitzki gives his assessment of the team on SPORT1 and talks about the contractless Dennis Schröder. Evaluate the preparation of different basketball teams and bet on them at 20Bet.
At the European Championship, the DBB men can rely on the home advantage. Thus, they will play in the preliminary round in Cologne and the final round will take place in Berlin. An important aspect, that the German team could not use in 2015, however. “I hope things go a little better for them than they did for us back then. We didn’t make it out of the first round in Berlin, which was a bit of a shame. But I think the guys will have a great home advantage behind them,” explained Dirk Nowitzki in an interview with SPORT1.
Anything possible despite a tough group
In the group stage, the team, whose captain is Dennis Schroeder, will face the French team, which finished second at the Olympics, and the European champions Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lithuania, and Hungary. “They’ve got a tough group, of course, but I think we’ll be able to fight our way through it,” says Nowitzki, adding that “if we play our way into the tournament well, then anything can happen.”
It is still unclear exactly what the squad will look like. After all, national coach Gordon Herbert still has to cut two players to get to the twelve players allowed. “We already have a few injury problems. Kleber has, unfortunately, had to cancel, but I think we’re well-staffed,” claims the 2005 European Championship runner-up, who will play in the “Champions for Charity” charity kick next Wednesday.
Nowitzki praises Schröder: “Still fully in his prime”.
Dennis Schröder is expected to play an important role at the European Championships. The point guard has set himself big goals but must also deliver his best basketball individually. After all, the actual NBA professional is still on contract for the coming season, but according to his own statement, this does not concern him so much.
“Actually, he is still fully in his prime,” Nowitzki finds. He knows the professional business and therefore knows that “sometimes it works out for you and sometimes it doesn’t.”
Therefore, the native of Braunschweig should not let himself go crazy. “I hope he continues to work hard because I think he has enough skills that he can play his way forward again. And now I just hope that he plays a great European Championship, gets self-confidence, and that he then plays a great season in the NBA,” wishes the ex-player of the Dallas Mavericks for Schröder.
