Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schröder Bio

Dennis Malik Schröder is a German professional basketball player who currently plays for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association. Born in Braunschweig, Germany on September 15, 1993, Schröder was selected 17th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2013 NBA Draft and has since developed into one of Germany’s most accomplished basketball players. He has played for ten NBA franchises across his career, including the Los Angeles Lakers twice. Schröder is the sole owner of Basketball Löwen Braunschweig of the Basketball Bundesliga and became the majority shareholder of his hometown club in 2018. He led the German national team to their first EuroBasket championship in 32 years in 2025, earning tournament MVP honors, and previously guided Germany to their first FIBA World Cup title in 2023.

Early Life and Background

Dennis Malik Schröder was born in Braunschweig, Germany, to a German father and a Gambian mother. He has a brother named Talha and a younger sister named Farida. During his childhood, Schröder and his brother were heavily involved in skateboarding until Dennis discovered basketball at age 11. After his father passed away in 2009, Schröder dedicated himself fully to basketball. He chose to wear jersey number 17 throughout his professional career because it was his father’s favorite number. His agent during his early professional years was former German national player Ademola Okulaja.

Path to Professional Basketball

Schröder began his professional basketball career in 2010 with SG Braunschweig, the farm team of Phantoms Braunschweig, playing in the second-tier German ProA league. In his rookie season, he averaged 7.8 points, 2.1 assists, and 1.6 rebounds per game. The following season proved to be his breakthrough year, as he averaged 17.8 points and 6.7 assists over 23 regular-season games, followed by 18.8 points and 5.1 assists during the playoffs. He also appeared in 30 games for Phantoms Braunschweig in the German Bundesliga that same year.

In the 2012–13 season, Schröder played 32 games for Phantoms Braunschweig, averaging 12 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.5 rebounds. His performance earned him the Bundesliga Most Improved Player and Best Young German Player awards. In 2013, he participated in the Nike Hoop Summit for the World Select Team before declaring for the NBA Draft, where he scored 18 points with six assists in 29 minutes. His success in Germany had positioned him as one of the top international prospects in his draft class.

Dennis Schröder Career

Atlanta Hawks (2013–2018)

On June 27, 2013, the Atlanta Hawks selected Schröder with the 17th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, and he signed with the team on July 11. His rookie season saw limited minutes due to turnovers, with Shelvin Mack serving as the backup point guard. He also spent time with the Bakersfield Jam in the NBA Development League. Schröder finished his rookie year playing 49 games with averages of 3.7 points in 13.1 minutes per game.

The 2014–15 season marked his breakthrough year. On December 22, 2014, he scored a career-high 22 points in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. He participated in the Rising Stars Challenge, recording 13 points, nine assists, and three steals. His performance earned comparisons to Tony Parker from ESPN analysts. Schröder averaged 10.0 points and 4.1 assists in 19.7 minutes per game, appearing in 77 games with 10 starts. His 2015–16 season saw him average 11.0 points and 4.4 assists in 80 games, including a playoff career-high 27 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Lead Guard Era with Atlanta (2016–2018)

On October 26, 2016, Schröder signed a four-year, $70 million contract extension with the Hawks. With Jeff Teague traded to the Indiana Pacers, Schröder took over as the team’s lead guard for the 2016–17 season. He scored 28 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 8, 2016, and set new career highs of 31 points against the Phoenix Suns and 33 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. In Game 5 of the playoffs against the Washington Wizards, he recorded 29 points and 11 assists. During the 2017–18 season, he matched his career high with 33 points on December 23, 2017, then scored a new career-high 34 points against the Brooklyn Nets on January 12, 2018. On March 20, 2018, he set his career-high with 41 points in a win over the Utah Jazz.

Oklahoma City Thunder (2018–2020)

On July 25, 2018, Schröder was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team deal. Positioned as the team’s sixth man behind Russell Westbrook, he made his debut with 21 points against the Golden State Warriors. He scored 28 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 7, 2018, and recorded a season-high 32 points off the bench against the Warriors on November 21. During the 2019–20 season, he led the league in scoring off the bench with 18.9 points per game while shooting a career-high 46.9% from the field. He finished as the runner-up for NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting behind Montrezl Harrell.

Los Angeles Lakers (2020–2021)

On November 18, 2020, Schröder was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He made his Lakers debut on December 22, 2020, recording 14 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists against the Los Angeles Clippers. He started 61 games during the regular season, averaging 15.4 points and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. His numbers declined during the playoffs, where the Lakers were eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in six games. Following the season, the Lakers acquired Russell Westbrook, signaling a change in direction for the team.

Boston Celtics (2021–2022)

On August 13, 2021, Schröder signed with the Boston Celtics on a one-year, $5.9 million contract. Since his usual number 17 had been retired in honor of John Havlicek, he chose to wear number 71 with Boston. He became only the fourth player in NBA history to wear the number 71. On February 10, 2022, he was traded to the Houston Rockets along with Enes Freedom and Bruno Fernando in exchange for Daniel Theis. A shoulder injury later that March ended his season prematurely.

Return to Los Angeles Lakers (2022–2023)

On September 16, 2022, Schröder returned to the Los Angeles Lakers on a one-year, $2.64 million contract, choosing the Lakers over Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns because of what he described as unfinished business. He scored a season-high 32 points against the Miami Heat on January 4, 2023, including 14 points in the fourth quarter. On January 20, 2023, he recorded 19 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists with a game-winning layup against the Memphis Grizzlies. During the play-in game on April 11, 2023, he scored 21 points including a tie-breaking three-pointer and the winning free throws in overtime, clinching the seventh seed in the Western Conference.

Toronto Raptors (2023–2024)

On June 30, 2023, Schröder signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the Toronto Raptors. He made his Raptors debut on October 25, 2023, with 22 points and seven assists in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. On December 13, 2023, he achieved a milestone by scoring his 10,000th career point during a win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors (2024–2025)

On February 8, 2024, Schröder was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie. He made his Nets debut two days later with 15 points and 12 assists against the San Antonio Spurs. On December 15, 2024, he was traded to the Golden State Warriors. He played for Detroit Pistons after being acquired on February 6, 2025, as part of a five-team trade involving the Warriors and Jimmy Butler. During the first round of the playoffs, Schröder recorded 20 points in a Game 2 win against the New York Knicks.

Sacramento Kings (2025–Present)

On July 7, 2025, Schröder was traded to the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade deal with the Detroit Pistons, signing a three-year, $44.4 million contract. This move continued his journeyman trajectory as he joined his tenth team in twelve NBA seasons. Schröder made 40 appearances including 14 starts during the 2025–26 season, averaging 12.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.

Dennis Schröder Career Highlights

Throughout his career, Dennis Schröder has accumulated impressive achievements both in the NBA and internationally. His career spans over a decade of professional basketball, during which he has established himself as a consistent scoring threat and playmaker. His international accomplishments with the German national team represent the pinnacle of his career.

International Achievements

Schröder led the German national team to their first EuroBasket championship since 1993 when Germany defeated Turkey 88–83 in the 2025 final. He recorded 16 points and 12 assists in the championship game and was named FIBA EuroBasket MVP, becoming the third German player to win the award after Chris Welp in 1993 and Dirk Nowitzki in 2005. He averaged 20.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists throughout the tournament. In 2023, he guided Germany to their first FIBA World Cup title, earning FIBA World Cup MVP and All-Tournament Team honors while averaging 17.9 points and 6.7 assists. He also led Germany to a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2022, their first major medal in 17 years, and was named to the EuroBasket All-Tournament Team.

NBA Career Statistics

Throughout his NBA career spanning more than a decade, Schröder has established himself as a reliable point guard capable of scoring and distributing the basketball. He was selected 17th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks and has since played for ten different franchises. He led the NBA in scoring off the bench during the 2019–20 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging 18.9 points per game. His career includes multiple 30-point games and a career-high of 41 points set while with the Atlanta Hawks.

Dennis Schröder Family

Family Background

Dennis Malik Schröder was born in Braunschweig, Germany, to a German father and a Gambian mother. He has a brother named Talha and a younger sister named Farida. Schröder has maintained a strong connection to his hometown throughout his career, becoming the majority shareholder of his hometown club in 2018. He later became the sole owner of Basketball Löwen Braunschweig, the club he played for early in his professional career before entering the NBA.

Personal Life

Schröder is married and has three children. He is a devout Muslim who prays before games and before going to sleep. He is also a teetotaler who has never consumed alcohol. Earlier in his career, Schröder became known for his distinctive bleached blonde hair, which he adopted upon leaving Germany for the United States. His mother had suggested the look to help people recognize him in public. After the Brooklyn Nets were eliminated from the 2024 playoffs, he joined FC Germania Bleckenstedt, a German soccer team in the Landesliga Braunschweig.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025–26 NBA season marked another chapter in Dennis Schröder’s journeyman career, as he joined his tenth NBA franchise in twelve seasons when he was traded to the Sacramento Kings in July 2025. The three-year, $44.4 million contract reflected the Kings’ confidence in his ability to contribute as an experienced point guard. Schröder made an immediate impact with Sacramento, appearing in 40 games including 14 starts while averaging 12.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. His scoring and playmaking abilities provided valuable depth at the point guard position for a Kings team competing for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Ahead of the 2025–26 season, Schröder achieved his greatest international success by leading Germany to the EuroBasket 2025 championship. The victory marked Germany’s first European title since 1993, and Schröder’s performance throughout the tournament cemented his legacy as one of Germany’s greatest basketball players. His 16-point, 12-assist performance in the final earned him the EuroBasket MVP award. Combined with his 2023 FIBA World Cup MVP honor, Schröder had established himself as the premier international player of his generation. The momentum from leading his national team to consecutive major tournament victories positioned him well for continued success with Sacramento heading into the 2026 calendar year.