SAN JUAN (Puerto Rico) – Lithuania will be looking for leadership and inspiration from Domantas Sabonis as they try to make it back to the Olympics after missing out on Tokyo.
Absent from last year's World Cup squad that reached the Quarter-Finals, Sabonis is back for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He'll spearhead a strong team that will arrive on the island as the on-paper favorites at the event taking place July 2-7 and earn their spot in Paris 2024.
The Roster
Head coach Kazys Maksvytis named a veteran-laden roster that includes national team veteran Mindaugas Kuzminkas, who ranks 14th in national team history in points scored. FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 players Donatas Motiejunas, Tadas Sedekerkis, Deividas Sirvydis and Tomas Dimsa will also play important roles.
Point guard Rokas Jokubaitis will run the offense, while three others that were missing at the World Cup - Marius Grigonis, Rokas Giedraitis and Edgaras Ulanovas - are crucial returnees and expected to offer outside shooting. The team is coming off a sixth place finish at last year’s World Cup that included victories over Mexico (who they’ll face in Group A), Greece, United States and Slovenia.
The Question
Will the roster get enough playmaking from the guard spots? A lot of the ballhandling responsibilities will fall on the 23-year-old Jokubaitis, who's coming off a good season with Barcelona.
The team has plenty of experience, size and shooting, while the presence of Sabonis could help alleviate any potential shot-creation deficit.
The Hope
Sabonis is far and away the best player in the tournament with his combination of playmaking, rebounding and inside scoring tough to match for any opponent. He'll be on the court for as many minutes that he can give, with Motiejunas offering valuable minutes off the bench.
Motiejunas played good minutes at last year's World Cup and is coming off a solid campaign with Monaco, when he shot 37.7 percent from beyond the arc. That three-point shooting will tempt Maksvytis to play both Sabonis and Motiejunas in the same lineup and it strengthens the team on both ends of the floor.
The Fear
Jonas Valanciunas’ late withdrawal from the team due to his pending NBA free agency turned Lithuania into a slightly more beatable team. The center, who played for the New Orleans Pelicans the last three seasons, announced he’ll be ready to suit up for his country in case they qualify for Paris 2024.
His place on the OQT roster is taken by University of Arizona center Motiejus Krivas. Valanciunas' absence lowers Lithuania’s ceiling on offense and reduces their overall margin of error, as an interior duo with Sabonis might have been devastating for opposing defenses.
The last 10 FIBA Events
FIBA