Dennis Schroder entered the NBA as the No. 17 pick in the 2013 Draft, being deemed ‘the German Rondo.’
He failed to live up to that hype, and it eventually became evident that he was better suited to come off the bench and lead the second unit than to be a starter.
That shift helped him propel his career and excel in a Sixth Man role, becoming a fan favorite wherever he’s gone since leaving the Atlanta Hawks.
That’s why several fans took to Twitter to wish him a happy 30th birthday in a post shared by the NBA.
Happy birtday world champ
— Basketballismyreligion (@basketballimr) September 15, 2023
@DS17_FG Have an awesome 30th Birthday!🩷
— ÉMÉNÎKÉ NWANKWÓ (@EmenikeN70) September 15, 2023
alles gute goat! 🥳🇩🇪
— Meazzy2K (@meazzy2k) September 15, 2023
Happy birthday Dennis.
U a baller🔥— Xdotcom 🇳🇬 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 🇩🇪 (@XDOTCOM007) September 15, 2023
Happy Birthday team USA owner
— r?! (@toofcknggood) September 15, 2023
Schroder infamously ‘fumbled the bag’ by turning down a very lucrative contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers a couple of years ago.
He wound up signing at a much lesser rate with the Boston Celtics, but he never had his head down, and he kept on putting in the work.
Now, he’s set to make $25 million with the Toronto Raptors, where he’s likely to regain a starting spot, as Masai Ujiri’s team will no longer have Fred VanVleet running the point.
Schroder is coming off playing the best basketball of his career, leading Germany to a shocking gold medal in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
He played his heart out on both ends of the floor and proved that he can still be a very impactful scorer when he’s at his best.
Raptors fans will hope he keeps that momentum going next season, as they’re going to need as much help as they can get to go back to the playoffs.
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