4 Sarunas Vasiliauskas G 1.88 5 Marcus Brown G 1.91 7 Martynas Pocius G 1.94 9 Mantas Kalnietis G 1.95 10 Zygimantas Janavicius G 1.92 12 Tadas Klimavicius F 2.04 13 Travis Watson F 2.03 14 Povilas Butkevicius F 2.03 15 Mirza Begic C 2.20 20 Dainius Salenga F 1.97 21 Arturas Milaknis G 1.95 32 Povilas Cukinas C 2.09 - Vytenis Cizauskas G 1.88 Head Coach: Gintaras Krapikas

A classic among Euroleague teams, Zalgiris Kaunas of Lithuania begins the 2009-10 season with renewed ambitions and a legion of fans in a basketball-crazy country rooting for its resurgence. Zalgiris put Lithuania on the European basketball map back in the mid-1980s and brought an offensive-minded, beautiful game back in fashion with its improbable run to the 1999 Euroleague title. A decade later, the goal is to recapture that competitive spirit while putting the team on track for a consistent future. Zalgiris wants to forget last season, a rare one for the fact that the Lithuanian powerhouse harvested no trophies and missed the Top 16 in the Euroleague. To turn things around, Zalgiris brought back a quintessential leader in Euroleague all-time top scorer Marcus Brown, who will be an on-court extension of head coach Gintaras Krapikas. The frontcourt was reworked, too, and boasts the arrival of rebounding machine Travis Watson and center Mirza Begic, one of the most productive young big men in the Euroleague last season. Zalgiris also worked hard to keep tall playmaker Mantas Kalnietis, who is ready to fulfill his potential in what could prove to be a breakout season for him. Dainius Salenga, Zygimantas Janavicius, Tadas Klimavicius and up-and-coming guard Sarunas Vasiliauskas round an interesting roster that will rely, as Zalgiris always has, on a rich vein of home-grown talent. Ready to battle for the Top 16 as its initial goal, Zalgiris will be dangerous at any stage it reaches.



Zalgiris has defined its backcourt roles really well this season, with Kalnietis expected to take over at playmaker and Brown ready to fill the basket in his classic role, a scoring guard who takes responsibility in the toughest moments. Kalnietis is an outstanding athlete whose quickness, driving skills and court sense could turn him into one of the best young point guards in Europe. With extended playing time and seasoned veterans beside him, Kalnietis is a key piece for Zalgiris this season. Brown will keep doing what he does best, offering his unlimited range, experience and all-around scoring skills. Brown is the only Euroleague player to have scored over 2,500 points this decade and is ready to update those numbers as Zalgiris's undeniable go-to guy. Although Brown could command the point at certain moments, Zalgiris also has youngsters Zygimantas Janavicius and Sarunas Vasiliauskas ready to step off the bench as playmakers. At shooting guard, Martynas Pocius arrives from Duke University to offer intensity, athleticism and determination. He can hit the long jumper or create for teammates, both or which could be key for Zalgiris. Another reserve shooter to watch is Arturas Milaknis, who had the team's best three-point percentage in a limited role last year.

Salenga is back as the starting small forward, with Watson and Begic teaming up as a perfect tandem in the paint. Salenga gives Zalgiris much-needed experience and know-how. Even when he lost some of his athleticism, Salenga stays as an effective scorer who thrives in transition game and hits enough three-pointers to keep defenses honest. Watson was the Euroleague's best regular-season rebounder two years ago and returns to the competition after a one-year break. His intensity and aggressiveness will be key markers for Zalgiris, while his offensive rebounding will offer perimeter players the opportunity to take chances knowing that a warrior is underneath to back them up. Begic, meanwhile, is Watson's natural complement, a 2.20-meter center who has learned to take advantage of his size. Begic exploded in the Euroleague last season with Union Olimpija, polishing his low-post game with a very effective jump hook while showing he is able to run the floor well, rebound and block shots. If he can learn determination from Watson and Brown, there might be no stopping Begic soon. Well-traveled big man Povilas Cukinas will step off the bench to provide instant offense and rebounds underneath, while aggressive forward Tadas Klimavicius and up-and-coming sensation Povilas Butkevicius add depth, rebounding skills and intensity to the mix. Expect a new attitude and plenty of effort to give Zalgiris a serious fighting chance throughout the upcoming season.

MIRZA BEGIC, CENTER The second-tallest player on any Euroleague roster, 2.20-meter center Mirza Begic, switched to Zalgiris Kaunas over the summer with the ambition to keep growing as a player. Begic had already taken a giant step forward last season with Union Olimpija, in his native Slovenia, by making his old-school back-to-the-basket skills work with solid numbers. At the end of the regular season, Begic had ranked among the Euroleague's best 25 players in performance index rating, among its best 15 on a per-minute basis. His outstanding footwork, great mobility for a player his size and very effective hook shots allowed him to dominate several games. When he combines those skills with his quickness, good hands and patience, Begic can become one of the hardest Euroleague big men to stop. Consistency is the key word for Begic now, as last season he mixed outstanding games with some underachieving performances. The fact that rebounding ace Travis Watson will team up with him in the paint will allow Begic to develop even faster. Watson's offensive rebounding, in particular, will allow Begic to shoot with more confidence and find more space to hit his trademark mid-range jumper. Begic is also a great shot blocker, ranked third in last year's regular season, due to his incredible height and decent timing. If he can patrol the paint similarly on defense this year, Zalgiris will have an intimidator in Begic and a clean-up rebounder in Watson. One of Begic's main improvements last season came in terms of decision-making. Instead of trying to score on every touch of the ball, Begic was able to move the ball out of double teams when not using his size to an advantage in low-post, one-on-one situations. Begic had problems guarding mobile centers last season, especially those who shot well from the high post, so he will need to improve in that regard. At age 24, however, Begic has a lot of room for improvement in a club like Zalgiris, well-known for its talented big men throughout the decades. If Begic is able to put more intensity into his game, he has the complete package to turn into a very important center. If he can match and improve upon his production from last season, however, Zalgiris will have an all-important anchor in the paint around which its other multi-talented players can thrive at their specialties.