Brian Windhorst is one of the best-known NBA reporters and is currently following the US basketball players at the Olympics. In an interview with SPORT1, he reveals what he thinks of Schröder, Wagner and Nowitzki – and why he is so critical of Luka Doncic.
He recently caused a stir during the NBA finals with his criticism of superstar Luka Doncic, has been following LeBron James’ career since high school and is one of the best-known basketball experts in the USA: ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst knows the NBA stars like no other and is currently reporting on the US team’s gold mission at the Olympic Games in Paris.
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In the SPORT1 interview, he talks about the prospects of the star ensemble, analyses the strengths of the German team, reveals his opinion on Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner and Dirk Nowitzki – and goes after Doncic.
Dennis Schröder wants to lead Germany to a medal at the Olympics
SPORT1: Mr. Windhorst, how have you perceived the US basketball team in the past days and weeks?
Brian Windhorst: They’re incredibly, really incredibly talented – but they don’t have good team chemistry. They get along with each other, but this group just hasn’t played together that much. People in the US think there are eight future Hall of Famers, so they must be great. But they have to play together without much preparation time. They have the most talent, they have the deepest roster, they should absolutely be the favorites – but they won’t be the best team. If they win, it will be because of their individual quality and willingness to sacrifice themselves to succeed.
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SPORT1: Seeing LeBron James at 39 is always impressive. Is it still as impressive when you see him at work every day?
Windhorst: You know who else finds it impressive? His own teammates! It was fascinating to see how he took over the two preseason games in London. The fans were excited because many people in the crowd never get a chance to see him play live. But the reaction of his teammates? Many of them grew up watching him and yet it’s still fascinating for them. When you see him with the Lakers, you notice that he can’t do it every day anymore. But when he decides to play at the highest level, he’s exceptional – and he’s decided to play at the highest level right now.
“Germany is the epitome of a team”
SPORT1: Germany goes into the Olympic tournament as world champions. How do you rate Gordon Herbert’s team?
Windhorst: Germany plays brilliantly together as a team. They play very smartly and have implemented their three-year plan perfectly. They share the ball, they sacrifice for each other, they follow the game plan, they chase loose balls – they are the epitome of a team.
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SPORT1: There is a little debate about who is the real “world champion” in basketball. Is it currently Germany or the Boston Celtics? READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
Windhorst: Is Germany playing the Boston Celtics right after the finals? If so, the Celtics would win. Is Germany playing a ragtag team of NBA players who have only been together for two weeks? Then they might have a good chance. People have lost sight of the meaning of the word “team.” But the team is the key. Were the Germans a better team than the USA last year? Yes. Do the Germans have a better team than the Boston Celtics? No. People are happy to throw out a hot take one way or the other on the subject, of course – but I think if you asked the players on the German team and they answered honestly, the answer would be “Boston Celtics.”
Schröder? “A fascinating career”
SPORT1: Dennis Schröder is the leader of the German world champion team. How do you see his development?
Windhorst: A fascinating career! In London, German fans started MVP chants when he was at the free throw line. In the NBA, Schröder would never have received such chants, but in this case it was completely justified: He really is the MVP! He plays with so much speed that it is an incredible weapon on any basketball stage. And you know what? The Lakers really missed him last year! The thing about Schröder is: sometimes he drives you to despair, but most of the time you are better off having him.
SPORT1: His national team colleague Franz Wagner has signed a big contract with the Orlando Magic. How far can he go in the NBA?
Windhorst: It was a bit surprising that he got this contract (for at least 224 million US dollars for five years, editor’s note) because he didn’t have his best year, even though the Magic played much better overall. He has all the prerequisites to be a great player: He is 2.08 meters tall as a wing player, is dynamic with and without the ball, can rebound and is just incredibly talented overall. He also doesn’t have a big ego, which is a big advantage. But he just has to shoot better! If he finds his shot again, then a lot is possible – and the Magic clearly believe in him.
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Nowitzki? “This title remains incredibly impressive”
SPORT1: For now, however, Dirk Nowitzki remains the greatest German the NBA has ever seen. How is he viewed in the USA, now that he has retired?
Windhorst: Well, he has a statue in front of the arena in Dallas – and when you have a statue, your legend lives forever. The 2011 championship (against the Miami Heat with LeBron James, editor’s note) was one of the greatest achievements in the modern NBA! And the more years pass, the more impressive this title becomes, especially when you see LeBron collecting more and more awards. All championships are very valuable, but not all are exactly equal. This title remains incredibly impressive and the role he played in it was of course fantastic.
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SPORT1: You were very critical of his successor Luka Doncic during the NBA Finals. What does he lack in order to achieve the same thing with the Mavericks as Nowitzki?
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Windhorst: You simply cannot afford to be sent off in must-win games. There is no debate for me. I understand that Luka fans want to defend their favorite player, and that is perfectly fine with me. But I saw him go off early at the European Championships and his team then lost and was eliminated. I saw him get sent off at the World Cup because he behaved completely crazy and his team was eliminated. And in the finals it was an all-or-nothing game too, because once you are 3-0 down, that’s it. He knows that and everyone else knows that too – and yet he gets sent off again. That is not a controversial opinion. His temperament gets in the way – and no one who really knows anything about basketball has a different opinion on that.
2024-07-30 13:17:59
#Lakers #missed #Schröder
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