Dennis Schröder Rumors

EuroBasket Notes: Schröder, Nowitzki, Wagner, Spanoulis, Awards

September 15th, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Dennis Schröder credited Dirk Nowitzki with inspiring the current crop of players who have turned Germany into an international basketball power, writes Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews. After capturing MVP honors while leading his team to the gold medal at EuroBasket, Schröder paid tribute to the Mavericks legend, who was a German basketball icon in addition to his 21-year NBA career.

“Dirk, what he’s been doing for the German national team and what he’s done in the NBA and in the national team made us come to the national team and represent our country,” Schröder said.

Nowitzki is one of the greatest players in European history and earned a long list of honors in international competitions. Schröder is also building an impressive resume, adding the EuroBasket gold to the championship he won at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and a bronze medal in the 2022 EuroBasket, but he doesn’t want to be compared to Nowitzki.

“At the end of the day, my name is Dennis Schröder, and I’m just Dennis Schröder, and that’s my legacy,” he said. “Whatever I can bring to the table to make sure my teammates are good and we compete at the highest level and win gold medals. That’s what I’m going to do. Everything else doesn’t matter.”

There’s more from EuroBasket:

German teammate Franz Wagner dedicated the championship to his brother, Moritz Wagner, who was unable to play due to an ACL tear in his left knee that he suffered with Orlando last season, per Pijus Sapetka of BasketNews. Franz said his brother is “super happy” about the gold medal, and he wore Moritz’s jersey during the victory celebration as a way to include him. “Obviously, he had a tough injury, and he’s trying to get back as fast as possible,” Franz said. “Couldn’t be here, but I think everybody on the team knows that he’s part of the group. It’s part of what we’re building.”
Greek coach Vassilis Spanoulis was happy to leave with the bronze, which represents the nation’s first international medal in 16 years, according to Michalis Gioulenoglou of Eurohoops. “This medal belongs to all Greeks,” Spanoulis said. “We wanted to bring basketball to the top again. This generation deserved it. Thank you very much, and I hope this medal returns basketball to the golden era.”
We covered Schröder’s MVP and the naming of the First Five on Sunday, but several other awards were also handed out. FIBA’s EuroBasket website lists Poland’s Jordan Loyd, Turkey’s Cedi Osman, Israel’s Deni Avdija, Finland’s Lauri Markkanen and Serbia’s Nikola Jokic as second-team honorees. In addition, Germany’s Isaac Bonga was named Best Defensive Player, Finland’s Miikka Muurinen received the Rising Star award and Turkey’s Ergin Ataman was recognized as Best Coach. Full standings for all 24 tournament teams have also been released.

Germany Defeats Turkey For EuroBasket Gold; Schröder Named MVP

September 14th, 2025 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

A back-and-forth battle between a pair of 8-0 teams went down to the wire in Sunday’s EuroBasket championship game, with Kings point guard Dennis Schröder helping to secure a gold medal for Germany by scoring the final six points and turning an 83-82 deficit into an 88-83 victory over Turkey.

Schöder (16 points, 12 assists), former NBA wing Isaac Bonga (20 points, 4-of-4 three-pointers), and Magic forward Franz Wagner (18 points, eight rebounds) were the standout performers for Germany, which has won two of the past three major international basketball competitions.

Although the Germans didn’t make the podium at the Paris Olympics last summer, the country is now the defending FIBA World Cup (2023) and EuroBasket (2025) champion and has posted a 21-2 record in those three tournaments, per HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Germany outlasted a Turkish national team that was led by Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28 points), former NBA forward Cedi Osman (23 points, 6-of-9 on three-pointers), former NBA guard Shane Larkin (13 points, nine assists, six rebounds), and Sixers big man Adem Bona (12 points, 5-of-5 shooting).

While they weren’t able to claim their first EuroBasket championship, Turkey matched their best-ever result by taking silver. The Turkish team lost to Yugoslavia in the 2001 final, which was the only other time the country made the championship game.

Schröder was named the EuroBasket Most Valuable Player after leading the Germans to their first title in the event since 1993. He scored at least 16 points in all nine games, averaging 20.3 points and 7.2 assists per contest.

The 2025 EuroBasket All-Star Five was made up entirely of NBA players, with Lakers guard Luka Doncic (Slovenia) and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) joining Schröder, Wagner, and Sengun (Twitter link).

Antetokounmpo and the Greek national team beat Finland in the third-place game earlier on Sunday.

EuroBasket Notes: Championship Game, Bonga, Pesic, Rules Changes

September 13th, 2025 at 9:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Turkish coach Ergin Ataman is supremely confident heading into Sunday’s EuroBasket title game against Germany, according to BasketNews. Ataman is one of the most successful coaches in Europe, making five appearances in the EuroLeague Final Four and winning it three times. He has never won an international competition, but he believes his unbeaten team is ready to change that.

“I like to win. Before every game, we talk with our assistants. Even five minutes ago (before this conference), they told me that everybody is under a lot of stress and pressure now, especially in the federation. I told all our guys I have had this stress maybe in my first EuroLeague final,” Ataman said at Saturday’s press conference. “After that, it’s the same every game; it’s the same for me. I don’t have any stress. It’s a basketball game.”

In a separate story, Dennis Schröder, who has been through numerous huge games with Germany, refused to react to Ataman’s comments and said he and his teammates will concentrate on the task at hand.

“I mean, we try to focus on ourselves,” Schröder said. “I know the strategy he’s trying to do. And it’s been working for him for sure. So, at the end of the day, good job. We just try to focus on ourselves, go out, compete, stay together as a team, and bring the trophy home.”

There’s more as EuroBasket 2025 nears its end:

Franz Wagner believes German teammate Isaac Bonga deserves another shot at the NBA, per Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews. Wagner responded to a question after Bonga contributed 10 points and five rebounds and helped shut down Lauri Markkanen in the semifinal win over Finland. “I think (Bonga’s) shown for a couple of years now that he’s an elite defender, shoots the three really well, and can make some plays off the bounce too,” Wagner said. “So I think he could have a lot of teams interested in him.” Bonga spent four total seasons with the Lakers, Wizards and Raptors, but has been playing overseas since 2022.
Veteran coach Svetislav Pesic will step down from the Serbian national team when his contract expires later this month, according to Eurohoops. With a roster full of current and former NBA players, Pesic’s team had been considered among the favorites at EuroBasket, but the Serbians were upset by Finland in the round of 16. “It was a privilege to be the head coach of the Serbian national team, to train and lead the best Serbian basketball players,” Pesic said. “… However, the time has come to find a new coach who will be able to continue what we started in the previous period.”
FIBA Europe officials are considering changes to EuroBasket when the tournament returns in 2029, states Pijus Sapetka of BasketNews. President Jorge Garbajosa said injury replacements may be permitted and teams won’t be required to play on consecutive days.

Germany Into EuroBasket Final With Win Over Finland

September 12th, 2025 at 12:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Germany will compete in the gold medal game at EuroBasket for the first time since 2005 after defeating Finland by a score of 98-86 in the first of the tournament’s semifinals on Friday.

Germany piled up 61 first-half points and withstood a third-quarter surge from the Finnish team to hang onto its lead. A trio of NBA players were the team’s top scorers, with Dennis Schröder leading the way. The Kings point guard totaled 26 points, 12 assists, and five rebounds, and was a +22 in his 31-plus minutes on the court.

Franz Wagner (22 points, five rebounds) and Tristan Da Silva (13 points, four rebounds) of the Magic also played key roles for the Germans, who got contributions from former NBA players like Daniel Theis (10 points, 11 rebounds) and Isaac Bonga (10 points, five rebounds) as well.

Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen was Finland’s star player over the course of the tournament but struggled to make an impact on Friday. Although he scored 16 points, Markkanen needed 17 field goal attempts to earn those points and was a -24 in 28 minutes of action.

It will still be a historic finish for Finland, which made the EuroBasket final four for the first time ever. Markkanen and the Finnish team will compete in the third-place game on Sunday in the hopes of claiming a bronze medal.

As for Germany, EuroBasket 2025 represents the latest deep run for a national team that has been one of the world’s best in recent years. The Germans finished third at EuroBasket 2022, won the 2023 World Cup, and placed fourth at the 2024 Olympics.

Greece and Turkey will square off this afternoon for the right to face Germany in Sunday’s final, with the loser taking on Finland in the third-place game.

Germany Tops Slovenia To Round Out EuroBasket’s Final Four

September 10th, 2025 at 5:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Germany overcame a second-half deficit and another scoring outburst by Luka Doncic to defeat Slovenia for a spot in the EuroBasket semifinals, writes Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops. Wednesday’s 99-91 victory preserves the Germans’ chances to capture another major international title after winning the FIBA World Cup in 2023.

Germany trailed by seven points late in the third quarter, but Tristan Da Silva sank a shot from mid-court at the buzzer to cut Slovenia’s lead to 74-70. That was the beginning of a 10-0 run that saw the German team take control of the game.

Franz Wagner led Germany with 23 points and seven rebounds, while Dennis Schröder contributed 20 points and seven assists. Former NBA center Daniel Theis added 15 points and nine rebounds. Maodo Lo scored 11 points and Andreas Obst had 10, as both players knocked down clutch three-pointers late in the game to preserve Germany’s lead.

Doncic, who has been posting historic performances throughout the tournament, set another record today with 39 points, the most anyone has ever scored in a EuroBasket quarterfinal contest. Despite picking up his fourth foul early in the third quarter, Doncic also finished with 10 rebounds and seven assists to narrowly miss another triple-double.

After the game, Slovenian players voiced complaints about the officiating, with center Alen Omic telling reporters that Doncic doesn’t get the respect he deserves, per Pijus Sapetka of BasketNews. Omic also pointed to the free throw disparity, with Germany getting 37 shots from the foul line compared to Slovenia’s 25.

“Our best player in EuroBasket is not protected the way he needs to be,” Omic said. “He got three fouls in 10–15 minutes of the game. What is this? He’s the best player of the tournament. Everybody comes to watch him.”

Doncic also commented on the officials in a post-game interview with Slovenia’s Sport TV, relays Semih Tuna of Eurohoops.

“First, I got a technical foul, two minutes into a game, for yelling ‘hello’, but OK,” Doncic said. “In a quarterfinal, that shouldn’t happen, no matter what kind of player you are. If you don’t even get a warning first, then I don’t know. But it’s a quarterfinal, fighting for a semifinal, so I really don’t know how they did that.”

The semifinal games will take place Friday at Arena Riga in Latvia, with Germany facing Finland in the opener, followed by a clash between Greece and Turkey. The tournament will conclude Sunday with the gold medal game and the third-place game.

FIBA has ranked the four quarterfinal losers, with Lithuania finishing fifth, followed by Poland, Slovenia and Georgia.

Turkey, Germany Advance To EuroBasket Quarterfinals

September 6th, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Rory Maher

After trailing by a slim margin for the majority of the game, Turkey eventually defeated Sweden, 85-79, to advance to the quarterfinals of EuroBasket 2025, writes Semih Tuna of Eurohoops. The game was surprisingly competitive, considering Sweden went just 1-4 during the group phase while Turkey was 5-0, including Wednesday’s victory over Serbia.

Rockets big man Alperen Sengun was once again the standout performer for the Turkish national team, recording game highs of 24 points and 16 rebounds to go along with six assists and two blocks. Heat wing Pelle Larsson finished with 15 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal in Sweden’s loss.

Head coach Ergin Ataman complained both before and after the game about Turkey having to compete at noon local time despite being the top seed from Group A, as Tuna relays in another story for Eurohoops.

“We didn’t wake up for the beginning of the game. After we understood we were in a difficult situation, in the third quarter, and came back in the game with very good defense, but we gave back this confidence to Sweden,” Ataman said. “Finally, we found a way to win. Now, we will think about the quarterfinal, which I think we will play in regular time, if they don’t want to change again and play in the morning at 11 o’clock.”

Turkey will face the winner of tomorrow’s matchup between Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Germany, which won the 2023 World Cup, was the only other undefeated team during the group phase and is the top seed from Group B. The Germans struggled mightily from three-point range on Saturday against Portugal, starting out just 1-of-24 before finishing 10-of-36, and only had a one-point lead entering the final period, according to Tuna.

However, Germany dominated the final frame, 33-7, to emerge with a 27-point victory.

“Obviously, you can improve in every game. I saw the first game with Sweden; they gave a great fight to Turkey, like Portugal gave a great fight to us,” said AS Monaco center Daniel Theis. “It’s the knockout stage. There are no easy games anymore.”

The German national team had five players — including Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner, Tristan Da Silva and Isaac Bonga — finish with double-digit points. Portugal was led by Celtics center Neemias Queta, who finished with game highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds in 27 minutes.

Germany will face the winner of Sunday’s matchup between Italy and Slovenia on Wednesday.

Four Countries Advance To EuroBasket Round Of 16

August 30th, 2025 at 8:16pm CST by Rory Maher

There are still five days left of group phase play at EuroBasket 2025, but four countries — Finland, Germany, Serbia and Turkey — have already advanced to the round of 16, according to FIBA.

As the group phase standings show, both Finland and Germany have 3-0 records in Group B, while Serbia and Turkey are each 3-0 in Group A.

None of the other 20 national teams have been officially eliminated, though Czechia (Group A), Great Britain (Group B) and Montenegro (Group B) aren’t in a great position after starting 0-3 in their respective groups.

A handful of additional teams could advance to the knockout round on Sunday, with Greece (2-0 in Group C), France (2-0 in Group D) and Poland (2-0 in Group D) off to solid starts.

The top four teams from each six-team group qualify for the round of 16, which is the start of a single-elimination tournament.

Germany, which won the 2023 World Cup and finished fourth at the 2024 Olympics, defeated Lithuania on Saturday. The Germans had a balanced attack, spearheaded by Dennis Schröder (26 points, six assists, four steals), Franz Wagner (24 points, seven rebounds, four assists) and Daniel Theis (23 points, six rebounds), notes Eurohoops.

Unfortunately, German captain Schröder was subjected to racial abuse while walking to the locker room at halftime, per The Associated Press.

“Making monkey noises, that’s something I don’t respect,” Schröder told reporters in German after the game. “No matter what status, insults, that’s all fine. But racism simply doesn’t belong in this sport. That’s something that’s not OK.”

FIBA announced in a statement that one spectator has been banned from attending the rest of the tournament after being identified by video. The group also said it would meet with the Lithuanian delegation to discuss the incident and try to prevent it from occurring again in the future.

“FIBA unequivocally condemns hate speech, discriminatory conduct, and racist language in any form. Creating an inclusive, respectful, and safe environment for players, teams, and fans remains a fundamental priority of our sport. FIBA has provided the relevant footage and information to local law enforcement authorities, who are continuing to investigate the matter.”

28 Current NBA Players Competing In FIBA EuroBasket 2025

August 27th, 2025 at 7:07am CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of the FIBA World Cup in 2023 and the Paris Olympics in 2024, the 2025 NBA offseason doesn’t feature a major international tournament in which the United States’ top stars are competing.

However, several of the league’s biggest names – including three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, and five-time All-NBA first-teamer Luka Doncic – are taking part in FIBA EuroBasket 2025, which tipped off on Wednesday.

The tournament, also known as the European Basketball Championship, takes place every four years and features 24 European countries vying for a gold medal. The 24 teams who qualified for EuroBasket are split up into four groups and will face the other teams in their group across five games from August 27 to September 4.

At the end of group play, the top four teams from each group will advance to the knockout round, which is a single-elimination tournament featuring the remaining 16 countries.

By our count, 28 active NBA players are taking part in EuroBasket 2025, along with 30 former NBA players and several more who were selected in an NBA draft but have yet to play in the league.

Here’s the full list of current and former NBA players set to compete in EuroBasket, sorted by group and country:

Group A

Czechia (Czech Republic)

Current NBA players: Vit Krejci (Hawks)
Former NBA players: None

Estonia

Current NBA players: None
Former NBA players: Henri Drell

Latvia

Current NBA players: Kristaps Porzingis (Hawks)
Former NBA players: Davis Bertans, Dairis Bertans

Portugal

Current NBA players: Neemias Queta (Celtics)
Former NBA players: None

Serbia

Current NBA players: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Bogdan Bogdanovic (Clippers), Nikola Jovic (Heat), Tristan Vukcevic (Wizards)
Former NBA players: Vasilije Micic, Marko Guduric, Filip Petrusev

Serbia’s roster also includes Nikola Milutinov and Vanja Marinkovic, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.

Turkey

Current NBA players: Alperen Sengun (Rockets), Adem Bona (Sixers)
Former NBA players: Cedi Osman, Furkan Korkmaz, Shane Larkin, Omer Yurtseven, Onuralp Bitim

Group B

Finland

Current NBA players: Lauri Markkanen (Jazz)
Former NBA players: None

Germany

Current NBA players: Franz Wagner (Magic), Dennis Schröder (Kings), Tristan Da Silva (Magic)
Former NBA players: Daniel Theis, Isaac Bonga

Great Britain

Current NBA players: None
Former NBA players: Tarik Phillip

Lithuania

Current NBA players: Jonas Valanciunas (Nuggets)
Former NBA players: Deividas Sirvydis

Lithuania’s roster also includes Rokas Jokubaitis, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league, and Azuolas Tubelis, who was on a two-way contract with the Sixers during the 2023 offseason but was waived before the season began.

Montenegro

Current NBA players: Nikola Vucevic (Bulls)
Former NBA players: Marko Simonovic

Sweden

Current NBA players: Pelle Larsson (Heat)
Former NBA players: None

Group C

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Current NBA players: Jusuf Nurkic (Jazz)
Former NBA players: None

Cyprus

Current NBA players: None
Former NBA players: None

Georgia

Current NBA players: Goga Bitadze (Magic), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Raptors)
Former NBA players: Tornike Shengelia

Greece

Current NBA players: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
Former NBA players: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Tyler Dorsey, Kostas Papanikolaou, Kostas Antetokounmpo

Italy

Current NBA players: Simone Fontecchio (Heat)
Former NBA players: Danilo Gallinari, Nicolo Melli

Italy’s roster also includes Matteo Spagnolo, Gabriele Procida, and Saliou Niang, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.

Spain

Current NBA players: Santi Aldama (Grizzlies)
Former NBA players: Willy Hernangomez, Juancho Hernangomez

Group D

Belgium

Current NBA players: None
Former NBA players: None

France

Current NBA players: Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Guerschon Yabusele (Knicks), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Bilal Coulibaly (Wizards)
Former NBA players: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Theo Maledon, Elie Okobo, Jaylen Hoard

France’s roster also includes Isaia Cordinier, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.

Iceland

Current NBA players: None
Former NBA players: None

Israel

Current NBA players: Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
Former NBA players: None

Israel’s roster also includes Yam Madar, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.

Poland

Current NBA players: None
Former NBA players: Jordan Loyd

Slovenia

Current NBA players: Luka Doncic (Lakers)
Former NBA players: None

Franz Wagner, Dennis Schröder Lead Germany’s EuroBasket Roster

August 23rd, 2025 at 8:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

Germany has finalized its 12-man roster for EuroBasket, highlighted by Magic star Franz Wagner and new Kings guard Dennis Schröder, writes Pijus Sapetka of BasketNews.

The Germans also feature Wagner’s Orlando teammate, Tristan Da Silva, and a couple of former NBA big men in Daniel Theis and Isaac Bonga. Making up the rest of the roster are Oscar Da Silva, Justus Hollatz, Leon Kratzer, Maodo Lo, Andreas Obst, Johannes Thiemann and Johannes Voigtmann.

Germany has several significant absences due to injuries. Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein will miss the tournament because of an Achilles tendon issue, while Magic big man Moritz Wagner continues to recover from a torn ACL in his left knee that he suffered in December.

In addition, Real Madrid refused to sign a release for guard David Kramer to participate after he suffered a muscle injury, according to Eurohoops. Kramer averaged 15.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game during the EuroBasket Qualifiers.

“This is a bitter blow for us,” German coach Alex Mumbru said. “David was planned to be an important part of our team. We now have to compensate for his absence as best we can. Of course, I’m also very sorry for him personally; David would have deserved to be there.”

The Germans have become one of international basketball’s top teams in recent years, winning a gold medal in the 2023 World Cup. Four years ago, they finished third in EuroBasket, which they hosted, and they came in fourth at the 2024 Olympics.

Schröder has been a member of the senior national team since 2014 and was named to the All-Star Five Team at last year’s Olympics. Wagner was a second-team all-tournament choice at both the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics.

Germany has been placed in Group B for EuroBasket, along with Lithuania, Great Britain, Sweden, Montenegro and Finland. Group play will start Wednesday, and all games will be held in Tampere, Finland.

Domantas Sabonis Talks Kings’ Offseason

August 10th, 2025 at 9:03pm CST by Eli Cohen

Domantas Sabonis has experienced highs and lows during his tenure as a member of the Kings, and he says he’s excited about what the coming year could look like in the wake of some of the personnel additions made by general manager Scott Perry.

“I think Scott’s done a great job so far, and he’s trying to turn things around just like everyone else,” Sabonis said during his basketball camp in Roseville, as relayed by ABC 10’s Matt George (Twitter link).

He also hinted that there might be more to come.

“A lot has changed; a lot’s probably still gonna change, so we’re just gonna wait and see ’til training camp,” he said.

One area that Sabonis is encouraged by is the addition of Dennis Schröder. The Kings were missing a point guard after they traded De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs in a deal that sent Zach LaVine and Sidy Cissoko to Sacramento.

“Right now, we have a starting caliber point guard. Dennis is very talented,” Sabonis said.

Sabonis was also encouraged by the play of the young Kings at Summer League, and mentioned that he hosted Isaac Jones and rookie Maxime Raynaud in Napa Valley, working out and preparing for the season.

Sabonis has a strong relationship with Doug Christie, who went from interim head coach to head coach this summer, and is looking forward to their partnership continuing this season.

“He was in there with me those three summers, every day in the gym,” Sabonis said, with a smile on his face. “I’ve seen how hard he works, so for him to have this opportunity, the fans love him, he’s one of us here. So I think it’s going to be very exciting.”

When asked about the trade that sent fellow Lithuanian big man Jonas Valanciunas to Denver, Sabonis said, “We know where all these decisions come from. It’s sad to see a friend leave, but at the same time, you understand. I’m happy for him; he’s with the Nuggets now, the top team in the West, and all he wants to do is win. I know he’s happy.”

The star center believes that having a training camp will allow Christie to create a scheme that maximizes the interchange of skills between Sabonis, LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan.

Sabonis said that after his camp, his plan is to fly down to Los Angeles to work out with some Kings players, hinting that DeRozan would be one of the players present.