Schröder eyes EuroBasket
February 9, 2016
Star Atlanta Hawks point guard Dennis Schröder says he is ready to help the German national team qualify for EuroBasket 2017.
"I must ensure that I stay healthy. But if my body feels good, I'll be ready," Schröder told the DPA news agency. That is especially important after Dirk Nowitzki's retirement from the national side. Schröder will need to make a massive impact on the look of the German team, but he says that he is ready for the new responsibility.
"Last year at EuroBasket Dirk [Nowitzki] said that I am the leader of the German team. His resignation puts a little more pressure on me, but we have a good group and many young players with a lot of potential," said Schröder.
After missing out on this year's Olympics, Germany's road to EuroBasket qualifying starts on August 31. They are in the same group as Netherlands, Austria and Denmark. Whoever wins the group automatically qualifies for the tournament and the top four second-best group finishers will also make it to the 2017 tournament.