The shift from high school basketball to college basketball is a significant change and adjustment for most freshmen, but the transition from playing basketball overseas to college basketball is even more distinct. Neoklis Avdalas from Greece and Antonio Dorn from Germany are Virginia Tech's two newest European products, and they've already felt the impact adjusting to a different style of hoops and a different culture.
For Avdalas, his transition has been a little smoother; evident with his 33-point performance against Providence, and his playmaking ability, so far averaging six assists per game this season. His passing has been his most translatable skill as the lead point guard for the Hokies and has embraced plenty of people.
“He’s the best passer I’ve ever coached,” head coach said Mike Young on Neoklis Avdalas’ passing ability.
Since his game against Providence, Avdalas hasn’t put up headlining statistics but has still been a big part of Virginia Tech’s wins with his passing and playmaking ability. He's a patient player, always looking to make the right pass and does a good job at it. It is fun when its the lobs to Lawal or Hansberry, but he showcases a "sixth sense" when finding the cutting players or knowing who's with him in transition.
It's a part of his high IQ play style where you can see him play with a perfectionist mentality. He looks to make the right plays and shots, and while you want your players to make the right plays, that may not align with the faster pace and physicality that is seen in college basketball compared to European basketball. Faster basketball means less time to make the right decisions, and this is one of Mike Young’s fastest teams he’s ever coached.
“The pace is a lot faster man, they play a lot faster here,” Avdalas said on the difference in pace of European and college basketball.
Even with the pace adjustment being a fair reason to expect growing pains, Mike Young has seen a desire from Avdalas to be perfect in everything he does.
