Dennis Schroder Reflects On Dirk Nowitzki’s Legacy And Why He Can’t Match It In Germany: 'I Am Dark-Skinned'

Germany captain Dennis Schroder has never shied away from speaking his mind, and ahead of EuroBasket 2025, he opened up about why he feels he will never be embraced in his homeland the way Dirk Nowitzki was.

In an interview with Stern, Schroder reflected on watching Nowitzki carry Germany’s flag during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, a moment that inspired him as a teenager. 

"I was already sitting in front of the TV at the age of 14 when Dirk Nowitzki carried the flag at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. Back then, I thought: How cool, there can't be a greater appreciation."

"Today, however, I know: It's a great honor, but it will never be the same for me as it was for Dirk. I won't receive the same love in this country because I'm dark-skinned."

It was an honest admission from the 31-year-old point guard, who has represented Germany since 2014 and carried them to historic heights.

Schroder has been the face of the national team for more than a decade, starring at the U-18 and U-20 levels before taking over the senior squad.

He helped Germany claim bronze at EuroBasket 2022, then delivered the crowning achievement of his career a year later, leading his nation to the 2023 FIBA World Cup title. Germany defeated Team USA in the semifinals and Serbia in the final, with Schroder earning World Cup MVP honors.

At the 2024 Olympics, he was chosen as Germany’s flag bearer. He again carried the team to the semifinals, falling to France in a narrow battle before losing to Serbia in the bronze medal game. 

Even without an Olympic medal, Schroder has already established himself as one of the greatest players in German basketball history. As he prepares for EuroBasket 2025, he remains determined to add more to that legacy.

Still, Schroder recognizes that comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki are inevitable and nearly impossible to live up to. Dirk’s career with the German national team stretched from 1997 to 2016, nearly 20 years of service. 

He delivered Germany’s first modern-era medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championship, where he was named tournament MVP, and carried an underdog German squad to the EuroBasket 2005 final, again winning MVP honors. 

He also led Germany back to the Olympics in 2008 after a 16-year absence.

On top of his national team contributions, Nowitzki is regarded as one of the greatest power forwards of all time, a top-20 NBA player in many rankings, and one of the most iconic international stars in league history. 

His 2011 championship run with the Dallas Mavericks, where he led an underdog team past LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, remains one of the most celebrated title wins in NBA history.

Germany’s complicated racial history adds weight to Schroder’s words, and his point about skin color resonates. 

But there is also a basketball fact: Nowitzki was a generational superstar who redefined what was possible for European players. Schroder, while great in his own right, does not have the same resume or global stature.

In the end, Schroder’s legacy will be different from Nowitzki’s. He may never be loved in quite the same way, but as Germany’s leader and World Cup MVP, he has carved out a place in history that is uniquely his own.