Berlin –
On the eve of the first regular-season NBA game in Germany, European basketball pioneer Detlef Schrempf is “proud” of the role he played in making the league a worldwide phenomenon.
“The NBA has gone global,” Schrempf said from Berlin, where the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic will face off on Thursday.
A three-time NBA All-Star, Schrempf is considered the first true European star in the NBA, popularizing the game in his native Germany and in Europe.