Tyler Dorsey is flourishing this season at Olympiacos.
He hits a career record in the Euroleague (12.4 points) and leads the team's scoring list from Piraeus, is very involved in managing the game and delivers 2.4 assists on average (also a career record), and the effort and commitment he shows in defense is unlike the player we knew from Maccabi Tel Aviv.
In Israel, Dorsey was a one-dimensional player, who relied mainly on archery and also suffered from blatant instability.
After good games came bad performances.
Particularly memorable is his huge display away against Moscow Himki when he scored 26 points, including 8 of 13 for three, but the following week was stopped on just one point against Fenerbahce, without a single shot for two and with 0 from 7 for three.
In Piraeus the situation is completely different.
The guard is much more stable (scored in double digits in 7 of the first 10 rounds, including five consecutive games before the loss to Andulo on Wednesday), is more involved in the attacking game, and as we will see below - also much more diverse.
"It's a matter for the coach. At Maccabi I did not have this opportunity and this role, while here at Olympiacos, coach Yorgos Bratzokas gives me a better opportunity and a more significant role - and I try to take advantage of what they give me," he told Honesty last week in an interview with Eurohops.
"Every year I go on the field and my confidence is exactly the same, just now I feel like I have a bigger opportunity. I'm a key player at Olympiacos and that's great. This is the first time in my career that I'm a key player, and I want to prove who I am and be stable in every game."
In Maccabi, Dorsey played alongside Scotty Wilbkin, who last season made most of the decisions in attack.
The guard with Greek citizenship stood by most of the time, waiting for the available shots.
At Olympiacos he plays alongside natural coordinators like Costas Slokas and Thomas Wakap, those who produce good shooting situations for teammates, and the situation is of course different for him.
"Able to score 30 points"
Wilbkin himself said this week: "Tyler is playing very well this season and I'm happy for him. He's able to score 30 points, so we need to focus on him defensively and not let him get into the game."
Wilbkin and Dorsey.
A combination that did not take off, Photo: Alan Shiver
In the same interview in which he spoke openly, Dorsey explained that he did not like the fact that until this season he was considered a one-dimensional player.
This is also one of the reasons why this year he added to the attacking arsenal more shots from half distance (4 compared to 3.6 shots on average last season).
"I do not want to be one-dimensional. It does not help me or the team, because then the guards close me," he said.
"Half-distance shots and basket penetration help open up the defense and don't allow it to predict what you're going to do."
During the same interview, Dorsey mentioned several times the differences between the responsibility entrusted to him this season by coach Bratzokas and the role given to him by Sapropoulos.
"It all has to do with the way the coach uses you and the role he gives you. At Maccabi I came to terms with the way the coach wanted me to play, but here I have more opportunities so I also show more things."
It is difficult to ignore the feeling that amid the many compliments to Berzocas, there is also an implicit criticism of Sapropoulos.
Jumped at the opportunity
Even before he arrived at Maccabi Tel Aviv in the summer of 2019, Dorsey preferred Olympiacos. But his delay and desire to wait until the last minute for an offer from the NBA led the Greeks to close the roster, and so he found himself landing in Tel Aviv.
Also last summer he waited for a contract from one of the teams in the best league in the world, and according to reliable reports aroused interest among several teams, but this time when an opportunity arose to reach Piraeus, he did not wait too long and accepted the offer with both hands.
So far, both sides are satisfied.
Dorsey and Olympiacos do not regret it.
The guard looks in great shape and is also leading his team to a not-so-bad season opener at all.
Even at Maccabi, it's hard to say they miss.
The combination of Keenan Evans and Wilbkin works well, the Yellows have more options on offense and they also look much better compared to last season.
Tonight, on the parquet in the Hall of Peace and Fraternity, we will get a first chance to know who is more right.