Lithuanian wing Deividas Zemgulis - “Davis” to his American friends - is seven weeks into his career as a Nittany Lion. His Penn State men’s basketball team has now wrapped its first full week of preseason practice, and he says that while there have been some adjustments to his new life as a freshman in college, everything has “been great so far.”

Working hard on the court to be able to make what he hopes is a real impact in this, his first season with the Nittany Lions, one of Davis’ biggest challenges has less to do with jump-shooting, dunking or defensive slides.

“Classes have been going well,” he says, somewhat sheepishly. “One class I'm struggling with is English. But, the other four classes, I'm fine.”

Moving to the United States two years ago, Zemgulis is now 19 years old but admittedly spoke little English before becoming a student at St. Mary’s Ryken in Maryland during his junior year in high school. The little experience he had? Watching movies, he said.

“But those two years I kind of picked up and it was good, but then I went back to Lithuania for a couple of months and didn't speak any English again and forgot it a little bit,” he says. “I came here and my English is no good. I'm trying to rebuild myself.”

Far from unintelligible, Davis’ chooses his words carefully around his teammates and coaches, whom he already says have become like a family.

In an interview situation, the deliberate nature is no sweat, an easy byproduct of the changes in Davis’ life. On the court, on the other hand, Zemgulis noted that some of the challenges in the transition from high school to this new level have been directly tied to those differences.

“Communication is way different,” he said. “There's more communication here, and physicality. Guys are way more athletic and faster. So I just gotta adjust to the game and I think I'll be fine.

“(The language barrier) does make it a little bit more difficult because sometimes I don't understand what they are saying. But I think I'm catching up, and in time I'll be fine.”

The good news for Davis, of course, is the much-needed attribute he brings to the table for a Nittany Lion team searching for scoring this season.

Asked what he does well during the program’s preseason media day last week, Davis needed just one word to sum it up. “Shooting,” he said. “That's what the coaches recruited me for. Definitely shooting. Behind the line. Three-point shot.”

As a high school senior a year ago, the team captain did exactly that, filling the bucket for an average of 15 points per game. He was considered a Rivals.com three-star recruit.

Penn State head coach Patrick Chambers concurred. "Davis drills threes out of nowhere," he said. "It's fun to watch and it's fun to see."

Explaining where his shooting stroke comes from, Davis says that growing up in Lithuania, coaches teach shooting form intensely during a player’s formative years. Owning a “pretty good” shot already, by the time Davis arrived in the United States he said he needed to learn more of the game and his strengths if he planned to contribute moving forward.

Said Zemgulis, “At first I didn't really know the game, so I had to adjust myself. I was figuring out what I could be best at, so I would just be in the gym shooting and shooting. I developed good shooting habits.”

All of which Davis hopes to be able to put into action this season with the Nittany Lions.

Saying that he’ll always be ready when head coach Patrick Chambers calls his name, Zemgulis is simply thrilled by the opportunity that is still ahead.

“I can't wait,” he said. “That's a dream come true. I never thought I would play college basketball back when I was in Lithuania, but then I decided to go to United States to see what happens and now I'm here. I'm just blessed.”