All time NT

[Shawshank]

Look at number unless you are generational tallent (leading our youth nt in scoring doesnt make you one) those u-19 kids is waiting 4-5 years untill they get a role in NT.Im not talking about generational tallent ,but overall how it goes.

You said same things about 1985 generations and they won multiple medals with limited tallents in men competions and it was same history in their youth days. You are saying now about 1992.

Never saw generation that won multiple gold medals in youth and couldnt win anything against more less same opponents in their mature years. Jasikevicius era won gold medals in youth won medals in men level,Kleiza generation won gold in youth won medals in men too.Those things is not accidental.

One youth medal doenst mean nothing,but if same generation won 2 or more yes it shows something especially if it Gold medals.


For me both 1985 and 1992 players in youth tournaments showed they play not worse in pressure situations,i could argue even better and this element is very important when those panic games starts.

Im seeing all those Valanciunas,Sabonis,Gudaitis,Ulanovas,Grigonis,Lek avicius,R.Giedraitis being simply locks in 2021-2024 .

And players from same generation like Butkevicius or Dimsa being always in final top16 candidate list.

Yeah there will those generational tallents like Jokubaitis or Tubelis ,1-2 players from Sedekerskis generation,but all the heavy lifting in 2021-2024 will be done by 1992-1994 players.

[Straight forward]

Look at number unless you are generational tallent (leading our youth nt in scoring doesnt make you one) those u-19 kids is waiting 4-5 years untill they get a role in NT.Im not talking about generational tallent ,but overall how it goes.

We agree here. That's why I have Jokubaitis, Tubelis, Marciulionis making it early and other quality prospects as Brazdeikis, Sirvydis, Velicka at their 23 or so.

You said same things about 1985 generations and they won multiple medals with limited tallents in men competions and it was same history in their youth days. You are saying now about 1992.

Never saw generation that won multiple gold medals in youth and couldnt win anything against more less same opponents in their mature years. Jasikevicius era won gold medals in youth won medals in men level,Kleiza generation won gold in youth won medals in men too.Those things is not accidental..

Now you're pushing your self to the corner, cause if JV, Ulanovas, Giedraitis won't lead NT to podium your theory collapses and I don't see this bunch of that kind. You forget that 1992 generation also got huge impact of guys like Cizauskas, Pukis, Redikas, Butkevicius, Skucas. It was incredibly deep generation, but as NT goes it' still just JV basically thus far. BTW, aren't we waiting a little too long already for 1992 generation fruits in senior NT? Kleiza, Maciulis and Co.snatched medals when they were 25 or so. JV will be 29 this summer.

Yeah there will those generational tallents like Jokubaitis or Tubelis ,1-2 players from Sedekerskis generation,but all the heavy lifting in 2021-2024 will be done by 1992-1994 players.

Likely, but Sabonis is not from 1992, 1994, he's 1996 and likely will be most impactful player overall in upcoming Olympic cycle. So you're just limit your self uncomfortably to this idea that these guys exactly has to do it now. 2010 is a good example. Kids carried us. 24 Kalnietis, 24 Pocius, 25 Kleiza, 25 Maciulis. They were just fine in crunch time They didn't need grandpas to carry them. Every time it's new story and upcoming 2 Olympic cycles will be even more mysterious than ever cause we have tons to RAW talent for our standards and we don't know how it will pan out.

[Straight forward]

I think 2011 fuck up is one of the biggest ever with 1999, 2001, 2004 ect. We were second in PPG, first in rebounding, first in three point percentage, forth in assists. That was pretty bad defensive team, but still we had to be in semis.

[Straight forward]

Steals are not the only stat to show how good the team is defensively, but boy oh boy 1992 OT stand out in our BB history. 16,9spg while it usually is somewhere between 4 and 8. Surprisingly Kurtinaitis was the beast stealer with crazy 3,6spg. He was smarter and better defender than people think (and player overall, I think he's a bit underrated by some Lith fans). All Sabonis, Marciulionis, Chomicius, Kurtinaitis were snatching around three steals per game, that's ridiculous. Also Krapikas and Karnisovas was decent ball stealers. IDK if it is surely the best defensive team of all time, but it's the best ball hawk team by far we ever had. Interesting that the original dream team had over 20 steals while other USA teams couldn't stand close this.

[Hepcat]

Judging by the names, they could have played better defensively but did not:

Šarūnas Jasikevičius, Rimantas Kaukėnas, Darius Songaila, Mantas Kalnietis, Martynas Pocius, Simas Jasaitis, Tomas Delininkaitis, Paulius Jankūnas, Robertas Javtokas, Marijonas Petravičius, Kšyštof Lavrinovič, Jonas Valančiūnas (Coach: Kęstutis Kemzūra)

That could probably be hung on Coach Kęstutis Kemzūra. Then there was that piece of bad luck when Marijonas Petravičius came down with a lung disease which proved career ending.

[Straight forward]

Hepcat, from these names only Javtokas, Jankunas, Jasaitis are solid defenders. That was so much an offensive team.

[Straight forward]

Another myth that I would like to fight against here. "Vets should carry us in crunch time". Really? They might, but they might not as well. 1999 quarter finals, Sabonis Einikis screwed (that's the only time Sabas screws, but still). 2004, we are lacking both Saras and Siska in semis against Italy. 2007 Saras, Kaukenas, Songaila "don't show up" in semis against Russia. 2008 small final against Argentina, Saras, Siska choke. 2011 quarterfinals, and Saras, Songaila's dreadful mistakes cost us semifinals and likely medals. 2012 OG quarterfinals...Saras, Kleiza choked. 2016 JV, Maciulis, Seibutis choke against Aussies. 2017 Maciulis chokes against Greece. I would lean towards the thesis "best players should carry us" instead. 2000 Songaila as a rookie was carrying as nicely (as well as Siska). In 2003 Macas was hitting some clutch shots (Latvia game). In 2007 EB Kleiza carried us against Croatia if I remember correctly. 2010 was lead by 24 years olds. In 2011 JV was huge in important stretch of the tournament. This vets argument is used as stereotype too often.

[Shawshank]

I always thought choke means when team lost game when they should have won.But not in games where team were underdog or lost by 20.

In same way I can easily find games where P.Gasol 2007 final? or D.Nowitzky 2011 choke?

So what is your point all time great players cant have bad game or what?

when naming players like Siskauskas,Macijauskas,Kleiza you realise that they are generational tallents right?

Or in your logic what they did any rookie kid also can do ?

[Straight forward]

I always thought choke means when team lost game when they should have won.But not in games where team were underdog or lost by 20.

In same way I can easily find games where P.Gasol 2007 final? or D.Nowitzky 2011 choke?

So what is your point all time great players cant have bad game or what?

when naming players like Siskauskas,Macijauskas,Kleiza you realise that they are generational tallents right?

Or in your logic what they did any rookie kid also can do ?

Songaila, Tomas Masiulis...too many generational talents you know My point is that we have too many tournaments where vets failed. And sometimes it's some 24 or 25 kid is the best ready for clutch action. And other thing, Sedekerskis may very well be more defensively impactful in 2021 than Ulanovas. May not as well, but I won't be surprise if he will. Physically and athletically he's ready, he's a bull.

[Shawshank]

Songaila, Tomas Masiulis...too many generational talents you know My point is that we have too many tournaments where vets failed. And sometimes it's some 24 or 25 kid is the best ready for clutch action. And other thing, Sedekerskis may very well be more defensively impactful in 2021 than Ulanovas. May not as well, but I won't be surprise if he will. Physically and athletically he's ready, he's a bull.

Songaila just top 20 player in ltu basketball history nothing important i know anyone can play on that level

T.Masiulis scored 2+7+2= 11 pts combine in 3 olympic playoofs game at age of 25 + played good defence. I dont get point about him neither he was rookie,neither he was kid anymore.

if u want to say that Sedekerskis can play that T.Masiulis role i agree i can see world where it could happen, if that your point that would be your best today you managed to write here.

[Mindozas]

I see SF had a fun Easter and was on fire yesterday "24-25 year old kid" was the best quote

[Straight forward]

Explicit memories about the title 2003. Video interview with Sireika. 18 years past. God knows when again we'll snatch gold medals:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ3Sig8LEYU

[Shawshank]

i remember well how in 2003 in Klaipeda me with my classmates went to little klaipeda stadium were people was saying goodluck to our NT that tommorow was flying to Sweden play eurobasket. In stadium Zas was singing " Tik nesakyk,kad taip nebuna" song and players come in to stadium and i was thinking we have good solid team,but not medal contenders. Nobody knew what to expect after 2001 eurobasket.

In stadium i managed to get like 5 or 6 players autografs.That book with them is still alive somewhere in my parents house.

In 2003 before champ nobody realised even in ltu that Macas and Siska is not just lkl elite players,but entires europes elite guards.

That kvartet from 2003-2004 Jaska,Siska,Macas,Stomba could be even better today how game is played + add good workers and defenders in both Zukauskai,Songaila,Salenga and we had winning mix.

[Straight forward]

Terrific interview with Rooney. Now it's certain why he couldn't make Sovient NT early on, not because he was bad obviously. Love how he says openly, a good basketball players is about being good 1vs1 both offensively and defensively (everything starts from the latter though). So true, Lith coaches should tatoo that on their wrists. And to be honest all this Vilnius vs Kaunas is such a crap That's why I want Kaukenas, or hell even Javtokas, both guys are neutral, played for both clubs, they would make justice or at least would move old school stagnant screw away a little bit, would move Lithuanian BB forward:

https://www.basketnews.lt/news-151377-sarunas-marciulionis-apie-zalgirieciu-priespriesa-rinktineje-nugirdyta-wilkinsa-graiku-siulytus-pinigus-ir-pasaipas-nba.html

[Shawshank]

As im fan Marciulionis fan and knew already all those stories he said.

It was insane from historic perspective how in 1986 summer Marciulionis was last to be cut and in 1986 November when same Ussr team (minus Sabonis) went to USA play students he was leading scorer in ussr team.In 1987 Marcela was all eurobasket tournament team member,nobody in fair world makes such jumps in one year.

It was simple as that Chomicius,Kurtinaitis,Jovaisa and Valters long time ussr guards protested behind scenes againts putting 22 old young guard on roster with weak ussr main coach.

Chomicius and Kurtinaitis denying that to this day,but even Valters in 2020 interview on youtube on his chanell said: zalgiris players cut marcela from ussr team and put all blame on me and start laughing saying that

When Gomelskis return as main coach cut all that bullshit and took Marcela in 1986 to USA and made him starting Sg of the team and from that point conversation who is best guard in soviet union ended.

That were nr 13 number on his jersey comes and Marcela said himself those 3 cuts made him stronger person.