Out of all of the countries in Europe, Lithuania has been among the best at producing NBA players. That’s an impressive feat considering the country has a population of fewer than three million people and most NBA fans probably couldn’t locate it on a map. Yet, this tiny country has produced some serious talent, which is why we were excited to take a look at some of the best NBA players to come out of Lithuania.
Šarūnas Marčiulionis
Marčiulionis is part of the generation that represented both the USSR and Lithuania at the Olympics. As an NBA player, he logged seven solid seasons, averaging as much as 18.9 points per game during the 1991-92 season with Golden State.
While Marčiulionis was mostly a bench piece who didn’t get much recognition, he did average 12.8 points per game over seven seasons. He was also one of the first NBA players to use the Euro-step, long before it became trendy around the league.
Domantas Sabonis
It’s only been a few seasons, and while he’s not quite reached the level of his father, the younger Sabonis is already among the best Lithuanians in NBA history. Technically, he was born in Portland, where his dad played for many years, but he has won Lithuanian Basketball player of the Year multiple times.
By the fourth season of his career, Sabonis was averaging a double-double and became an all-star. His star is still rising, and when all is said and done, he might be the best player of Lithuanian descent in NBA history.
Jonas Valančiūnas
It’s hard to say that Valančiūnas has lived up to being the fifth overall player in the draft. But he’s lasted a decade in the league and is still one of the top scorers on his team. He had a lot of solid years in Toronto but was unfortunately traded before the Raptors won the NBA title.
There were also a couple of years when he was limited by injuries. However, Valančiūnas has bounced back and resumed a healthy career, showing far more longevity than most Lithuanian players.
Arvydas Sabonis
The elder Sabonis is an absolute hero in Lithuania, helping the small country win two Olympic Bronze medals. He’s also a Hall of Famer and one of the most skilled centers in NBA history. The only drawback is that his NBA career was short because he didn’t come to the U.S. until his 30s.
Who knows what Sabonis could have done if he spent more of his prime in the NBA. But he was a Trail Blazer (both literally and figuratively) for seven seasons, averaging 12 points and 7.3 rebounds per game during his NBA career.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
In terms of accomplishments in the NBA, no Lithuanian player has done more than Big Z. The 7’3’’ center played 13 seasons in the NBA. He played almost all of it with the Cleveland Cavaliers, serving as a nice complementary piece to LeBron James early in his career. He even followed LeBron to Miami for the final season of his career.
Along the way, Ilgauskas averaged 13 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and was twice named an all-star. Ultimately, his jersey was retired by the Cavs, as Ilgauskas set the bar high for what Lithuanian players can accomplish in the NBA.