Toronto Raptors guard Dennis Schroder is no stranger to FIBA basketball. He’s been a member of the German national team since he was played for the under-18 team back in 2012.
Most recently, he helped lead Germany to an upset of Team USA at the FIBA World Cup and a gold medal finish.
Schroder carried that momentum into the NBA regular season with a strong performance on opening night in a 97-94 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Following the game, Schroder gave quite a bold claim regarding the style of play in the NBA and in FIBA.
In FIBA, you can really play with contact on the defensive end,” Schroder said. “The NBA got a little softer on the defensive end. All those touchy fouls, that’s what I had to adjust to a little bit. . .On the defensive end you can stay in the paint as long as you want, you don’t have that much space. But in the NBA it gives you so much separation and space.
I just got to be aggressive every single time in transition, try to see the opening and try to set up my teammates as well and just play my game.”
The NBA vs. FIBA comparisons reached a fervor in the offseason with former NBA players like Jabari Parker making similar claims about the NBA. It certainly doesn’t help that Team USA didn’t even medal at the FIBA World Cup.
As far as Dennis Schroder’s play, if opening night is any indication, he’s going to be a major piece for the Raptors this year. He finished with 22 points, three rebounds and seven assists.