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That doesn't mean best NCAA players are trash, dude. Like there's still elite players who are force in NBA and FIBA instantly, or if not force than at least competitive pieces. Look at the same Tubelis. Straight from NCAA he looked like beast in LKL (much like Jasikevicius) and played well in FIBA windows for the NT and utilized his minutes well in Olympic qualification. It's not entirely true that top 10 teams are not looking for young players, maybe it's rarer now than NCAA players go straight to NT, but it all depends on the talent level. Those top teams that you have in mind as USA, CANADA, Serbia, Spain, France, Australia, Germany, Slovenia at least winning something and showing up in the semis at the very least. We are not. So our situation is different. Ironically ATM we are closer to some Estonia, Finland level than say USA, Canada, Serbia level. That's why for us it's a must to push for talent, be it raw talent, but we need to do it, cause we sit in a shit and things won't change with current experienced players, vets as we know. But even now such team as Australia had 21yo Dyson Daniels, previously G League guy, spent some in NBA, but Australia had 2 guys 21yo.
Also it has to be said that many teams don't have such calibre young players as Jakucionis, Buzelis. Take those top 10 or borderline top ten teams as Slovenia, Greece, Turkey or even Spain, they don't have such good prospects offensively. If those teams had lottery picks, they would bring them, but they don't have. If you would remember 2022 Champs Spain, they had 20yo Garuba who actually became very important role player for them and specially against us in 8finals. Dude's athleticism and agility at 5 and ability to grab boards was a game changer. He was and still is raw player, but he can help, he can do very useful things. So can Matas next summer.
And lastly, the fact that NCAA became a bit weaker and European BB advanced amazingly in three decades, doesn't mean that some Buzelis is worse player than Karnisovas, or that Jakucionis is worse than Jasikevcius. I don't care about the levels of the league, I watch particular players and I see what they can do, I rank their abilities. Lithuania is amazingly lucky to have KJ and Matas. Amazingly, people yet don't understand this phenomenon yet. And even to lesser extent having such players as Indrusaitis, Murauskas is also huge for us. Your logic as always too primitive, like NCAA became weaker so there's no material for serious BB. Again, the same France considered Traore seriously, and Serbia Topic. Standouts are standouts, whatever the hell is the ranking of the leagues.
And when we will have top 8 talent in the world, and true studs in all rotation positions and we will be winning something then we will allow our selves to ignore young talent. Now we have no such luxury and it's a must to push for talent. I can watch Buzelis and KJ bricking and making to's all day long, because I know this is way better for LTU BB than to watch vets bricking and making tos (via game vs PR)
Also it has to be said that many teams don't have such calibre young players as Jakucionis, Buzelis. Take those top 10 or borderline top ten teams as Slovenia, Greece, Turkey or even Spain, they don't have such good prospects offensively. If those teams had lottery picks, they would bring them, but they don't have. If you would remember 2022 Champs Spain, they had 20yo Garuba who actually became very important role player for them and specially against us in 8finals. Dude's athleticism and agility at 5 and ability to grab boards was a game changer. He was and still is raw player, but he can help, he can do very useful things. So can Matas next summer.
And lastly, the fact that NCAA became a bit weaker and European BB advanced amazingly in three decades, doesn't mean that some Buzelis is worse player than Karnisovas, or that Jakucionis is worse than Jasikevcius. I don't care about the levels of the league, I watch particular players and I see what they can do, I rank their abilities. Lithuania is amazingly lucky to have KJ and Matas. Amazingly, people yet don't understand this phenomenon yet. And even to lesser extent having such players as Indrusaitis, Murauskas is also huge for us. Your logic as always too primitive, like NCAA became weaker so there's no material for serious BB. Again, the same France considered Traore seriously, and Serbia Topic. Standouts are standouts, whatever the hell is the ranking of the leagues.
And when we will have top 8 talent in the world, and true studs in all rotation positions and we will be winning something then we will allow our selves to ignore young talent. Now we have no such luxury and it's a must to push for talent. I can watch Buzelis and KJ bricking and making to's all day long, because I know this is way better for LTU BB than to watch vets bricking and making tos (via game vs PR)
I really hoped this fellow will never be allowed close NT...holly shit...It's very very bad and now I really feel like we are deep in shit. The stake is really high. Pacesas talks with serious face that we have to build around oldschool bigs, Lekavicius as "motoriukas" and to bring Echodas, Normantas to the NT. He's like nutcase Maksvytis, mediocre mentality all over, and he understands only mediocre scrubs as he been himself as a player, but the worst part Pacesas has no warm personality of Maksvytis so he's even worse.
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