Christian Dedivanaj: Hard work pays off for freshman walk-on

Every collegiate basketball player has their own unique story about how they made it to the Division I level.

For BGSU men's basketball freshman guard Christan Dedivanaj, that story is one of being an underdog to make the roster.

Before even making it to the Falcons roster, the 6-foot-3 guard had conversations about committing to a Division I or junior college (JUCO); however, he decided to forgo those opportunities and walk-on at BGSU.
"I had some more junior college opportunities. I was in contact with some other Division II, but other than that, this was the opportunity that I was able to go with," Dedivanaj said.

As a walk-on guard for Bowling Green, Dedivanaj puts in extra work with both other players and coaches to find new places to improve and develop his game at the next level. One of those coaches who puts in the extra work after practice with him is assistant coach Jason Newkirk.

Newkirk has taken Dedivanaj under his wing, and the two of them spend plenty of time together after practice working on the basics.

"Just keep it simple, so that when they get into the game, their instincts just take over, and they have confidence from the repetitions they put in," Newkirk said.

The coaching staff is not the only group that works to show him the ropes of the Division I level, but his fellow teammates also work to show him the ropes.

"When I first got here, Javon Ruffin, he actually helped me a lot, and he showed me a lot of tips and tricks. I have some teammates now like Sam (Towns) who have talked me through a lot of things," stated Dedivanaj.
Even though Dedivanaj is a walk-on, he brings plenty of energy to the team.

"I bring the energy every day. I'm talking always, I'm trying to make everyone around me better. I'm getting guys involved. I know the little things, and I'm always trying to bring everyone up and make practice feel better for everyone," Dedivanaj said.

The energy that he brings to practice is contagious, getting his teammates to step up their intensity.

"Anytime he makes a play in practice, the guys are celebrating and encouraging him, just like he does for them when he is out," Newkirk said. "He is a guy that, if it is a game, he might get a bench warning from coach (Todd) Simon or the refs."

For Dedivanaj, it's not just about landing at a Division I level but having the facilities in place to learn the game of basketball while getting an education.

"I think it is a huge advantage for him, because he is going to get an opportunity to compete and practice with these guys every day. Our strength and conditioning is top notch," Newkirk said. "Education purpose, it is going to be seamless for him; he does not have to worry about credits transferring over."

For the guard, making the team was something that he was excited and grateful for. Those emotions helped him to put even more work into his craft.

"I was super excited, super happy. I was probably smiling cheek to cheek," Dedivanaj stated. "I was grateful, gave all glory to God, thankful for the opportunity. I just kept working even harder, so I could be ready for everything that could come at me."

So, far the hard work has paid off for Dedivanaj, as he has scored two points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out three assists in 12 minutes across five games this season.

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