OK, I'm dropping bomb projection. In 2028 Lithuania will win a medal. Literally. Mark my words. It will be one of the hardest and nearly impossible teams to stop offensively. It doesn't even matter how other teams will look at that point (even though USA A team will be at decline compared to their 2020 and 2024 Olympic teams, Germany will at decline cause Schroder will be 35yo and they don't have such good pure guard coming, even teams like Serbia are not without a question how they will sub Bigdanovic or Jokic who's participation in Olympics might be questionable). Doesn't matter, I think Lithuania will have either the best offense in FIBA or top 3. I actually could see the best offense overall. Even with pretty average rosters we were top 5 offensive team in EB 2022 and top 8 in FIBA 2023 WC (without Sabonis and Grigonis).
Now, what is my projection about. Sabonis is the best screener in the world. 6.5 screen assists per game. No-one in the game can set more multiple rock solid screens in one possession than Sabonis. No-one. He's the best screener in the world. And guess what. Jakucionis will be either the best or one of the best screen players with the ball. He's special playing with screens and can create tons for himself and others in screen action. So Lithuania will have the best screening center in the game and the best (or one of the best together with such as Doncic) screen guards in the game. Literally this duet will be deadly. Sabonis made even Grigonis look like a borderline star in FIBA 2022 and 2024 (if only Grigonis wouldn't be amazing choker and wouldn't choke in the key games). Jakucionis will be absolutely UNSTOPPABLE playing with Sabonis. Literally no chance to slow him down. He would get a solid look for his shot any time he wants. Sabonis makes Fox, Monk and Derozen extremely efficient in pick and roll situations. Domas won't even need to score a lot by himself, just to screen the shit out of opponents constantly and our offense will run smoothly and unstoppably. And with that said Domas would still score much more than he did previously cause Jakucionis passing with screens is special. So offensively Sabonis and Jakucionis duel is unstippable cause Jakucionis is the guy who can take 30 shots if needed and make 50-55% of it. At the wing we will also have Buzelis who will bring extra scoring and ISO presence, so he will take a part of pressure from Jakucionis which will make Lithuania's offense just impossible to slow down essentially. Simply too much creation and ISO talent.
KJ, Buzelis, Sabonis and solid role players as Sirvydis, Rubstavicius, Murauskas around them will make Lithuania's offense nearly unmatchable. The way KJ's skillset unfolds, I really doubt USA will have better guard with the ball. Their best chance are probably reckless Ant and La Melo, but both are reckless and don't know how to play with tight FIBA. They don't have transcendent Euro IQ for FIBA game as Doncic and Jakucionis do.
I believe even in 2027 Lithuania may fight for medals. It will depend on Buzelis development and whenever Jakucionis will make debut this summer 2025. If both are getting their feet vet this summer, they will be mentally ready for 2027 and totally ready for 2028. I do hope that Domas will still be the same player pretty much in 2028 as 32yo (maybe even better with more polished). 18yo Jakucionis now is at the level of 24-25yo EL level players. His maturity of the game is that insane. He would step on EL court and would deliver. Being 21-22yo he will literally will play as prime/vet player. He's that ahead of time.
My projection that we will finally see flawless Lithuania's offense and most particularly there won't be any ways to stop Domas and Jakucionis screening action. Jakucionis doesn't need much space to create his own shot and with the best screener in the world he will be unstoppable, both scoring and facilitating others. And off course Domas never ever played with anything remotely talented with screens as Jakucionis. Fox can only dream about being as good with screens as KJ. It's not even worth any word here.
The craziest part is that Sabonis generated 543 screen points (top in the league) and Jokic 363 (best player in the game).
The shit's coming and Lithuania climbing high via FIBA rankings:
Now, what is my projection about. Sabonis is the best screener in the world. 6.5 screen assists per game. No-one in the game can set more multiple rock solid screens in one possession than Sabonis. No-one. He's the best screener in the world. And guess what. Jakucionis will be either the best or one of the best screen players with the ball. He's special playing with screens and can create tons for himself and others in screen action. So Lithuania will have the best screening center in the game and the best (or one of the best together with such as Doncic) screen guards in the game. Literally this duet will be deadly. Sabonis made even Grigonis look like a borderline star in FIBA 2022 and 2024 (if only Grigonis wouldn't be amazing choker and wouldn't choke in the key games). Jakucionis will be absolutely UNSTOPPABLE playing with Sabonis. Literally no chance to slow him down. He would get a solid look for his shot any time he wants. Sabonis makes Fox, Monk and Derozen extremely efficient in pick and roll situations. Domas won't even need to score a lot by himself, just to screen the shit out of opponents constantly and our offense will run smoothly and unstoppably. And with that said Domas would still score much more than he did previously cause Jakucionis passing with screens is special. So offensively Sabonis and Jakucionis duel is unstippable cause Jakucionis is the guy who can take 30 shots if needed and make 50-55% of it. At the wing we will also have Buzelis who will bring extra scoring and ISO presence, so he will take a part of pressure from Jakucionis which will make Lithuania's offense just impossible to slow down essentially. Simply too much creation and ISO talent.
KJ, Buzelis, Sabonis and solid role players as Sirvydis, Rubstavicius, Murauskas around them will make Lithuania's offense nearly unmatchable. The way KJ's skillset unfolds, I really doubt USA will have better guard with the ball. Their best chance are probably reckless Ant and La Melo, but both are reckless and don't know how to play with tight FIBA. They don't have transcendent Euro IQ for FIBA game as Doncic and Jakucionis do.
I believe even in 2027 Lithuania may fight for medals. It will depend on Buzelis development and whenever Jakucionis will make debut this summer 2025. If both are getting their feet vet this summer, they will be mentally ready for 2027 and totally ready for 2028. I do hope that Domas will still be the same player pretty much in 2028 as 32yo (maybe even better with more polished). 18yo Jakucionis now is at the level of 24-25yo EL level players. His maturity of the game is that insane. He would step on EL court and would deliver. Being 21-22yo he will literally will play as prime/vet player. He's that ahead of time.
My projection that we will finally see flawless Lithuania's offense and most particularly there won't be any ways to stop Domas and Jakucionis screening action. Jakucionis doesn't need much space to create his own shot and with the best screener in the world he will be unstoppable, both scoring and facilitating others. And off course Domas never ever played with anything remotely talented with screens as Jakucionis. Fox can only dream about being as good with screens as KJ. It's not even worth any word here.
The craziest part is that Sabonis generated 543 screen points (top in the league) and Jokic 363 (best player in the game).
The shit's coming and Lithuania climbing high via FIBA rankings:
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