[ad_1]
The Kaunas Žalgiris team announced the second purchase this summer on Friday: they signed a two-year contract Thomas Dimša, which may also remain during the third season, since the contract provides for a “plus”.
The 26cm tall and 195cm tall defender in Žalgiris will be far from being a newcomer, having spent even six years in this system, and in 2013-2015. played as part of the main team. T. Dimša’s return to Žalgiris recalls the path of his very good friend Marius Grigonis, when he left Kaunas and returned to him after a five-year break.
When in 2015 Žalgiris decided to say goodbye to T. Dimsha, who turned to the Frankfurt Skyliners team, but his season was disappointing: the legionnaire did not play a major role and played only 13 games in the top league, during which he spent only 15 minutes in the parquet and scored 5, 2 points. 12 games T. Dims had to play in the second league, where he scored 12.6 points in 25 minutes. It was after such an unsuccessful experience abroad that many began to “cancel” the 22-year-old Lithuanian and declared that he would not reach Euroleague level.
2016-2017 T.Simša did not shine again in the season: he had an average of 8.5 points and 6.1 utility points at the Prienai club in 20 minutes. He made more significant progress already in the next season, when he remained on Vitautas. Then Dimsha, who made a sharp statement about the Brothers Ball Circus, scored 12 points in 30 minutes and collected the same number of utility points. Admittedly, it’s worth noting that the Prienai team stayed in last place in the standings.
T.Dimša also managed to play in Italy that season, when he left Lithuania prematurely, but Varese’s OpenJobMetis was practically invisible: he played just 4 minutes each and scored 0.5 points.
The break in T.Dimša’s career can be called the arrival in Utena. The defender joined Juventus not since the beginning of the season, in late September. So head coach Žydrūnas Urbonas saw what other coaches didn’t see: he tried T.Dims in a player’s position. And this experiment was not really bad, because T. Dimsha has a good vision of the field and knows how to “play two against two”.
Another important aspect: T. Dimsha finally started hitting from afar. Until then, he criticized Juventus for 33.3 percent of his entire career due to a bad shot from the perimeter. (39/117) shots, when until then his career success in the LKL championship reached a tragic 26.1 percent. (78/298).
Nenadas Chanakas wanted to see T. Dimsas on his team. The Panevėžys Lietkabelis strategist had planned an important role for this Lithuanian and intended to entrust the game to the commanders.
“The agent said that the coach sees me in the player position, but at the same time I will play and attack the defender. I felt better in the role of the player. Of course, it took me a while to get used to it, because I had never competed in the “first issue” before, but I see that the most suitable place for me is there, “T.Dimša said after signing the contract with the Panevėžys people.
T.Dimša in Lietkabelis was not a real player, because the team simply did not have one: the game was organized by him, Margiris Normantas or Paulius Valinskas. The Denver Nuggets use a similar game model, where there is no real field general, and basketball players who play their “second numbers” throughout their careers assume the role of players.
The Kaunas resident had great confidence in N.Čanakas and he implemented it perfectly: He accumulated points not only with great advances, but also with difficult triples. Even the fantastic pitches dropped a meter beyond triple, and the back step became a trademark move, followed by a shot that lifted fans.
We have not seen T. Dimša so sure of himself throughout his career, recording 39.9 percent. (59/148) three-point hit in the LKL championship, which seemed unattainable a few years ago. In the FIBA Champions League, this number was even more impressive: 43.5 percent. Admittedly, there are fewer: 40 out of 92 hit the target. Interestingly, T. Dimša threw 1.5 times more triples than two, when at the beginning of the season Juventus pitched from both distances practically equally (121: 117).
However, it was not the qualities of snipers that had to attract the attention of “Žalgiris”, but other aspects: T.Dimša showed leadership and strong character. It was T. Dimša who was the Lietkabelis player, who was not afraid to take the initiative at decisive moments, when he shot from a distance or bit his teeth and ran towards the basket and thus scored points or caused a foul. This Dimsha made the right decisions, which were successfully crowned. Meanwhile, old T.Dimša invaded the penalty area and “climbed the tree” or made a very difficult shot, and his actions were very hesitant.
It should not be forgotten that T.Dimša is a solid player on defense. The long-legged basketball player takes 1 ball at a time during the game, and while raising his hands, helps his teammates steal from the team. “Žalgiris” will not be afraid of throwing the parquet in the Euroleague of T. Dimša, because it will definitely not be a hole in the defense, and it is from the game to his own basket and completing the details in the attack that the coach’s confidence will begin. .
Theoretically we cannot call T. Dimsha a newcomer in the Euroleague, because he has played 25 games in two seasons (2013-2014 and 2014-2015), but then a different basketball player was played in this tournament, and the defender himself I was only 21 years old. , when he played the last meeting.
With the acquisition of T. Dimša, Žalgiris assumes a type of risk, which some Internet users compare with the situation of Donatas Sabeckis, but it certainly is not possible to do so. First of all, D. Sabeckis did not show a good game in a high-level team, because “Šiauliai” only played LKL at that time and took fifth position there. T.Dimša has already tasted the bread of the Euroleague and showed a great game in the international tournament, where his team was among the 16 strongest teams. And T. Dimšai will be much easier to adapt in the schemes of Šarūnas Jasikevičius, since he has more experience than D. Sabeckis, who left Kaunas very soon.
It has been speculated why Žalgiris decided to acquire T. Dims. One version is a small budget. However, according to Krepsinis.net, the defender was in the limelight of this club long before the coronavirus crisis. It is obvious that the arrival of T. Dimsha is related to the “bigger picture”, which we do not see yet, because until now the chain of defenders seems to be crowded: Thomas Walkup, Lukas Lekavičius, Rokas Jokubaitis, Marius Grigonis and Steve Vasturia. According to Krepsinis.net, Th.Walkup is offered to Euroleague clubs, and its exchange amounts to 150 thousand euros, so the buyer can really appear.
Many questions ask what role T.Dimša can play in “Žalgiris” and in what position he will play. Š.Jasikevičius likes the versatility of the players, therefore S.Vasturia was bought, which can play from player position to light edge position. The situation could be similar with T.Dimša, and in general the definition of positions in modern basketball is increasingly disappearing. A great example of how Artūras Milaknis replaced Edgar Ulanov and competed in the position of a light striker, even though his entire career was the “second number”.
It should not be ruled out that T. Dimša was also important to Žalgiris due to his passport. A. Milaknis and E. Ulanov became free agents and there is a good chance they will not stay on the team. The “plus” of L.Lekavičius in the contract does not mean that it is 100%. stay on the team for next season too.
In short, it can be said that “Žalgiris” made a logical move and acquired a student from his system, who was the Lithuanian who made the most significant leap in his career this season. Especially since T. Dims is 26 years old and can really improve his game and become a solid rotating player in the first season. In monetary terms, there is no risk of large sums (you will win around 120 thousand euros), and if you are successful, you can get a reliable player for a good value.
Which player don’t you expect to see in Žalgiris anymore?
Help us create good content: become a sponsor of Krepsinis.net >>
[ad_2]
