Veteran center Jonas Valančiūnas is officially returning to his roots.
The 33-year-old has signed a two-year contract with Žalgiris Kaunas, bringing an end to a 14-season NBA career and returning to Lithuania to continue playing at one of Europe’s most historic basketball clubs.
Valančiūnas entered the NBA as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors and went on to establish himself as one of the league’s most reliable interior players. Throughout his career, he suited up for the Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, and most recently the Denver Nuggets organization.
Known for his physical presence in the paint, elite rebounding, and efficient scoring around the basket, Valančiūnas has averaged 13.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists over his NBA career while shooting better than 56 percent from the field.
Now, he returns to Lithuania to join a Žalgiris Kaunas team looking to strengthen its frontcourt and compete for a EuroLeague title. The signing also marks one of the biggest player acquisitions of the European basketball offseason.
For Žalgiris fans, the move brings one of the country’s greatest basketball stars home. For NBA fans, it closes the chapter on a long and productive career that spanned more than a decade.
What do you think?
Can Jonas Valančiūnas help lead Žalgiris Kaunas on a deep EuroLeague run, or do you think he still had more to offer in the NBA?
