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Basketball – DBB coach Herbert: Schröder wants to “play in the June window”

Cologne (SID) – National basketball coach Gordon Herbert can rely on NBA professional Dennis Schröder in the two upcoming World Cup qualifiers. “I spoke to him two or three days ago. He wants to play in the June window,” said the Canadian on Friday in Cologne at a press conference for the European Championship at home (September 1 to 18) about the key player from Braunschweig.

At the end of the first of two group phases on the way to the 2023 World Cup, the selection of the German Basketball Association (DBB) will meet hosts Estonia on June 30 and Poland on July 3 in front of their home crowd. The DBB team has only lost one of four games so far and has the best prospects of progressing.

Schröder’s contract with the Houston Rockets is up and his future in the NBA is open. Nevertheless, the 28-year-old wants to appear. Herbert (63) once again underlined the importance of the playmaker, who had already signaled to him in autumn that he wanted to play “100 percent” at the EuroBasket with the venues Cologne (preliminary round) and Berlin (final round).

“We need a team first, but we also need individual class,” said Herbert. And Point Guard Schröder can make the difference. In the group phase, tough challenges await in France, European champions Slovenia and Lithuania. “The goal is the podium, a medal,” Herbert clarified again: “We have great potential.”

Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic), who was convincing across the board in his first NBA season, could “help us a lot. We have great expectations of him and he has great expectations of himself.” The Berliner is one of the 45 players with whom the national coach spoke to plan his squad.

The DBB President was also self-confident with a view to the EM. “We have an excellent team. If we come to Berlin, anything is possible,” said Ingo Weiss. The German team can “beat any opponent in Europe. The national coach wants to win a medal. I have nothing against that.” The anticipation of the EM is great. “Carnival in Cologne doesn’t start on November 11th, but on September 1st,” says Weiss.

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