Nets' Dennis Schröder Makes Professional Soccer Debut for Low-Level German Team

Mar 31, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) looks to shoot during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Barclays Center. | Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

After playing a full NBA season split between two different teams, many players would have an inclination to rest.

That does not seem to be the case for Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schröder.

On Wednesday, Schröder debuted as a professional soccer player for FC Germania Bleckenstedt in the sixth tier of the German football pyramid. He played 62 minutes against SC Göttingen before being substituted off in a 5-1 loss.

Schröder, who helped lead Germany to its first-ever men's FIBA World Cup title in September, is preparing to represent his country in basketball in the Olympics in Paris. The Germans are grouped with France, Japan, and the to-be-determined winner of a six-team qualifying tournament in Latvia.

World Champion Dennis Schröder participated in an official 6th division game in Germany today.

Brooklyn Nets point guard started the game between FC Germania Bleckenstedt and SC Göttingen (1-5), before leaving the pitch on the 62nd minute.@DS17_FG played as a left winger. pic.twitter.com/r8dmLUjCts

— Harris Stavrou (@harris_stavrou) May 30, 2024

FC Germania Bleckenstedt is a member of the Landesliga Braunschweig, a league centered around the German state of Lower Saxony. Schröder was born in Braunschweig, the state's second-largest city, and he spent his early career with Braunschweig-based teams.