Basketball world champion Dennis Schröder was welcomed by hundreds of fans in his hometown of Braunschweig on Friday and signed his name in the city’s Golden Book. For the captain of the national team, it means long-awaited recognition.
Dennis Schröder shows what he has, it has always been that way. This Friday afternoon it is a golden cup and a golden medal with which the national basketball player enters the Dornse, the large hall, of Braunschweig’s old town town hall. His homeland is preparing the big stage for him, hundreds of fans are waiting outside on the old town market for Schröder, the hero.
“This means the world to me,” says the 30-year-old, who has been fighting for victories since he was a teenager, but above all for recognition. “Of course it makes me happy that Braunschweig, my hometown, supports me so much and shows so much love.”
From a Braunschweig hair salon to the USA
After all, it all started here: Schröder’s talent was discovered in Prinz-Albrecht-Park in the east of the city, and he shone in Braunschweig’s youth ranks with his friend Daniel Theis, who became basketball world champions with him on Sunday. Even as a teenager, Schröder often caused offense, argued with coaches and had to hear that he would never make it into the national team.
When Schröder was 16 years old, his father Axel died of a heart attack. Dennis had promised him that he would make it to the NBA and make the family proud and wealthy. Schröder, who as a teenager worked as a temporary worker in his Gambian mother Fatou’s hairdressing salon in Braunschweig, kept his promise and went to the USA to join the Atlanta Hawks in 2013. “I worked very hard to be able to enjoy a moment like this, with my family, with the city. Thank you for all of you being here and supporting this,” said Schröder on Friday in the town hall, in the presence of his mother family and its discoverer Liviu Calin.
Dennis Schröder (2nd from left) with his wife Ellen Ziolo (l.), his mother Fatou, his big brother Che (r.) and Thorsten Kornblum, mayor of the city of Braunschweig.
Gold was always his color
In Germany, the headstrong, self-confident Schröder was often criticized, which had a lot to do with comparisons with his predecessor as star of the national basketball team, the modest Dirk Nowitzki. Schröder did everything he could to stand out and, as a young professional, made a golden streak in his hair his trademark. Bought a gold Audi, which became a symbol of his extravagance. Gold represented a pretentious, arrogant Schröder. That’s over now.
It never did him justice, and Schröder felt he was treated unfairly. The 79-time international did everything he could every summer to play for his country’s team; unlike many teammates and stars around the world, he took every World and European Championship seriously. But what remained in the public eye was the embarrassing elimination in the 2019 World Cup preliminary round against the Dominican Republic.
“I don’t want to hear anything about my name anymore”
In the USA, no one was bothered by Schröder’s lifestyle. In the NBA he earned a reputation as a good defender and valuable bench player and was respected by the best in the world. LeBron James counts Schröder as a friend. There was a lack of recognition in Germany. Here the development player received malice for the $84 million contract that he is said to have rejected – Schröder denied that the Los Angeles Lakers’ offer ever existed.
This all erupted in Schröder, who is very resentful, at the moment of the greatest success of his career. “I don’t want to hear anything more about my name,” said Schröder immediately after the World Cup title against Serbia on Sunday. It follows the American credo “Put some respect on my name”. “For everyone who has supported me over the years: I kiss their hearts, of course. But: everyone else, they can still stay away.”
Moritz Wagner: “Inspiring person”
“Dennis is a very inspiring person,” says teammate Moritz Wagner. “People talk about him all the time. But he always finds a way to get back up. He’s an absolute warrior. An inspiring basketball player, an inspiring person. He led us to the World Cup title here.” Schröder was rightly named the most valuable player of the World Cup and delivered the decisive baskets against the USA and Serbia in the final minutes.
Friday is the day on which Schröder is revered. Finally. “Braunschweig is so proud of this great son,” says Mayor Thorsten Kornblum, who puts Schröder on a par with the Eintracht football championship team in 1967. “You are now not only one of the most important sons of this city, but also a role model for many young people. You have never forgotten your roots.”
Schröder returns to Braunschweig every summer and is, among other things, the main shareholder of the Basketball Lions from the BBL. Schröder wants to be in the hall for the first matchday on September 29th against Oldenburg.
Schröder thanks his family
In his short speech in Dornse, Schröder talks about his youth and tournaments with the Lower Saxony selection in Oldenburg or Osnabrück. “I would like to thank my family, my mom, my brother. They made everything possible for me: to be able to stand here, to play basketball. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” When he signs his name in the Golden Book, he writes: “Hard work always pays off.”
Dennis Schröder signs his name in the Golden Book of the city of Braunschweig.
Schröder receives several serenades; it is not only his special day as world champion, but also his 30th birthday. “I complained a little about it, but my wife said, ‘In the end, you’ve really achieved a lot in life.'”
Even Nowitzki was denied a title with the German national basketball team. World champion Dennis Schröder entered the Golden Book of his hometown Braunschweig on Friday. But above all, he gilded his career – literally.
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Hello Lower Saxony | Sep 15, 2023 | 19:30 o’clock
