15min has already written about Dustin Sleva, who has Lithuanian roots, wanting to obtain Lithuanian citizenship and the attention he is receiving from the Dominican Republic.
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Kaunas “Žalgiris” has ramped up preparations for the 2026-2027 season.
The Lithuanian champions, who expanded their budget and assembled an ambitious roster during the off-season, defeated Riga “Zelli” 97:85 in the first friendly match, and in the second encounter, they beat Utena “Juventus” 82:77.
Tomas Masiulis managed the first games without national team members Ąžuolas Tubelis, Marekas Blaževičius, Maodo Lo, and Nigel Williams-Goss and Saben Lee, who were recovering from minor injuries, could not play either.
After recovering from injuries, two foreign players returned to the match against “Juventus,” while the other three players watched this control test from the sidelines.
“We are trying to restore what we had last year,” 15min said Dustin Sleva, who is entering his second season with “Žalgiris.” “Players who played in last season’s team can communicate with newcomers and pass on knowledge about what worked for us last year, the reasons behind a successful season, and what we could improve. Compared to last year’s preparation, everything is going more smoothly this year, especially for me personally, because I already understand the system and what the coach wants from me.”
The 30-year-old forward, who extended his contract with “Žalgiris” until 2028 at the end of last season, had a minor surgery during the summer but trained intensively and attended several friends’ weddings, including a celebration of former teammate David Kramer in Italy.
On his way home to Pittsburgh, the basketball player had an unpleasant incident, after which he had to throw away his lucky moccasins.
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These shoes became the center of attention among “Žalgiris” fans last spring after impressive performances by D. Sleva in Istanbul against the local “Fenerbahçe.”
“Unfortunately, I had to say goodbye to these moccasins,” 15min D. Sleva said laughing. “I wanted to bring olive oil from Italy, but the bottle broke in my suitcase and damaged the shoes. I have a new pair (smiles). I don’t know, this year I should get something new, I want something new and fresh every year. These things have to happen naturally; I never plan or expect everything to explode like this. Usually, I like to joke in teams; these are moments when the outside world hears nothing. It only spreads if it is filmed. I didn’t know the media and fans would catch on like this. Now every day someone approaches me on the street and says ‘chestnut,’ asks where my moccasins are, and so on (laughs). It’s fun to be in such a small community in Lithuania where everyone knows everything. I enjoy it, just as I enjoy interacting with local people.”
“Chestnut” is one of the nicknames D. Sleva invented for Lithuanian players of “Žalgiris.” This one was given to the tall player Laurynas Birutis, who had already left the team.
15min wrote last January about all the nicknames invented by the American seeking a Lithuanian passport.
During the off-season, the Kaunas team was joined by three Lithuanians: Marius Grigonis, Marekas Blaževičius, and Jonas Valančiūnas.
Do they already have new nicknames?
“Not yet, because these things have to happen naturally. I joke around, then ask Lithuanians how this word sounds in Lithuanian. This way, I also expand my Lithuanian language knowledge. Maybe I will come up with new nicknames during the season, or maybe not, but last year it was a lot of fun,” 15min D. Sleva said. “I tried one option with JV, but he didn’t like my first invented nickname (laughs). I called him
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