Kazlauskas meets Motiejunas, reacts to Olympic draw

VILNIUS (2016 Rio Olympics) - Lithuania coach Jonas Kazlauskas has returned home from a visit to North America feeling encouraged by the sense of commitment to the national team he felt while spending time with key players Donatas Motiejunas, Jonas Valanciunas and Domantas Sabonis.

The veteran play-caller has also expressed excitement about his country's latest Olympic campaign, with the Lithuanians set to play in Rio de Janeiro later this year. The team was recently drawn in Group B with Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Nigeria and a team that wins one of the three FIBA Olympics Qualify Tournaments (OQTs).

A top-four finish would then throw Lithuania into a Quarter-Final against one of the teams from Group A, which consists of the United States, Venezuela, Australia, China and two of the OQT winners. Kazlauskas is not looking that far ahead, though.

The first thing is to think about yourselves, about the next opponent, who is waiting for you, and then watch and see how things turn out. - Kazlauskas

The coach steered the Lithuanians to a runners-up finish at EuroBasket 2013 and then a fourth-place finish at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Last year, his team made a surprising run to the EuroBasket title game to qualify for Rio.

Spain defeated Lithuania in the Final, but Kazlauskas's side left no doubt that his team is one of the best in international basketball. They had had to hold their nerve in a series of close games just to get to the championship game and qualify for Rio.

The coach wanted to see two players that featured last year at the EuroBasket in Riga, Latvia, and Lille, France, on his trip to North America and also visit with a third, Motiejunas, who missed last summer while recovering from a back operation. The 2.13m power forward underwent lumbar microdiscectomy surgery in April.

"The main objective was to see our players," Kazlauskas said of the trip. "You might see something new, ways to utilize them (at the Olympics), maybe get new ideas for the future, and, of course, to communicate with them.

"Of course, I wanted to meet with Donatas - to talk to him face to face and hear from his own mouth, not through intermediaries, to hear how he is doing, how he feels."

Donatas Motiejunas (LTU) played at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup

The Rockets traded Motiejunas and another player to the Detroit Pistons in February, only for both to fail their physicals and return to Houston.

Motiejunas appeared in his first game since his operation on 27 February and has played in nine others since. He spoke with a lot of passion to Kazlauskas about playing at the Rio de Janeiro Games.

"Donatas wants to give the maximum to try and represent Lithuania during the Olympic Games," the coach said. "That was the most important thing."

Admitting that there are other factors that must be considered before Motiejunas has a spot in the Olympic squad secured, Kazlauskas said what pleased him most was the player's desire to represent his country.

For me it was very important to hear from him (Motiejunas) that he wants to be in Rio de Janeiro this summer. - Kazlauskas

"The most important thing is his health," stressed Kazlauskas.

Forward Sabonis is in his second year at Gonzaga University and center Valanciunas plays for the Toronto Raptors.

Lithuania will have their first training camp in Palanga on 20 June and remain there until 5 July. They will then travel to Kaunas to continue workouts until 18 July. Lithuania next fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and will be there from 23-27 July.

The Baltic side will be in Sao Paulo 28 July until 3 August, before flying to Rio.

As for their friendlies, Lithuania will have games against New Zealand, Tunisia, Venezuela, the Netherlands, Belarus, Spain, Australia, Argentina and Brazil or China.

The warms-up that will get a lot of attention back home will be against Spain. Lithuania will play them on 18 July in Kaunas and two days later in Madrid.

FIBA