Brooklyn Nets point guard Dennis Schroder is trading in the hardwood for the pitch during his downtime this NBA offseason. The 30-year-old made his professional soccer debut on Friday, playing for FC Germania Bleckenstedt, a sixth-tier club in Germany.
Schroder, a native of Braunschweig, Germany, grew up playing soccer before taking up basketball. He played 62 minutes Friday during a 5-1 loss to SC Gottingen 05.
The 10-year NBA veteran posted on Instagram following his pro soccer debut:
“Not the result I wanted for my 1st ever official football game, but thanks to my brother-in-law for making it happen,” he said.
View this post on Instagram
He and Germania Bleckenstedt will return to action to face VfL Wahrenholz on June 6.
An eventful year for Dennis Schroder
Schroder has had quite the last year. He led Germany to their first-ever FIBA World Cup gold medal last summer, winning MVP of the tournament while averaging 19.1 points and 6.1 assists on 44/33/84 shooting splits.
The Toronto Raptors then traded him to Brooklyn in a cost-cutting move at the NBA trade deadline. He was productive after joining the Nets, averaging 14.6 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds on 42/41/80 shooting splits over 29 appearances.
Schroder will enter the final year of his contract at $13.0 million next season. With Ben Simmons unable to stay on the court for each of the last three seasons, Schroder should play a featured role as Brooklyn's lead floor general in 2024-25. Beyond that, it's unclear whether the veteran will factor into the Nets' future plans.
However, he said late last season that he would like to stay in Brooklyn long-term.
“I always want to be stationed somewhere where people show me appreciation,” he told the New York Post's Brian Lewis. “And I felt that from the first day. People reached out to my family, to my wife, to my mom. That shows, Ok, they really [want me]… I know the business side of it as well. So, I’m not taking anything emotional or personal. I know how it is.
“But at the end of the day, of course I want to stay here. I met [Nets owner] Joe [Tsai], his wife, his kid. And of course I want to build something special here. Everything they say, I’m preaching the same thing. And I’m the same player that they’re looking for, and it would be great to stay, for sure.”
Schroder will have his hands full this summer if he continues with his soccer career. He will also lead Germany in the Olympics after they earned an automatic bid with their FIBA gold medal.
Follow Us
Subscribe
