NBA star shocked by vile abuse suffered at EuroBasket as fans ejected

Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schröder revealed he was subjected to racist abuse at halftime during Germany’s EuroBasket 2025 victory against Lithuania in Finland on Saturday.

Schröder reports racist chants

Schröder, the Germany captain, told reporters after the game that Lithuanian fans made monkey noises at him as he walked to the locker room at the end of the second quarter.

“It was awesome. Great atmosphere. The Lithuanians, the fans, they always travel with the team. But unfortunately, at halftime, they made monkey noises,” Schröder told MagentaSport.

“That’s something I really cannot accept,” the 31-year-old continued. “Racism in this world doesn’t belong here. But nevertheless, it was a good game. I think there were some fans who had to leave the stands due to security concerns. I believe it was also reported.”

FIBA response to racism incident

FIBA confirmed after the game that two spectators had been identified as the offenders and were immediately ejected from the Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland. One of them has been banned from attending the remainder of the tournament, which began on August 27 and runs until September 14.

“FIBA unequivocally condemns hate speech, discriminatory conduct and racist language in any form,” basketball’s governing body said in a statement. “Creating an inclusive, respectful and safe environment for players, teams, and fans remains a fundamental priority of our sport.”

Local law enforcement is continuing to investigate the incident, and further legal punishments remain a possibility.

Schröder, Wagner star in Germany win

Germany became the first team to reach the round of 16 at EuroBasket 2025 with a comfortable 107-88 win over Lithuania.

Schröder led the way with 26 points, while Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner added 24 and former Boston Celtics center Daniel Theis chipped in 23. The victory secured Germany’s third straight win and sealed qualification with two Group B games still to play.

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