2025 Lithuanian NT

[Toruko]

Toruko, I doubt Turkey will have better backcourt in 2025. I believe Jokubaitis can make another step forward and to become legitimate PG who can run the team (not on FIBA stars level, but at very intriguing level) and if Buzelis can play already we can be more dynamic than it may look now (+ Brazdeikis, Sirvydis).

You mean 2027... well, about Jokubaitis failed to show that he is able to make the next step in the last 3 years in Barcelona. He is not a bad player but I dont believe him to become lets say a Sloukas level player. The place where he can really lead a team is Zalgiris but he is invited to prove me wrong. Maccabi looks really bad as I said.

What can Turkey naturalize as a game changer?

Well, Kendrick Nunn is one option according to the press even though Ataman denied contact. According to Ataman there are "several options".

People I think don't really understand how fast can Buzelis become A PROBLEM on a basketball court. He has all the tools to just come and be a problem. It maybe be a matter of 2-3 years, but it also can be a matter of 1 year. He's that good.

He can be a good rotation piece but not a game changing player, at least not yet. Bulls look horrible and the team is really in bad shape. It can be a chance or a curse for him. Despite his height his defense looks not very promising and he needs to work on his shot. I also need to see his dedication

[Straight forward]

In your horoscope prediction LTU NT is stacked where multiple talented kids ale will be become not worse than top 10 all time ltu legends in next 3-4 years

i repeat i dont buy even 50% of that nonsense.We will be lucky having one fiba star in next 8 years.

Not ridiculous 2-3 players from top 10 of all time like you horosocope predictions in next few years )


Objectively looking at top 50 euroleague players ranking or nba players list Lithuania basketball is not even in top 10 today.

It's not about how much players will come down as top 10 of all time (2 players are objectively projected to become so). My point is that we are not thin at all. I'm talking about depth. In 2017 you were preaching how good that we have JV and Kuz. Today we have tons of players who can be at prime Kuz level or better - Sedekerskis, Sirvydis, Rubstavicius, Murauskas, Brazdeikis, Lelevicius, Indrusaitis. Some of them will be better. My point is, Lithuania is not some kind of Slovenia, we are stacked in each position. There's no doubt from distance our current situation when Grigonis is our best player will look nearly unimaginable. And, yes, there's huge chance that both Buzelis and KJ will come down as top 10 of all time. KJ is the best guard prospect since Marciulionis and about to become first LTU guard landed at first round or even lottery. I think he has it all cause he is hard worker.

[Toruko]

In your horoscope prediction LTU NT is stacked where multiple talented kids ale will be become not worse than top 10 all time ltu legends in next 3-4 years

i repeat i dont buy even 50% of that nonsense.We will be lucky having one fiba star in next 8 years.

Not ridiculous 2-3 players from top 10 of all time like you horosocope predictions in next few years )


Objectively looking at top 50 euroleague players ranking today or nba players lists...Lithuania basketball is not even in top 10 today.


kids isnt reaching those levels over night.It takes 5 or more years to reach and get to such level for god gifted best of best tallents

Well, maybe SF is too optimistic (like always) with Lithuanian prospects but you are too pessimistic. Its not unreasonable to hope Buzelis and Jakucionis becoming leading players. They are good and not only them. With Murauskas, Krivas and Lelevicius you might have a very talented core. I dont see a big problem in the front court in the future and also the wing positions are not bad at all but you need a Giannis or different impact level player.

I do see a better LTU team in the future, surely better than this (its not very difficult btw) but I dont see a medal with this core, at least not yet.

[Toruko]

For me right now Jakucionis is a late (very late) first round draftee in the best case but everything depends on the next season. A bad season and his draft stock gets serious damage. I will have an eye on him.

[Dreamcatcher]

Please, let's not compare Grigonis with Siskauskas I won't even start here...

I had this feeling that you may not be smart enough to understand that i didn't compare Grigonis and Siskauskas. I compared situation pointing out similarities and emphasizing the last of them.

[Shawshank]

Well, maybe SF is too optimistic (like always) with Lithuanian prospects but you are too pessimistic. Its not unreasonable to hope Buzelis and Jakucionis becoming leading players. They are good and not only them. With Murauskas, Krivas and Lelevicius you might have a very talented core. I dont see a big problem in the front court in the future and also the wing positions are not bad at all but you need a Giannis or different impact level player.

I do see a better LTU team in the future, surely better than this (its not very difficult btw) but I dont see a medal with this core, at least not yet.

I know history of the process some of those tallents wont have brain,others wont have fighting spirit,3rd will get freakish injury and never will be the same,other will start partying after fame and only some rare one will have full package ,body,brain,fighting spirit,dedication and injury luck

Im sorry i see elite NTs that dont need to predict and luck in tallents i already see 5-6 nba players they have for remaining of decade


:LTU need not just good player of fiba,but fiba stars to compete with those loaded roster of 5-8 nba players of way bigger tallent pools.

2020s level is only increasing and needed tallent to win is not going down only up and for small tallents pool it becomes very very difficult

[Toruko]

I know history of the process some of those tallents wont have brain,others wont have fighting spirit,3rd will get freakish injury and never will be the same,other will start partying after fame and only some rare one will have full package ,body,brain,fighting spirit,dedication and injury luck

Im sorry i see elite NT that dont need to predict i already see 5-6 nba players they have for remaining of decade


:LTU need not just good player of fiba,but fiba stars to compete with thodr loaded roster of 5-8 nba players of way bigger tallent pools.

I agree with your last sentence.

[Straight forward]

I had this feeling that you may not be smart enough to understand that i didn't compare Grigonis and Siskauskas. I compared situation pointing out similarities and emphasizing the last of them.

Your comparison that both sort of underperformed for NT is ridiculous enough to disclaim your effort completely. Siska was most ISO player and most glue guy of 2003 gold, the leader of 2007 bronze. Let alone other great tournaments. While Grigonis can't play in knock out stage literally. Nice comparison. And, no, no-one treated 4th spot in 2008 very disappointing.

[Straight forward]

I know history of the process some of those tallents wont have brain,others wont have fighting spirit,3rd will get freakish injury and never will be the same,other will start partying after fame and only some rare one will have full package ,body,brain,fighting spirit,dedication and injury luck

Im sorry i see elite NTs that dont need to predict and luck in tallents i already see 5-6 nba players they have for remaining of decade


:LTU need not just good player of fiba,but fiba stars to compete with those loaded roster of 5-8 nba players of way bigger tallent pools.

2020s level is only increasing and needed tallent to win is not going down only up and for small tallents pool it becomes very very difficult

You simply never see a single step further. It takes years to get familiar with things that actually happened 2-3 years ago.

[Dreamcatcher]

And, no, no-one treated 4th spot in 2008 very disappointing.

Not true. I remember that it was disappointing (not extremely of course, but still). That's why i mentioned it. Today semis would be big success. At that time not grabbing medals was disappointing. And once again, i didn't compare the level of Siska and Grigonis. You simply can't get it.

[Straight forward]

Well, maybe SF is too optimistic (like always) with Lithuanian prospects but you are too pessimistic. Its not unreasonable to hope Buzelis and Jakucionis becoming leading players. They are good and not only them. With Murauskas, Krivas and Lelevicius you might have a very talented core. I dont see a big problem in the front court in the future and also the wing positions are not bad at all but you need a Giannis or different impact level player.

I do see a better LTU team in the future, surely better than this (its not very difficult btw) but I dont see a medal with this core, at least not yet.

Actually it's more like Buzelis KJ + Sabonis, Indrusaitis, Murauskas, Jokubaitis as our next 6 best players if you ask me.

As for KJ, I think we didn't see his best in EB, but he was still nice, specially at the end. His feetwork will be much more impressive at some mid season I'm sure. I think he was on off season bulking mode in the NT. NCAA will answer many things. If he can standout instantly, he'll be lottery. If will struggle...the road will be more complicated.

BTW, Buzelis has tons of nice defensive traits. He even reminds a bit Kirilenko at that end. Shot is the only real question, but I think he will have deadly midrange game even if his three won't become deadly.

So what's the obstacles for LTU to be medal contender if Buzelis, KJ prevails? I only see that there's tons of such level teams, so it's more difficult, but that's the only obstacle. We will have amazing offense. Like I think I'm not exaggerating a bit. KJ's amazing game reading (pick and roll clinics) matched with Sabonis and there's Buzelis in the corner as ISO machine. Deadly.

[Straight forward]

Not true. I remember that it was disappointing (not extremely of course, but still). That's why i mentioned it. Today semis would be big success. At that time not grabbing medals was disappointing. And once again, i didn't compare the level of Siska and Grigonis. You simply can't get it.

Even in that context I found it ridiculous and unnecessary. Simply meaningless.

[Shawshank]

I agree with your last sentence.

and remember our biggest talent Buzelis have never even been in Lithuania.

Yes his both parents are lithuanians.But who know what kinda player he will become and what patriotic emotion he will have after becoming nba milionair how often he will play for our NT

He surely wont be Valanciunas that comes every summer because he simply lithuanian at heart and spends all his free time in ltu teritory

Every second tournament most realistic scenerio with Buzelis even if he become a star.

[Dreamcatcher]

Well, maybe SF is too optimistic (like always) with Lithuanian prospects

It's only half of the issue. At the same time he underrates former Lith prospects because of a short memory or whatever else.

[Straight forward]

Buzelis said his most favorite player Arvydas Sabonis. That's says enough. Domas also barely lived in Lithuania. And Brazdeikis.