The NBA towers, already fluttering with the national team, admit: it will be difficult to stop L. Dončičius

Two NBA towers, who were the first of all basketball players to finish the season: Jonas Valančiūnas, the center forward of Memphis “Grizzlies” and Domantas Sabonis, the tall man of Indiana “Pacers”, are already sweating with their teammates in the camp.

“It just came to our knowledge then bajerai, – J. Valančiūnas was not in a good mood. – Sometimes you need to do a lot of things with the mood. It’s fun after a longer break, last year was an exciting summer, we finally got back to a more normal pace. It’s fun to go back to the national team, to see the faces – the coaches, the staff, the players, I’ve been waiting for that for a long time. “

Speaking of the rest he could enjoy before coming to Kaunas, the team leaders didn’t complain, it had to be enough.

“We got a little rest, an unconventional vacation. So few have not been after a single season, but there is what it is. Still rested, everything is fine and we get down to work,” said the 29-year-old basketball player. .

“I rested for a week and then I started doing sports,” said D. Sabonis about his vacation. “I had three weeks off to get into that form.”

The preparations for the Olympic selection will be unusually short: it will take less than two weeks, therefore, according to Uteniškis, now the main task of the team is to find and confirm the connections of the game, there is no time for personal development.

“It just came to our knowledge then. It takes playing time to feel each other. Still, you will no longer work individually. You already need to work tactically, act as a team and play. And everything will be fine,” said J. Valančiūnas.

Venezuela and South Korea will overtake the Lithuanian team in the group stage. Teams from Poland, Angola and Slovenia will compete in the next group B. It was the latter who singled out the team’s long-standing pillar as the most serious barrier.

“It is no secret that the Slovenians. Everyone waits, everyone follows, us. We do not underestimate any team, but exclude Slovenia, – J.Valančiūnas named the strongest competitors. – (Stop Dončičiai) possible, let’s see, playing very well. What we saw at the end of the season was really fantastic, but we’ll see what happens with the national team. “

“All matches are important. We have to reach the final and then we have to win, we cannot think that an opponent will be strong, because we have to watch everyone, none of the teams that come to Kaunas underestimated D. Sabonis. – It will be difficult to stop him (Dončičiai). The talent is very high, we will have to apply the team defense, we will all work together to win. “

J. Valančiūnas also mentioned the back of the fans as an important factor. According to the basketball player, the army of fans that will fill most of the “Žalgiris” arena should give the team an extra boost.

“It just came to our knowledge then. Wherever we played, the arenas were full of green. It is important and gratifying that they return to the arenas and we will await the support,” expressed J. Valančiūnas his expectations.