Rokas Jokubaitis

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Rokas Jokubaitis
Rokas Jokubaitis 2021.jpg
No. 31 – FC Barcelona
PositionPoint guard
LeagueLiga ACB
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (2000-11-19) 19 November 2000 (age 21)
Mažeikiai, Lithuania
NationalityLithuanian
Listed height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Listed weight88 kg (194 lb)
Career information
NBA draft2021 / Round: 2 / Pick: 34th overall
Selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder
Playing career2017–present
Career history
2017–2018Žalgiris-2 Kaunas
2018–2021Žalgiris Kaunas
2018–2019→Žalgiris-2 Kaunas
2021–presentFC Barcelona
Career highlights and awards
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing Lithuania Lithuania
FIBA U16 European Championship
Silver medal – second place 2016 Poland Team

Rokas Jokubaitis (born 19 November 2000) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player for FC Barcelona of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague.

Early life and youth career[]

Jokubaitis was born in Mažeikiai, Lithuania. He grew up playing youth basketball at the Vladas Knašius Basketball School in Klaipėda before moving to the youth academy of Žalgiris.[1] Jokubaitis was named to the all-tournament team at the 2018 Kaunas Tournament after averaging 15 points and 8.3 assists per game and leading Žalgiris to a third-place finish.[2]

Professional career[]

On 9 January 2018, Jokubaitis scored a game-high 31 points for Žalgiris-2 in a highly publicized exhibition game against LaMelo Ball and Prienai.[3] On 5 May, he made his senior debut for Žalgiris in its Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) regular season finale against Pieno žvaigždės.[4] In the 2018–19 season, Jokubaitis was named the Best Young Player in the second-tier National Basketball League after averaging 13.2 points, 5.2 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game for Žalgiris-2.[5]

On 14 June 2019, Jokubaitis signed a three-year contract extension with Žalgiris.[5] In the 2020–21 season, he averaged seven points and 2.5 assists per game in the EuroLeague. Jokubaitis was the runner-up to Usman Garuba for the EuroLeague Rising Star award.[6] He averaged eight points and four assists per game in the LKL and was named Best Young Player of the league.[7]

On 21 July 2021, Jokubaitis signed a four-year contract with FC Barcelona of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague.[8]

NBA draft rights[]

Jokubaitis was selected with the 34th overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2021 NBA draft.[9] Later on the draft-day, his rights were traded to the New York Knicks.[10] On 3 August 2021, it was announced that Jokubaitis would return to FC Barcelona after the conclusion of the 2021 NBA Summer League.[11]

National team career[]

Jokubaitis played for Lithuania at the 2016 FIBA U16 European Championship in Poland. He averaged 10 points and helped his team win a silver medal.[12] Jokubaitis was the youngest player at the 2017 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Egypt, averaging 10 points and 5.3 assists per game for the sixth-place team.[3] At the 2018 FIBA U18 European Championship in Latvia, he averaged 12.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game as his team finished fifth.[13] Jokubaitis led Lithuania to fourth place at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Greece, where he averaged 11.3 points and 5.6 assists per game.[14]

On 24 February 2020, Jokubaitis made his senior national team debut for Lithuania during EuroBasket qualification.[15] In June and July 2021, he played at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Kaunas.[16]

Personal life[]

Jokubaitis' father,  [lt], played professional basketball in Lithuania. His mother and sister also played the sport.[17]

On 12 December 2020, a man was arrested in Vilnius after scamming €10,000 from a woman he had dated for months by impersonating Jokubaitis.[18]

Career statistics[]

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high

EuroLeague[]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2018–19 Žalgiris 12 0 5.8 .500 .200 .800 .5 .6 .0 .1 2.6 1.9
2019–20 Žalgiris 10 0 6.4 .444 .500 .750 .5 1.3 .3 .0 2.2 2.0
2020–21 Žalgiris 31 5 20.9 .454 .388 .756 1.7 2.5 .5 .0 7.0 6.8


References[]

  1. ^ Bendikas, Martynas (20 October 2020). "Rokas Jokubaitis – autoritetų nepaisantis „gerietis", prie iššūkių pratintas nuo vaikystės". Delfi (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  2. ^ Hein, David (21 January 2018). "MVP Sirvydis of Rytas headlines All-Tournament team". Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b "The real big baller: Can Rokas Jokubaitis become Lithuania's next big thing?". FIBA. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Jokubaičio debiute "Žalgiris" užsitikrino pirmąją vietą LKL reguliariajame sezone". basketnews.lt (in Lithuanian). 5 May 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Zalgiris retains top Lithuanian prospect, Rokas Jokubaitis, on a multi-year deal". Žalgiris. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Rokas Jokubaitis among the best in EuroLeague Rising Star voting". Žalgiris. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Geriausias LKL jaunasis žaidėjas Jokubaitis: „Labai daug padėjo treneris Schilleris"". Basketnews.lt (in Lithuanian). 29 May 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Rokas Jokubaitis, a young jewel for Barça". FC Barcelona. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  9. ^ "2021 NBA Draft results: Picks 1-60". nba.com. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Knicks Acquire Draft Rights to Jokubaitis and McBride". nba.com. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Rokas Jokubaitis to play Summer League with the Knicks". fcbarcelona.com. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Rokas Jokubaitis (LTU)'s profile – FIBA U16 European Championship Division A 2016". FIBA. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  13. ^ "Jokubaitis looks to erase Lithuania disappointments, awaits facing USA at U19 World Cup". FIBA. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Rokas Jokubaitis (LTU)'s profile – FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019". FIBA. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  15. ^ Askounis, John (10 February 2020). "Rokas Jokubaitis earns Lithuania call-up". Eurohoops. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  16. ^ "Jokubaitis: These are do-or-die games for Lithuania". FIBA. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Tėvas ir sūnus: Jokubaičių istorija". Basketnews.lt (in Lithuanian). 9 January 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  18. ^ "Man pretending to be Rokas Jokubaitis scammed woman for money". Eurohoops. 13 December 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.

External links[]

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