New Toronto Raptors point guard Dennis Schroder is the playing for his country Germany at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Schroder is the only player representing the Raptors at the tournament and he’s gotten off to a great start.
Schroder had 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks as he helped Germany defeat Japan 81-63 in their tournament opener.
He made some tough shots and showed off his nice passing ability. He also got after it on defence with his 2 blocked shots.
Schroder and Germany will take on Australia on Sunday.
These FIBA Basketball World Cup games will be a good tune up for Schroder as he gets ready for the 2023-24 season.
What Dennis Schroder will bring to the Raptors
After losing All-Star guard Fred VanVleet in free agency to the Houston Rockets, the Raptors wasted no time finding his replacement.
The Raptors signed Dennis Schroder to a two-year, $26 million deal, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Schroder is a step down from VanVleet but he can still bring the Raptors a lot of value at a much cheaper price.
Schroder spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers and played in 66 games. He averaged 12.6 points and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 41.5% from the floor and 32.9% from three-point range.
He will immediately make an impact for the Raptors whether he starts or is the team’s sixth man.
Schroder is one of the NBA’s quickest guards. He uses that speed to blow by defenders and puts pressure on teams in the paint.
He shows that here lobbing it up to Daniel Theis for the alley-oop against Japan:
Dennis Schroder lobs it up to Daniel Theis for the alley-oop 🔥
(via @FIBAWC)pic.twitter.com/0pxPz2GIB5
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 25, 2023
Schroder is listed at only 6-foot-1, but his 6-foot-7 wingspan helps him get his shot off over lengthy defenders.
He has the speed to fight around screens and the length to give opposing guards trouble on the defensive end.
Schroder will be a key piece for the Raptors this season.
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