Dennis Schroder is already making it clear he sees big things ahead for one of his newest teammates.
Now with the Charlotte Hornets, Schroder steps into a leadership role on a roster that also includes rookie Hannes Steinbach, and the two now share a team after Schroder had been following the German prospect for some time. That familiarity matters. It gives Steinbach a veteran voice to lean on every day, and it gives the Hornets a built-in mentor-student connection between two players with German ties.
Schroder has been paying attention to Steinbach through the youth setup, and his enthusiasm for the 20-year-old power forward hasn’t cooled just because the rookie is now in Charlotte. Steinbach comes off a successful season with the Washington Huskies and looks like one of the Hornets’ more intriguing long-term pieces. He brings size, rebounding, and a strong interior presence, even if his scoring is still a work in progress.
The praise from Schroder was direct and emphatic.
"There are so many. Hannes Steinbach was drafted #14.
He is very strong, very young... He is one of the top, top, top prospects right now," Schroder said about Steinbach in the OMR Podcast.
For Steinbach, having Schroder around means more than just a familiar face. It gives him a veteran teammate who knows the German basketball landscape, understands the national-team pipeline, and can help ease the transition into the NBA game. That could matter a lot for a player the Hornets clearly view as part of their future.
Schroder, meanwhile, will be expected to bring his own impact as one of Charlotte’s top guards. His role also fits into a broader young core built around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, while his presence should only help Steinbach settle in and develop.
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