Jonas Valanciunas delivered a scathing assessment of Lithuanian basketball’s leadership, raising concerns over the national team’s decline, administrative failures and the urgent need for a change of direction.
Valanciunas’ recent comments made a major impact within Lithuania, quickly spread across Europe and brought long-standing concerns surrounding one of the continent’s most traditional basketball powers back to the surface. The former NBA center’s words went viral and sent shockwaves through the country. Why? The answer became obvious to anyone who read his explosive remarks.
In an extensive interview with BasketNews and journalist Donatas Urbonas, the Lithuania captain spoke without fear. After 14 years in the NBA and countless experiences at the highest level, “JV” has earned the right to express his opinion publicly — and to be heard. His willingness to avoid PR-speak and share his thoughts without a filter was particularly appreciated by the Lithuanian public, which adores the national team and follows it faithfully across the world.
Valanciunas’ return home to play for Zalgiris Kaunas added further weight to his comments. The 34-year-old is once again immersed in the country’s basketball environment, following developments from close range and understanding the difficulties players face when they are called upon to represent “Lietuva.”
His initial comments focused on the national team’s working conditions and the structure a federation must provide to give its players the necessary peace of mind.
“When everything is good, you usually don’t run away from difficulties. And not everything with the national team was really that good. There were negatives and technical details which, to me as a veteran player, didn’t look good. We come because of our love for Lithuania, because of patriotism. But there also needs to be a certain process that allows you to work calmly and play for Lithuania.”
The experienced and highly accomplished big man made it clear that the players were not asking for luxury. The main issue was planning, consistency and respect for the time of people who spend most of the season away from their homes and families.
“We can sleep in a worse hotel. There are no problems with that. But sometimes it’s about basic human consideration, the schedule. Summer is an opportunity for us to spend more time with our families, especially those who aren’t in Lithuania during the year. You want to have a reasonable schedule and know what your agenda will look like, so you can combine family life with national team responsibilities.”
He then became even more specific, describing an environment of uncertainty and constant last-minute changes. His comments left little room for misinterpretation. As the interview continued, the explosive remarks appeared to come even more freely.
“Now the schedule changes, then it doesn’t change. It will happen, it won’t happen. There’s uncertainty, constant switching… Yes, the buses are good, charter flights are good, everything is fine. But when the schedule changes within 15 minutes when you’re almost already out the door, it looks strange. We’re grown men. The association hasn’t been doing this for the first year. The window is only two weeks. You can arrange all the gyms and the whole schedule in advance instead of sitting in the hotel lobby and deciding what we’re going to do today.”
Those incidents became the starting point for a much broader criticism. Lithuania is facing a difficult battle to qualify for the 2027 FIBA World Cup, and its captain sees the threat of a prolonged sporting and administrative decline.
In a country where basketball forms an integral part of the national identity, this discussion carries a different kind of weight.
“Nobody wants us to lose and be in a slump. We don’t want Lithuanian basketball to disappear altogether. But we’re going somewhere we shouldn’t be going. The responsibility falls on everyone – those participating, those who participated, and those making the decisions.”
The leadership’s role gradually moved to the center of the conversation, with statements that attracted attention across the European basketball scene. “JV” acknowledged that one made shot, an avoided turnover or a single rebound can change the outcome of a game. The bigger picture is shaped by decisions that extend far beyond the four lines of the court.
“One made shot, one turnover avoided, one rebound and maybe the situation changes. But the bigger picture… The leadership still decides a lot of things, especially regarding the future. But as we can see, there aren’t many decisions being made. Maybe we should stop pointing fingers and throwing each other under the bus. It’s all supposed to be for Lithuania. We didn’t gather here to make money. We gathered to improve Lithuanian basketball and take it to a higher level. But now we’re stopping. And in my opinion, everything starts from the top.”
The clearest assessment of the entire interview followed immediately:
“Something isn’t working. It’s just strange to me that people are holding onto their positions so tightly even though they can see Lithuanian basketball is going downhill.”
Speaking to BasketNews, the “Lietuva” captain also called for direct communication between everyone involved. The public exchange of blame and the use of the media to send messages have widened the gap, creating the image of an internal conflict.
“The worst thing is that we’re all communicating through the media now. We’re adults – let’s meet and talk. Let’s say everything to each other. Now you hear from the side that everyone is blaming each other: one side didn’t do something, the players didn’t do something. Who needs that?”
“Let’s say things as they really are. Enough politics, enough playing games. Our goal is supposed to be the same.”
Valanciunas then responded forcefully to accusations that players who did not join the national team lacked patriotism. His message to Lithuanian Basketball Federation president Mindaugas Balciunas was direct and particularly sharp.
“If we’re such non-patriots because we didn’t come, then I have a question for Mindaugas: Why doesn’t he resign? If you’re a patriot and you love Lithuania so much, and you see that it’s hell, that things are really bad and the division is terrible, then say: ‘For Lithuania, I’m leaving. If that makes Lithuanian basketball better, I’ll leave, and we’ll make it better. Because I want Lithuanian basketball to improve. Because I’m a patriot.’ But we, the players, are the non-patriots because we didn’t come… All right…”
Finally, the former Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets center stressed that the discussion had long since moved beyond a result or a failure on the court. What is now at stake is the structure of Lithuanian basketball and the unity of the entire system.
“This isn’t about the result anymore. It’s about the image and reputation of all Lithuanian basketball. The division within basketball. For me, this is a scandal. And after scandals, usually you resign… I’m not suggesting anything to him. I’m definitely not trying to remove him. I’m just thinking out loud. If we’re not patriots because we didn’t come, then where is the patriotism from his side if [his resignation] would help Lithuanian basketball? Maybe then none of us are patriots?”
Valanciunas’ words did not provide a solution to the problem. They made its scale impossible to ignore. When the national team captain — a player with 14 years of NBA experience who is now back with Zalgiris — feels compelled to speak with such intensity, “Lietuva” has every reason to listen.