The Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament has been galvanized by several big-time stories thanks to the star-studded rosters that entered the competition. The USA is the clear-cut favorite with a roster full of Future Hall of Famers. Canada has been in great shape, having the opportunity to make it out of the tough Group A with a perfect record if they beat Spain on Saturday.
However, there are not many eyes set on last summer’s World Champions, Germany. Gordon Herbert’s team is one of the four teams that secured a spot in the Olympic Tournament quarterfinals after the end of gameday 2. Led by Dennis Schroder, Germany NT beat Brazil in a hard-fought game to remain perfect in the tournament.
In addition to the wins in the Olympic Tournament, the Germans had a remarkable run in the preparation phase, including a back-and-forth battle that went down to the wire against the powerful Team USA. Germany appears in the tournament as the best-held secret, despite having two players score in the top 10 during the last two games.
More importantly, Gordon Herbert and his company showed their teeth last summer by winning gold in the Basketball World Cup, beating Canada and Serbia in the semifinal and final, respectively. Schroder, who won the MVP of the FIBA Basketball World Cup last summer, is again leading the way.
However, the Germans are one of the deepest teams, with several players finding suitable roles under Gordon Herbert. Andreas Obst seems to be the off-the-bench scorer and floor stretcher, opening the way for Franz Wagner’s dominance inside the paint. Schroder is the go-to guy when Germany needs to score.
“We have seen that now in the last couple of summers. He’s just a great competitor and wants to do everything to win,” Franz Wagner said on Schroder after the win against Brazil.
Schroder’s competitive spirit drives them to the Olympic Games, but the Germany NT squad backs him up adequately.
Gordon Herbert built a special group that was nourished by continuity. You can tell that every team has a superstar—a face that sums up the rest of the squad on the court. Canada has RJ Barrett or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (whoever you prefer), Greece has Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Serbia has the most recent NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic, but Germany has built a more team-oriented system through those years.
Schroder has been labeled as a scoring guard in the NBA, but he transforms into something more when he dons the Germany NT jersey. He’s physical; sometimes he even maniacally chases opponents, forcing turnovers with his lengthy arms. Even so, Herbert has a well-coordinated system to back him up.
The physical play of Franz Wagner, who signed a max deal with the Orlando Magic this past summer, and the veteran presence of Daniel Theis. Andreas Obst and Isaac Bonga have been contributing to the wing each in their own respective areas. Bonga has been an excellent addition to the German machine, bringing a two-way element to the team and allowing Franz Wagner to get more involved on the offensive end.
The Germans are clearly the most focused group in the 2024 Olympic Tournament. The next game against France, who are playing in front of their fans, will be a crucial test for Gordon Herbert and company and the first of many to come ahead of the Olympics’s Tournament knockout phase.
