All time NT

[Hepcat]

LKF has spoken

Pranas Lubinas
Arvydas Romas Sabonis
Jonas Valančiūnas
Linas Kleiza
Saulius Štombergas
Modestas Paulauskas
Stanislovas Stonkus
Šarūnas Marčiūlionis
Valdemaras Chomičius
Šarūnas Jasikevičius
Rimas Kurtinaitis

Vladas Garastas
Jonas Kazlauskas
Antanas Sireika

Only eleven including Stanislovas Stonkus who's not exactly a household name in most places?

[LuDux]

Only eleven including Stanislovas Stonkus who's not exactly a household name in most places?

Fixed

[Hepcat]

My first three alternates would be Ramunas Šiškauskas, Robertas Javtokas and Mantas Kalnietis.

[LuDux]

Lithuanians in post WWII Soviet NTs




In 1947 Butautas played only one, first game, probably got injured

In early years rosters were 14 players long, so in 1947 other 3 Lithuanians were 12-14th players

[Hepcat]

Great input!

[LuDux]

If krepsinioideja.lt is right about positions, then 1st 50 years is pretty easy

1922-1972
Lubinas
Stonkus
Butautas
Paulauskas
Petkevicius

unlike 2nd half

1972-2022
Sabonis
Kleiza
Karnisovas
Marciulionis
Jasikevicius

[Shawshank]

Everybody putting Karnisovas and Kleiza as surely better players than Stombergas and Siskauskas in almost all list.

For me Karnisovas/Kleiza/Stombergas/Siskauskas is very debatable topic.

All of them were fantastic offensive players. Siskauskas by far was best defender.

Siska was defending best players both in 2000 or 2003 or 2007. It went from Bodiroga in 2000 to Parker in 2003 to Diamantidis in 2007 and also averaging like 13-15pts per game.


Siskauskas two way player wouldnt be last pick by me from those 4 elite lithuanian wings if i want to win playoofs games.

[Hepcat]

For me Karnisovas/Kleiza/Stombergas/Siskauskas is very debatable topic.

All of them were fantastic offensive players. Siskauskas by far was best defender.

Siskauskas two way player wouldnt be last pick by me from those 4 elite lithuanian wings if i want to win playoofs games.

That's why picking only five players from the last fifty years is completely inadequate. Role players are critical on any team.

So while picking just five from the first fifty years is acceptable since pickings were relatively slim in that period, twelve must be picked for the second fifty years (plus any coach would like three alternates in case of injury during lengthy seven game series).

[LuDux]

I'd add Jovaisa to that list

I made 4 more last-50 lists, got tired thinking which one makes more sense and posted first

[Shawshank]

2015 and 2010 tournaments from players point of view:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH7yL88Dh0g&t=50s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlnM4NTK4W4&t=4s

[Shawshank]

rare game were Ilgauskas + Einikis played together with LTU uniform

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vc-8hEahTY&t=1309s

this game was played 6month before eurobasket 1995 after seeing it i got why Garastas was using 6 players in eurobasket and main players played 36-40min.

[Straight forward]

rare game were Ilgauskas + Einikis played together with LTU uniform

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vc-8hEahTY&t=1309s

this game was played 6month before eurobasket 1995 after seeing it i got why Garastas was using 6 players in eurobasket and main players played 36-40min.

Not a single ballhandler in Lithuania's roster, LOL Literally Lukminas is horrible at it and he couldn't facilitate anyone. Overall it's funny how Liths weren't used to intense individual defence then. Very limited roster.

21yo Stombergas looked dynamic though.

And I will say that 19yo Ilgauskas to me is a better prospect than 19yo JV and Sabonis. In comparison with JV, Iilgauskas was much more flexible scorer, his touch was deadly. He could make quick runner, jimmy, fade a way off the post and so one. Quick scorer. JV could only finish in p'n'r and drive to his right as 19yo. Ilgauskas better shot blocker. Overall to me 19yo Ilgauskas seems higher IQ, more flexible center. Craftier with the ball, could pass and handle the ball better. It was a huge loss for Lithuania.

90's was carried by 4 players, but really great players.

[Straight forward]

I would rank our great center's in terms of talent (not careers) like this:

A. Sabonis
Z. Ilgauskas
D. Motiejunas
D. Sabonis.
J. Valanciunas
G. Einikis
D. Lavrinovic
R. Javtokas
A. Gudaitis/M. Petravicius/A. Kavaliauskas

[Hepcat]

There's no way Donatas Motiejūnas has shown enough talent over the course of his career to deserve that #3 rating. Pre-back trouble he had a stellar few months but since then his talent level is way down.

[Shawshank]

90's was carried by 4 players, but really great players.

you could put those 4 players to any NT from 90s fiba tournament and they making atleast semifinal.

We used to have discusion which teams better 1995 or 2003.

I said teams from 2000s from 5-12th players would kill by 25pts 1992-1996 NT 5-12th players.

Imagine what will happen if 90s NT gonna play their barely moving zone against shooters team of Macijauskas,Siskauskas,Stombergas,Jasikevicius .

Shooter like Djordjevic loved those looks he got in 90s playing LTU.I have a feeling 2003 kvartet would love it too

NT could play zone in 90s with their 6 player rotation and in such way safe energy in defence.With todays shooting no chance playing such lame zone.

No way 4 players will be able to play 35min+ every game in todays speeds every second day in NT tournaments like Sabonis,Marciulionis,Karnisovas and 35 old Kurtinaitis could in 90s 30 second per attack slow game.

Ilgauskas would be unplayable in today pikenrool defensive coverages even more than JV is. Valanciunas was faster when they both were 19 is way faster when they both were in their peak around 28-32.

Just basketball for centers was diffrent world in 90s and 00s what it is now since like 2015 Warriors changed the game.