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Vilnius Morning’s unpredictable and changeable season introduces more and more new faces to the Lithuanian basketball league (Betsafe-LKL), which are still unknown to local basketball fans. The winds of morning change rested in Lithuania and returned young talent to its hometown Rapolas Ivanauskas.
R.Ivanauskas, who recently celebrated his 23rd birthday, is in Lithuania for the third time in his life.
The future basketball player was born in Kaunas in 1998, moved to Chicago (USA) with his family three years later and had returned to Lithuania for a short time only five years ago, for a three-week vacation.
R.Ivanauskas grew up and matured in the United States of America (USA), where his whole life was accompanied by basketball. The way he spent his free time gradually turned into a strong desire to one day become a professional basketball player.
The Kaunas resident constantly wore the jersey of his basketball team from high school, then high school and college, until it was time to finish his studies and make a difficult, but, as is clear now, successful decision: dive into the waters of professional basketball.
When he was still a teenager, R.Ivanauskas only watched NBA and NCAA basketball – dreams turned in this direction, there were no serious thoughts about competing in Europe and Lithuania.
However, everything changed about two years ago, when R.Ivanauskas became very interested in the Euroleague, watching Kaunas “Žalgiris” matches and Vilnius “Rytas” performances in international tournaments.
“I knew that I wanted to play professionally, I knew that I would have to experiment a lot, so I started looking at Europe and Lithuania,” the basketball player recalled while talking to LKL.lt.
As soon as Rapolas graduated from the United States, the agent spoke words that changed his life: “There is an offer from Lithuania, we have to decide what we are doing,” he said that day.
That offer came from Ryto, who was seeking reinforcements in the attack chain. And R.Ivanauskas is connected with the capital’s own team not only because of the desire to play, but also because of family ties.
Rapolas’s cousin, Deividas Dulkys, once began his professional career in 2012, in the then Lietuvos Rytas.
“I really did not know that my career would start in Lithuania; the agent agreed with Rytas and I joined without thinking for a long time. There were many good things in this agreement: I am in Vilnius, I have my family here, I understand the language, I know the culture, I like the coach, I like the teammates. You know, this is definitely the place where I have to be, “smiled R. Ivanauskas, who returned to the capital only for the second time in his life.
While still in the United States, the young Rapola was inspired by Nigel Hayes of Žalgiris. They competed with each other many times in college tournaments, and the perception of the level this American had already reached gave the Lithuanian even more hope of pursuing his dream: professional basketball.
“While we were in America, we had to play against Nigel, he played in Wisconsin, we came to the same conference. It was good to see him at” Žalgiris “, it became an additional motivation for me, because I saw what a good player he became when we were at a similar level, “taught R. Ivanauskas.
And while Rapolas even jokingly calls himself an “American,” he has been able to find out where his true home is in a few weeks in his hometown; as the basketball player says, he probably couldn’t be happier now.
“Yes, everything is new for me here, I have to get used to everything, but I am really very happy, I feel very good here. I probably look American, but I was born in Kaunas, my roots are here, it’s always good to come back here, ”the basketball player laughed.
– Rapolas, first of all, how did it feel to return to Lithuania after so many years?
– I’m really happy. I feel a lot of energy in the team, I also like the coach. Yes, everything is new for me here, I have to get used to everything, but I am really very happy, I feel very good here. I probably look like an American. But I was born in Kaunas, here are my roots, it’s always good to come back here. My family left Lithuania when I was three years old. Since then, I have had to visit Lithuania only once, about five years ago.
– It is obvious that he did not forget the Lithuanian language. Where did you develop your native language skills?
– We speak Lithuanian at home. I have an accent, I have trouble communicating, but I really support Lithuanian communication all my life; my grandparents live here, I really have a lot of family members here in Lithuania.
– How was your career in basketball in the United States, how many different stages did you have to climb?
– I played basketball in the USA like all talented players. I switched to basketball from high school, high school, and college. That’s the way it is.
– And being in the United States, were you interested in European Lithuanian basketball?
– When I was younger, I only watched NBA basketball. But about two or three years ago, I became very interested in the Euroleague: I started to follow the games of Kaunas “Žalgiris”, Vilnius “Rytas”. I was curious. I knew that I wanted to play professionally, I knew that I would have to experiment a lot, so I started looking at Europe and Lithuania.
– In your opinion, to what extent is the basketball culture different between the United States and Lithuania?
– There are really many differences, I still need time to get used to it. In Lithuania, more physical, more fighting. In America, it’s all about speed and athleticism. It has to be very fast and have a good jump. It may be slower here, but it plays an important role on the team. Adapting takes time, but it is very interesting. Both styles of basketball are difficult, but I find it easier to play in Lithuania. In the United States I did well, but I’m a little slower, it was very difficult to play against very athletic opponents.
– And did you expect your professional career to start in Lithuania?
– I watched the matches between “Žalgiris” and “Rytas” and I thought there is a high level here that I want to be here. The most important thing for me was playing professionally. I really didn’t know it would be in Lithuania, the agent agreed with Rytas and without thinking for a long time I joined. There were many good things in this agreement: I am in Vilnius, I have my family here, I understand the language, I know the culture, I like the coach, I like the teammates. I think it is much better to be here than, for example, in Turkey, where I would not know anything.
– How many friendships and parties did you have to sacrifice for professional basketball?
– There really was everything at the university, you have to resist the temptations. You have to agree with yourself and decide who you want to be. I told myself that I wanted to play basketball, I wanted to live off basketball. When you make up your mind completely, things become easier: all the parts and other temptations are somewhere on the sidelines. He knew what he wanted to do.
– You say that the temptations were not lacking. And haven’t you thought about dropping everything and testing yourself somewhere else?
– There were times when I thought there would be nothing, that I would not be a basketball player. I really had to go through this stage. But again, answer to yourself what your biggest goal really is. And my goal was without a doubt to reach the professional level.
– What kind of Vilnius did you see after a five-year break? What did you find here?
– I didn’t see much – I spend my days in the gym or in my apartment. But he was in the old town, taking a walk. I have never been to Lithuania in winter, it is very interesting. The climate here is reminiscent of Chicago, specifically Chicago and I used to live there. In general, I don’t have a big culture shock; after all, I know Lithuanian culture and people. You know, this is definitely where I need to be. I’m very happy.
– You have already managed to play several matches in the LKL Championship. How would you rate the level of the championship in general?
– I really think the level here is high. I haven’t been able to play a lot of games yet, so it’s difficult to judge, but it really is a huge difference from what I played in America. We play smarter here, the players themselves are much smarter. Although the attacks last longer, there are clear reasons for this: everyone wants to play smarter. I managed to play two games, it was a great feeling if we talked about basketball itself.
– While you were in the US, you probably had acquaintances who talked about basketball in Lithuania. What motivated you?
– My cousin Deividas Dulkys played “Lietuvos Rytas” at the time. His first team was Lietuvos Rytas. It helps me a lot with adaptation, we talk a lot about European basketball. While we were still in America, we had to play Nigel Hayes; He played in Wisconsin, we got to the same conference. It was good to see him in “Žalgiris”, it became an additional motivation for me, because I saw how good a player he became when we were at a similar level.
Do you have the most memorable tip for life to follow?
– Probably the most memorable advice in the family: my father, in addition to a cousin, has given me a lot of advice throughout his life. We talk about nutrition, sleep, professional basketball players. I want to do everything that is best for basketball. I want to give myself the opportunity to walk this path smoothly and successfully.
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