Keenanas Evansas signs '1+1' contract with Žalgiris

American basketball player Keenanas Evansas has signed a "1+1" contract with Lithuanian club Žalgiris Kaunas, according to Italian journalist Chema de Lucas. The agreement reportedly includes an option for Žalgiris to bring Evansas back from loan during the season.

Evansas is currently in recovery from a serious left Achilles tendon injury. He suffered the injury in November 2025 during his debut EuroLeague game for Olympiacos Piraeus, coincidentally against Žalgiris. The guard played just over two minutes before the injury, marking another significant setback for a player who has experienced multiple severe injuries throughout his career.

Olympiacos officially terminated their cooperation with Evansas in early July, making him a free agent. Evansas previously played for Žalgiris from 2022 to 2024, establishing himself as one of the most prominent guards in the EuroLeague. In his final season with the Kaunas team, he averaged 17.3 points per game in the top European competition.

Prior to his Achilles injury, Evansas suffered a severe patellar tendon injury in May 2024 during a LKL playoff game. This injury kept him sidelined from official matches for nearly a year and a half. He is expected to join a team closely associated with Žalgiris in London, the "Lions," coached by T. Sabonis, with Martynas Purlys also in the club's management. The Lions will compete in the European Cup next season.