– It must have been especially intense for the sports director during the summer, especially after such a season finish. How do you generally evaluate the work done on this summer’s team assembly, and how many of the set plans were turned into reality?
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– I evaluate the team assembly quite positively. We had a clear vision, knew exactly what we wanted on the court, and pursued it consistently.
Our goal was to gather the best possible players within our financial means. Of course, it’s natural that we are not the biggest player in the market, so we had to adapt to that, be more patient in some cases, and maintain dialogue. But looking at the final picture, we are satisfied with the work done.
– Team assembly work inevitably involves some unpleasant experiences when decisions to say goodbye must be made. Which players were the hardest to part with, and why was it not possible to keep them?
– You know how it is… It’s hard to say goodbye to everyone for one reason or another. Winning the FIBA Champions League brought a lot of positive emotions, but the reality is that we said goodbye to some players simply because we couldn’t afford to keep them financially, and in other positions, after consulting with the coaches, we decided to look for a slightly different player profile. But basically, it’s hard to part with anyone – whether Speedy, Harding, Caroline, or, of course, Simas.
– Last season, “Rytas” was characterized by very emotional, fast, but sometimes chaotic play, which nevertheless did not prevent winning the Champions League. During the summer, this roster was restructured – what criteria did you follow when assembling the team for this season, and how does it fundamentally differ from last year?
– First of all, looking at the upcoming season, we absolutely did not want to completely give up our main weapons – speed and aggression, but at the same time, we wanted to add more control, versatility, and physicality. I think we managed to find this balance and add these elements quite well.
– The new team leader is Nedas Pacevičius. He is a young coach but already has considerable experience and knows the “Rytas” system. What is he like as a person off the court, and what is his relationship with the team?
– Nedas, from a human perspective, is a very communicative, sincere, and especially hardworking coach. He analyzes both his actions and the environment a lot. We hope that this combination of qualities is exactly what our organization needs most right now.
– Why did you choose him specifically? How do N. Pacevičius’s vision and character best fit the current stage of “Rytas” and the organization’s culture?
– First of all, this will not be his first season at “Rytas.” Nedas knows this organization very well, its culture, and the people working here, and his work ethic is impeccable. Most importantly, we sincerely believe in his competence as a coach and his great potential to grow together with the club.
– Assistant Vesa Vertio and physical trainer Tadas Jackūnas remain on the staff, but other assistants are changing. Why were these specialists chosen, and what will be their main tasks in the team?
– When selecting the coaching staff, Nedas’s word was decisive because he will need to work daily with these people, trust them, and together pursue the set goals. That is why these assistants were chosen. We believe in all of them and have no doubt that they will quickly coordinate, demonstrate good work ethic, maintain strong connections with the players, motivate them, and this will bring the expected results.
– After a stint with Vitoria’s “Baskonia,” Gytis Radzevičius returned to Vilnius with a long-term three-year contract. How is Gytis important to the team not only in terms of gameplay but also in the locker room?
– Although Gytis was away for half a year in the EuroLeague, he never distanced himself from the team. We didn’t even feel that distance – we constantly kept in touch and communicated with him. On the court, he has huge authority and understands very well what it means to play for “Rytas.” We believe that having been abroad and gained EuroLeague experience, he will be even more useful on both sides of the court and off it.
– The team is joined by Cassius Winston, who caused quite a few problems for “Rytas” a few years ago – a player who has had stints in various European tournaments but is looking for stability. Is C. Winston coming as the undisputed primary point guard?
– We know this player well from previous seasons, know his individual talent and ability to score points. However, on the court, we want him to successfully involve his teammates as well. We can’t say he will be unequivocally the first or second point guard – talking with the player, we did not emphasize this as the main point since he can also play the shooting guard position, where he will also be used. Cassius himself emphasized that he is coming here to fight for victories, not personal statistics, so his role will depend both on his performance in games and the coach’s vision.
– Augustas Marčiulionis, who returned to the capital earlier this year, remains on the team, with fans having very high expectations. What exactly does Augustas bring to the point guard position, and how much room for improvement will he have in the rotation?
– Augustas brings a lot of confidence and creativity on the court. We want him to remain aggressive, not be afraid to take responsibility, and make decisions that seem best to him. We truly believe this season will be another big step for him toward career heights.
– Another newcomer to the team is Michael Devoe, a individually strong shooting guard who knows how to score points. What is his profile?
– M. Devoe is a player who can not only create opportunities for himself in offense but also involve teammates well. We don’t want to limit him – due to his height and basketball understanding, he can be equally dangerous on both defense and offense.
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– It was recently announced that Ignas Urbonas will also stay in the capital. What role is planned for him, and will we see him more often stepping onto the court?
– We have known Ignas for many years, know his character and capabilities, which are certainly not yet fully utilized. He has huge potential to rise. This season, he has a significant role planned, and we believe he will justify the hopes placed on him. However, everything depends on his own work. We have never complained about his efforts in training, but he will need to put in a lot more work.
– Matas Jogėla joined the team – an athletic player who can play several positions. What will his role be?
– Matas is a very versatile, physical, and athletic player who can play in several positions. We see him in the shooting guard position, where he has excellent attributes and a lot of untapped potential. We already saw that Matas can do this in previous seasons, and here, we believe, he will reveal even more beautiful colors.
– Martynas Paliukėnas is still on the team. Does M. Paliukėnas’s role remain the same?
– When talking about Martynas, the first associations are defense, energy, and aggressiveness, but his contribution in the locker room is no less important – he always remains positive, pushes teammates to do more, and demonstrates impeccable work ethic and selflessness during training. We hope he will maintain this in the coming season.
– You also kept Kay Bruhnke, who brings athleticism and mobility to the team. What led to K. Bruhnke staying on the team, and how will he be important in the rotation?
– Kay is still a fairly young player with great potential. He can stretch the floor well and adds the necessary athleticism to the team, so we hope that his second season at “Rytas” will be another big step forward. He believes in this team, trusts the coaches, and eagerly awaits the new season.
– Ricky Lindo also joined the team. What position is planned for him, and what can fans expect from him?
– We have been watching Ricky for some time and saw that he is not only steadily improving but also has excellent athletic abilities and a lot of potential. After talking with his former coaches and people who worked with him, we heard only the best reviews. We believe he will be useful in several positions – he is versatile, can play the fourth or fifth position, and moves well without the ball. He does not require constant ball possession, which creates a lot of additional danger for opponents. Defensively, he is also quite fast, which provides additional tactical options.
– Oskaras Pleikys, who previously did not find minutes at “Rytas,” has returned to the team. What does he need to do to make his minutes on the court stable?
– During Oskaras’s first stint with our team, we saw that he has the potential to play at this level, despite being quite young and inexperienced at the time. We have no doubt that he can and will be useful. However, nothing is promised to him this season either. We talked with Oskaras that first, he must earn everything himself in training. Minutes on the court will depend only on him and how he handles the roles entrusted by the coaches.
– The team retained both big men – Artūras Gudaitis and Gytis Masiulis. How is Gudaitis’s dominance planned to be revealed while keeping him fresh? Is G. Masiulis still planned as a center, or do you see him more as the fourth option this season?
– Artūras does not need to prove his level – he has already shown many times that he can dominate under the basket. The most important thing will be to maintain his game stability. Our coaches and medical staff’s main task will be to keep him fresh, ready to play, and manage his physical loads wisely. We see Gytis more in the center position, but he can also stretch the floor, so we know he will be very needed on the team.
– What is the team’s preparation plan? What awaits the team, and what will be the main focus during preparation?
– The team will start with physical preparation, which will be combined with training in the gym. Preparation is somewhat complicated by the fact that five of our players will be away with national teams, so we will need to maneuver. The main joint work will begin at the beginning of September when all players arrive, but the first trainings will start on August 24–25. At the end of the month, we will go to a camp in Druskininkai, where we will play a friendly match with Panevėžys “Lietkabelis.” A friendly tournament in Vilnius is also planned, and just before the season starts, there will be a tournament in China for the intercontinental trophy, so the preparation cycle will be quite intense.
– “Rytas” in recent years has almost every season made at least one roster adjustment mid-season due to injuries or unsuccessful newcomers. Did you consciously leave a financial reserve in case urgent reinforcement is needed during the season?
– Honestly, we wanted to assemble a team that would be balanced and competitive, not requiring major changes during the season. Although we are initially satisfied with how it was actually done, we will probably see only during the season.
Besides, sports is a risky business – no matter how deeply we analyze players before signing contracts, sometimes circumstances do not unfold as expected, so naturally, we have thought a bit and discussed internally a financial reserve in case urgent corrections or reinforcements are needed. We are not planning that now, but if we have to do it – we will consider it.
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The Vilnius team will start preparation for the new season already on August 24-25, and will play their first friendly match on September 4 in Druskininkai against the Panevėžys team.
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