Lithuanian Basketball Coach Explains Player Absences, Welcomes Veteran's Return

Lithuanian national basketball team coach Rimas Kurtinaitis is navigating a challenging period as key players are unavailable for upcoming FIBA World Cup qualifiers. The team faces the absence of Arnas Butkevičius, who has reaggravated an old injury, and other players who have moved to new clubs or are settling into new environments.

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This is the reality of modern basketball. The national team qualifiers are spread throughout the year, and the club season will start soon. We understand the players who are not coming - they need to get used to new clubs, solve domestic issues while settling in a new city or country.

Kurtinaitis acknowledged the realities of modern professional basketball, where national team windows often conflict with club seasons. He expressed understanding for players prioritizing their club careers and acclimatizing to new teams and cities. "This is the reality of modern basketball," Kurtinaitis stated. "The national team qualifiers are spread throughout the year, and the club season will start soon."

Despite these challenges, the team welcomes the return of veteran center Donatas Motiejūnas, who rejoins the national squad after a two-year hiatus. Kurtinaitis praised Motiejūnas as a true professional who immediately agreed to help the team. "Donatas is a true professional. When asked for his help, he immediately agreed to join the national team. I have no doubt that he will arrive at the training camp well-prepared, as he constantly trains individually with his physical preparation coach," Kurtinaitis said.

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Donatas is a true professional. When asked for his help, he immediately agreed to join the national team. I have no doubt that he will arrive at the training camp well-prepared, as he constantly trains individually with his physical preparation coach.

The team's preparation includes a series of control matches at home against top NCAA university teams and the Estonian national team. They will then face tough away games against Turkey on August 28 and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Vilnius on August 31. Kurtinaitis also announced the addition of Bill Peterson to the coaching staff, an NBA specialist who will focus on individual player development, continuing a tradition of leveraging NBA expertise for the Lithuanian team.

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We have good experience working with NBA specialists in the national team, starting in 1992 when we invited Donnie Nelson before the Barcelona Olympics, who gave us very useful insights. This time, we decided to continue this experience with B. Peterson. His qualifications and achievements leave us no doubt.