Dennis Schröder

Schröder started playing professional basketball in 2010 for SG Braunschweig, farm team of Phantoms Braunschweig. In his first season with SUM Baskets Braunschweig, he averaged 7.8 points, 2.1 assists and 1.6 rebounds per game in a 2nd-tier German League. In the 2011–12 season he made a breakthrough, averaging 17.8 points and 6.7 assists over 23 regular season games. His team went in the playoffs where he averaged 18.8 points and 5.1 assists over 4 games. In the same season, he also played 30 games for Phantoms Braunschweig of the German League, averaging 2.3 points, 0.7 assists and 0.8 rebounds in about 8 minutes per game.[2]

In the 2012–13 season he played 32 games for Phantoms Braunschweig, averaging 12 points, 3.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 25 minutes per game.[3] For the season, he was named the League's Most Improved Player as well as Best Young German Player.[4]

In 2013, Schröder was announced to play at the 2013 Nike Hoop Summit for the World Select Team. Before officially playing at the Nike Hoop Summit, Schröder decided to declare for the 2013 NBA draft.[5] On April 20, 2013, Schröder led his team to a 112–98 win. He finished with 18 points, 6 assists and 2 rebounds in 29 minutes.[6]

On June 27, 2013, Schröder was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 17th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft. On July 11, 2013, he signed with the Hawks.[7] He was compared to Rajon Rondo for his playing style and large hands.[8] He entered the season as the Hawks' second point guard, just behind Jeff Teague in the rotation. Schröder was guilty of frequent turnovers early in the season, and as a result, his minutes were cut accordingly,[8] with Shelvin Mack taking over the second-string point guard.[9] He spent time in the NBA Development League in December, with the Bakersfield Jam,[10][11] and finished his rookie season playing in just 49 games for the Hawks, with 3.7 points in 13.1 minutes per game.[12]

On December 22, 2014, Schröder scored a career-high 22 points in a 105–102 win over the Dallas Mavericks.[13] Schröder participated in the Rising Stars Challenge on February 13, 2015, recording 13 points, a game-high nine assists and three steals in Team World's 121–112 win over Team USA.[14][15] His performance was lauded by ESPN analysts as looking like a "young Tony Parker".[16] On March 15, 2015, he had 24 points and 10 assists in a 91–86 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.[17] Schröder had a "breakout year" in 2014–15,[18] increasing his averages to 10.0 points and 4.1 assists in 19.7 minutes per game, appearing in 77 regular season games with 10 starts.[19]

Schröder continued to play behind All-Star Teague in 2015–16, making just six starts in 80 games. He averaged 11.0 points and 4.4 assists in 20.3 minutes per game,[20] shooting 42% from the field and 32% from 3-point range, leading to defenders often daring him to shoot the three.[18] On February 20, 2016, he recorded 25 points and 10 assists in a 117–109 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.[21] In Game 1 of the Hawks' second round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Schröder scored a playoff career-high 27 points in a 104–93 loss.[22]

On October 26, 2016, Schröder signed a four-year, $70 million contract extension with the Hawks.[23][24] He took the reins as the Hawks' lead guard in 2016–17 following Teague's trade to the Indiana Pacers.[25] On November 8, 2016, Schröder scored a then career-high 28 points in a 110–106 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.[26] On November 30, 2016, he scored 14 of his career-high 31 points in the fourth quarter of the Hawks' 109–107 loss to the Phoenix Suns.[27] On December 9, 2016, he set a new career high with 33 points in a 114–110 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.[28] In Game 5 of the Hawks' first round playoff series against the Washington Wizards, Schröder led the Hawks with 29 points, making a career high-tying five 3s, and 11 assists in a 103–99 loss.[29]

On December 23, 2017, Schröder matched his career high with 33 points, including 27 in the second half, to help the Hawks beat the Dallas Mavericks 112–107.[30] On January 12, 2018, he scored a career-high 34 points in a 110–105 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.[31] On March 20, 2018, he set a new career high with 41 points in a 99–94 win over the Utah Jazz.[32]

On July 25, 2018, Schröder was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team deal involving the Hawks and the Philadelphia 76ers.[33] In his first season in Oklahoma, he was positioned as the team's sixth man, coming off the bench behind superstar point guard Russell Westbrook. In his debut for the Thunder in their season opener on October 16, Schröder recorded 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals in a 108–100 loss to the Golden State Warriors.[34] On November 7, he scored a then season-high 28 points in a 95–86 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.[35] On November 21, he scored a season-high 32 points off the bench in a 123–95 win over the Warriors.[36][37] On February 1, 2019, he scored 24 of his 28 points in the second quarter of the Thunder's 118–102 win over the Miami Heat.[38] On March 3, he recorded 17 points and a career-high 11 rebounds in a 99–95 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.[39] His second season with the team saw him in the role of the sixth man yet again, this time behind new superstar point guard Chris Paul.