Tim Dezelski has always wanted to play professional basketball. Now he has a chance to realize that dream.
The 2014 Hillsdale College grad has taken his talents to the N2 division in Luxembourg. He will begin games soon for BBC Residence Walferdange, a team that is going into its 49th season as a professional squad.
“Playing basketball professionally had always been my dream since I was a young kid and I am blessed and thankful to be here,” Dezelski said via email.
The 6’ 6” forward graduated as one of the most decorated players in school history. In 2012 he was named to the GLIAC All-Tournament team. In 2013 he was named Second-Team All-GLIAC, and in 2014 he was awarded with First-Team All-GLIAC, Daktronics First-Team All-Region, and Daktronics Third-Team All-American honors.
“He is hands down the most competitive person I’ve ever met. No matter the game, he gave it his all and always wanted to win,” Hillsdale senior guard Darius Ware said.
Dezelski gained some interest from professional teams during his career at Hillsdale and made the decision to go to Europe after he attended an exposure camp in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“It was relatively early to sign with a team but I felt like it was the right fit for me,” Dezelski said.
There are obviously some cultural differences between the United States and Europe, but Dezelski is making adjustments on and off the court to be successful.
“The European style of basketball is much different than in America. Everything from play style to refereeing, so it has been a big adjustment,” Dezelski said. “The basketball situation is quite different than some people might expect because in my league there are only two truly professional players per team. The rest are Luxembourgish citizens who work or attend school before coming to practice. A lot of responsibility is placed on the professional players in games and workouts as well.”
If Dezelski plays anything like he did for the Chargers, Residence Walferdange can expect a lot of production on the boards and in the paint offensively. In his senior season Dezelski averaged 22.9 points per game with 9.6 rebounds. As it stands right now he is the tallest player on the team by two inches so he may have to switch from being a forward to a center.
One of the things Dezelski is enjoying about his new job is being able to focus on the sport he loves.
“The best part about being over here is that I can fully commit myself to the game of basketball and pushing myself to reach my full potential. With no schoolwork or other job it can become my sole focus,” Dezelski said.
If Dezelski has not reached his full potential then the other teams in the league are going to be in trouble. He is already a proven scorer with a tenacity that makes him tough on defense.
Although this is a great opportunity for Dezelski to continue his career, he is missing some people and things from home.
“There are plenty of things I miss about America. Leaving my girlfriend, my teammates, my family, and my friends behind has been the most difficult adjustment,” Dezelski said.
He is not the only one making the adjustment. His girlfriend, senior Kadie Lowery, a guard on the Hillsdale women’s basketball team, has to deal with the distance as well.
“The hardest part I’d say is transitioning from seeing him every single day while on campus for the past few years to not at all. It’s definitely an adjustment but we make it work,” Lowery said.
Fortunately, English is widely used in Luxembourg so there isn’t a huge learning curve as far as a language barrier. The thing that has taken the longest for him to get used to is the laid-back lifestyle they have in Europe, he said.
Dezelski left his mark on Hillsdale basketball. His work ethic that got him the opportunity to play professionally stuck with the team.
“Tim’s competitive nature pushed the team and motivated us to do better each day, each game, and each possession. Although we don’t have Timmy D to help motivate us as a team, his nature influenced many of our guys to continue to compete day in and day out,” Ware said.
Playing in Luxembourg will give Dezelski an opportunity to continue playing the game he loves at a high level and will allow him to harness his skills to achieve future success. If he can be as consistently good overseas as he was in Charger blue, he will be able to play basketball for a long time.
“I hope to play professionally for as long as I physically can! It is my dream and I hope to take advantage for as long as possible,” Dezelski said.
