Dear community members,
In today’s blogpost, I would like to introduce you into one of the key elements of Lithuanian culture – the game of basketball.
Being considered as Lithuania’s national sport, basketball is played by locals all around the country. Besides, the country’s professional basketball teams also have a wide following, with several clubs participating in international competitions.
Lithuania men's national basketball team, currently ranked 8th as the eight best in the world, has won several European championships and performed well in World cup and Olympic games, further boosting the popularity of the game in the country.
But first, some history...
During the interwar period, basketball as a sport was brought to Lithuania by the Lithuanian migrants in the United States, who had a major role of leading the team into two consecutive victories at European basketball championships (EuroBasket) in 1937 and 1939. This success has built a foundation for the game to become an important part of Lithuanian sports scene. However, soon after, Second World War started, which has stopped the development of sports in Lithuania for years.
The situation started changing slowly after 1945, with basketball once again starting to catch popularity within the local population. Professional basketball clubs began to emerge and compete at the state and international level.
Naturally, some high level players began to appear, with Modestas Paulauskas becoming the youngest MVP (Most valuable player) of the EuroBasket in 1965 and winning the gold medal as a member of Soviet Union team in 1972 Munich Olympic Games.
At professional club level, BC Zalgiris Kaunas was rising as one of the best teams in Soviet Union.
Basketball continued gaining popularity and in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Soviet Union team has won a gold medal and was led by four Lithuanians – Arvydas Sabonis, Valdemaras Chomicius (Valdemaras Chomičius), Rimas Kurtinaitis and Sarunas Marciulionis (Šarūnas Marčiulionis).
After restoring its independence, Lithuania once again had a chance to compete internationally. It has qualified for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and has surprised the sports community with the phenomenal performance, winning bronze medals. Nowadays, Lithuanian man’s basketball team of 92’ Olympics is recognized as an iconic group of players, who managed to compete at the highest international level and have helped spreading the word about the newly reemerged Lithuanian state. This team is also known for the iconic skeleton design of the T-shirts which were worn by the Lithuanian players. Most of the players of this group have also helped win bronze medals in both 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
I recommend looking into the movie The Other Dream Team, which shows the importance of the team from a historical perspective. You can check the trailer by using the link below:
Arvydas Sabonis is perhaps the most well know player of this period, often regarded as the best Lithuanian basketball player of all time.
You can look into the summary of the best moments of his playing time in NBA (National Basketball Association) and other teams here:
After the era of the Other Dream Team, basketball continued to grow in Lithuania, with the new generation of talented players winning the 2003 European basketball championship in Sweden. Such players as Šarūnas Jasikevičius, Arvydas Macijauskas, Ramūnas Šiškauskas, Darius Songaila, Linas Kleiza have made their way into the top European and NBA teams.
In 2007, Lithuania finished third in Eurobasket, and in 2010 it has also finished third in World championships. In 2011, Lithuania has hosted Eurobasket and games were taking place in several cities around the country, with the national team ending up in the fifth place.
The national team has continued to perform well, finishing second in 2013 and 2015 Eurobasket championships and still remains amongst the top basketball teams worldwide.
In the meantime, professional sports clubs have also been striving, with BC Zalgiris Kaunas having the most following amongst the Lithuanian teams. It competes in the top tier European basketball championship (Euroleague), and I suggest attending one of the games at their home arena to feel the atmosphere, which is sometimes regarded as one of the most impressive among European teams.
Women‘s basketball is also popular in the country is gaining more and more attention with the emergence of prospective players such as Juste Jocyte, who has led the Lithuanian U-18 women’s team to win the 2022 European championships.
Is it worth trying when being in Lithuania?
Robert Noreiko/Unsplash.com
Basketball can be a great game if you are looking for some physical activity, especially during summer when the outside courts are full of players. It is also an easy way to make new friends and connections, as the basketball community in the country is usually very welcoming and inclusive.
Therefore, if you are curious to try playing the game or if you have already tried playing it in your home country, do not hesitate to buy a basketball at one of the local shops and try making some shots on one of the outside courts. If you are staying in Vilnius, at warm summer days Baltasis Tiltas basketball courts are always attracting hundreds of local Lithuanian and international community members, so this could be a great place to check once weather gets more suitable.
What are your thoughts about this game? Maybe you have already tried it? Let’s have a chat about it in Living Abroad forum!
Yours,
Gytis
OLS Lithuanian community manager