Split (AP) – After the failure of NBA star Dennis Schröder, Alba Berlin’s Maodo Lo sees the entire team challenged at the Olympic qualifying tournament.
“For me personally, of course, it means more responsibility, but we have to deal with it as a collective,” said Lo in an online press conference in the team quarters of the German basketball players in Split. “I don’t see it that way that I have to carry it alone,” said the point guard of the German champions.
The German Basketball Association announced on Friday that it was completely surprising that Schröder would not be available this summer because the insurance issue could not be clarified. The point guard, who was last under contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, is currently without a club, but is hoping for a high-value contract for the coming years. That and the corona situation ensured that the costs for Schröder’s insurance could not be financed, the association said.
National coach Henrik Rödl now has to do without his best player, but does not believe that the team is too depressed. «I think we handled that very well. Dennis gathered the boys in Heidelberg and explained the situation to them. It did well, I don’t have the impression that the boys are really shocked, ”said Rödl.
Without Schröder, Germany will only qualify as an outsider. The DBB selection meets Mexico in the preliminary round on Tuesday and Russia two days later. Only the winner of the tournament secures the ticket for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. «It would be an incredible success for us. That is the reason why we all came to the national team after this long season, »said Lo. The last time Germany took part in the Olympics was in Beijing in 2008 with superstar Dirk Nowitzki.
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