Basketball Club à ½algiris () commonly known as BC à ½algiris, is a professional basketball club based in Kaunas, Lithuania. They compete domestically in the Lithuanian Basketball League (Lietuvos krepà ¡inio lyga) and internationally as a long-term licensed EuroLeague team. Since the 2011âÂÂ12 season, à ½algiris has played its home games in à ½algiris Arena in the New Town district of Kaunas.
à ½algiris is the most decorated basketball club in the country, having won 25 Lithuanian Basketball League championships, five Soviet Union National League championships (the second most behind CSKA Moscow), and one EuroLeague championship. Many Lithuanian basketball legends have played for à ½algiris throughout the club's history, including Arvydas Sabonis, Modestas Paulauskas, and à  arà «nas JasikeviÃÂius. Eight of the fifteen Lithuanian basketball players to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) have played for à ½algiris or were part of the à ½algiris youth program at one point in their careers (Arvydas Sabonis, à  arà «nas JasikeviÃÂius, Donatas Motiejà «nas, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Darius Songaila, Martynas Andriuà ¡keviÃÂius, Arnoldas Kulboka, and Ignas Brazdeikis).
The club's name commemorates the PolishâÂÂLithuanianâÂÂTeutonic War's Battle of à ½algiris, also known as the Battle of Grunwald, in which the joint forces of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland defeated the Teutonic Order in one of medieval Europe's largest battles. à ½algiris and Grunwald translate to "green wood" in Lithuanian and German, respectively.
BC à ½algiris was formed in 1944. In 1944 they played against the German basketball team. The team was named ASK from 1945 to 1947, after which it was named SKIF from 1947 to 1949. Beginning in 1950, the team was renamed à ½algiris. The team quickly rose to prominence, winning the Soviet Union's top-tier USSR Premier Basketball League twice, in 1947 and 1951, as well as multiple domestic Lithuanian championships. In the following years, the team won two silver medals in the USSR league in 1949 and 1952, and four bronze medals from 1953 to 1956. à ½algiris also won the USSR Basketball Cup in 1953. The team at the time was led by Stepas Butautas, Vytautas Kulakauskas, Justinas LagunaviÃÂius, Kazimieras PetkeviÃÂius, and later, by Stasys Stonkus and Algirdas LauritÃÂnas. In the 1960s, the team's play declined, and many new young players joined the team, such as Modestas Paulauskas, Romualdas Venzbergas, Henrikas Giedraitis, Algirdas LinkeviÃÂius and Sergejus Jovaià ¡a.
à ½algiris became the dominant club in the Soviet Union and Europe when they added Valdemaras ChomiÃÂius and Rimas Kurtinaitis to their roster, along with coach Vladas Garastas. The team won bronze medals in the Soviet Union championship in 1971, 1973, and 1978. In 1980, à ½algiris debuted in the 1980âÂÂ81 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup. Their biggest addition, though, was 17-year-old Arvydas Sabonis, who debuted with the club in 1981 at and grew another in the next couple years. Sabonis soon became known for his versatility, being able to play defense, assist his teammates, shoot three-pointers, and dominate inside the paint.
From 1985 to 1987, à ½algiris won three consecutive Soviet Union National League championships, beating CSKA Moscow (English: Central Sports Club of Army) in the finals in all three years. In 1985, they reached the Saporta Cup final, but lost to FC Barcelona. Despite the loss, à ½algiris participated in EuroLeague the next year as the Soviet Union champions, reaching the finals and losing to rival KK Cibona. à ½algiris was emerging as one of the top clubs in Europe at the time.
In the mid-1980s, the rivalry between à ½algiris Kaunas and CSKA Moscow served as a major inspiration for the Lithuanian national revival, especially when they played in Kaunas Sports Hall. It contributed to the emergence of the Sàjà «dis national movement and the re-establishment of state independence. In 1987, however, à ½algiris suffered a setback when star player Sabonis suffered a torn achilles tendon. Three months later, he tore it again, causing him to miss most of the 1987âÂÂ88 season. That season, à ½algiris won a silver medal, losing to CSKA Moscow in the Soviet League finals. The next season, à ½algiris managed to reach the European Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals and won a silver medal in the Soviet league, losing a dramatic finals to Budivelnyk Kiev.
Just before the start of the 1989âÂÂ90 season, à ½algiris lost Sabonis, Kurtinaitis, Jovaià ¡a, ChomiÃÂius, and head coach Garastas, as the Iron Curtain, which had barred Lithuanian basketball talent from becoming internationally sought-after, had been lifted. In the 1989âÂÂ90 season, à ½algiris reached the Clubs Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals, where they lost to Real Madrid.
After the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania, à ½algiris left the USSR championship. Over the next few seasons, à ½algiris won Lithuanian championships in 1991, 1992, and 1993, and the LKF Cup in 1990. In 1992, à ½algiris won the Profbasket League - a tournament where the former best USSR teams played. They won their first LKL title in 1994, beating Atletas Kaunas 3âÂÂ1 in a four-game series. Over the following two years, à ½algiris again dominated LKL tournaments, beating Atletas Kaunas 3âÂÂ0 in 1995 and 3âÂÂ2 (after being down 0âÂÂ2 in the series) in 1996, however, European success lacked the team, as à ½algiris struggled in both the FIBA European League and FIBA European Cup qualifications. In 1996, à ½algiris finally found success participating in the 1995âÂÂ96 FIBA European Cup when Rimas Kurtinaitis returned to play for his home team - à ½algiris managed to reach the semifinals, though succumbed to the powerful PAOK Thessaloniki in a two-game series. In 1997, à ½algiris again won the LKL championship, beating à ½emaitijos Olimpas 3âÂÂ0 in the finals, and reaching round 16 in the Saporta Cup, losing to Paris Basket Racing. Players such as Darius Lukminas, Gintaras Einikis, KÃÂstutis à  eà ¡tokas, Dainius Adomaitis, and Darius Maskolià «nas played for the club during this period, coached by Jonas Kazlauskas.
à ½algiris enjoyed its greatest success as a club during the 1997âÂÂ98 and 1998âÂÂ99 seasons. They were coached by Jonas Kazlauskas with a new generation of Lithuanian talent, including Saulius à  tombergas, Dainius Adomaitis, Eurelijus à ½ukauskas, Tomas Masiulis, and Mindaugas à ½ukauskas, and experienced foreign players Franjo Arapoviàand Ennis Whatley. The team defeated Stefanel Milano 82âÂÂ67 in the 1998 FIBA Saporta Cup final in Belgrade. Saulius à  tombergas scored 35 points in the final. à ½algiris also won a fifth-consecutive LKL title, this time against Atletas Kaunas.
In the 1998âÂÂ99 season, à ½algiris made it to the EuroLeague Final Four for the first time in the club's history, and were crowned champions after defeating Olympiacos and Kinder Bologna in the semi-final and the final, respectively. Tyus Edney was named EuroLeague Final Four MVP. à ½algiris also won LKL and North European Basketball League (NEBL) titles that season. 1999 also marked the beginning of the rivalry between à ½algiris and Lietuvos rytas of Vilnius.
The year after winning the EuroLeague, à ½algiris suffered one of its worst seasons. The club was eliminated after the group stage in the EuroLeague, finishing third in the NEBL and losing the LKL finals to Lietuvos Rytas for the first time - a complete disaster for the previous year EuroLeague champions. In the 2000âÂÂ01 season, the team reached the new EuroLeague playoffs, but lost to AEK. à ½algiris won the LKL championship, beating Lietuvos Rytas 3âÂÂ2. The 2001âÂÂ02 season was a disappointment, as the team was eliminated in the EuroLeague after the group stage and lost the LKL championship to Lietuvos Rytas. In the 2002âÂÂ03 season, they were again eliminated in the EuroLeague group stage, but achieved the LKL championship, beating Lietuvos Rytas 4âÂÂ2.
Sabonis became the principal owner of the club in 2003, after playing for many years in the Spanish ACB League and the North American National Basketball Association (NBA). He also played for the club during the 2003âÂÂ04 season, winning EuroLeague Regular Season and Top 16 MVP. à ½algiris almost made it to the EuroLeague Final Four, but were stopped by Maccabi Tel Aviv, who tied the game with Derrick Sharp's last-second three-pointer at the end of regulation and went on to beat à ½algiris in overtime. The season ended on a high note, as à ½algiris swept Lietuvos Rytas 4âÂÂ0 in the LKL championship. Paulius Jankà «nas also made his debut with à ½algiris during the season.
After the departure of Sabonis at the conclusion of the 2003âÂÂ04 season, à ½algiris faced a series of ups and downs. In the 2004âÂÂ05 season, mainstays Tanoka Beard, Mindaugas Timinskas, Dainius à  alenga, and new addition Robert Pack enabled à ½algiris to have a respectable season. In the EuroLeague, à ½algiris finished the regular season with an 8âÂÂ6 record, including wins on the road against heavy favorites Maccabi Tel Aviv and FC Barcelona. However, in the Top 16 phase, the team entered a long slump and finished with an 0âÂÂ6 record. à ½algiris recovered on the domestic front, easily defeating ULEB Cup winner Lietuvos Rytas in the LKL finals with a 4âÂÂ0 sweep, and also won the inaugural Baltic Basketball League (BBL) championship, beating Lietuvos Rytas in the finals 64âÂÂ60.
In the 2005âÂÂ06 season, the team suffered many changes. Mindaugas Timinskas, Dainius à  alenga, and Robert Pack all departed the team, so à ½algiris built a younger team while signing Ed Cota to return. With the emergence of Darjuà ¡ LavrinoviÃÂ, à ½algiris started the season solidly, finishing the EuroLeague regular season with a 9âÂÂ5 record. Off-court, à ½algiris had many issues, resulting in a huge slump for the team. They ended the top-16 phase with another 0âÂÂ6 record and lost both the LKL and BBL titles to Lietuvos Rytas. The lone bright spot became the play of emerging point guard Mantas Kalnietis, who was signed both as a replacement for the released Cota and due to very poor play from new point guard and longtime NBA player Kenny Anderson.
à ½algiris had a new coach for the 2006âÂÂ07 season, Ainars Bagatskis, but suffered a terrible EuroLeague regular season. After Ainars Bagatskis was replaced by assistant coach Rimantas Grigas and the signing of new point guard DeJuan Collins, à ½algiris won the newly established LKF Cup by beating Lietuvos Rytas. à ½algiris also beat Lietuvos Rytas in the LKL finals.
Before the 2007âÂÂ08 season, à ½algiris signed longtime EuroLeague player Marcus Brown. à ½algiris also played against NBA teams for the first time. The team had a successful regular season in the EuroLeague, finishing with an 8âÂÂ6 record, but suffered another disappointment in the top 16, finishing with a 1âÂÂ5 record. à ½algiris also won the LKF Cup for the second consecutive year, beating Lietuvos Rytas 83âÂÂ72 in the finals. In the BBL finals, à ½algiris defeated Lietuvos Rytas 86âÂÂ84 in the finals on a last-second shot by Collins. à ½algiris retained the LKL title, beating Lietuvos Rytas 4âÂÂ1 in the LKL finals in which Brown was named MVP.
The 2008âÂÂ09 season started on a very high note, with contract extensions for Jonas MaÃÂiulis and Loren Woods, retaining leader Marcus Brown, and the signing of new point guard Willie Deane, who replaced the departed DeJuan Collins. However, financial difficulties lead to poor play from the team and the firing of coach Grigas, who was replaced by longtime player and assistant coach Gintaras Krapikas. Willie Deane was soon released, in large part due to his poor performance in the EuroLeague, which led to a seven-game losing streak. The team recovered under point guard Mantas Kalnietis, and finished the EuroLeague regular season with a 2âÂÂ8 record, missing the top 16. Despite growing financial difficulties, and the departure of Loren Woods, the team made the LKL and BBL finals, as well as the LKF Cup finals. Despite this, this was the most à ½algiris could accomplish, as they lost to Lietuvos Rytas. Jonas MaÃÂiulis and Jankà «nas, who became the team leaders during 2005-2009 timeline, left after the season ended.
During the 2008âÂÂ09 season, à ½algiris faced significant financial difficulties. In 2009, Sabonis sold most of his stake to the local à ªkio banko investment group (à ªBIG), headed by Vladimir Romanov, who ended up controlling a 75% stake in the club. Sabonis retained 21.5% ownership of the club, 3% was owned by a minority group, and 0.5% was owned by the Kaunas municipality.
In the 2009âÂÂ10 season, Romanov became unpopular among à ½algiris fans. After the departures of Jonas MaÃÂiulis and Paulius Jankà «nas, the team extended the contract of Marcus Brown and also signed Martynas Pocius, who quickly became one of the best players on the team. The team also re-signed point guard Mantas Kalnietis, coming of his best season in 2008âÂÂ2009, and who turned down an offer from Benetton Treviso. The team started the season by winning the new BBL Cup against Lietuvos Rytas. However, subsequent poor performances led to head coach Krapikas being replaced by former Lithuanian national team coach Ramà «nas Butautas, who led the team to the EuroLeague Top-16 phase with a 3âÂÂ7 regular season record. Under Butautas, à ½algiris also won the bronze medal in the VTB League. After the team entered a slump, Romanov controversially fired Butautas, replacing him with assistant coach and former captain Darius Maskolià «nas. Under Maskolià «nas, à ½algiris came its closest to the EuroLeague Top-8 phase, finishing with a 2âÂÂ4 record. à ½algiris won back the BBL title by beating Lietuvos Rytas in the finals, but in the LKL finals, Rytas won the series 4âÂÂ3. Romanov fired coach Maskolià «nas during this series - Marcus Brown took over as the player-coach, leading to speculation that Romanov had intentionally lost the finals to allow Lietuvos Rytas to qualify for the EuroLeague season. The season is widely considered the most controversial in club history.
Before the 2010âÂÂ11 season, à ½algiris re-signed Paulius Jankà «nas and DeJuan Collins, signed Tomas Delininkaitis, and brought in Serbian coach Aleksandar Petroviàas the new head coach. The season began with à ½algiris playing very strongly, but after a slump, Romanov fired PetroviÃÂ. They qualified for the Top-16 phase only in the final games, with a 5âÂÂ5 record. After a controversial departure from center Mirza BegiÃÂ, the slump continued under new coach Ilias Zouros, with a 1âÂÂ5 record in the Top-16 phase. à ½algiris also failed to qualify for the VTB League Final Four tournament - a huge disappointment for the team. However, after the recovery of Marcus Brown (who was injured for most of the season), à ½algiris won back the LKF Cup from Lietuvos Rytas and defeated VEF Riga in the BBL finals. In the LKL finals, à ½algiris easily defeated Lietuvos Rytas 4âÂÂ1, regaining the LKL title for the first time since 2008.
Due to the NBA lockout that impacted the 2011âÂÂ12 season, à ½algiris signed former Toronto Raptors wing Sonny Weems and former Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson. The team also re-signed long time fan-favorite Marko PopoviÃÂ. and signed longtime Lietuvos Rytas player and former Lithuanian National team captain Robertas Javtokas as center. However, the season started very poorly for à ½algiris. Hoping to end the slump, Romanov fired coach Ilias Zouros and replaced him with former Lietuvos Rytas head coach Aleksandar Trifunovià- a decision hugely unpopular with à ½algiris fans. Despite initial improvement, as the team finishing the EuroLeague regular season with a 4âÂÂ6 record and a trip to the Top 16, the slump continued and the team's EuroLeague season ended quickly. After Ty Lawson left the team, Mantas Kalnietis became a true leader for à ½algiris and played his best season yet. The team slowly recovered, winning the LKF Cup. After being eliminated in the VTB playoffs, in an embarrassing fashion, by Lokomotiv Kuban, à ½algiris made the BBL Final Four, winning against Lietuvos Rytas in the finals despite losing leader Sonny Weems (who was released due to injury) and DeJuan Collins (who was released due to failing a drug test). With very solid play from Marko Popoviàand Tomas Delininkaitis, à ½algiris retained the LKL title, defeating Lietuvos Rytas in the finals 3âÂÂ0. The club had achieved a second consecutive "triple crown" of Lithuanian League, Lithuanian Cup, and Baltic Cup.
For the 2012âÂÂ13 season, à ½algiris signed Lithuanian national team players Rimantas KaukÃÂnas, Darjuà ¡ LavrinoviÃÂ, and Kà ¡yà ¡tof LavrinoviÃÂ; Unicaja Malaga star Tremmell Darden; and point guard Oliver Lafayette. The season began with à ½algiris winning the newly established LKF SuperCup against Lietuvos Rytas. Early in the season, Mantas Kalnietis left the team and was replaced by Ibrahim Jaaber. Under new coach Joan Plaza, à ½algiris had their best EuroLeague start with five consecutive wins. They finished at the top of their group for the first time in 13 years, with an 8âÂÂ2 record. In their 76âÂÂ66 home victory against CSKA Moscow, à ½algiris broke their attendance record, with 15,812 spectators. In January 2013, Jaaber departed from the team for personal reasons and was replaced by Donnie McGrath in February. In the coming months, financial troubles returned to the club, which led to the departure of Darden. The crisis coincided with the ongoing collapse of à ªkio Bankas. The bank's main shareholder Vladimir Romanov, who also owned the majority of shares of à ½algiris and was the club's president, abruptly left the country and flew to Russia in early March 2013, abandoning his stake in the club. On 20 March 2013, vice president Paulius Motiejà «nas was named the team director. Despite the financial and management struggles, à ½algiris finished the Top-16 phase with a 6âÂÂ8 record, the best in club history, but narrowly missed the playoffs. à ½algiris also won the group phase in the VTB United League. In May, à ½algiris won their third straight LKL title, sweeping Lietuvos Rytas 4âÂÂ0 in the finals. After winning the LKL title, à ½algiris competed in the VTB United League playoffs, defeating Nizhny Novgorod in the quarterfinals but losing to Lokomotiv Kuban in the semi-finals. Despite the loss, à ½algiris was awarded the bronze medal for the first time since 2010.
After the loss of team owner Vladimir Romanov and the departure of head coach Joan Plaza, à ½algiris rehired Ilias Zouros as head coach for the 2013âÂÂ14 season. à ½algiris left the VTB United League because of the changes in the EuroLeague format that meant that the teams who did not qualify for the Top 16 would have a chance to play in the EuroCup playoffs.
à ½algiris signed Justin Dentmon and à  arà «nas JasikeviÃÂius to one-year deals. After a poor start to the season, Zouros was fired as head coach and replaced by Saulius à  tombergas. à ½algiris made the Top 16 for the fifth consecutive time (with a 5âÂÂ5 record). However, à ½algiris began to struggle in the LKL. The Top 16 proved to be difficult, with à ½algiris losing many games by 5 points or less (a 2âÂÂ12 record overall). After a few losses in the LKF Cup and the LKL, à  tombergas resigned and was replaced by Gintaras Krapikas as interim head coach. In the last week of Top-16 play at home, à ½algiris beat Spanish champions Real Madrid. Justin Dentmon scored 36 points in that game, the most by a à ½algiris player in modern EuroLeague, and Dentmon also made 74 three-pointers during the season (a EuroLeague record since 2000).
After a loss to Lietuvos Rytas in the final LKL regular season game, à ½algiris entered the playoffs as the fourth seed, the worst in club history. They faced Lietuvos Rytas again in the semi-finals - à ½algiris beat Lietuvos Rytas 2âÂÂ1 in the semifinals, with the 73âÂÂ71 win in game 3 in Vilnius considered as one of the best games of the entire rivalry. à ½algiris advanced to the finals against Neptà «nas KlaipÃÂda, taking the series 4âÂÂ2 and winning their fourth consecutive LKL championship.
During the 2014âÂÂ15 preseason, à ½algiris made significant changes to the squad, replacing Justin Dentmon with Maalik Wayns, who was in turn replaced by Will Cherry. à ½algiris also signed Darius Songaila from rival Lietuvos Rytas and James Anderson from the NBA. à  arà «nas JasikeviÃÂius retired and became an assistant coach, and more young players were brought to the team. Young point guard Lukas LekaviÃÂius was the main bright spot as the team began LKL play. In the EuroLeague, a 5âÂÂ5 record sent à ½algiris to the top 16 phase where the team finished with a 5âÂÂ9 record. In February, à ½algiris won the LKF Cup for the first time in three years. à ½algiris finished the LKL regular season in dominating fashion, with 12 straight wins, and they defeated Lietuvos Rytas in the finals. This win was the club's fifth consecutive LKL title and their 17th overall.
à ½algiris had a total of seven players who competed in EuroBasket 2015 - including new signing Renaldas Seibutis, former Rytas leader. They finished the off-season by signing Ian Vougioukas at center. à ½algiris finished the 2015âÂÂ16 EuroLeague regular season with a 5âÂÂ5 record and qualified for the Top-16 phase for the seventh consecutive season. After a poor start to the Top 16, head coach Krapikas was replaced by à  arà «nas JasikeviÃÂius, but injuries to Javtokas and the departure of Kalnietis led the team to a huge slump and a loss to Lietuvos Rytas in the King Mindaugas Cup final. After strong criticism of the team management for not finding a center to replace Javtokas, à ½algiris signed new point guard Jerome Randle. While the EuroLeague season ended with a 2âÂÂ12 record, a hugely disappointing result, the team later recovered by finishing in 1st place in the LKL regular season over King Mindaugas Cup winner Lietuvos Rytas. à ½algiris defeated Neptà «nas KlaipÃÂda in the LKL finals, winning their sixth consecutive LKL title with a 4âÂÂ1 record.
In November 2015, the ongoing conflict between FIBA and Euroleague came to a head when FIBA announced the formation of the Basketball Champions League, and courted EuroLeague teams to join their new championship. However, EuroLeague's long-term-license teams, such as à ½algiris, decided to stay with the Euroleague Basketball Company.
à ½algiris's preparation for the 2016âÂÂ17 season began during the 2016 LKL finals, when the club signed point guard Léo Westermann to replace the departing Jerome Randle. After the season, long-time à ½algiris players Siim-Sander Vene and Kaspars Vecvagars left the team, while à ½algiris chose to retain the services of Seibutis and Motum. Head coach JasikeviÃÂius was pursued by FC Barcelona Lassa, but decided to remain with à ½algiris. To correct the previous season's lack of a good shooter, à ½algiris signed Kevin Pangos; the team was loaned Augusto Lima from Real Madrid to replace Vougioukas at center. à ½algiris also signed the returning Artà «ras Milaknis to a 3-year deal. German prospect Isaiah Hartenstein was scheduled to make his professional debut after being signed the previous season. In August, à ½algiris signed Antanas Kavaliauskas, the captain of Lietuvos Rytas who had previously promised to never play for à ½algiris; Kavaliauskas apologized to fans after the signing was announced.
In February, à ½algiris won their first title of the 2016âÂÂ17 season, winning the King Mindaugas Cup by defeating Lietkabelis PanevÃÂà ¾ys in the finals 84âÂÂ63. Edgaras Ulanovas was named tournament MVP. In the EuroLeague, à ½algiris exceeded expectations with a 10th-place finish (14âÂÂ16 record), getting a win against defending champion CSKA Moscow and finishing ahead of FC Barcelona Lassa and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Players Brock Motum, Léo Westermann, Edgaras Ulanovas, and Lukas LekaviÃÂius developed strongly, Renaldas Seibutis played the best defense of his career, and team captain Paulius Jankà «nas played one of his best seasons of his career, leading the team in scoring and rebounding. In the LKL, à ½algiris won the regular season with only a few losses, sweeping their rival Lietuvos Rytas, with the toughest challenge coming from a powerful Lietkabelis squad that contained former à ½algiris players Darjuà ¡ and Kà ¡yà ¡tof LavrinoviÃÂ. In the LKL playoffs, à ½algiris easily advanced to the finals, defeating Lietkabelis for their seventh straight LKL championship, 4âÂÂ1. Robertas Javtokas retired as a player at the end of the season and became the new sporting director for à ½algiris.
Prior the 2017âÂÂ18 season, à ½algiris reached an agreement with club sponsor Avia Solutions Group to guarantee private flights for the team during away games in a refurbished business-class Boeing 737. The off-season work began just a week after winning the LKL championship, when breakout player Brock Motum signed with Anadolu Efes S.K. To replace Motum, à ½algiris signed Aaron White, who had played a season with Zenit Saint Petersburg. Léo Westerman signed with CSKA Moscow, and was replaced by talented guard Vasilije MiciÃÂ. To replace Seibutis, à ½algiris originally signed Royce O'Neale, who terminated his deal just weeks later to sign with the Utah Jazz. à ½algiris then signed Axel Toupane to replace him. Because center Robertas Javtokas announced retirement and the loan of Augusto Lima ended, à ½algiris signed Brandon Davies of AS Monaco Basket at the center position. The most-shocking departure came at the end of June, when breakout point guard Lukas LekaviÃÂius signed a contract with Panathinaikos. Needing a new point guard, à ½algiris signed Dee Bost, also of AS Monaco. Coach JasikeviÃÂius also re-signed with à ½algiris, and the retired Javtokas became the new sports director of the team. On September 22, à ½algiris played a game in London against Polski Cukier Toruà Â, which à ½algiris won 87âÂÂ61.
à ½algiris won the King Mindaugas Cup for the second consecutive year, defeating Lietuvos rytas 81âÂÂ62 in the finals. Edgaras Ulanovas won the tournament MVP for the second straight year.
In the 2017âÂÂ18 EuroLeague, à ½algiris was again projected to be one of the worst teams. à ½algiris struggled in the early season before putting together a five-game streak to finish the first round 10âÂÂ5, tied for third place in the standings. In the second round, Dee Bost was replaced by Beno Udrih. à ½algiris struggled for the first few weeks of the second round, but fought its way to an 18âÂÂ12 record (sixth place) and qualification for the EuroLeague playoffs for the first time since 2001. The team qualified for the 2018 EuroLeague Final Four after beating Olympiacos in game 4 to clinch a 3âÂÂ1 series win. The team achieved this despite having the second-lowest budget in the league. à ½algiris lost to Fenerbahçe in the semifinals, 76âÂÂ67. In the third-place game, à ½algiris faced longtime rivals CSKA Moscow; à ½algiris led by as much as 24 points, but CSKA's late-game rally made it so à ½algiris only narrowly won 79âÂÂ77, achieving third place in the EuroLeague.
In the LKL, à ½algiris won the regular season and beat Lietuvos Rytas in the finals with a 4âÂÂ1 record, earning their eighth consecutive LKL championship. This was the club's best season since 1999.
After a near-perfect season, the off-season was difficult. à ½algiris lost its front court as Pangos went to FC Barcelona Lassa and Miciàsigned with Efes. à ½algiris signed Nate Wolters as the team's new point guard. After the departure of Beno Udrih, à ½algiris signed Donatas Sabeckis from à  iauliai, who lead the LKL in assists. Toupane left the team to sign with Olympiacos; to replace him, à ½algiris signed former-teammate Marius Grigonis, who was having a successful career abroad, to a multi-year deal. They also signed talented guard/forward Thomas Walkup. To replace reserve Martynas Sajus, à ½algiris signed Laurynas Birutis, who was loaned to and had a successful season with à  iauliai. Several more reserves, Paulius Valinskas and Gytis Masiulis, were loaned to other LKL teams so that they could gain more playing time. Ulanovas also signed a new contract. Like the previous season, the biggest concern was the future of coach JasikeviÃÂius. Despite offers from other EuroLeague teams and the Toronto Raptors, JasikeviÃÂius remained with à ½algiris, signing a new contract. Former player Tomas Masiulis replaced Darius Songaila in the coaching staff. In September, à ½algiris signed the returning Léo Westermann to fill the point guard spot.
The newly reformed à ½algiris struggled at the start of the 2018âÂÂ19 EuroLeague season. Needing another point guard, à ½algiris signed Derrick Walton in October. By December, à ½algiris was in sixth place with a 7âÂÂ7 record. However, injuries decimated the team. Walton's disappointing play led to decreasing playing time and a release in February 2019. Later in February, à ½algiris suffered a loss in the King Mindaugas Cup to Rytas Vilnius, losing the tournament for the first time since 2016 - a disaster for à ½algiris. By the start of March, à ½algiris was 13th in the EuroLeague with a 9âÂÂ15 record. The team's play started to improve when Walkup was pushed to the point guard position to replace Walton, Westermann returned after being injured, and improving play by Thompson led to a six-game winning streak. Their 15âÂÂ15 record clinched the final spot in the playoffs, with massive away wins over Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olympiakos Piraeus and Real Madrid, . In the EuroLeague playoffs, à ½algiris lost to Fenerbahçe. à ½algiris broke the EuroLeague's home attendance record with an average of 14,808 spectators in the à ½algiris Arena. In the 2018âÂÂ19 LKL season, à ½algiris finished the regular season in first place, and swept the series finals against Rytas, winning the series 3âÂÂ0, for a ninth consecutive LKL championship.
During the off-season, many players (including Westermann and Thompson) left the team, with Antanas Kavaliauskas announcing his retirement after a few very successful seasons with à ½algiris. Lukas LekaviÃÂius returned to the team after two seasons in Greece, and Alex Pérez was signed to replace Westermann. Jock Landale and Zach LeDay, of Olympiacos, were signed to complete the front court. Martinas Geben, who had signed a long-term deal the previous summer, earned a spot on the roster after a successful season with Juventus Utena in the LKL, where he was named Season MVP. Coach JasikeviÃÂius remained with the team for one more season. Pérez, however, spent just a few months with à ½algiris, and was released in November due to his weak play. à ½algiris also signed shooting-guard K. C. Rivers in November.
à ½algiris won the King Mindaugas Cup by beating Rytas Vilnius 80âÂÂ60 in the finals. Ulanovas was named the MVP of the tournament, his fourth MVP award in Lithuanian Cup competitions. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the 2019âÂÂ20 LKL season was ended prematurely, and with à ½algiris firmly leading the standings, à ½algiris was announced as champions, their 10th consecutive LKL championship. In the 2019âÂÂ20 EuroLeague, à ½algiris struggled for most of the season, including plummeting to the bottom of the standings, but recovered by February 2020, finishing with a 12âÂÂ16 record. With the EuroLeague season stopped due to the COVID-19 outbreak, à ½algiris finished in ninth place.
With the season ending prematurely due to the COVID-19 situation, à ½algiris started their off-season work early. LeDay, Landale, Ulanovas, and Rivers all left the team during the summer, but the biggest departure was of coach JasikeviÃÂius, who left à ½algiris (along with the rest of the coaching staff) and signed with FC Barcelona in July. On July 14, à ½algiris announced the signing of Martin Schiller as the team's new head coach. Schiller had previously worked with the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League, and had been named the NBA G League Coach of the Year in 2020. Schiller brought in Arne Woltmann and Tautvydas Sabonis as his assistant coaches, with Evaldas Berà ¾ininkaitis being the only person remaining on the team from JasikeviÃÂius's old staff. à ½algiris brought in a bevy of new players, but the most surprising signing happened in June when à ½algiris bought out Marek Blaà ¾eviÃÂ, a talented prospect, out of rival squad Rytas Vilnius.
While the expectations for the upcoming season were not promising under Schiller, à ½algiris surprised everyone and stayed in the playoff hunt throughout the 2020âÂÂ21 EuroLeague season. Despite eventually not making the playoffs, à ½algiris finished the EuroLeague season with a respectable 17âÂÂ17 record. Marius Grigonis, Joffrey Lauvergne and Nigel Hayes had their breakout seasons in the EuroLeague. They won the King Mindaugas Cup and their 11th consecutive LKL final by beating Rytas 3âÂÂ0.
In 2021, à ½algiris signed Tyler Cavanaugh, Niels Giffey, Mantas Kalnietis, Josh Nebo, Edgaras Ulanovas, JÃÂnis StrÃÂlnieks, and Emmanuel Mudiay. They also extended their contract with Lukas LekaviÃÂius. à ½algiris lost all five LKL preseason games, playing seemingly worse each game. à ½algiris had a difficult start in the 2021 LKL regular seasonâÂÂwhile they won all three games, they struggled even against the weakest of teams. After a 0âÂÂ2 start in the EuroLeague, à ½algiris fired coach Martin Schiller, replacing him with Jure Zdovc. Injuries to players such as Lauvergne and Strelnieks, struggles in the LKL, and disappointing play from projected leaders such as Mudiay resulted in the worst start ever (0âÂÂ9) for à ½algiris in the Euroleague. In the LKL, a loss to BC Rytas resulted in à ½algiris falling out of first place.
à ½algiris released Mudiay in November, replacing him with point guard Tai Webster, and signed shooting guard Zoran DragiÃÂ. The moves backfiredâÂÂWebster struggled even in the LKL, while Dragiàrarely saw playing time and was released by the end of the year. New signees such as Regimantas Miniotas also saw limited playing time. Losses in the Euroleague resulted in à ½algiris attendance falling to record lows. By February, à ½algiris was in last place with a disastrous 4âÂÂ20 record, but recovered by March 2022, including memorable wins over the JasikeviÃÂius-lead FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, future participants of the Euroleague Final Four, in particular thanks to the return of Joffrey Lauvergne from injury. à ½algiris also won the 2022 King Mindaugas Cup, beating BC Lietkabelis 91âÂÂ66 in the finals.
à ½algiris was the first team to refuse to play against Russian teams in the EuroLeague (CSKA Moscow, Kazan Unics, and Zenit St. Petersburg) due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, even gaining criticism in the Russian press for being one of the reasons Russian teams got disqualified. They finished the EuroLeague season with a memorable 103âÂÂ98 win against KK Crvena zvezda. à ½algiris finished the EuroLeague season with an 8âÂÂ20 record, above the disqualified CSKA, UNICS, and Zenit, but still in last place of the eligible teamsâÂÂtheir worst EuroLeague finish since the 2015âÂÂ16 season.
By the start of April, disappointment returned to à ½algiris. Struggles in the LKL resulted in à ½algiris once again falling behind Rytas in the standings, and they ended up finishing behind Rytas in the standings for the first time since the 2013âÂÂ14 season. à ½algiris replaced Zdovc later in the month, signing Lithuanian national basketball team coach Kazys Maksvytis as their new head coach. The struggles continued under Maksvytis, who failed to find a good lineup or rotation with the existing roster.
In the LKL playoffs, the struggles became even more evident. à ½algiris needed all five games to beat BC Neptà «nas in the quarterfinals, narrowly winning the series 3âÂÂ2. à ½algiris won the first semifinal game against BC Lietkabelis, before losing the next three games â Lietkabelis won the series 3âÂÂ1. à ½algiris had failed to qualify to the LKL finals for the first time ever, ending their 11-year domination of the LKL and finishing the 2021âÂÂ22 season with the biggest fiasco in team history. à ½algiris finished the season by winning the LKL bronze medal, beating BC à  iauliai in the consolation round in a 4âÂÂ0 sweep. To add insult to injury, Rytas went on to win the LKL championship. Jankà «nas retired after the season and became the sports director of à ½algiris.
After the disastrous 2021âÂÂ2022 season, à ½algiris overwent a radical overhaul from the previous season. Coach Maksvytis had signed a long-term deal before the absolutely catastrophic ending in the LKL. Webster, Nebo, Blaà ¾eviÃÂ, Miniotas, Milaknis, Strelnieks, Giffey, and Lauvergne all left the team during the summer. Former team captain Paulius Jankà «nas remained, as a sporting director, assisting director Paulius Motiejà «nas. Only a handful of players, among the key ones LekaviÃÂius and Ulanovas, named team captain after Jankà «nas and who signed long-term extensions, remained with the team. One of the biggest problems of the previous season was settled when à ½algiris signed Keenan Evans as the new point guard for the team. Kevarrius Hayes and former à ½algiris player Laurynas Birutis were signed to replace Lauvergne and Nebo as centers, Rolands à  mits was signed as a replacement for Jankà «nas. Tomas Dimà ¡a, who had signed with à ½algiris as early as 2020, returned to the team. Dovydas Giedraitis, who played an incredible season with BC Lietkabelis, and who was one of the main reasons Lietkabelis beat à ½algiris the previous season, was bought out of his contract in Spain, where he was signed to Estudiantes Madrid, and was loaned to Lietkabelis by his team, and signed a long-term contract with à ½algiris. However, the biggest signings for à ½algiris, for the summer, were Arnas ButkeviÃÂius, Rytas captain and one of the most important parts of the Rytas 2022 LKL championship winning team, and Ignas Brazdeikis â former NBA player, standout in college, and who returned to play in Lithuania, both on the national team and for à ½algiris â for the first time since moving to Canada at a young age. Despite solid additions, the awful performances of the previous season haunted the team; while à ½algiris became an instant favorite to regain the LKL crown, in the Euroleague, the team was not even considered to be anywhere near playoff contention, with many experts predicting last place for à ½algiris in the Euroleague.
Despite this, and the fact that head coach Kazys Maksvytis had only a brief experience in the Euroleague (as head coach for Neptà «nas KlaipÃÂda in the 2014âÂÂ2015 season), à ½algiris shocked the Euroleague; led by Evans, à ½algiris fought nearly every team, at home or away, to the deciding seconds, winning most of the matches. Keenan Evans dominated with incredible performances. In December, however, Evans suffered a season-ending achilles tendon injury; at this point, à ½algiris was 9âÂÂ8 in the first round of the Euroleague, in playoff contention. While many believed this to be the end of à ½algiris's good run in the Euroleague, à ½algiris recovered â signing Isaiah Taylor, as the new point guard to replace Evans, and Achille Polonara, both from Efes â before the second round. Brazdeikis, who finally adjusted to the European game after a difficult first half of the season, became team leader, with Ulanovas, à  mits, Hayes, and, after a time of adjusting, Taylor and Polonara all contributing. ButkeviÃÂius quickly became a fan favorite for his amazing defence and his hustle, with the former Rytas captain becoming among the most popular players among à ½algiris fans. Mantas Kalnietis, remaining after disastrous season, ended up retiring in February and moving to back-office work with à ½algiris, mostly with the à ½algiris football team. à ½algiris was 15âÂÂ15 by the start of April, and made an amazing run to the Euroleague playoffs, capped off with wins over Maccabi Tel Aviv at home and FC Bayern Munich away, to reach the playoffs, as the 7th seed, with a 19âÂÂ15 record and with wins and point advantage over Fenerbahçe and Baskonia Vitoria. à ½algiris also finished second in attendance, behind KK Partizan, with fans selling out 16 of the 17 home games, starting in October, because of which, the à ½algirio Arena became the host of the Euroleague Final Four tournament. In the Euroleague playoffs, à ½algiris faced off against FC Barcelona, coached by ex-à ½algiris coach à  arà «nas JasikeviÃÂius. Despite best efforts, and the fact that à ½algiris had beaten Barcelona in the regular season at home, Barcelona proved too much for à ½algiris, beating them 91âÂÂ69, 89âÂÂ81, and 77-66 for a victorious 3âÂÂ0 sweep. However, the incredible performance of à ½algiris in the Euroleague earned the team a standing ovation in the last game in Kaunas.
à ½algiris won the 2023 edition of the King Mindaugas Cup, their fourth consecutive Cup victory, with Ulanovas once again being named the MVP of the finals. In the LKL, à ½algiris finished first in the regular season, with a win over defending LKL champions BC Rytas in April, and finished with a 28âÂÂ5 record. In the playoffs, à ½algiris swept BC NevÃÂà ¾is in the quarterfinals 2âÂÂ0, to set up a rematch against BC Lietkabelis; this time, à ½algiris beat Lietkabelis 3âÂÂ1 to avenge the previous season loss, with a satisfying, dominating 95âÂÂ66 win in PanevÃÂà ¾ys in the deciding game. In the LKL finals, à ½algiris faced Rytas, the series going a full five games, with Rytas giving à ½algiris a fight in each game, with à ½algiris beating Rytas in Kaunas, 108-93 and 95âÂÂ80, but Rytas winning in Vilnius, 94-71 and 69âÂÂ68, to set up a decisive fifth game in Kaunas. à ½algiris would win the deciding game 97âÂÂ87, winning the series 3âÂÂ2, and regaining the LKL championship. Taylor, who scored 32 points in the championship winning game, was named the LKL Finals MVP.
After an incredible 2022âÂÂ2023 season, à ½algiris re-signed much of the team. However, Paulius Motiejà «nas, club director since 2013, departed the team and headed to become the director of Euroleague Basketball, a move that many had anticipated during the 2023 season. Paulius Jankà «nas took over as club director, in addition to being the sporting director. With Keenan Evans returning from injury, à ½algiris also made an unpopular decision not to re-sign Isaiah Taylor, the MVP of the LKL finals and à ½algiris leader during the victorious series against Rytas. Among other departing players, Tyler Cavanaugh and Karolis Lukoà ¡ià «nas left during the summer. To replace Taylor, à ½algiris signed Naz Mitrou-Long to the point guard position and also signed Brady Manek, former NCAA standout, to a contract to replace the departed Cavanaugh. With much of the younger à ½algiris players, in particular Motiejus Krivas, departing to the NCAA, à ½algiris also signed Danielius LavrinoviÃÂius, fresh off his career-best season with BC NevÃÂà ¾is, to a contract.
With what seemed as solid additions during the summer, as well as keeping much of the same roster as the previous 2023 season, à ½algiris looked to continue where they left off the previous season. At the start of the season, however, à ½algiris suffered a massive blow as team leader Ignas Brazdeikis was bought out by Olympiakos Piraeus; the move became even more haunting when à ½algiris decided not to immediately search for Brazdeikis's replacement. Despite the departure by Brazdeikis, à ½algiris started the season strong, being undefeated in the LKL and 3âÂÂ1 in the Euroleague, sparked by the incredible return to form by Keenan Evans. However, by October, the bottom fell out; struggling even in the LKL, à ½algiris completely fell apart in the Euroleague, going into the second round of the Euroleague with a disastrous 2-11 finish in the first. Mitrou-Long struggled as point guard, and by November, was also bought out by Olympiakos. The eventual replacement for Brazdeikis, Edmond Sumner, played too inconsistently to make any difference. Injuries hurt the team, in particular an injury to Arnas ButkeviÃÂius, one of à ½algiris top defensive players; his brief replacement, Austin Hollins, had a forgettable stint with à ½algiris. Rumours of Andrea Trinchieri coming in to replace coach Maksvytis began as early as December, followed by a reported player mutiny which resulted in Maksvytis remaining with à ½algiris for the time being. However, the tragic finish in the Euroleague first round, with a 5âÂÂ12 record, resulted in à ½algiris and Maksvytis mutually parting ways by the end of December; and coach Trinchieri was brought in to replace him.
Under Trinchieri, à ½algiris had a ressurgence; in the second round of the Euroleague, à ½algiris returned to playoff contention, and fought for the final spot of the Euroleague Play-In tournament all the way to April. Laurynas Birutis became one of the best players for à ½algiris, completely overshadowing Kevarrius Hayes and taking over as starting center, and Dovydas Giedraitis became one of the best defensive players, not just for à ½algiris, but in the whole Euroleague. Led by Evans, à ½algiris fought until April for a spot in the Play-In tournament, before an away loss to AS Monaco ended their hopes for Euroleague playoffs. Under Trinchieri, à ½algiris finished with a 9âÂÂ8 record, going 14âÂÂ20 overall - overall, a disappointment, after the previous year playoff year. Keenan Evans had incredible performances all season, establishing himself as one of the top guards of the Euroleague.
à ½algiris also won the 2024 King Mindaugas Cup, held in Kaunas, beating BC Wolves in the quarterfinals, BC à  iauliai in the semifinals, and BC Lietkabelis (who had eliminated BC Rytas in the semifinals) in the finals. Laurynas Birutis was named the tournament MVP. In the LKL, for most of the season, à ½algiris dominated, sweeping Rytas in the regular season, to finish with a 26âÂÂ4 record, with no other team in the LKL coming close to à ½algiris. During the season, it also became clear that à ½algiris greatly relied on Keenan Evans. à ½algiris chose not to search for another point guard after Mitrou-Long departed in November, with only LekaviÃÂius remaining in the spot. à ½algiris also made a dubious decision to re-sign Karolis Lukoà ¡ià «nas in February, a decision that ended up even more questionable when Lukoà ¡ià «nas, after playing a few games, was out for the whole season by the end of March. Before the end of the transfer table in the LKL, à ½algiris also signed Demetrie Rivers; while Rivers had some good games for à ½algiris in the LKL, he barely saw any playing time by the playoffs. In the playoffs, à ½algiris beat M-Basket Delamode Maà ¾eikiai 2âÂÂ0 in the quarterfinals. The semifinals, against BC Lietkabelis, was a nightmare; in the deciding game of the victorious 3-0 à ½algiris sweep to set up a rematch against Rytas, Evans suffered a season-ending injury by rupturing his patellar ligaments. Without Evans, à ½algiris fell apart. With nobody stepping up for à ½algiris in the finals, Rytas took advantage, taking home-court advantage away from à ½algiris, and finishing off the still shocked à ½algiris 3âÂÂ1 in the LKL finals to regain the LKL title, while ending the already difficult season for à ½algiris in a complete disaster. This win by Rytas over à ½algiris is considered the biggest upset in LKL history.
With the previous season's fiasco behind, à ½algiris started to rebuild the team. Evans left to sign with Olympiakos Piraeus - a move he was linked even before his serious injury in the LKL playoffs. à  mits, Rivers, Sumner, LavrinoviÃÂius, Lukoà ¡ià «nas, Montvilas and Hayes all left à ½algiris during the summer, while Giedraitis, Ulanovas, ButkeviÃÂius, Dimà ¡a (injured for the start of the season), LekaviÃÂius, Manek (coming off a very disappointing performance in the LKL playoffs) and Birutis (re-signed during the previous season) remained with à ½algiris. Coach Trinchieri remained with à ½algiris, re-signed to a new long-term contract. à ½algiris signed point guards Sylvain Francisco and Tyrone Wallace, one of the top point guards in the EuroCup, to solve the point guard issue, as à ½algiris struggled without Evans, Deividas Sirvydis, former Rytas and Lietkabelis player and leading scorer of the EuroCup and the returning Ignas Brazdeikis (released by Olympiakos to sign back with à ½algiris) to greatly improve the scoring - another issue as à ½algiris struggled without Evans leading. à ½algiris signed forward Alen Smailagiàto replace à  mits, who struggled playing under Trinchieri. To solve defensive vows, particularly in the paint, à ½algiris signed small forward Matt Mitchell, one of the best defensive players in the EuroCup, and the 38 year old Bryant Dunston, former Olympiakos and Efes star, who replaced Hayes, a move that surprised the experts.
à ½algiris started the new season strong - led by Francsico, also by the rapidly improving Giedraitis, stronger games from Sirvydis and Brazdeikis - à ½algirs started the Euroleague season with a 6âÂÂ1 record - including wins over Barcelona, a 27-point comeback against Armani in Milano, Zvezda and Monaco - even without Wallace (who left à ½algiris due to personal reasons after just two Euroleague games and was later bought out by Galatasaray). Things were only looking up, as à ½algiris signed guard Lonnie Walker IV, a huge free agent even in the NBA, with many predicting that à ½algiris may even fight for the home-court advantage in the Euroleague. The move, however, greatly backfired for à ½algiris - à ½algiris went just 6âÂÂ13 with Walker at the team. Walker was bought out at the end of February, 2025, by the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers. Both à ½algiris and coach Trinchieri, who constantly clashed with the journalists, were criticized by the media, for the team's lack of identity, strange rotations (including benching of both Sirvydis and Brazdeikis in multiple games), lack of strong center as both Birutis and Dunston rarely performed up to expectations, and greatly relying the team's offense on either Walker, or Francisco. Manek and Mitchell also had struggles, with both falling out of the à ½algiris rotation by the middle of the year, with Manek and Dimà ¡a (who was out injured since the summer, but had recovered by the spring time) leaving à ½algiris in April. Even new signing, point guard Isaiah Wong, who sparked à ½algiris in some wins, saw rare playing time under Trinchieri. While à ½algiris still made a push for the Play-In tournament, a 1-4 finish saw à ½algiris finishing the Euroleague with a heavily disappointing 15âÂÂ19 record and out of the playoffs entirely.
In the King Mindaugas Cup, à ½algiris defeated BC à  iauliai in the quarterfinals, and in the Final Four tournament, held in Vilnius, 7-bet Lietkabelis in the semifinals. In the finals, à ½algirs faced off surprise team BC Neptà «nas, who had eliminated both hosts Rytas and Wolves-Twinsbet in the previous rounds. à ½algiris, erasing a double-digit deficit, defeated Neptà «nas 91âÂÂ89 in the finals, in a thriller to win the tournament, with Brazdeikis being named the MVP of the tournament.
In the LKL, à ½algiris dominated the regular season with a 34âÂÂ2 record, a 30-game winning streak to close out the regular season, and five wins above rivals and reigning LKL champions BC Rytas. In the playoffs, à ½algiris beat, this time convincingly, Neptà «nas 2âÂÂ0 in the quarterfinals, and CBet Jonava 3âÂÂ0 in the semifinals, to reach the LKL finals against Rytas.
In the LKL finals, à ½algiris were considered favorites - so much, that only a few experts thought Rytas would even win a game in the series - Rytas started the finals actually beating à ½algiris with a double-overtime 97âÂÂ89 win in Kaunas - ending the 35 game win streak of à ½algiris in the LKL. à ½algiris fought right back with a 83âÂÂ79 win in Vilnius, tying the series 1-1. Rytas again beat à ½algiris 86âÂÂ80 in Kaunas - first time that à ½algiris lost two consecutive games in the LKL in the à ½algirio arena - to regain the series lead - the result was not actually indicting of the game, as Rytas dominated and only by the end did à ½algiris cut down the lead. In Vilnius, it looked like a storybook ending for Rytas - one win away from a championship, a sellout crowd of rowdy Rytas fans, and a double digit lead going into the fourth quarter - by the end of the game, in large part due to Francisco and Brazdeikis, the lead was cut to two - in the deciding seconds, Rytas missed a clutch free-throw, and in one of the most iconic plays in LKL history, Francisco made a buzzer-beating three pointer to give à ½algiris the 84âÂÂ83 win and tying the series 2-2. In the deciding game, in à ½algirio arena, à ½algiris won 76âÂÂ67, to beat Rytas 3âÂÂ2 in the series - and regaining the LKL championship. Francisco was named the MVP of the finals.
At the team's inception in 1944, when Lithuania was a Soviet Socialist Republic, à ½algiris began competing in both the Soviet Union National League and the domestic Lithuanian SSR League. When the country declared independence from the USSR in 1991 and the Soviet League folded, à ½algiris competed in the Lithuanian League (a successor of the Lithuanian SSR League) for two years before the newly reinstated Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF) established the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) as the country's premier basketball league in 1993, with à ½algiris as a founding member.
In 2007, the LKF established the LKF Cup (Lietuvos Krepà ¡inio Federacijos TaurÃÂ) as an annual tournament for domestic clubs. Before 2007, the LKF Cup had been held twiceâÂÂonce in 1989âÂÂ90 and once in 1997âÂÂ89. It was replaced in 2016 by the King Mindaugas Cup, a mid-season tournament for LKL teams that runs from October to February.
Many players who spent time with à ½algiris also played in the NBA. The most notable example is Arvydas Sabonis, who spent seven seasons with the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers including a Western Conference Finals run in 2000. Other notable crossovers include 1994 NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson, two-time NBA champion Beno Udrih, Ty Lawson, Robert Pack, and current NBA players Boban Marjanovic, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jock Landale, and Vasilije MiciÃÂ.
à ½algiris EuroLeague attendance year by year in à ½algiris Arena.
<nowiki>*</nowiki><small>Position by average attendance among Euroleague teams</small>
LKL records
BBL records
The uniform colors of à ½algiris are green and white. The home games are played in green uniforms and the away games are played in white. Since 2012, Adidas was the manufacturer of the club uniforms. In 2018, à ½algiris started manufacturing their own uniforms, in attempt to spread the brand image of the team while also making them more affordable to fans.
Bold denotes still active with the team. Italics denotes still active, but not with the team.
<small>Only players with a significant number of games played or points scored.</small>
Minimum 10 Games Played
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LKL Rising Star
LKL Defensive Player of the Year
LKL Most Improved Player
LKL Coach of the Year
All-LKL Team
LKL All-Star Game MVP
LKL Best Legionnaire
LKL moment of the season
During the Soviet era, à ½algiris had an intense rivalry with CSKA Moscow, the multiple-time champion and symbol of the Red Army. Their matchups would draw huge crowds in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The rivalry peaked during the 1980s, with the teams meeting in the USSR championship finals six times, which à ½algiris won in 1985, 1986, and 1987. It is considered to be the top rivalry in USSR basketball, as CSKA remains one of the most-hated teams in Kaunas to this day. During the 2000s and 2010s, the teams met many times in the EuroLeague, with CSKA winning most of the matches. In 2018, during the EuroLeague third place match, à ½algiris narrowly defeated CSKA, 79âÂÂ77. Over the years, the two teams also met in the NEBL, as well as the VTB United League, with the matches drawing huge crowds. In 2012, one such VTB match drew a record attendance of 15,812, a record for the competition and for the à ½algiris Arena.
After the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania and the Independence of Lithuania in 1990, and the establishment of the Lithuanian Basketball League in 1993, à ½algiris had a rivalry with BC Atletas, coached by former-à ½algiris head coach Vladas Garastas, with both teams fighting for the LKL championship. The teams met in the LKL finals four times, with à ½algiris winning each time. Starting in 1998, à ½algiris's main rival has been BC Lietuvos Rytas, also known as BC Rytas, from Vilnius. The matches draw the biggest interest in all of LKL, with the teams having met in the finals 17 times, with à ½algiris winning 12 times and Rytas 5. The teams constantly fight for first place in the LKL standings. In the LKF Cup, King Mindaugas Cup, Baltic Basketball League, and the NEBL, à ½algiris wins most of their matchups. During the 2010s, à ½algiris has largely dominated the rivalry, with sweeps in the finals in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2019, and in the regular season in 2017. In the 2018âÂÂ19 season, à ½algiris swept Rytas in both the regular season and the final series.
à ½algiris basketball club was featured in the video game NBA 2K14, along with thirteen other top EuroLeague teams. The club was also featured in NBA 2K15, NBA 2K16 and NBA 2K17.