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2025 Lithuanian NT

Shawshank said:
PG Jokubaitis,Zemaitis

SG Normantas,Sirvydis,Rubstavicius

SF Radzevicius,R.Giedraitis

PF Sedekerskis,Bendzius

C Valanciunas,Tubelis,Birutis



Best defenders to defend opponnet perimeter leaders will be lkl players Normantas and Zemaitis :)

From 5 bigs 4 of them cant shoot.


Valanciunas,Jokubaitis,Sedekerskis and 3 deep euroleague bench players + 6 lkl players

Coaching staff is worst NT ever had after only modern coach in staff Sernius left NT


Well done Balciunas !
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That's why losing Buzelis would be absolutely dreadful for us long term. The way our NT talent pool is rounding, we may play Buzelis at 4 entirely. Some Sedekerskis and Murauskas would back him up. He's the guy who can provide everything at 4 (well as well as 3, if not the 2 as well, but we'll need him the most at 4 likely), including ability to stretch the floor. If we lose Buzelis, we are a bit thin among stretch 4 options. After Buzelis and Murauskas, 2 terrific combo forwards who can shoot, we don't have much of that breed. At 3 there's tons of players to use like Brazdeikis, Sirvydis, Rubstavicius, Lelevicius, Juzenas, Rudaitis. At 4 we need Matas be available. If we will have KJ, Buzelis and Sabonis, there will be from little to none things that we can't do offenesively against anybody (including USA).
 
This is probably the worst roster and coaching staff ever. But are the missing players the coaches' fault? It doesn’t seem like it. Only Ulanovas wasn’t invited and he would’ve been one of the main players in this team. Most of the good defenders are out: Butkevicius, Giedraitis and Marciulionis. By the way, Marciulionis is injured for the second summer in a row and Giedraitis often has injury problems too. It’s a really sad situation this summer, but I don’t blame Kurtinaitis for it.
 
Straight forward said:
You overemphasize that moment of him being a turnover prone and more of a flashy passer rather than consistent decision maker. He's one of the most special game readers in decades. Literally. His processing of the game is at another level. His decision making time is surreal and he tends to be extra creative which leads to TOs sometimes, but even so very often it's teammates inability to see what he sees. He's not inconsistent decision maker, he's one of the best in the game overall. In Heat with NBA space and expressed rolling and lob finishing bigs it will be even simplier KJ. He will be pick and roll machine in those situation, it's either nice pass or a good look for himself. People don't realize how good KJ was majority of NCAA season. He plays under his own rhythm. Whole NBA season will show the most, but I believe even KJ's proponents not yet fully realize what can be KJ's ceiling in the NBA. I expect him to thrive in heat. In 2027 he will come after 2 NBA seasons and in OG after 3. But he's way way ahead of time compared to most rookies in terms of game processing, IQ and leadership. He was literally carrying older players as full time leader in Illini and he was constant memeber of Barca's training, working with jasikevicius, Rubio, Satoransky, Mirotic. May main concern is still with athleticism. Like people my put bigger and yet mobile defenders on him and he would struggle a bit with it in ISO situations. If that's not much of concern for KJ, he can be a star in NBA, IMO. Just people yet don't understand yet, but, IMO, it won't take too long.
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He finished season with 4 straight games committing 6 turnovers in each one of them. The most important games of the season when teams were game planning against him. He also had games with 7 turnovers. NCAA basketball is about playing vs weaker teams in like 50% of the season. What matters is the second part of the season with a lot of mini tournaments before March madness. My doubt about Jakucionis is that he didn't live up to expectations when it mattered and when faced strong pressure from good teams. That's not a moment but a real fact and the reason he fell in the draft.

I'm not worried about his athelticism if he has all fundemetnals like you said. It will outweigh the lack of athleticism. My doubt is about some other things.
 
Buzelis wont play every summer its clear by now that his priority will never be LTU NT but his own career and thats nr 1 reason why we can plan to built entire team around such player who will be IN and Out.

When foreigner Buzelis will decide to play ale Olympic summer it will be like bonus.


No point to talk theories and horoscopes when we simply wont have that player for like 50% of summers.


Can Jakucionis and Jokubaitis play together offence+defence thats why more important question for our NT future .

Because those 2 will be in NT for majority of summers. Answer to that question will decide alot can NT steal one medal in 2029-2032 or not.


Winning medal in 2025-2028 looks bigger pipe dream with every year. There just pipe dream trying to have all best plasyers with balciunas as president and having such laughable coaches


Somehow i dont hear anymore Kurtinaitis talks LTU NT must be semifinal or its bad tournament :) Even that big winner realised hopes is very little so now says we will try to play :)
 
Not any Federation or any person in the world can stop one player from playing for his NT if he loves that. You can have a bad coach and a bad Federation, but in the long term that player, or Buzelis in this case, is going to play for his NT if he wants that. It's as simple as that.
 
Serbian_Layup said:
Not any Federation or any person in the world can stop one player from playing for his NT if he loves that. You can have a bad coach and a bad Federation, but in the long term that player, or Buzelis in this case, is going to play for his NT if he wants that. It's as simple as that.
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Yes but this only works with players who have connection with nation player plays for. Look at Valanciunas he was insulted by todays federation and assistant coach but still will play again in 2025 and not hold grudge.

But its tottaly diffrent with player who is like naturalised player by connection,who lived in other side of the world all his life. He needs to be convinced every summer. Federation and coaches must do real convincing job or he wont simply come.

Diffrence with Buzelis and other naturalised players from other NTs he is not getting paid.Thats why Buzelis situation is strange he is neither our ltu kid and is not getting paid like other naturalised players.


Thats why i dont think what you said works with Buzelis example. It works with most NT players who have emotional connection.
 
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Shawshank said:
Yes but this only works with players who have connection with nation player plays for. Look at Valanciunas he was insulted by todays federation and assistant coach but still will play again in 2025 and not hold grudge.

But its tottaly diffrent with player who is like naturalised player by connection,who lived in other side of the world all his life. He needs to be convinced every summer. Federation and coaches must do real convincing job or he wont simply come.

Diffrence with Buzelis and other naturalised players from other NTs he is not getting paid.Thats why Buzelis situation is strange he is neither our ltu kid and is not getting paid like other naturalised players.


Thats why i dont think what you said works with Buzelis example. It works with most NT players.
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I agree on that. I'm not familiar with Buzelis' background, but if you need to convince him every summer, that's not good either. Brazdeikis has also lived outside of Lithuania for the most part of his life, but seems to be motivated to play for NT if he is healthy.
 
Yes but brazdeikis spent 2 years in lithuania playing for Zalgiris.Was around our NT players and have friendhips with them , dramatically improved his lithuanian language and he want to play but got injured in final series.

Thats the hope should be with Buzelis if federation finally would convince him to play and spending 1,5 summers with our other players Buzelis would get some emotional connection and friendships.

Now Buzelis knows Valanciunas and Sabonis and thats it. For young 20 old youngster its not easy to come to such tottaly new situation in toher side of the world.

Federation and NT coaches failed in 2025 to do that. Thats what my comment was all about convincing thing with Buzelis.
 
Your conclusions on Buzelis dedication and motivation is premature and too artificial. FOA, one summer Buzelis was very close to join Youth NT, If I remember correctly it was U20. He always speaks highly about his family and how he in the first place will represent the land where his family and thus he come from. He has very tight connection with both parents and that will remain so. To make a conclusion from this absence, specially after Pacesas and Kurtinaitis mess, some kind of decisive turnaround is premature. He may play in all 27, 28, 29, 31 after this. He may even show up for windows in 2026. When we'll have more data, we'll know. With current players you can easily expect to skip NT in their draft year and first off season. KJ is also skipping it for now. Sirvydis did it. Not all players are like JV and Jokubaitis and never were and never will be. Brazdeikis has been watching NT with his father and after he lived 4 year in Kaunas. It's not about Zalgiris. He came to the NT without Zalgiris contract and signed it only a bit later if I remember correctly. There's no doubt Matas watched some LTU NT together with his father and his close connection with his father is legit and he has been a staff member for long years. People forget how anxious are LTU guys who can speak Lithuanian a bit off camera, but feels very uncomfortable to speak in front of them. Buzelis was anxious in airport of Vilnius in the first place, not arrogant. He organized the camp of his name and came to be am active participant of it. He wouldn't do it if he would be completely unmotivated. He's an active dude, super outgoing and funny just as JV and he just made a decision to focus on individual workouts. It's way too soon to speculate that he will be only 50% available or so. It's complete speculation. It can be better, it can be worse. We don't know.
 
When in that interview where Buzelius didnt know who Sarunas Jasikevicius is. I was like ok this very american they dont nothing what is outside Usa happening.

If he watched LTU basketball with his father why he didnt knew Jasikevicius?

Ofcourse i dont know neither do yuo. But first signs is bad with Buzelis dedication and expect more than 1 of 2 50% participation rate of him its unrelistic in my eyes.

He will find some Usa model wife and it will become even worse look at Domas example :) This 2025 summer was good time for him to start playing in this B roster and get his feet wet in fiba and get lessons from way smarter fiba experience players.

And he skipped fiba to play in summer league its so american type desicion.
 
Im looking at 2025 and thinking how to create competitive team that would make sense Defence+offence lineups.

I would start Jokubaitis,Normantas,Radzevicius,Sedekerskis,Valanciunas

Normantas is put on opponnets best perimeter player first 7-8 minutes. He will get in faul trouble as often he does and then try Sirvydis with weaker less talented opponents bench SG and see if Sirvydis will make shots in this fiba tournament and or again miss everything?

Valanciunas is put on non shooter opponnets big doesnt matter its PF or C. Sedekerskis takes the shooting big

At 7-8minute mark Tubelis comes as back C and 2 shooters Bendzius and R.Giedraitis with him

Basically my bench would PG,Sirvydis,Giedraitis,Bendzius,Tubelis


NT need mix it up that starting 5 would have some defence and bench would have some offence.

When win or go home comes i would trust only these 8 players : Jokubaitis,Normantas,Sirvydis,Radzevicius,Giedraitis,Tubelis,Bendzius,Valanciunas

after that backup PG should give atleats 5-6min rest to Jokubaitis.


But this only to win games to get out of the group as 3rd or 4th place. In 1/8 and 1/4 its looks hopeless with such antidefensive players and miracle underdog story is needed
 
But he knows Arvydas Sabonis. Thing is I think it's a systematical decision, he did what any serious player would do to concentrate on his own growth. Summer League is just a joke, Bulls said they don't know how much and how many he'll play. It will be more of symbolic thing. Summer League is more for rookies and foreign talents that NBA GMs want to look at. Whole off season hard work will be taken off cameras, just grinding and grinding, polishing his skillset and becoming stronger. Bulls sees Matas as a big big part of their future. I'm sure it's mix of everything. In the mid season he wasn't playing much and he said he's coming. Later Pacesas incident and Matas minutes grew. The pressure for the next big season grew. I wouldn't over dramatize this. His true dedication will be known later. If he will be skipping 2027 WC for no big reason than I'll know he's just a guy for Olympics and occasional WC/EB from time to time. If he's flat out in for 27 and 28 I'm all good. Give me 70% of next 10-15 tournaments and it's more than enough. We'll see.
 
Lack of creators. Jokubaitis will deliver, but defense will be constantly collapsing on him. Velicka and Zemaitis suck balls offensively. They can't facilitate, they don't have enough of creativity. Losing point guards KJ and Marciulionis and creative SG Iggy is just too much for Lithuania. Also when we won't have Sabonis, there won't be creation from position 5. At least with his smart screens and handoffs he was constantly making goos looks. It's very limited NT. I don't know what to take from it. I just hope Jokubaitis will learn how to be a leader even further, Sirvydis will finally brake out in the NT, Tubelis will solidify himself as role player at 4/5 and Rubstavicius will get some chances as I like his fighting spirit and long term upside. It's really hard to speak about serious goals for this NT, but I hope we won't suck entirely either. We have to sustain certain standard even with B or -B roster.

If Kurtinaitis was smart, he would invited Lelevicius instead of Giedraitis. We will need such smart, fundamentally sound spot up shooters next KJ, as Sirvydis and Lelevicius. But Kurtinaitis barely thinks forward. Giedraitis always super bad in the NT, like it's hard to even describe.
 
Rubstavicius is not getting minutes. He was DNP or 12th player in window games under Kurtinaitis and now Sirvydis and Giedraitis joined the window games mix.

Unless Sirvydis and Giedraitis again will be unplayable and miss everything maybe Rubstavicius will get a chance.

But right now backup PG,Birutis and Rubstavicius looks like classic 10-12th tourists who just watches from bench


But first top 9 players also is only top 16 material. But Lithuanians plays best when entire nation dont believe in them and writes them off.

Thats only hope that have no logical explanation why this NT should make even top 8.
 
Players age groups of 2025 NT

30+ Bendzius,Valanciunas,Giedraitis,Radzevicius
26-29 Zemaitis,Sedekerskis,Normantas,Birutis,Velicka,Sargiunas
23-25 Jokubaitis,Sirvydis,Rubstavicius,Tubelis,Blazevic

19-22 nobody


suprise suprise new coaching staff and same story maybe 1 under 23 old age will make or 0 players under 23 age in LTU men NT again happend same pattern

LTU NT coaches dont believe 19-22 old kids can help in fights vs Fiba men.

Buzelis was that 1 generational tallent under 23 in 2025 but he refused to come .
 
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Yeah, you should wait for D NT to form, your calculation would be even better :D

Thing is NT could be formed from 19-29yo very easily and majority of players would be 23-25yo which would make us one of the younger teams surely which only shows that a positive stretch is ahead of us finally. I think this 2025 is the last meh tournament. I really believe that, but off course we have to pack our NBA players into that 2027 roster for that.

People actually don't understand that current KJ would directly challenge Jokubaitis. I really believe in that. he's that dynamic and with each off season month he's getting stronger and stronger. We'll never know, but Kurtinaitis may be responsible for KJ's absence. He talked shit about student's NT for KJ...speechless. I actually think KJ will make Kurtinaitis look dum after this Summer League alone which will start at July 5.

All these +30 names are trash aside JV. So it's not a bad sign.

Current KJ hooping this summer. There's no way Jokubaitis stays in front of KJ lol :D I don't know if KJ can stay in front of Rokas, also probably not, but ain't no way Jokubaitis stays in front KJ, LOL. Different first step, agility and explosiveness and that off the dribble three warhead:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1940827153526149390

Saraf is with Israel. I take it, NT didn't do it's job to lock KJ home.
 
in 2027 will be same story

Jakucionis at 21 and the rest of the roster will be 23 and older players


So dinosour expert when you again gonna write million words horoscopes how 3-4 diffrent kids 19-22 age will make men NT keep those horoscopes to yourself and don't embarrass yourself with zero knowledge how selection ends being in most cases in men NT :)
 
Shawshank said:
in 2027 will be same story

Jakucionis at 21 and the rest of the roster will be 23 and older players


So dinosour expert when you again gonna write million words horoscopes how 3-4 diffrent kids 19-22 age will make men NT keep those horoscopes to yourself and don't embarrass yourself with zero knowledge how selection ends being in most cases in men NT :)
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You're too fixated with what you want to hear, cause you have limited redneck's brain :) I never said there will be four 19yo in the NT. And even if I ever did, who fucking cares? :) Your constant repetition of some trivial things is funny. For LTU 2,6mil population country, to have 19yo and 21yo prodigies are a miracle and a blessing. The thing that even you don't get current level of KJ is no surprise at all though. People look at passport not actual level. You are the leader at it, LOL :D KJ is not in the NT because he's not worthy. It's either because we have clueless coach or because he decided to work with his NBA team as his current priority.

I can't help people who can't see basketball, you wither have it or not.

That 19yo KJ is not in the NT is actually a huge setback for us. It shows we had more brain previously. IMO, he is more, and way more ready than 19yo JV and Domas were. He's a baller and mastermind compared to them at their age.

It only shows that we have been declining in coaching.
 
if age group 19-22 struggles to make roster of LTU B roster in 2023 and 2025

How 19-22 will they gonna make LTU NT A roster? If Balciunas will manage to collect A roster again in 2027 thatts not given ofcourse looking how bad he is as president

Literally young tallents have to be first round nba draft tallents ale Kleiza,Valanciunas,Sabonis,Buzelis,Jakucionis or euroleague rising star ale Jokubaitis with 8pts average in euroleague at 21 age


sure if they are such level tallents they will make roster before 23 old age. Anything less than that chances is very slim


Unless Balciunas will go to such levels when LTU NT will collect C roster than all bets is off :)
 
It's about NT improvement. I don't care if I can do it with 19yo or 30yo. Maybe Sedekerskis after 3 year will play his best BB in his life and will be dropping 14ppg, 8rpg, 3apg. So he would make huge stride. Sometimes such things happen. Such players are Isaiah Tomas, Kyle Lowry. I don't care about the age. I never was thinking about young prospects too much if any when we had prime Jasikevicius, Stombergas, Siskauskas, Macijauskas. I would never even look at that side too much. We had everything we need to dominate and to play most intense and dynamic offense in entire Europe. You think I need 20yo in my team? Nope. I take 38yo Kalnietis if had something like M. Huertas in him. The problem only is that our coaches over-look some young players and miss that moment when they can join NT.

Such talent as KJ had to make a debut this summer. Kurtinaitis from his clueless answer showed he doesn't get it. IMO, current KJ is more ready than JV, Domas or D-Mo. He reads the game like a vet. None of my mentioned had that at this early age. Far from it.
 
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