Lithuanian talents.

[auris1]

We have a bar set pretty high, don’t we?
People like to compare young players to the stars - oh, he is young sabonis, marciulionis etc.
Truth is , now there is no one like them .And never will be .But I am pretty damn confident that there is future stars .We just don’t know it yet .

And there is one good point in the article – that youngsters leaving basketball schools have nowhere to play .And that there is no policy for them to develop through transitional period to men basketball. All because that old fuck garastas – the latest I heard that if there is no arena build in Kaunas for 2011 he has some alternative plan hiding in his sleeve -what the fuck is that suppose to mean – are they going to play preliminaries in his back garden? Or he is going to pull the 10000 seat arena out of his arse saying surprise and everyone clapping around.
And sorry for the rant - hangover

[Gytaz]

1.Kleiza is already a big star. And in few years he gonna be just like Karnisovas or even better.

Just like Karnišovas? He is nothing like Karnišovas, they are different types of players. Karnišovas was using his brain, while Kleiza relies solely on his physical abilities, while his decision-making is often questionable. And I hate Kleiza's "I'm the man" attitude. To be honest, he is my least favorite player on Lithuanian NT.

[Test]

Depends on what talents are we talking about? Or it is NBA super individuals or above average team players. The first one group is not quite big. Only D-Motiejunas is NBA prospect these days. Bit if we talk about future LT NT, I don't see a problem. Lithuania raises quite good players all the time except PG's. Good PG position player only can be raisen in NCAA where they learn how to pass while running fast.

[Straight forward]

Just like Karnišovas? He is nothing like Karnišovas, they are different types of players. Karnišovas was using his brain, while Kleiza relies solely on his physical abilities, while his decision-making is often questionable. And I hate Kleiza's "I'm the man" attitude. To be honest, he is my least favorite player on Lithuanian NT.

Kleiza, imho, isn't even close to Maciulis if we talk about "I'm the man" syndrome. Those things are realy annoying but sometimes it helps on the court. Jasikevicius is the same type of player though he and Kleiza are somehow more subtle. Maciulis behaviour and emotions resently are just irritating...he's shouting on his teams mates like bit...Even if he's doing realy fine on the court

[vaslover]

In some way I agree with Vainauskas. There aren't sure things now. Lithuania for the moment don't have Rubio's, Fernandez's, Bargnani's (even though he is a bust), Pekovic's, Galinari's and so on. You see those players and you know that one day they will be superstars in Europe (Fernandez probably is already a superstar in Europe).
What Lithuanian player will be drafted with high pick in NBA draft (you can hate NBA but still you have to acknowledge that the best talent is there)? The closest thing is Motiejunas but he also isn't a sure thing especially that we know that he is playing in Zalgiris (not the best place for young players) under one retard known as Grigas.
Is there any young player with a lot of potential who is playing in NBA? There is Kleiza but he is a role player and if one day somehow he will manage to be the best player on Lithuania NT - this team will be screwed.
Who is there that is young and managing to have some impact on Euroleague team? There is Maciulis, Jankunas, Jomantas, Seibutis but they won't be anything more than a role players on a good team.
So no, for the moment I don't see new Siskauskas, new Macijauskas, new Jasikevicius. There are some decent young players but they have a lot work to do even if they want to establish themselves as useful players in best Lithuanian teams and I think probability that they will fail is bigger considering how best Lithuanian teams view into their young players.

Tell me please,how many MORE than decent young players have Greece,France,my country,Great basketball Yougoslavia?.. Who??? Koufos,who else from Greece(As for Oly youngsters,they,re the same role players as Maciulis,Jankunas or even their teammate Seibutis),France with young guys such Aliyanca or Batum?..I can imagine these guys as a role players in NBA, but i can,t imagine them such a LEADERS in CSKA or PAO. Who,s next?.. My country... With so ... RFB President(Chernov)as we have,even decent youngsters will too cool for us.We have Pankrashov and Fridzon(very useful player),but in Russian basketball reality, even them we can see only such a role players. Who,s next? Yougoslavia... Are you really certain that Pekovic will be KEY player for PAO?.. I don,t think so. He will be ROLE player for them as well as Teodosic for Oly,as Seibutis for Oly,as Teletovic in Tau,as Pledzic and Vidmar for Fener as other young guys... I just want to say,that in this ages you can,t be more than a ROLE player,only if you,re not Parker,Gazol,Kirilenko(remember,when he played for CSKA,he was one of the best players in europe),Ginobili or Stojakovic...

[lafa]

can anybody please name ANY recent lithuanian player who became a star before he turned 24?

if somebody asked me then answer would be - there is one, macijauskas. even jasikevicius became a star only in his second year with barca.
javtokas could have been just right next to macas, if not his motorcycle accident...

can you name a lithuanian, that became a star or a pretty good player after he turned 24?

if somebody asked me then answer would be: stombergas (star), timinskas (i'd call him a star), jasikevicius (star), siskauskas (star), lavrinovic brothers (stars), petravicius (pretty good player), lukauskis (pretty good player), klimavicius (pretty good player)... and so on...

my point is - if there are no great 18-20 year liths right now it doesn't matter that some of the won't turn into a pretty good players before they hit 25

[mvblair]

...even jasikevicius became a star only in his second year with barca. ..

I don't think that's true. At least Jasikevicius was a star in the US when he was 20-years-old and going to Maryland. I think a lot of people forget that Jasikevicius was one of the only players in the Atlantic who scouts thought was a sure NBA shot. Jasikevicius just never got the chance when he first graduated (his fault for signing big contracts) (and never got a chance once he arrived in the NBA). He was a bonafide star in the NCAA back when he was running the floor with Lorin Profit.

[LuDux]

Where are no problem of talents in Lithuania:
1985:
1.Kleiza is already a big star. And in few years he gonna be just like Karnisovas or even better.
2.Maciulis also became a national team level player. And since 2009 Eurobasket when some older players will retire he would be one of the leaders.

Also Seibutis and Jomantas got some potencial. But Jomantas now is No.1 most hated in Lithuania because of his dirty defensive tricks to injury someone.
1986:
1.Kalnietis should play SG mostly and the problem is that coaches and media wants to make him a playmaker. And of course is bad that he has to sit on the bench most of the games.
2.Andriuskevicius. Maybe where are stil some hopes about him.
1987:
1.Dilys
2.Butkevicius
1988:
Gecevicius
1989:
1.Vasiliauskas
2.Janavicius
3.Cepukaitis
4.Lipkevicius
5.Juskevicius
1990:
1.Motiejunas
2.Sapiega
3.Slezas
1991:
Peciukevicius
1992:
1.Cizauskas. Eurolegue NIKE IJT 2008 (U-18) stats: 18 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 5.7 spg! And he was 2 years younger than most of opponents!

1985
1. Kleiza
2. Maciulis
3. Jomantas
4. Seibutis
5. Sinica

1986
1. Pocius
2. Kalnietis
3. Aleksandrovas
4. Viskontas
5. Runkauskas

1987
1. Butkevicius
2. Trakimas
3. Labuckas
4. Dilys
5. Ezerskis

1988
1. Gecevicius
2. Valukonis
3. Gailius
4. Skurdauskas
5. Gvezdauskas

1989
1. Janavicius
2. Vasiliauskas
3. Cepukaitis
4. Lipkevicius
5. Juskevicius

Also check out who's among U-16 NT candidates

[sashikas]

Also check out who's among U-16 NT candidates

Damn it, the time runs fast.. I wonder, how will he feel in not-so-familiar circumstances among Lithuanians, not spanish. And how his teammates will feel having Tautvydas in the squad (if he will get there).

[re5pectas]

Damn it, the time runs fast.. I wonder, how will he feel in not-so-familiar circumstances among Lithuanians, not spanish. And how his teammates will feel having Tautvydas in the squad (if he will get there).

uugh, what a name

[lafa]

I don't think that's true. At least Jasikevicius was a star in the US when he was 20-years-old and going to Maryland. I think a lot of people forget that Jasikevicius was one of the only players in the Atlantic who scouts thought was a sure NBA shot. Jasikevicius just never got the chance when he first graduated (his fault for signing big contracts) (and never got a chance once he arrived in the NBA). He was a bonafide star in the NCAA back when he was running the floor with Lorin Profit.

maybe... 10 years ago we had too little information about ncaa itself, about liths there and no games whatsoever. even though he was considered a star overseas he wasn't star here right from the start when he got back. it took him 2-3 years to establish himself as one of the top point guards in europe

[kecal]

maybe... 10 years ago we had too little information about ncaa itself, about liths there and no games whatsoever. even though he was considered a star overseas he wasn't star here right from the start when he got back. it took him 2-3 years to establish himself as one of the top point guards in europe

I think I remmember reading some pre-draft reports where Šaras was called a good shooter, but too slow and not really creative with the ball. It didn't sound as if he was considered "a star". Decent collegiate player - maybe. I think Zmago Sagadin gave him a lot - maturity, first of all.

[mvblair]

maybe... 10 years ago we had too little information about ncaa itself, about liths there and no games whatsoever. even though he was considered a star overseas he wasn't star here right from the start when he got back. it took him 2-3 years to establish himself as one of the top point guards in europe

Fair enough. Even today, I don't think there is enough information about the NCAA in Europe (and not enough Euro domestic league information in the US!). There are some great players in the NCAA, and Saras was one of them.

think I remmember reading some pre-draft reports where Šaras was called a good shooter, but too slow and not really creative with the ball. It didn't sound as if he was considered "a star". Decent collegiate player - maybe. I think Zmago Sagadin gave him a lot - maturity, first of all.

I guess there's also a big difference between "college star" and "pro star." Today, most of the best collegiate stars don't play pro basketball. They're not good enough to actually get paid, because even the Lithuanian domestic league is too strong for a great NCAA player, and it's been that way for the past 25 years.

[lafa]

Fair enough. Even today, I don't think there is enough information about the NCAA in Europe (and not enough Euro domestic league information in the US!). There are some great players in the NCAA, and Saras was one of them. I guess there's also a big difference between "college star" and "pro star." Today, most of the best collegiate stars don't play pro basketball. They're not good enough to actually get paid, because even the Lithuanian domestic league is too strong for a great NCAA player, and it's been that way for the past 25 years.

i remember i saw one game... it was seton hall with karnisovas vs. georgetown with alonzo mourning. karnisovas was either junior or senior, i don't recall which one... karnisovas poured something like 30 points and seton hall thrashed georgetown by quite big margin...

[kaunaz]

can anybody please name ANY recent lithuanian player who became a star before he turned 24?

if somebody asked me then answer would be - there is one, macijauskas. even jasikevicius became a star only in his second year with barca.
javtokas could have been just right next to macas, if not his motorcycle accident...

can you name a lithuanian, that became a star or a pretty good player after he turned 24?

if somebody asked me then answer would be: stombergas (star), timinskas (i'd call him a star), jasikevicius (star), siskauskas (star), lavrinovic brothers (stars), petravicius (pretty good player), lukauskis (pretty good player), klimavicius (pretty good player)... and so on...

my point is - if there are no great 18-20 year liths right now it doesn't matter that some of the won't turn into a pretty good players before they hit 25

It depends what do you mean star? If you mean star by popularity and media interest after some winned championships you are right. But if you are talking about only playing level so I'm 100% sure that most of the players reach their top level of playing at age of 22-23. There lots of examples.