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Retrospectively looking, regarding the positive impact to the NT, I have this:
Javtokas > Valanciunas
What those 2 generations taught - defensive center is more impactful than offensive center. Javtokas was just a right piece for a winning team. He would cover the D, he wouldn't ask the ball offensively and play within the flow nearly perfectly. Valanciunas would be a back hole defensively, stop the flow offensively with ISO post scoring attempts.
To me the lesson learned, NT needs more of defensive centers. I watched 40yo or so Sabonis with Zalgiris a bit yesterday (against PAO, game's in youtube). He still could move way more flexibly and shifty than JV, his defensive IQ was top notch, his quick and long hands were terrific, brilliant, I think no-one had such hands, no-one in basketball (maybe Hakeem, but he had shorter hands), he was making so many deflections. I'm convinced that JV's presence turned out to be the most disappointing outcome that could possibly be. He couldn't establish his offensive dominance into man's basketball (specially FIBA) and was complete failure defensively. Time to say that nearly a prodigy of Youth basketball, the most dominant U-level player of Lithuania, turned out to be complete disappointment in PRO.
Overall I doubt Lithuania will ever have such talent as Arvydas Sabonis ever again. I understand this with age even better. He was sensational player. If he had a chance to be in the NBA environment starting with being 18-20yo, I think he could have a chance to become MVP in some NBA seasons. He had everything what fantastic center needs to have and he was way better defender than Jokic.
Javtokas > Valanciunas
What those 2 generations taught - defensive center is more impactful than offensive center. Javtokas was just a right piece for a winning team. He would cover the D, he wouldn't ask the ball offensively and play within the flow nearly perfectly. Valanciunas would be a back hole defensively, stop the flow offensively with ISO post scoring attempts.
To me the lesson learned, NT needs more of defensive centers. I watched 40yo or so Sabonis with Zalgiris a bit yesterday (against PAO, game's in youtube). He still could move way more flexibly and shifty than JV, his defensive IQ was top notch, his quick and long hands were terrific, brilliant, I think no-one had such hands, no-one in basketball (maybe Hakeem, but he had shorter hands), he was making so many deflections. I'm convinced that JV's presence turned out to be the most disappointing outcome that could possibly be. He couldn't establish his offensive dominance into man's basketball (specially FIBA) and was complete failure defensively. Time to say that nearly a prodigy of Youth basketball, the most dominant U-level player of Lithuania, turned out to be complete disappointment in PRO.
Overall I doubt Lithuania will ever have such talent as Arvydas Sabonis ever again. I understand this with age even better. He was sensational player. If he had a chance to be in the NBA environment starting with being 18-20yo, I think he could have a chance to become MVP in some NBA seasons. He had everything what fantastic center needs to have and he was way better defender than Jokic.
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