TEL AVIV (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - What a difference two years can make. That is showing itself with Dennis Schroder, as the NBA star playmaker has gone from a lightning rod for controversy to the emerging behind-the-scenes leader which Germany urgently need at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 to advance from the opening phase for the first time since 2011.

Schroder made his major international tournament debut at FIBA EuroBasket 2015, playing in front of his home fans in Berlin. While the point guard performed well on the court, it was some actions away from the hardwood that thrusted him into an unfavorable light and had many in German basketball circles questioning his leadership abilities.

Fast forward to 2017 and the build-up to Group B action in Tel Aviv, and Schroder knows things are different than back in Berlin, especially after a break-out 2016-17 season in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks.

"I have matured a little bit because I started in the League. I led the team over there so it's kind of easier to be with my teammates in Germany, who I played with two years ago and bring them together as a unit," said Schroder, who was the Hawks' starting point guard this past season and averaged 17.9 points and 6.3 assists.

Germany coach Chris Fleming said the growth of Schroder as a player is clear to anyone who has watched him play for Atlanta. More interesting though is the Braunschweig native's growth as a person and as a player who can really lead a team.

"He needs to make his teammates better and I think he's really working at that. It's a big growth area for him, whereas in 2015 he was uncertain. He was 21 years old and playing in front of the home crowd, and everybody had these expectations of him. That's kind of logical," Fleming said. "But now, two years later, you can see the maturity."

That team leadership is not only coming with Schroder's play in front of the fans. After Germany's final warm-up game against France, Schroder took his teammates out to dinner in Berlin.

"That is a tradition with the Hawks - that the team goes out to dinner together if they stay overnight in the city they played in and break bread together, and I think that was pretty good," Fleming said.

Schroder also stepped up with some leadership by example at the end of a team practice in Tel Aviv, taking a charge on a drive to the basket by one of Germany's low post players.

"It was the end of practice and everybody was tired and Dennis took a charge on a big guy and that hurt, but that was a leadership move that wasn't about giving speeches. He stepped in and said we're going to end practice the right way. I thought that was important," Fleming said. "Those are subtle things, but it is more about presence and about growth as a person. I think he's really understood that, 'if we're going to get something done in this tournament my teammates are going to need to be better when I am on the floor.' That's the central theme for him. He's really understood that and worked at that and worked at building guys confidence and working to get them the ball at times."

Expectations on Schroder, who turns 24 years old on September 15, are actually even higher in Tel Aviv than they were in Berlin, when he had finished up his second season with the Hawks.

The FIBA EuroBasket 2015 saw Dirk Nowitzki say farewell to international basketball. And in essence it was the passing of the torch to Dennis Schroder.

Not only is Schroder now an NBA starter - and emerging superstar - but he is not sharing the FIBA EuroBasket spotlight with Dirk Nowitzki, who gave his swan song in Berlin.

"The biggest thing is that Coach Fleming has challenged him and pushed him to become that leader, and Dennis over the past few years has accepted that challenge," said Jeff Peterson, who is serving as a German assistant coach, but is also the assistant general manager with the Atlanta Hawks. "He realizes that Dirk has been the biggest name in German basketball history, and with Dirk kind of phasing out and passing the torch to Dennis, Dennis has accepted the challenge. He wants to get better, he wants to help his teammates get better."

Schroder also doesn't shy away from the talk of the post-Nowitzki era being the start of an era with himself as a leader.

"It's an honor to play for the national team when everybody says it's your team, but I think we are a team. It's a team sport and we need everybody. But I am glad that I am here and I am glad that everybody is saying that," Schroder said.

The torch has been passed from Dirk to Dennis, and with it the weight of responsibility required from the coaches.

"We're asking a lot of him, but that's what we have to do," Fleming added.

Now, it's up to Schroder to help Germany reach the Knockout Phase in Istanbul by being the team leader - both on and off the court.

FIBA