Dennis Schroder has opened up about the heated timeout incident that occurred during Germany’s FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 game against Slovenia.
The incident happened in the first quarter, with Germany trailing 11-16. Schroder was engaged in a conversation with teammate Daniel Theis when head coach Gordon Herbert called a timeout. Schroder initially ignored the timeout, and Herbert had to grab him by the shoulder to get his attention.
The two men then exchanged words, with Schroder reportedly telling Herbert to “chill out.” Herbert responded by saying that he was the coach and that he had a timeout.
The incident caused controversy on social media. Schroder later explained that his behavior was a result of being caught up in the moment.
“It was a moment of emotion,” Schroder said in an interview. “We were down and I was trying to talk to Daniel about what we needed to do. I didn’t mean to disrespect the coach.”
Schroder went on to say that he and Herbert have since talked about the incident and that there are no hard feelings. He also said that he is committed to helping Germany win the FIBA World Cup.
“We’re all on the same team,” Schroder said. “We’re all trying to win.”
Germany went on to win the game against Slovenia 100-71. Schroder had 24 points, 10 assists, and 2 rebounds in the victory.
The incident is a reminder that even the best teams can experience conflict. However, it is important for teams to be able to handle conflict in a positive way. Germany has shown that they are capable of doing this, and they will be a team to watch in the remainder of the FIBA World Cup.
Dennis Schroder got into a HEATED exchange with a Germany coach after him & Daniel Theis weren’t involved in the team huddle 😳
— NBA Buzz (@OfficialNBABuzz) September 3, 2023
Coach: “HEY! Let’s go! Fu**! Sit down! No, you don’t tell me what to do! We’ve got a timeout! Sit down!”
Schroder: “Coach you’re not gonna touch me… pic.twitter.com/mVhEh51Qfx