Lithuanians take great pride in their Olympic champions in swimming, pentathlon, rowing, boxing, and wrestling. Basketball is Lithuania's second religion after football. The history of basketball in Lithuania began in the 1920s and Lithuania's national basketball team has found great success, winning Olympic medals and European championships. Basketball is deeply ingrained in Lithuanian culture, with the most famous professional teams being Žalgiris and Lietuvos rytas.

1. TRADITIONAL SPORTS IN
LITHUANIA
Made by Ieva and Povilas
2012

2. We are very proud of our Olimpic
champions in swimming, pentathlon,
rowing, boxing and wrestling.

3. swimmer Rūta Meilutytė

4. pentathlon athlete Laura
Asadauskaitė

5. rower Jevgenijus Šuklinas

6. boxer Evaldas Petrauskas

7. wrestler Aleksandras Kazakevičius

8. We also like football but basketball is
our second religion.

9. HISTORY OF BASKETBALL IN
LITHUANIA
Lithuanians started play basketball in
1920.

10. HISTORY
The first basketball game took place in
1922.

11. VICTORIES
The men's national team won three
Olympic bronze medals, three times
was the European champions and
once they won European silver.

12. OUR TEAMS
There are 27 basketball teams in
Lithuania. The most famous are
“Žalgiris” and “Lietuvos rytas”.

13. OUR TEAM IN OUR REGION
Team “Rūdupis” is the nearest team to
Šilavotas. It is Prienai basketball
team.

14. LKL
Lithuania has
got
“Lithuanians
basketball
league”(LKL).
The team
“Žalgiris” is
the winner of
“LKL 2012”.

15. THE NATIONAL TEAM IN
LITHUNIANS
The head coach of
National Team is
Kęstutis Kemzūra,
assistant coaches
are Robertas
Kuncaitis and
Donaldas Kairys.

16. Famous Lithuania's
basketball players

17. PRANAS LUBINAS
Was born in 1910 in Los Angeles;
was a leader of Lithuania National
Team in 1937 and 1939;
won Eurobasket gold medals with
Lithuania National Team;

18. MODESTAS PAULAUSKAS
was born in 1945;
was the first Lithuanian who won
Olympic medal with the Soviet
Union;

19. RIMAS KURTINAITIS
Was born in
1960;
Was the sniper
who always was
selected to the
Soviet Union
team and
Lithuania’s
National team;

20. ŠARŪNAS MARČIULIONIS
Was born in 1964;
Was the first
Lithuanian who had
played in NBA;

21. ARVYDAS SABONIS
Was born in 1964;
Many people say that he
is the best Lithuania's
basketball player ever;

22. ŽYDRŪNAS ILGAUSKAS
Was born in 1975;
reached the most in the
NBA of all Lithuanians;
was drafted in NBA by
20th pick 1 round;

23. LITHUANIAN BASKETBALL
PLAYERS WHO HAVE PLAYED IN
THE NBA:
Arvydas Sabonis (Portland Trail
Blazers, 1995-2001, 2002-03)
Šarūnas Marčiulionis (Golden State
Warriors and other teams, 1989-1997)
Žydrūnas Ilgauskas (still playing for
Cleveland Cavaliers)
Darius Songaila (still playing for
Washington Wizards)
And others..

24. TO SUM UP
Basketball is indeed the most
precious sport in Lithuania more than
what you think of. Basketball for the
Lithuanian is not only sport, it is also
their kind of life philosophy and for
many, it is their religion.

25. We have some songs for the
basketball fans. One of them is
“Three Million” by Marijonas
Mikutavičius.