Dennis Schröder | Introductory Press Conference 6.8.25

Good afternoon and welcome everyone here today for what is a very very exciting day uh for Sacramento Kings basketball. Uh I’m here to introduce the latest member of our franchise, Mr. Dennis Schroeder. Before I pass over the mic to him, I just want to say a few words about Dennis and why Dennis. Uh if you can recall my opening press conference, which now seems like a long time ago, a few months ago, um I talked about this need for this team and organization at the point guard position. I also talked about creating an identity for this organization and this team and how we wanted to play. As a reminder, those six things are competitive, tough, team oriented, disciplined, accountable, and professional. So, when you marry those two things together, when free agency was uh embarking upon us, this was the number one guy we felt in the league for us that was going to fit that build and help us establish. He’s a building block to us establishing that sustainable success that we’re striving to uh to get. Uh Dennis throughout his career, for those of you who have followed, and I know most of you in this room have, he is very tough, energetic, he plays the point guard position really with no fear. So, I have a great deal of respect for that. I’ve watched him over the years at a number of different organizations and and quite frankly been on the wrong side of some of his good games, but uh he really feels a need for us, another building block as we move forward. Um and again, I would say to all it’s another step in the process of of building this team up. You know there’s old saying that Rome wasn’t built in the day but you got to start laying the right type of foundation of people and Dennis not only is a great basketball player but he’s the type of person that we desire to have in this organization. So extremely once again extremely excited to have him and I want all of you to really give him a nice warm welcome here as I turn over the mic to Mr. Dennis Schroeder. Yeah. Uh first off, appreciate your words. Uh that means a lot to me, my family. Um I mean it’s always always uh I’m always grateful for opportunity like that. Um that a organization believes in me. Um a GM believes in me. Um I’m always, you know, given everything I have. uh every single day, every single practice, every single game, I always um try to leave it all out there. So, uh I’m extremely extremely happy to be here um to be a part of, you know, the Sacramento Kings moving forward. Um try to set a culture um and uh yeah, I’m really, really, really grateful for this opportunity and uh I can’t wait to get started. Okay, with that we will uh open it up to questions. And for those of you please introduce yourself to the dentist as well when you ask your question. Thank you. I got it. Uh Dennis, I’m Sean Cunningham with KC. Um welcome to Sacramento. Um, just a minute ago hearing Scott kind of say those words, I mean, for someone who’s kind of been as well traveled in this league as you have been, what does that mean to know that they prioritized you and you identify or you at least check some of those boxes that they’re identified that they want to bring in within this roster? I mean, uh, it means a lot. Like I said, um, I’ve been, uh, 12 years in this league now, 31, got three kids, uh, my wife. So, um, really, really grateful, um, to be around this league. um such a long time first off, but to have a GM and organization um prioritize me um as their point guard um means the world to me. So I want to give it back of course when I get back here um every single day, every single practice uh games to leave it all on on the floor and um yeah, give everything for this organization. And and what would you just say this past two years have has been like? I mean, I think it’s five teams now and during that time, I mean, how what kind of toll does that does that take on you professionally? For me, like I said, um I’m in my point uh in my life. Uh I always take the positive, uh out of the situations. Um to be around, you know, um all the owners, all the GMs, uh all new teammates. Uh I mean, last season was three teams. Um, and I, you know, get to meet, uh, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, then go to Detroit, K. Cunningham, all those guys. Um, and before that, you know, starting the season to go to Brooklyn. Um, and it was different roles, you know, so I had to adapt to it, but I always take the positives out of that. Um, and you know, my family is always with me. We always traveling together. Um, and nothing really changes for me. Um, but like I said, it’s it’s a blessing to have somebody like Scott, you know, um, seeing what I do, uh, on the court and, uh, prioritize me and, uh, bringing me here. Hey, Dennis. Brandon Nunes, Sackown Sports. Welcome to Sacramento, man. Congratulations. Um, first of all, just what kind of were your impressions of this roster as a whole? How good do you think you can be? And, you know, do you have relationships with some of the guys on the roster already? I mean, I know Zack uh Zack Lavine a little bit, you know, Debo as well. Um couple of uh of my new teammates they with Mark Bterstein, our agent. Um so, uh yeah, I’m looking forward to meeting uh everyone. Um but I think we can be great. Um we got a lot of talent in this room. Um I think we just got to, you know, build the chemistry all together and pri prioritize winning. uh making sure that every single game counts and we want to go out there and um make sure we beat everybody’s ass. Um and uh that’s uh what we that’s what we going to do. Scott, well, you talk about wanting competitiveness. That seems to fit into that. Absolutely. You know, that’s music to my ears when I heard that. Yeah. You know, obviously we talked a lot about that in terms of this season being so important that when people come see the Kings play home or on the road that they know they’re going to get a very tough, hard playing team that plays together, that leaves it all out on the floor each and every night. And we can live with the results if we do that. And this guy we we believe strongly is going to be the catalyst to that along with obviously the rest of the team. But you need a leader at that point guard position. I think Dennis is going to definitely provide that. And yeah, you mentioned some of like the intangibles there, but saying he number one guy in free agency. What about him stylistically do you feel like made him a good fit with this group? I I you know where I’m from and how I learned and grew up and playing the game in place like Detroit, Michigan, this guy embodies that. You know, you play you pick up 94 ft. You very combat combative in a good way uh on the court. And so that just really resonated with not only my personality, but Coach Christiey’s personality uh our entire organization and what we’re building here. Uh we want the more individuals we can get like that and play that kind of way, the closer we get to establishing the true identity that we want for this basketball team. Hey Dennis, uh Jeremiah Solomon, Sports Service. Welcome to Sacramento. Um the opportunity here in Sacramento, uh how exciting is it for you to, you know, more than likely have a very expanded role at the point guard position, kind of being looked to as as the guy at the position here right now. Um, is that an exciting opportunity for you at this point in your career? And, um, yeah, if you could just speak to the opportunity here. Yeah, I mean, to be a starting point guard in the NBA, I think is I mean, you can’t ask for more. Um, and then to go out there every single night, you know, to establish a um, culture, how we want to play. Um, and like Scott said, to be the leader, to, you know, make sure we do it every single night. um being the voice with all those other guys in the in the locker room is um all you can ask for. And um like I said, I’mma be uh I’m going be really excited when I come back um you know to glue with those guys and then um yeah, every single opportunity we get, we try to compete. Hey Dennis, Deuce Mason, how are you? Good. Um, how do you feel like you can impact this team most, especially since they needed a point guard in a big way? Uh, I mean, if you watch me play, uh, the last couple of years, I always, um, do the little things. Um, defensively, 94 feet, picking up, making sure we play with energy on the defensive end, on the offensive end. Um, making sure you put your teammates in position, pushing the ball, pushing the pace. Um, I mean, if I have to take uh 10, 15 shots a game because the game uh tells me to, I do it. But, um, other other than that, I always try to make sure I control the game. Um, put my teammates in position to be great and, um, I mean, the most important to win games. Dennis, welcome. Uh Jason Anderson with the Sacramento B. Um first for you and then Scott if I could follow up with you. Uh you know you’ve talked about kind of your your path and your travels a little bit. How much have you craved, you know, kind of the situation that you’ve spoken to where you know you feel wanted, you feel prioritized and and like the opportunity is is what you want? Like how much have you kind of desired that as you’ve moved around the league in recent years? I mean, I got to say before uh Brooklyn, Detroit, all those uh teams, um I felt always great. Um I’m, you know, not disrespecting anyone. Um but to have this commitment, uh from an organization, from Scott, that uh is is what I didn’t had the last couple of years. And um like I always always say, I’mma um make sure I’mma we pay him for that. um and and all those little things I bring every single day. Um but it’s it’s it’s it’s a big opportunity um for me, for the organization, for the team to be great and um I’m going to give everything I have to to be great this season. And uh Scott, as you look at at what more you guys can do, does it feel like you’re done? Does it feel like you have other moves you can make? Um, I know a lot was made about like retaining the MLE in this deal, but it’s a little unclear like how much of that you guys can use with, you know, the aprons and the the luxury tax stuff. Like, can you walk us through just a little bit of where you guys are at with that? Well, obviously the free agent signing was the second pro second part of our process, the first being about a week and a half ago with the draft. So, we felt we added uh some very good young players who have a chance to contribute as rookies this year. Uh, as was noted before, they’re 22 and 23 years old. Um, so they have more experience than a lot of the 18, 19 year old guys and they’re a little more physically mature. So, we like that. We felt that uh that gives us a chance to get better. said all along the key to getting the point guard and this this guy was the key to that. And from this this point on, you’ve heard me say this many times, we’re going to be both opportunistic and prudent as we survey uh the landscape in terms of adding any additional pieces to the team. So, uh, we’ll figure that out as the next days and weeks go by, but, uh, I like where we’re at today, and that’s what I want to, you know, finish with that. And we we’ll see what tomorrow brings. Back over here, Dennis, um, Brandon Bonite is here up on stage. Uh, CBS 13, welcome to Sacramento. I’m just curious about any impressions that you had anytime you had to visit Sacramento. What was the atmosphere like and if there was anything that stuck out to you in your trips here? Yeah. Uh I mean defense is uh the first thing uh what comes to mind uh when you hear the Sacramento Kings um always loud and then always when Keegan Murray scored uh Keegan Murray I kind of I kind of like that and every time when I was on the bench I was uh I mean he was scoring and I was like having a smile on my face. Um that was uh pretty I mean unique because he’s with my agent Mark Bodeststein as well. Um but like I said the fans uh is great and uh that’s all you can ask for. Um I every time when I came to Sacramento I stayed in the hotel uh walked a little bit with my wife and we came here but um that’s that’s that’s it. I’m sure there’s a chant ready for you. It’s just going to take a little bit of time. As for Scott Yeah. Right. As for Scott, uh I’m curious, a lot of players have been pretty vocal about the CBA, and I’m just curious about your experience throughout this off season of any added degree of difficulty. What’s that looked like trying to navigate the good and the bad of of the CBA? It’s never been an easy task since I’ve been in the league, to be honest with you. You know, a lot is being written and talked about now with the first and second aprons, which makes things challenging uh to say the least. But um you know, I I I approached this off season just like any other time I’ve had since I’ve been in the league again with uh a positive outlook, trying to figure out how we can get something accomplished instead of saying why we’re not going to get something accomplished. So that’s how I look at it. Hey, Dennis back here as well. Kevin John, ABC10. Welcome to Sack. Um, my question for you is you’ve been in the league for a significant amount of time, played on uh several teams. At this point in your career, do you still feel that there you have to prove something? Do you still have a chip on your shoulder? And if so, how do you embrace that and go about that? Uh, chip on my shoulder, I mean, I I I got my own legacy. Um, every year, every day when I wake up, I try to be 1% better. Um, it don’t matter if it’s in basketball, in life. Um, I just I just try to be um try to be great every single day for my family. Um, of course, now for organization who really wants me here. But um, I don’t I don’t have to prove anything. I mean, I’m from Germany, bronze strike. To be here 12 years and now, um, signing a three-year contract is um, where I’m from is is is unique. So, uh, yeah, nothing to prove. Dennis, just quick follow up. I wanted to ask about uh, playing with somebody like Sabonis who’s so uh, you know, instrumental in getting the offense rolling. Does, is he kind of a unicorn in his own right? Have you played anybody with anyone like him? I was trying to go through the history in my mind here of who you played with and I wasn’t landing on anyone. No, I mean he’s he’s unique. Uh how he pushes the pace when he gets the rebound. Um gluing everybody together. Um hitting people back door cuts, you know, and great passes. Uh really physical big who set screens. Um great in the pocket. Um can shoot it, you know. I mean, he’s he’s unique. So, I’m really looking forward uh to compete with him. Um we had a couple of battles in Europe as well. So, uh now he’s on my side. Um we’re on the same side. So, really looking forward um to compete with him. Perfect. Thank you.

Newly acquired point guard Dennis Schröder speaks to the media for the first time as an official member of the Sacramento Kings alongside Kings GM Scott Perry Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. Sacramento acquired guard Dennis Schröder and a 2029 second-round pick as part of a sign-and-trade with the Detroit Pistons in exchange for a protected 2026 second-round pick.

Schröder spent the 2024-25 season with the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors and Detroit Pistons, averaging 13.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 28.1 minutes per game over 75 regular season games. In six games during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, he posted averages of 12.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 27.3 minutes per contest for the Pistons.

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