Ąžuolas Tubelis thread
It's been a while we created individual player's thread and I'm making a brave shot, but I'm pretty much convinced he's the next sure fire NBA material Lithuanian player after Domas Sabonis. It's not (thus far) as obvious case as Valanciunas, but it was the same with Domas Sabonis when I created the thread when he was 16yo. Some said he's not so athletic, some doubted his talent. I believe Ąžualas Tubelis belongs to this elite bigs category (pre -injury D-Mo, JV, Domas) and will make a mark in the strongest leagues of the world.
It's interesting that already at 10 he was getting the same reflections from the coaches just as today. At his age category he had no competition so at 10 he played with older kids already: "Ąžuolas is gifted, physically strong. He's not worse and even better than a year older guys" - Vytenis Tupčiauskas
Now Tubelis stands at 17 and pretty much dominates among a year older guys. He is playing at the both ends of the floor, his physicality is great, his basketball IQ is good, scoring instincts impressive. I create this thread apriori U18 EC, but I believe he has all chances to be very good there and should be drafted in 2021 Drafts. Let's follow how this kid develops.
double dice online
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2FiF-sPHeo
Last edited by Straight forward; 07-15-2019 at 10:07 PM.
Originally Posted by Shawshank
BTW, I see a lot of similarities between Tubelis and Sabonis at age of 17. Sabonis was 205cm at that time (later grew to 211cm), while Tubelis stands at 203cm (if he is not taller at the very moment as he's still growing). Both had extreme combination of toughness and mobility, both could go coast to coast. Here's Sabonis at 17 toying with a year older guys:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgVDrvFXcXk
I see more differences. Tubelis shoots lots of three-pointers and play more face to the basket. Sabonis was more a low post player and consequently a better rebounder. He could make a 2pt from farther distance, but he couldn't provide such shooting like Tubelis who being pf looks like sf more than c. Offensively Tubelis is a much more hot talent and i like him more, but ii doesn't mean i expect him to be better at the future especially when you know Sabonis is playing solid in NBA.
You overrate Tubelis shooting, at least at the moment. In his NKL season he shot 28% which is not good enough yet. In U16 EB that was basically non existant skill. But his shot mechanics isn't bad, he can develop into a decent shooter for his position, but it will never be one of his best skills I believe. You make a good point about Tubelis being more of face to face scorer and Sabonis a post scorer. And I agree that Tubelis is much more expressed offensive player at this age. Tubelis has that right hand either while Domas only now tries to add this thing to his arsenal. At U16 Tubelis averaged 14,3pts, but he did that in 23minutes. Sabonis is an elite rebounder, but I think Tubelis might not be far behind him specially if he will still grow. At U16 WC he was grabbing 10,4rebs in 23min. That's super good. Also he seems to be just as good of a passer as Sabonis as well or close. So there's surely a lot in common. I think Tubelis numbers will sky rock when he will play at his age group next summer, but I wouldn't be surprised that even in this U18 team he will be a top scorer with around 16-21pts.
Seeing how he dance on zalgiris sign and put on internet video I have questions already about this young men attitude and overall his humbleness.
I don't know nothing about him, but that video shows me he already thinks himself he kinda big deal now...such cocky mindset have vanished hundreds of really gifted tallents.
We have one in China example, when tallent was over the roof,but brain was like cocky teenager that never grown up.
Hopefully it just young men stupid behaviour that happend once, but I don't like it already.Humble young mens usually don't do such silly things, but work hard in silence.
What I always loved and admired let's say in Valanciunas and Sabonis they were always very kind, humble young men .I knew no coach would ever have any problems with them
Last edited by Shawshank; 07-16-2019 at 04:43 PM.
I wouldn't overestimate that. I think we live in a crazy time when every poop can get to the internet and get overestimated quickly, it's pretty crazy. One thing that young fellow has to learn quickly, to stop posting shit on internet - you are on a verge becoming public person. We live in a political correct times which resembles more of Orwels utopia rather than freedom to me at times. I also have no ideas about his temper, but he's a hard worker in the court, plays with huge energy and passion. I would see this as a dumb joke which may not even be angry or disrespecful, simply messing around as a normal teenager. If he's not a bit of a nut case as D-Mo, he will learn these lessons quickly.
And here you go, the kid apologised today
„Šiandien viešai paplitus privačiam video iš Kauno „Žalgirio“ dublerių komandos rūbinės, aš nuvyliau savo artimą aplinką bei priverčiau savo tėvus pajusti gėdą dėl mano vaikiško ir neapgalvoto elgesio. Žinau, jog niekas nebeatsuks laiko atgal ir jokie pasiteisinimai nepakeis mano parodytos nepagarbos ne tik Kauno komandai, bet ir visam Lietuvos krepšiniui. Vienintelis dalykas, ką galiu padaryti, tai atsiprašyti „Žalgirio“ komandos organizacijos, žaidėjų, fanų ir toliau savo vertę įrodinėti aikštelėje, o ne kvailais poelgiais už jos ribų. Atsiprašau“, – rašo A. Tubelis.
https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/sportas...nkas-atsipraso
The thing that he posted it on internet - doesn't change the fact that it still happened. Just we get to know about it. And then Shawshank theory hits again. It even makes it more dumb and disrespectful that he posted it on the internet... How silly you must be to do that? Jeez. Everyone of us has done crazy things in teen years, but probably had enough brains not to expose yourself this way... Overall, it's not a big deal, but hopefully big kick in his ass as it should've been big shame for his family to see his kid in such headlines. At least he had brains to apologize, even if someone forced him to
FOA, we don't know if he himself posted it, I really doubt that. He says "Today the video has been spread...". It was a dumb act anyways, no doubt though. Personally, I wouldn't dramatise this, just because 17yo are not yet exactly moral agents by their own will lets say, I worked in a high school as a teacher so I know what I'm taking about. I do believe young Saras, Kleiza and probably others were cocky or a bit cocky without any doubt. But eventually they learned to manage this the right way and to make it as their advantage in and of the court. We don't even know Tubelis' charackter yet, I treat this as dumb joke which should have stayed in the locker room. As Šaras said, I don't care what Pesic says about me in the locker room, I don't like that it gets out from the locker room.
And just to make a joke, what to expect from the kid when his team's general manager is chanting "Zalia K..." chant in one of the pubs in Vilnius together with some boneheaded ultras of Rytas I suppose
Ok Azuolas has hope, his parents put him down very fast and reminded things most likely not in kind way.
He was big enough to admit he was wrong, in such case it can be just one of those stupid things all young people does.
But if something similar happens on court or of the court again with him, that would be real problem looking to future.
Once can happen to anybody, if it happens second time is not an accident
Well now he has a contract with Rytas and if I'm right about his potential, he won't play for Zalgiris at least 15 years. Then all this will be forgotten
Best part from this story is that Zalgiris has their logo somewhere on the floors of their sacred ground and players punish themselves if they step on it
+3
I wonder if people (I'm not jumping on Mindozas or Shawn here) would be so sensitive about all the inside jokes and acts towards Rytas by some Mačiulis, Kalnietis, Jankūnas if some of those would reach public eye. The kid apologised, case closed.
PS: Yet he's killing it at preparation stage with U18 as a scoring leader. Last two games against Estonia and Latvia: 24pts in 24min, 16pts in 19min.
I watched two or three games of him. Last game in the Baltic Cup. His efficient fgp is remarkable but he is a horrible free throw shooter.
It's unwritten lockerroom rule lot of clubs has, from NHL to football. It's not like Zalgiris invented it, it came from abroad where players played and where lockerrooms has such feature. But since I'm not too superstitious or smth, I'm not really fan of this idea. It's uncomfortable to walk there afterall ffs
You still don't get it. I don't care too much. But it's not about logo, it's about behaviour itself, attitude, disrespect one person showed to other. Be it Zalgiris, be it other club. He knew perfectly it's like sacred thing for many, a symbol of a club and he spits on it. It was not an inside joke you try to make it look like. His apology shows it all, nobody would done this for a word or inside joke
Good point. His season (second Lith division) free point shooting was 28% and FT 62%. He will have to work on shooting. Sabonis was a poor FT shooter and overall shooter at his age. Now he's a solid shooter from all positions (doesn't shoot many threes, but his % was over 50% this season). With time Tubelis should improve his shooting if he's a hard worker.
I do believe you are not overestimate this. But since we talking about it, are you really sure Mačiulis, Kalnietis or some other Žalgiris' hardcore oldtimers never went nasty towards Rytas in any symbolic way? I believe we would here a lot of stories, those just never went public as it was completely different era without fucking Cell phones. Again, if Tubelis spread this by himself that was extremely stupid, extremely (but even so it would only show how much he doesn't give a damn, and how much he's in different stand compared to grown ups, he's a kid). Making this joke (do you really treat this as an explicit disrespect, hate really? Again, this is a 17yo kid...) with his team in the locker room (this is not a public place) and not assuming this will spread, I don't see a criminal here. At the end of the day when you young, you are not as sentimental as grown ups. For him it's just a rivalry between Rytas and Zalgiris. That's it, fuck it. He didn't spit on some persons face. That was untasty joke, that's it. Teenagers makes tons of untasty, nasty jokes everyday. He apologising only because it went public. Because grown ups came and said it's wrong, go and do that. Tubelis probably just loathed inside and said what a bunch of sensitive, sentimental pussies (as normal alfa teenagers in most cases would do)). I think people just don't realise how much 17yo all right kids don't give a fuck and just fooling around. To me it's a sign of normal behaviour of an alfa kid in same ways. It's surely an inside joke, if you think he constructed this just to get thousands of Zalgiris fans pissed or disrespected (he doesn't even have a real understanding of disrespect yet, IMO), you are really digging too deep here
BTW, how do you watch these games?
Well there are different sources. Sometimes facebook, youtube, couple turkish streams etc. Lithuania likes to play against Turkey. Both teams are often in the same tournament.
Well, share it here, if you'll catch some streams. Thanks in advance.
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