2024 Lithuanian NT

[Dreamcatcher]

What nonsense this Balciunas speaks my god...

And after his interview, i also understand that no way i will see a foreign coach in NT no matter how bad are Lith coaches. At least undet this federation. If Maksvytis is out for any reason, then it will be some Zibenas whose team provides trashy non-defense and 110 pts in own basket at home...

[Shawshank]

Balciunas is acting like basketball comunity are idiots.

Comparing random lithuanias salary and top 10 NTs world team head coach salary like its same tier.

Balciunas: Coach can easily life from 10k salary fantastic argument

I remember how Balciunas lied Kazlauskas salary on tv and math degree coach ironically said: its seems i forgot how to count numbers . After few months Kazlauskas demanded (after winning silver medal) me or that selfish asshole and his behind scenes bullshits he is doing.


Federation want eurolegue level coach and will pay Lietkabelis coach salary? fantastic,bravo !

But in every year concluding conference Balciunas will praise federation and say we increased our budget. But head coach salary is not increasing?

[Shawshank]

Damm Grigonis have very rare for lithuanian guards 20pts + euroleague/nba game.

Marius literally was game changer beating Efes and Panathinaikos is 12-5 and in 5th place in euroleague.


First half of club season best 4 lithuanians on highest levels


1.Sabonis 2.Valanciunas 3.Grigonis 4.Sedekerskis

all 4 are strong starting 5 players for euroleague/nba playoofs calibre teams


Grigonis is at his peak at 29/30 right now and he is my nr 1 hope for 2024 olympic summer. Just hope he will stay healthy

[Straight forward]

Grigonis looks good, I like that he is not pushing anything and ever since 2022 playing smartly. In Zalgiris and in CSKA a little bit, he still was doing tons of nonsenses to certain extent, like trying to beat players that he can't with his limited explosiveness and so on. Now he just sticks to what he has and his decision making is MONEY. I wished only his role was a bit more consistent in PAO offensively. In some games he gets overlooked, not involved enough. But he's holding his own in one of the best clubs in EL this season.

Restrospectively looking Grigonis underachieved in NT (2016), 2017, 2019, 2021 and in most cases it happened because of simply being unlucky (small injuries or poisoning). But he was legit in 2022 and if he can pull it off in 2024 and 2025 it would make his legacy in the NT really nice. In my opinion NT needs Grigonis now for 2024 and 2025 and that's it, he can rest and play few more season in the club after that. In 2024 it would be nice if he puts up true starters numbers, 12-15ppg, with legit %.

Maksvytis back to work with NT. Will look forward to see how he handles NT having more time.

[Dreamcatcher]

Like one Balciunas from federation is not enough, Gedvilas is also out of mind by praising Zibenas. Did he even watch Rytas games in CL? They are a bad joke.

[Straight forward]

Like one Balciunas from federation is not enough, Gedvilas is also out of mind by praising Zibenas. Did he even watch Rytas games in CL? They are a bad joke.

Do you particularly blame Zibenas for that?

[Dreamcatcher]

Do you particularly blame Zibenas for that?

For non-existing defense (especially getting 110 pts at home) and generally bad games and results in CL in the last 2 years, yes.

[Shawshank]

Zibenas will be next head coach of NT after Kazys.Good chance starting from 2025

I see clear signs just looking at that conference.and what they say Usually assistants is not taking part in media conference.


Zibenas is clearly lower level coach than Maksvyts.But for Lietkabelis coach salary that what federation can hire

Rytas allowing 112pts in 40min at home was just wow total chaos to me in most important season game in europe competion.

[Straight forward]

DC, I didn't follow Rytas much so I can't comment. Obviously these losses are not good signs.

I see it as possibility, but not something certain. From Maksvytis speech I kinda got the impression that he wouldn't mind to work with the NT only for some time in upcoming seasons. If he will do relatively good this summer (that probably means getting to Olympics and making knock out stage), federation will surely offer extension. I'm not a great fan of it, but there simply might not be better options. Another thing - if Maksvytis has all the time for the NT, he might do much better potentially. Zibenas would just be another candidate out of the bunch - Jasikevicius, Adomaitis, Kurtinaitis, Kemzura. Another thing, there will be federation's elections. I think current federation will be re-elected, but who knows, maybe there will be changes. I do believe that whatever the federation, they will inevitably call Jasikevicius first and if he's declining, then they are looking at Maksvytis, Adomaitis, Kurtinaitis, Kemzura, Zibenas.

To put it short, we are bad at coaching. We don't have good young coaches either. Maybe if Trinchieri will do well... I'm 100% against foreign players, but would look a bit less liberal towards coaches. We do have tradition to have foreigners in the coaching staff since 90s anyway.

[Straight forward]

Watched Rytas vs Wolves. My god, Zemaitis and Kariniauskas are utter trash. Nothing but trash. It's a shame and disgrace that such level players make NT. And it's on Maksvytis, he brought all kind of trash to the NT. It's inexcusable. I personally disappointed with Velicka's development via his decision making and ability to control the team, but even he is better than those 2 scrubs who made NT in 2022-2023. Maksvytis has been the godfather of mediocre scrubs, and with great pleasure was bringing the trash to the NT. I mean the level is so low. Kariniauskas is complete scrub defensively and offensively turnover machine. What Zemaitis can bring is bigger mistery.

I really hope that in upcoming 15 years there won't even be a smell of that kind of trash in the NT. It has been the bottom.

[Straight forward]

Balciunas organized 2 games against Slovenia before OQT, that's good, but not terrific job. But then he organized the game with Wildcats...Arizona...Against the kids. Just to have some-one to play against in the states. And this off course has financial benefits as always. How playing kids will help just before the OQT? Balciunas disappoints me overall. OK, we can take down Mexico and then Cote d'Ivoire in two first games without much of drama I would expect, so that's a proper path, but, still, you don't play against NCAA team to prepare...

Regarding indviduals, Kuzminskas questionable. But knowing how well Sirvydis has been looking...I probably would go with Sirvuha anyway if he continues to cook.

[zalias]

watching this new 15min podcast with balciunas made me realize how detached from reality lkf is, pointing fingers at everyone else and taking no blame themselves. it definitely doesnt look very inspiring

[Dreamcatcher]

watching this new 15min podcast with balciunas made me realize how detached from reality lkf is, pointing fingers at everyone else and taking no blame themselves. it definitely doesnt look very inspiring

Again praising Lith coaches...He even gave Saras credits for Jokubaitis. But in fact it's Shiller who unleashed Rokas. Before that his minutes in EL were limited.

I understand that at least with this federation we are stuck with Lith coaches no matter what.

[Straight forward]

So Maksvytis said some EL players will be available. I guess Sedekerskis, Rokas Giedraitis, maybe Jokubaitis and some Zalgiris players? Kinda don't expect to see Grigonis and D-Mo knowing their injury record. Jokubaitis and Sedekerskis would be huge Seems like there won't be much drama reaching 2025EB, not like with Maskoliunas previously.

Again praising Lith coaches...He even gave Saras credits for Jokubaitis. But in fact it's Shiller who unleashed Rokas. Before that his minutes in EL were limited.

I understand that at least with this federation we are stuck with Lith coaches no matter what.

Ultimate goal however is to have strong local Liths as coaches, not to make some kind of international team.

[zalias]

speaking of coaches i wonder if tautvydas sabonis will end up being a decent head coach one day, i think its past the point where people think he's on zalgiris only because of his father. people always praise him, but measuring an assistant coach's impact is almost impossible.