SB Nation is posting scouting reports of each prospect in the 2013 NBA Draft. Learn more about German point guard Dennis Schroeder.
NAME: Dennis Schroeder.
PRO TEAM: New Yorker Phantoms (Germany).
AGE ON DRAFT NIGHT: 19 years, nine months.
POSITION: Point guard.
MEASUREMENTS: 6'2, 165 pounds, 6'7.75 wingspan, 8'2 standing reach.
RELEVANT STAT: 40.2% from three this season. Very few guards with Schroeder's athletic ability are also knockdown shooters.
SB NATION BIG BOARD POSITION: No. 12.
NBA CEILING: Jrue Holiday.
NBA FLOOR: Rodrigue Beaubois.
JONATHAN TJARKS' ANALYSIS
Dennis Schroeder was on the bubble as to whether he would stay in the draft, but a standout showing at the Nike Hoop Summit made the decision for him. Schroeder had 18 points and six assists, leading the World Team to a 112-98 win.
He played in Germany this season, averaging 12 points, three assists and two rebounds on 43 percent shooting. Those are good numbers for a 19-year old playing against grown men, although the German League isn't the highest level of competition in Europe.
An extremely athletic 6'2, 170-pound guard with a 6'7 wingspan, Schroeder has as much physical upside as any point guard in this draft. His combination of size and speed was too much for the American guards in Portland.
The jump shot is the most encouraging thing in his statistical profile. He shot 40 percent from three-point range on three attempts a game this season. Few guards with his ability to get into the lane have that much range on their jumper, especially early in their careers.
The question with Schroeder is whether he will be able to step in right away and run an NBA offense. He's still growing into a playmaking role, as he averaged less than one assist a game two seasons ago. Given his age and experience, he may need a few years before getting to the next level.
In a best-case scenario, a team with the patience to develop him could wind up with an All-Star caliber point guard by the end of his rookie deal, when he will be only 23.
DRAFT EXPRESS SCOUTING REPORT
OTHER SB NATION SCOUTING REPORTS
Playing time is hardly guaranteed for even the most promising young players in Europe, but Schroeder's talent quickly proved too dynamic to keep him tied to the bench. In his first season with the New Yorker Phantoms, Schroeder averaged just eight minutes per game, posting 2.3 points, 0.7 assists and 0.8 rebounds per contest. This past season is when he really started to spread his wings.
Schroeder's playing time jumped to 25 minutes per game this season, and results followed. Schroeder averaged 12.0 points, 3.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game, which included three 20-point efforts. He posted a 36-point game against Oldenburg playing for B-league team SU Medien in late November that included 5-of-11 shooting from three-point range.
Just don't confuse his willingness to compare himself to Rajon Rondo with an inability to shoot. He shot 40.2 percent on three-pointers this season and hit 84 percent of his free throws. Still, much like many of the prospects at the combine, Schroeder was quick to point out one of the biggest challenges he'll face at the next level is the NBA's extended three-point line.
Schroeder says he has been shooting 150-200 extra jumpers at the end of every practice and is focused on extending his range. He's starting from mid-range and working his way out.
Dennis Schröder is one of the most intriguing prospects, not just internationally, but in the whole draft. Schröder is a prototypical pass first Point Guard with very good athleticism to boot. While his assist numbers don't look overly impressive, keep in mind that assists are awarded far less often in Europe. For example Ricky Rubio only averaged 3.6 assists per game in his last season abroad. Now I'm not saying Schröder is as good of a passer as Rubio (he's not), but he's still quite good in that area, especially out of the Pick and Roll.
Schröder has also shown a lot of improvement on his outside shot as the year progressed.DraftExpress notes in their scouting report that as of April 23rd, he was shooting a ridiculous 53% of his catch and shoot jumpers. He does most of his offensive damage with his jumpers, as he struggles to finish around the rim, something that will need to improve considering how easily he can get to the rim with his quickness and ball-handling.
Along with his basketball skill, Schröder is blessed with excellent athleticism and a solid frame. At 6'2 he's not the tallest Point Guard, but he's got a 6'7 wingspan which helps with pressuring opposing guards.
Schröder is not without his weaknesses. He's a bit turnover prone, and as mentioned earlier struggles around the basket. He'll also need to bulk up a little bit to handle the rigors of the NBA.
From a scouting standpoint, the tools are there even if unpolished at times (his 2.3 turnovers per game are the red flag at this stage of his development). Schroeder's quickness in the open floor has already been noted, and his overall athletic ability is highlighted on drives to the hoop and handling the ball even in pressure situations. He's also worked diligently in getting his jump shot off after penetrating and knocking down open looks from beyond the arc.
Fearless; Schroeder may be small in stature but he is big on confidence in taking the ball into the paint and attacking. He also possesses a finesse game and is mastering avoiding falls with a long-step to the rim for layups. Yet what makes Schroeder such a find is the knack for knowing when to switch speeds and utilizing his explosiveness. Yes, Schroeder's decision making needs to get better and should be a focus going forward. Because at 19-years old, you can imagine it can be difficult trying to get a ultra-talented kid to tone down the need for highlight reel passes and drives. At times, passes can be forced. Others, teammates may not be able to handle the bullet pass. But the more experience Schroeder gains, the more he will learn how to control and master that part of his game. It will take time.
On the defensive end, there are both positives and negatives. The bad: upper body strength just isn't there yet. Bigger opponents can be hard to handle, particularly off of the ball. The good: he will not let up with his on the ball defense. Schroeder's quickness and wingspan at times make it easier to overlook the weaker parts of his defensive game.
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