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OK, time to turn the page. I have to unleash my rant after some time.
I think we should be more eager to match contemporary basketball traits. We overlooked this moment a bit and pushed our selves to extremely dangerous situation. I would go back to 2022 EB qualification when we barely survived it and it showed that teams who have stronger, faster, more physical guards really punish us. We have to make a switch and move on closer to Spanish and USA basketball schools. It's good that we have good emigrant players coming as Sabonis, Buzelis, Indrusaitis, Brazdeikis coming and the same Jakucionis is basically Spanish product now cause he moved from Lithuania to Spain being 16yo and had very intense development phase there and he really blossomed as a player (now we can only speculate if he could do the same playing in NKL). Our basketball is too academical, too slow and too selfless. We need more ISO skills, physicality and quickness which is the key at both ends today. So I'm really happy that we have this 2006 golden generation coming cause they are playing exactly that fast, decision making and ISO skills based basketball, with less positions, but more flexibility and adjustments. That's contemporary basketball. Big part of it. My main concerned with Jakucionis as the key player of the future (along with Buzelis) is that he now will move from Spain (were they run as crazy and that's good), to NCAA and it's always a risk. The game there is slower usually and different. I hope Jakucionis will spend there only one year and will move directly to NBA environment or even NBA/G League environment. Jakucionis is great playing uptempo basketball and I don't want anything less than that. If NCAA will screw that it will be a problem. We need players who knows how to play with the tempo. Jokubaitis does that pretty well cause he played tons in ACB, Sirvydis is doing it pretty well so he's spot on, Rubstavicius feels very well on open court, so that's a nice core. But most importantly those "emigrant" pieces as Jakucionis, Buzelis, Indrusaitis are mainly the product of this more open and faster basketball. They thrive with this and they can completely change the face of our basketball. We need a shift and I think we have all needed pieces. Even at the 5 with such pieces as Tubelis, Krivas, Raupelis, Butajevas we can play really mobile basketball. We will have more defense than previously. So I'm really optimistic for next gen, but long term, we have to change our attitude and develop players differently. We have to emphasize feet work, handles, physicality, ISO skills, quickness, explosiveness.
Now about the coaches. I'm OK with Kurtinaitis coming back. He deserves a chance. I'm OK with Zibenas getting a chance cause emotionally he gathered Rytas nicely. Kurtinaitis would be harder on players, Zibedas would provide positive inspiration. I think both are OK options. I wouldn't be against Trinchieri or that kind of level foreigner, but only absolutely elite coaches like I mention. Any mediocre scrub can get the fuck off and there should be zero talk about naturalizing players. Those who say that are clueless idiots who can't see the whole talent pool, have no eye on BB (and there's tons of that breed, even basketball portals in Lithuania are run by semi-blind BB wise people which is sad, fortunately some of them have good analysts or some PRO players who help) and overall always blind as some posters here who realize what's happening only when things knock into their doors literally. Naturalizing some random shit, and spitting on our BB culture and purity would be nasty stupid shit and most moronic thing you could do once players as Jakucionis, Buzelis are very close to suit up with the NT jerseys and completely change our upside and capabilities.
Coaching question will remain difficult cause only Jasikevcius is truly proper coach to do it and he would minimize the mistakes that often occurs doing such a difficult job. Jasikevcius would evaluate the talent optimally, would define the roles almost 100% optimally, would give proper chance to younger talent and would set proper hierarchy in all spheres. Can anyone from others Liths do it? No. But I'm almost 100% sure than no-one can make more mistakes and do the worse job than Maksvytis did. Impossible. Literally. Forget it, not gonna happen. We won't see Cizauskases, Maldunases, Dimsas in the NT anymore. Gone. The past.
Now what I want from 2025? First, let's qualify. Let's take it seriously cause Maskvytis managed to make a harm even here. Let's do it and finish it. It's not gonna be so easy as we seen against Estonia.
Second, let's ask our selves whenever we need vets. Should be invite Butkevicius, Kuzminskas, Grigonis, Lekavicius and so on. Valanciunas has to be there cause he's Buzelis guy and he will guide him and integrate him to the team. I would actually consider saying thank you, but no thank you to all vets except Valanciunas. I don't think our vets can bring anything positive to the NT, or to put it other ways they are not in position to truly impact the winning. I'm also OK with them coming and just trying to make a mix which is OK and most likely will be the case, but also I wouldn't mind to completely re-new NT and look at this as a project. Specially if Buzelis conforms early, somewhere at the mid season, that he's coming, I think I would consider just going without vets, except JV.
One of the key decisions next summer will be - should Jakucionis already be in NT? Most likely he will have a chance to play at U19 WC which is also big stage and good chance to increase his NBA upside if he's not drafted at that point. If he would get drafter as a lottery pick or even first round, it's likely that NBA team would skip any of his NT appearances, be it U19 or senior NT. ATM NT is about the question - when Jakucionis and Buzelis will start making the difference? It's literally the main question. I'm navigating those 2 player integration to the NT very closely and those 2 generational talents should be integrated as soon as possible and will give huge benefits very fast. If both will get their feet vet by a great scenario in 2025, we will be in very good situation to fight for medals in 2027 already.
Next key, how Jokubaitis season will evolve with (hopefully) Zalgiris. If he will come up with some kind of brake out season it can be a big push forward. To a lesser extent, but also very important, I'm looking how Sirvydis is doing in EL, can Brazdeikis have bigger role with Oly, how is Rubstavicius doing (Eurocup or G league?) and how D. Giedraitis, A. Marciulionis develops further.
Tons of upcoming and developing players, but I don't see medals in 2025. We can be nice, maybe even sneak into semis which would be great, but I don't see medals. Serbia, France, Spain, Germany are at another level. Our real chances will start when Jakcuionis/Buzelis will play as a beasts with the NT jerseys. That is coming not sooner than 2027/2028 and maybe even later. So that's that. A bit pity, but today you can't win without true standouts, world class players.
Most realistic scenario (~):
Jokubaitis, Marciulionis
Brazdeikis, Grigonis, D. Giedraitis
Buzelis, Sirvydis
Sedekerskis, Tubelis, Kuzminskas
Sabonis, Valanciunas
Meaning the mix of vets and younger players.
If Buzelis comes, I would actually try to build the team with younger, higher upside players and would skip vets. It would be something like this. I would look at it as a project, maybe a bit less chances to win something in 2025 (which is debatable), but great building block for entire Olympic cycle where huge hopes would be put on 2027 and 2028
Jokubaitis, Jakucionis, Marciulionis
Brazdeikis, D. Giedraitis, Rubstavicius
Buzelis, Srivydis
Sedekerskis, Tubelis
Sabonis, Valanciunas (if either of them out, bring Mr. Krivas in
)
I would really favor the latter scenario. If we have both Jakucionis/Buzelis in, already huge win. Means we already re-writing history. The integration of players as Marciulionis, Rubstavicius, D. Giedraitis also a big push forward. I'm not even sure, this team would be worse, than the first team. I see a scenario when it is actually better. Specially if players as Buzelis and Rubstavicius would actually deliver and Jakucionis is that good that he may be balling some already as 19yo.
The future is bright and if we unleash something like that second line-up, it would be massive, incredible push FORWARD. Huge stride towards making NT strong again (and in 2027 there also would come Murauskas, Indusaitis for even further nasty improvement of the NT).
I'm most pissed on coaching and failing federation (again crappy exhibition stage as whole Olympic cycle). But the talent is going off charts and we better do not screw with integration.
I think we should be more eager to match contemporary basketball traits. We overlooked this moment a bit and pushed our selves to extremely dangerous situation. I would go back to 2022 EB qualification when we barely survived it and it showed that teams who have stronger, faster, more physical guards really punish us. We have to make a switch and move on closer to Spanish and USA basketball schools. It's good that we have good emigrant players coming as Sabonis, Buzelis, Indrusaitis, Brazdeikis coming and the same Jakucionis is basically Spanish product now cause he moved from Lithuania to Spain being 16yo and had very intense development phase there and he really blossomed as a player (now we can only speculate if he could do the same playing in NKL). Our basketball is too academical, too slow and too selfless. We need more ISO skills, physicality and quickness which is the key at both ends today. So I'm really happy that we have this 2006 golden generation coming cause they are playing exactly that fast, decision making and ISO skills based basketball, with less positions, but more flexibility and adjustments. That's contemporary basketball. Big part of it. My main concerned with Jakucionis as the key player of the future (along with Buzelis) is that he now will move from Spain (were they run as crazy and that's good), to NCAA and it's always a risk. The game there is slower usually and different. I hope Jakucionis will spend there only one year and will move directly to NBA environment or even NBA/G League environment. Jakucionis is great playing uptempo basketball and I don't want anything less than that. If NCAA will screw that it will be a problem. We need players who knows how to play with the tempo. Jokubaitis does that pretty well cause he played tons in ACB, Sirvydis is doing it pretty well so he's spot on, Rubstavicius feels very well on open court, so that's a nice core. But most importantly those "emigrant" pieces as Jakucionis, Buzelis, Indrusaitis are mainly the product of this more open and faster basketball. They thrive with this and they can completely change the face of our basketball. We need a shift and I think we have all needed pieces. Even at the 5 with such pieces as Tubelis, Krivas, Raupelis, Butajevas we can play really mobile basketball. We will have more defense than previously. So I'm really optimistic for next gen, but long term, we have to change our attitude and develop players differently. We have to emphasize feet work, handles, physicality, ISO skills, quickness, explosiveness.
Now about the coaches. I'm OK with Kurtinaitis coming back. He deserves a chance. I'm OK with Zibenas getting a chance cause emotionally he gathered Rytas nicely. Kurtinaitis would be harder on players, Zibedas would provide positive inspiration. I think both are OK options. I wouldn't be against Trinchieri or that kind of level foreigner, but only absolutely elite coaches like I mention. Any mediocre scrub can get the fuck off and there should be zero talk about naturalizing players. Those who say that are clueless idiots who can't see the whole talent pool, have no eye on BB (and there's tons of that breed, even basketball portals in Lithuania are run by semi-blind BB wise people which is sad, fortunately some of them have good analysts or some PRO players who help) and overall always blind as some posters here who realize what's happening only when things knock into their doors literally. Naturalizing some random shit, and spitting on our BB culture and purity would be nasty stupid shit and most moronic thing you could do once players as Jakucionis, Buzelis are very close to suit up with the NT jerseys and completely change our upside and capabilities.
Coaching question will remain difficult cause only Jasikevcius is truly proper coach to do it and he would minimize the mistakes that often occurs doing such a difficult job. Jasikevcius would evaluate the talent optimally, would define the roles almost 100% optimally, would give proper chance to younger talent and would set proper hierarchy in all spheres. Can anyone from others Liths do it? No. But I'm almost 100% sure than no-one can make more mistakes and do the worse job than Maksvytis did. Impossible. Literally. Forget it, not gonna happen. We won't see Cizauskases, Maldunases, Dimsas in the NT anymore. Gone. The past.
Now what I want from 2025? First, let's qualify. Let's take it seriously cause Maskvytis managed to make a harm even here. Let's do it and finish it. It's not gonna be so easy as we seen against Estonia.
Second, let's ask our selves whenever we need vets. Should be invite Butkevicius, Kuzminskas, Grigonis, Lekavicius and so on. Valanciunas has to be there cause he's Buzelis guy and he will guide him and integrate him to the team. I would actually consider saying thank you, but no thank you to all vets except Valanciunas. I don't think our vets can bring anything positive to the NT, or to put it other ways they are not in position to truly impact the winning. I'm also OK with them coming and just trying to make a mix which is OK and most likely will be the case, but also I wouldn't mind to completely re-new NT and look at this as a project. Specially if Buzelis conforms early, somewhere at the mid season, that he's coming, I think I would consider just going without vets, except JV.
One of the key decisions next summer will be - should Jakucionis already be in NT? Most likely he will have a chance to play at U19 WC which is also big stage and good chance to increase his NBA upside if he's not drafted at that point. If he would get drafter as a lottery pick or even first round, it's likely that NBA team would skip any of his NT appearances, be it U19 or senior NT. ATM NT is about the question - when Jakucionis and Buzelis will start making the difference? It's literally the main question. I'm navigating those 2 player integration to the NT very closely and those 2 generational talents should be integrated as soon as possible and will give huge benefits very fast. If both will get their feet vet by a great scenario in 2025, we will be in very good situation to fight for medals in 2027 already.
Next key, how Jokubaitis season will evolve with (hopefully) Zalgiris. If he will come up with some kind of brake out season it can be a big push forward. To a lesser extent, but also very important, I'm looking how Sirvydis is doing in EL, can Brazdeikis have bigger role with Oly, how is Rubstavicius doing (Eurocup or G league?) and how D. Giedraitis, A. Marciulionis develops further.
Tons of upcoming and developing players, but I don't see medals in 2025. We can be nice, maybe even sneak into semis which would be great, but I don't see medals. Serbia, France, Spain, Germany are at another level. Our real chances will start when Jakcuionis/Buzelis will play as a beasts with the NT jerseys. That is coming not sooner than 2027/2028 and maybe even later. So that's that. A bit pity, but today you can't win without true standouts, world class players.
Most realistic scenario (~):
Jokubaitis, Marciulionis
Brazdeikis, Grigonis, D. Giedraitis
Buzelis, Sirvydis
Sedekerskis, Tubelis, Kuzminskas
Sabonis, Valanciunas
Meaning the mix of vets and younger players.
If Buzelis comes, I would actually try to build the team with younger, higher upside players and would skip vets. It would be something like this. I would look at it as a project, maybe a bit less chances to win something in 2025 (which is debatable), but great building block for entire Olympic cycle where huge hopes would be put on 2027 and 2028
Jokubaitis, Jakucionis, Marciulionis
Brazdeikis, D. Giedraitis, Rubstavicius
Buzelis, Srivydis
Sedekerskis, Tubelis
Sabonis, Valanciunas (if either of them out, bring Mr. Krivas in
)I would really favor the latter scenario. If we have both Jakucionis/Buzelis in, already huge win. Means we already re-writing history. The integration of players as Marciulionis, Rubstavicius, D. Giedraitis also a big push forward. I'm not even sure, this team would be worse, than the first team. I see a scenario when it is actually better. Specially if players as Buzelis and Rubstavicius would actually deliver and Jakucionis is that good that he may be balling some already as 19yo.
The future is bright and if we unleash something like that second line-up, it would be massive, incredible push FORWARD. Huge stride towards making NT strong again (and in 2027 there also would come Murauskas, Indusaitis for even further nasty improvement of the NT).
I'm most pissed on coaching and failing federation (again crappy exhibition stage as whole Olympic cycle). But the talent is going off charts and we better do not screw with integration.
OMG...Evans is just a trashy no-body compared to what he can be and will be. Jesus, LTU BB community can be so clueless. Illinous needed like 3 weeks to understand they got something special? Lithuanian still dreaming about Evans (well some of them). Like what would he bring? Another knee injury or chucking from thee in every possession? Well we got enough of that from Grigonis 
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