2023 Lithuanian NT

[Shawshank]

I get that misreading can happen all that,but how person even imagines that somebody who follows basketball closely could even think


that Jokubaitis tallent is better than Marciulionis,Kleiza,Karnisovas,Macijauskas,Siskaus kas tallents ?


Just wow... and he says my brain work slowly ,when he himself needed 30minutes to figured what i was saying

[Straight forward]

You called Jokubaitis super talent...And you indicated that since we have no others 19-20yo playing strong in EL, we are screwed when it comes to our chances to win something big which is nonsense. As I said 00s generation studs played at lower level at this age and didn't have a chance to make NT being 20yo (case NT was much more talented back then), but it doesn't matter long term.

Now about that being a player who can "help NT at the age of 20yo". Mantas Kalnietis in 2006 helped NT more than Valanciunas in 2012 or Sabonis 2016. Or they were on the same meh level. Actually in 2006 Pocius was dropping 20ppg in U20 and was worthy more than Kalnietis to receive the spot, but Kalnietis made it only because of the lack of PGs. My point is that there were plenty of players who could make the same or similar impact as 20yo Sabonis, JV (actually Jokubaitis in 2021 was better than Sabonis and JV as he was averaging 9ppg and 10.3eff in Olympic Qualification Tornament). If you think that 20yo Siskauskas, Macijauskas or even Jasikevicius (even though he's more of a late bloomer relatively) couldn't provide such impact for the NT at that age, you're wrong. Simply 2000 NT was too stacked for young Macijauskas to make the team, but given a chance he could mess around maybe more impressively than these "generational talents". And it's not only about 00's studs. Iggy Brazdeikis in 2019/2020 Summer League was dropping 18ppg. That 20yo Iggy basically already had what he showed as 23yo becoming one of key scorers of EB 2022, just to a lesser extent. In other words, Brazdeikis could very well be in the NT and show some glimpse of promise as 20yo, just as Valanciunas and Sabonis did. None of those 2 were legitimate and reliable players as 20yo. They barely made impact. Again, when we speak about such talents we should speak about them as elite prospects, not generational talents. Jokubaitis stands out in terms of his decision making and early maturity in terms of mentality, but it doesn't mean that 20yo Brazdeikis couldn't provide some glimpses of promise, or let's say next summer Murauskas wouldn't, or in few years Jakucionis, Indrusaitis wouldn't. The same Rubstavicius this year as a 20yo showed some strides of scoring in NT in FIBA windows as 20yo, dropping 12pts in 16min. against Hungary. I'm not even talking about Buzelis who actually might be true generational talent, not simply elite prospect.

The key here which makes your statement very silly - the fact that a player makes NT early doesn't make him the best long term. JV made NT at 19, Sabonis later, but he exactly became better player. Players as Rubstavicius, Murauskas may end up being better players in their prime than Jokubaitis. Some players who are not even in the radar now can become better than all of them.

And, lastly - so far we had only one generational talent (leaving aside Paulauskas) and it's Arvydas Sabonis. He was elite at the age of 18-20. Not an elite prospect, but elite player already. The leader.

[Straight forward]

that Jokubaitis tallent is better than Marciulionis,Kleiza,Karnisovas,Macijauskas,Siskaus kas tallents ?

The point is that we can compare players only in different stages and when we make historical call about their level we compare their prime years (f.e. Arvydas Sabonis case there's a good chance that being 20yo he was better than 29 by the way, 2 ways athletic freak with all the skills, while later he became very slow and heavy).

My point is that there is little doubt 19-20yo Jokubaitis was better than Marciulionis. Marciulions was wild and needed time. Even as 24yo Marciulionis playing for Statyba, already dominant scoring wise, didn't have the decision making of Jokubaitis at that age. There's no freakin' way 19-20yo Kleiza could be anywhere close EL He was a mess. Talented mess. Even at the age of 22yo he was complete mess in the NT, chucking machine. Only as 23yo he already seemed usable for the NT. So I would claim that 19-20yo Jokubaitis was much more ready and better player at high level than Marciulionis and Kleiza. That doesn't mean however that Jokubaitis has higher ceiling than these 2, I actually think contrary.

Macijauskas and Siskauskas however showed a lot of intelligence and maturity early on just as Jokubaitis. So it's all relative, but Jokubaitis is on the same tier with 00s greats as Saras, Siska, Macas generally.

[Shawshank]

BasketNews žiniomis, yra problemų ir su pagrindinės Lietuvos rinktinės kandidatų sąrašu, kurį LKF planavo pristatyti kiek anksčiau. Kai kurie žaidėjai delsė duoti atsakymą dėl savo dalyvavimo, tad kandidatų sąrašas bus pristatytas trečiadienį.


Thats with 7 of top 12 players already out and its seems that there can be more declines

Federation needed to put candidate list on monday,but with some players not willing to give answers so they will put list on wednesday maybe


In 30 years i never saw so manny declines and that list can become even bigger just wow...

Well done Gedvilas and Balciunas so lets send student u-25 team to world cup




Suddenly Marekas Blaževičius, Lukas Uleckas, Arnoldas Kulboka, Arnas Beručka ir Mantas Rubštavičius and Tubelis wont come to Songaila students camp from list that was announced.

Songaila will work with 6-7 young players and will play game vs Jordania also using 7 players ?



Im still dont get what is happening that ltu players i running away from NT camp like it would be war zone

One summer with new federation people and players dont wanna comeback what the hell is happening,looks like total chaos

[Straight forward]

Could be one summer issue, could be changing times. Kulboka declined invitation earlier, Tubelis was expected not to come, Rubstaviciis mentioned he has individual program and it makes sense before Australia, Butka joined U20 and Berucka students NT, so all these don't come as surprise. But to me doest make sense that Giedraitis is in reserve NT and there's no Velicka. No biggie though. Messy summer, many players pre-occupied with individual development or resting. Next summer maybe there won't be absences.

[Shawshank]

so what the point of that student camp with 7 players? They can even play 5 vs 5 normal basketball

So maybe before putting names in media and creating new summer camp in May could federation people call players and asked of their summer plans?


No wonder best players isnt comming,new federation arent able to convince even talented kids to come

[Straight forward]

What the reason a scrub Uleckas has is pretty interesting though. He's waisting his once a life time opportunity.

[Straight forward]

Obviously there will be more players, just basketnews.lt doesn't the names, only Giedraitis and Maldunas.

[LuDux]

Did anybody say that main and reserve team rosters are seperate? Kulboka and some others could be going straight to main camp

[Shawshank]

Idea was that 2-4 best players from student will join Men camp

How it looks now that student camp will have 7 real tallents and 5 will come from streets just to have numbers in bodies ( camp start in 2 days)

NT camp even worse situation 7 top players already out and couple more dont give commitment to play



By this point i wouldnt be suprised that all 7 will be called from students camp and Balciunas will tell stories with poker face in media how they are more hungry and more motivated

[Straight forward]

2-3 players from reserve NT, not student's.

[Shawshank]

Sabonis federations first 3 years as president

2013 Silver medal
2014 4th in world championship
2015 silver medal and qualifies directly to Olympics 2016


Gedvilas and Balciunas federation my prediction of their first 3 years

2022 15th place
2023 sends B roster to world championship ( if looses to Greece NT final place will be somewhere from 9-16th)
2024 didnt qualifes to Olympics

[Straight forward]

Sabonis federations first 3 years as president

2013 Silver medal
2014 4th in world championship
2015 silver medal and qualifies directly to Olympics 2016


Gedvilas and Balciunas federation my prediction of their first 3 years

2022 15th place
2023 sends B roster to world championship ( if looses to Greece NT final place will be somewhere from 9-16th)
2024 didnt qualifes to Olympics

LOL

Count pathetic performance in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021 for Spokas (and Sabonis) as well. Just as leaving NT with scrubby assist coach in Olympic year.

Balciunas started in 2007 with medal in EB, next year Lithuania among top 4 in Olympics, fiasko in 2009 and first WC medals in 2010.

[Hepcat]

Songaila will work with 6-7 young players and will play game vs Jordania also using 7 players ?

Should I assume that Lithuania is sending a team to a Universiade this summer with Darius Songaila as the coach?

How it looks now that student camp will have 7 real tallents and 5 will come from streets just to have numbers in bodies ( camp start in 2 days).

Aren't Universiade players supposed to be gathered up from college campuses as opposed to city playgrounds?

Im still dont get what is happening that ltu players i running away from NT camp like it would be war zone

One summer with new federation people and players dont wanna comeback what the hell is happening,looks like total chaos

By this point i wouldnt be suprised that all 7 will be called from students camp and Balciunas will tell stories with poker face in media how they are more hungry and more motivated

Very worrisome indeed! I don't understand why the Lithuanian basketball program seems to be completely unravelling all of a sudden. One thing we fans could always count on in previous years is a pool of eager participants for any level of Team Lietuva but diffidence toward the program seems now to be emerging.

[Dreamcatcher]

I think one young Lith player is somehow overlooked. He's not in reserve or student team and generally he's not discussed one. 22 y.o. PF Danusevicius from Siauliai. I like his 3 pt shooting which is very solid 41% for a big.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW_1JrIPA7g&ab_channel=BasketballVideos