Daniel Theis' World Cup triumph with Germany has equipped him with the composure, experience, and winning mindset needed to thrive in the EuroLeague final with Monaco.
Daniel Theis joined AS Monaco in February after spending parts of eight seasons in the NBA – and he wasted no time making an impact, helping his team reach the EuroLeague final in his very first season back.
Daniel Theis
Daniel Theis
Daniel Theis
MIN: 22.46
PTS: 11.71 (64.33%)
REB: 5.29
As: 0.79
ST: 0.29
BL: 0.79
TO: 1.71
GM: 14
The German big man has seen it all: 41 NBA playoff games, a trip to the 2022 NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics, a EuroBasket 2022 bronze-medal game, a FIBA World Cup title in 2023, and most recently, the Paris Olympics with Germany.
Now, he's back in Europe and preparing for another high-stakes matchup – this time in the EuroLeague final against Fenerbahce.
When asked how this moment ranks in his career, Theis did not hesitate.
"Very high," Theis told BasketNews. "Hopefully, I could tell you more about it after the game, and obviously, you want to win every final, you want to win every title, and every time you win something is very, very high on the list. That's in a team sport, and as an individual, you want to win."
His biggest achievement so far remains the World Cup gold medal in the Philippines, but Theis believes that experience can only help on the EuroLeague stage.
"Winning a title helps you get the experience in those games, and it helps maybe to be a little bit calmer and more relaxed in those games," he noted. "Our coach [Vassilis Spanoulis], who has won so many titles, speaks and tells us about his experiences. We know it's true and we listen to him."
Credit ZUMAPRESS.com - Scanpix
Before returning to the Old Continent this year, Theis last played in the EuroLeague during the 2016-17 season with Brose Bamberg. The difference is striking.
"It changed a lot, the league grew a lot, especially talent-wise and player-wise. It's been great," he said. "The basketball is very, very high level, the best basketball in Europe."
Despite interest from NBA teams and a serious offer from Panathinaikos, Theis chose Monaco for one clear reason: a bigger role. And that decision has paid off.
"I chose Monaco for a reason, so I'm glad I'm here right now," he stressed. "I mean, we play the final tomorrow, so I made the right decision."
In the semifinal, Theis posted five points and four rebounds. While that was not his best showing, he has been a consistent threat during his Monaco tenure, averaging 11.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 12.6 PIR per game.
Fenerbahce would do well to keep an eye on him in the final.
Pijus Sapetka
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