ZALGIRIS KAUNAS

ROSTER

4 LAWSON, TY G 1.80 6 POPOVIC, MARKO G 1.85 9 KALNIETIS, MANTAS G 1.95 10 DELININKAITIS, TOMAS G 1.90 11 RAKOVIC, MILOVAN C 2.08 12 KLIMAVICIUS, TADAS F 2.04 13 JANKUNAS, PAULIUS F 2.03 15 JAVTOKAS, ROBERTAS C 2.10 19 KUZMINSKAS, M. F 2.05 21 MILAKNIS, ARTURAS G 1.95 24 WEEMS, SONNY F 1.98 41 COLLINS, DeJUAN G 1.88 50 SAMHAN, OMAR C 2.11 Head Coach: ZOUROS, ILIAS

Historic Results 2010-11: 6-10, Top 16 2009-10: 5-11, Top 16 2008-09: 2-8, Regular Season 2007-08: 9-11, Top 16 2006-07: 2-12, Regular Season 2005-06: 9-11, Top 16 2004-05: 8-12, Top 16 2003-04: 9-11, Top 16 2002-03: 5-9, Regular Season 2001-02: 5-9, Regular Season 2000-01: 6-6, Playoffs

2010-11 Results Euroleague: Regular Season 5-5 Top 16 1-5 Baltic League: Champion Lithuanian League: Champion Lithuanian Cup: Champion

Kaunas, Lithuania, is in the midst of a basketball celebration year and its favorite team, Zalgiris, aims to keep the party alive with a strong run in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague. The club’s home court, the brand-new Zalgirio Arena, was christened this summer before it was honored by hosting the medal rounds of EuroBasket 2011. Now head coach Ilias Zouros’s Lithuanian champions start the Euroleague season with high hopes and deep roster that could keep the city hot all winter long. Zalgiris brings a healthy mix of old and new to the floor this season. Seven players return from last season’s squad, which reached the Euroleague Top 16 for the third time in four years. To them the club has added five big names to help the club improve on its recent success. While two of them – reigning Eurocup Finals MVP Marko Popovic and center Robertas Javtokas, a product of arch rival Lietuvos Rytas – are familiar with the club and the Euroleague, playmaker Ty Lawson and small forward Sonny Weems arrived from overseas to help propel Zalgiris to new heights.



Lawson is among the quickest guards in the sport and will try to use his motor to get easy points in transition and to break down defenses in halfcourt situations. A great passer as well, how Lawson adapts to European basketball could have a great impact on Zalgiris’s fortunes. He will have a mentor at the point guard spot in the form of veteran DeJuan Collins, a former Euroleague assists leader who begins his fourth season at the club. Popovic returns to Zalgiris after two successful seasons with the club between 2006 and 2008. An offensive dynamo, Popovic is a superb shot maker, but also has great court vision and a knack for finding the open man. Combo guard Mantas Kalnietis is an exciting compliment to any of the aforementioned players. In addition to Kalnietis’s lockdown defense on guards of any size, he is terrific on the fast break and comes off his best yet three-point shooting season. Arturas Milaknis was a part-time starter last season thanks to his aggressive defense and steady outside shooting. Versatile guard Tomas Delininkaitis comes off a brilliant season as an impact player off the bench. His high basketball IQ and ability to handle the ball and score from the perimeter make Delininkaitis a real asset.

Weems brings explosive scoring ability and great athleticism to the small forward spot. His long arms and quick feet result in exciting moves to the basket and some fantastic blocked shots too. At 2.05 meters, Mindaugas Kuzminskas is among the tallest small forwards in the league. After a year’s adjustment period to the Euroleague last season, Kuzminskas will try to raise his game and display the speed and shooting ability that make him one of Lithuania’s bright young players. Veteran big man Paulius Jankunas is a “glue” guy, who makes sure to find what his team needs most, whether it be showcasing his mid-range moves, stretching defenses with his three-point shooting, sacrificing his body on defense or like last year, dominating the glass. Tadas Klimavicius is an ideal backup for Jankunas with a similar style of play and great intensity off the bench. The duo of Javtokas and Milovan Rakovic at center ensures that Zalgiris will never get outhustled in the paint. Though scoring is not a priority for either, both are physical, blue-collar players who rebound and play extraordinary defense.

Zalgiris has an interesting recipe that it plans to ride deep into the Euroleague this season. With a host of great scorers in the backcourt and tough frontcourt players, the roster has the potential to play great defense, control the glass and score easy and often in transition and on the break. Add a passionate fan base in a beautiful new arena and Kaunas could be witness to greatness this season.

VIDEOS Sonny Weems Ilias Zouros Tadas Klimavicius