Imagine entering the gym on your first day with a new team. A new environment. A new country. You’re from Fort Wayne, Indiana, but actually you are a citizen of the world because your career made you one. France. Spain. Israel. Turkey. Greece. Japan. Germany. And now Italy. But in one corner you see a known figure. He’s the coach who picked you in the NBA draft ten years ago, who also coached you. He is the coach who defined an era and won five championships. It’s Gregg Popovich. “I was excited and surprised, obviously I know Coach Messina knew Gregg, and Gregg Popovich likes to travel to Europe and see teams. It was special to see him out there, watching our practice. They (San Antonio Spurs) drafted me, it was a great experience, so it was good to see him.”

Deshaun Thomas has only spent one year in the NBA, but he has built himself a solid professional career because he has been part of the EuroLeague in virtually every single season since his three years at Ohio State. And when he speaks about it, he rightly does so with a hint of pride. No, with a lot of pride. “Growing up, first thing, my brother put the ball in my hands. It was special, he knew it was special. I started to be on organized team in third or fourth grade. I just fell in love with it. Going to the parks, playing organized, playing into the wild I just elevated my game since then, started to be really good, being very well-known around the city, and I took it all to another level. And so now I’m playing as a pro for my tenth year. It was a blessing and a special gift.”

MR INDIANA GOES TO OHIO STATE

“It is special, it is what every kid dreams, it was my dream coming in, especially in mid-school and high school, being Mr. Indiana. When you are Mr Indiana sky is the limit for you. You are very well known around the city. And being one of those names, in a category with Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson it is something special. This will let you know how hard work I put into the game, and it all paid off.” But he lef Indiana, an entire state, actually, at the altar, and moved to Ohio State. “I had a lot of colleges to choose from, Indiana, Purdue, but I went to Ohio State because I wanted to see something new, get out of my city, see how another fan base was like. Obviously, I have seen a lot of colleges, in Indiana, but I wanted to start my career with something new. Also, Thad Matta was a great coach, he just didn’t really care about the basketball aspect of the game, he cared about my grades, my personality, and that kind of stood out to me at that time at my age and that is why I chose Ohio State.” He did the right thing, because Ohio State had three fantastic seasons with Deshaun on the team and he made a trip to the Final Four. “That was my breakout year, I played really well in my sophomore season. I had never had any foul trouble before and being in foul trouble in the Final Four that was the only thing I regret. I couldn’t believe it, but overall, looking back, I played hard on a great team. Individually I played unbelievable and that was an unbelievable feeling getting to the Final Four with Ohio State, then I had another great year my third season and the sky was the limit from there.”

EUROLEAGUE ADVENTURES

“I got through the NBA process. I was glad to be drafted, out of the all the people in the World I was one of sixty who got drafted and then was stashed Nanterre. It was a challenge for me, obviously for my wife. We got off a plane, we were in a car, we started to look around and she started crying. I was like Please don’t do that. As soon as we got off the plane, we said what we got ourselves into. The thing that helped us was that other Americans were on the team. They had families, they understood the situation and they helped us getting through it, all year. After that we got very comfortable and having great people on the team and their families helped my career out a lot.” After spending one year in Nanterre, he embarked on a successful career on several great European teams. It is not something to be taken for granted. “Consistency is what really counts. I have been in this league for ten years, and to be successful in all the teams that I played for the key is hard work. And when you stay consistent in this game sky is the limit. A lot of coaches like type of players like me, causing individual mismatches, who can do all, can shoot, can rebound, but I think consistency is the key and a lot of teams like that in their players.” And still, he never played in a Final Four. “I came up short with Barcelona, Efes, two years in Greece and last year in Germany. You think about that, you trying to find ways to succeed. Obviously, the career of individual success that I had kept me along in this league, but this is all about winning and get to the Final Four. I think at the end of my career being over the top would get me more respect, so it is a goal of mine, has been a goal of mine trying to get to the Final Four and win it all. Then, I think my resume would be perfect.”

NOW MILANO…

“I think I can help in many ways, but to play the 3 you have to be in great shape. Obviously with a guy like me you can switch a lot, and offensively I might be a mismatch nightmare. It’s a matter of rhythm and opportunity, timing to get at those positions, especially at the 3, the rhythm to get there. Obviously, all my years at the 4 have been mostly my successful years, but if you look back at my days in Greece and Maccabi, I played 4-5 minutes at the 3. I was very successful there, so it all depends. I feel if you can shoot the ball at a high clip, at those positions in Europe, you are fine. And defensively it depends by the matchups and situations, having me chasing 3s or switch. It all depends how to make successful there but I’m just there for anything the team needs,” he says. Olimpia now. “It is a great organization. I love the team. I feel like this team has a chance, the chance we were talking about, to get to the Final Four. Me, being there for so many years and coming up short, I feel I can be that piece that help them get there. And obviously Coach Messina. He has great experience; I’ve known him through the Spurs. He is a great coach. Watching the team for a couple of years, I feel like they are missing just one piece. And I can be that piece.”