‘We going in to take people’s head off’: Dennis Schroder on regular season expectations

Raptors guard Dennis Schroder discusses Gradey Dick learning about the NBA, Pascal Siakam’s leadership and the Raptors defence.

Video Transcript

- You've seen a lot of young players come and go in your career. How do you see Gradey Dick in his first training camp evolving into an NBA player?

DENNIS SCHRODER: Still a little hectic, but I think he's a good guy, professional. Still trying to find his ways. But I think we've got a good group of guys who, you know, guiding and try to teach him, and hopefully he's going to embrace that role and, you know, get better every single day.

- Has he been receptive?

- Do you need to slow him down a little bit? Need to slow him down a little bit and go a little bit [INAUDIBLE]?

DENNIS SCHRODER: For sure in the games he goes way too fast. But, I mean, when I was 18, 19 and came here, I was only one speed too. So, I mean, that's the process. Got to go through it, and he's going to get it.

- Has he been receptive to what you and the vets--

DENNIS SCHRODER: What's receptive mean?

- Like is he--

DENNIS SCHRODER: Taking?

- --accepting-- yeah, taking the feedback.

DENNIS SCHRODER: Yeah. Sometimes when you're young, you yeah, I got you. But, I mean, I make sure, you know? I think that's the reason why we, you know, the vets and try to teach him as best as we can, and all the experience we've got in this locker room, you know, just try to help him and all the young guys, you know, be better and good for the team.

- How about you? New coach, new teammates. How has your first two weeks gone?

DENNIS SCHRODER: I mean, so far, so good. The group made it easy for me. It was an easy transition. I know the coaching staff very well. So comfortable. I'm already comfortable here. Like the group, the organization. Everything works well, so just try to get better myself as well.

- The Chicago game for most of it felt like a decent representation of what a regular-season rotation might look like. How did you feel within it? How do you feel sort of in the hybrid groups? You know, does it-- does what's going on make sense to you?

DENNIS SCHRODER: Yeah, I mean, we, you know, try to get stops on the defensive end. It don't matter who comes in. Get stops and run, you know? And, I mean, we did it, you know, for most of the time in preseason, shared the ball very well. And defensively, you know, we got a lot of deflections and steals, and, you know, we live and die by.

- Dennis, I want to ask you about your first year in Oklahoma City with Darko. Why did you two seem to hit it off so well and so quickly, and how did that relationship continue through even when you left and you went on to different teams?

DENNIS SCHRODER: I mean, he's from Europe maybe. He was the guy, when I came to OKC, the first guy to reach out and wanted to grab dinner with me and my wife, my family. That means a lot to me. Everybody who's doing that, you know, AR in LA. Saying hi, you know, after every game to my kids. That means a lot to me. So I think that's probably where the connection started.

And he's just a guy who keeps it-- you know, keeps it real, accountable, keeping people accountable, making sure everybody, you know, get on the same page. And I'm the same way always, direct, and that's the reason I think why we get along so well.

- We were talking to Malachi the other day, and he mentioned how much of a leadership role you're taking with this team. Has that always been the case for you, or is this Darko giving you more sort of leash to be that leader?

DENNIS SCHRODER: I mean, I just try to be the best human being I can be. Every single day, try to help my teammates. I mean, we've got a lot of people. I mean Pascal Siakam and CB and OG. I mean, they won a championship already.

I had a great summer winning the World Cup. And I think with all our guys in the locker room, we've got a lot of experience, you know, to help each other and lift each other up. And, I mean, like I said, they made it easy for me to come in and, you know, kind of be the point guard and lead the team. But at the end of the day, it's a team effort.

- You mentioned Pascal. What's it been like getting to know him and playing alongside him?

DENNIS SCHRODER: I mean, every time when I played against him, hard-playing guy, tough to stop going right like me most of the time. But so far, so good. I mean, he's a good guy. Talking to the young guys as well, everybody's just chipping in. And I told him, I mean, the best players always got to be the, you know, hardest-working guys out there on the court and even off the court, you know, being the leaders. And he's embracing that role as well, and I think that's the reason why we're going, you know, to have a great season.

- What are your expectations for the regular season?

DENNIS SCHRODER: I mean, every single game we play, I want to win, and then we're going to live with the results. I mean, basketball, you can't win every single game, but we're going in to take people's head off. I mean every single game we want to play. And that's been my way.

Of course, you cannot win every single game, but if you do it as a team, play together, team chemistry is up. I think that gives you always a great chance to win a basketball game.

- Is there a way to know when a team is ready for the regular season?

DENNIS SCHRODER: No. I mean, the preseason don't mean nothing at all. So that 4 and 0, what we have right now is-- I mean, it's nothing, but it's great that we come together and play how we want to play in the regular season. But I think the real war starts on the 25th, you know, against Minnesota.