SAN FRANCISCO \u2013 Before Dennis Schr\u00f6der was a 12-year NBA veteran and international inspiration, he was a 16-year-old boy lost and unsure where his life would take him.<\/p>\n
It was 2009. Like nearly every teen boy, he turned to his father, Axel, who, like him, wanted his son to pursue a career in basketball.<\/p>\n
The younger Schr\u00f6der had other interests, though, growing up in Braunschweig, Germany, such as skateboarding and soccer. He didn\u2019t really find an interest in basketball until a later age.<\/p>\n
But one conversation with his father changed everything.<\/p>\n
Axel played pro basketball in Gambia, where he met his wife and Dennis\u2019 mother, Fatou Schr\u00f6der. But Axel wanted \u2013 and knew \u2013 his son could take his game to the next level in the greatest basketball league in the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, he was more of a supporter,\u201d Schr\u00f6der said of his father at his introductory press conference Tuesday after being traded to the Warriors. \u201cHe didn’t really, really play. But he was my biggest supporter every time when I had practice, when I had a game, he came and we always talked about basketball.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe always said, \u2018This is what you can do for a living. You can help your whole family with it, carry the load for your family, making sure everybody’s good.\u2019 And he was right. He passed away after that conversation \u2013 six days later \u2013 and then everything switched for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal was to play in the NBA, and I’m still doing it. My 12th season now, and [I\u2019m] more than grateful to be here and don\u2019t take it for granted every single day, every single game, I’m going to go out and treat it like it\u2019s my last. So it’s great to do that for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
After his dad\u2019s passing, Schr\u00f6der wasted no time taking his late father\u2019s advice.<\/p>\n
He began playing professional basketball in 2010 for SG Braunschweig, in which he averaged 7.8 points, 2.1 assists and 1.6 rebounds per game in his first year. The following season, he flourished, averaging 17.8 points and 6.7 assists in 23 games.<\/p>\n
His team went to the playoffs, where he averaged 18.8 points and 5.1 assists over four games.<\/p>\n
After another solid season the following year, he was named Basketball Bundesliga\u2019s Most Improved Player as well as the league\u2019s Best Young German Player. He then declared for the 2013 NBA Draft.<\/p>\n