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Rokas Jokubaitis

Rokas Jokubaitis (born 19 November 2000) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League and the EuroLeague.

Rokas Jokubaitis
Jokubaitis in 2022
No. 31 – Maccabi Tel Aviv
PositionPoint guard
LeagueIsraeli Basketball Premier League
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (2000-11-19) 19 November 2000 (age 23)
Mažeikiai, Lithuania
NationalityLithuanian
Listed height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Listed weight91 kg (201 lb)
Career information
NBA draft2021: 2nd round, 34th overall pick
Selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder
Playing career2017–present
Career history
2017–2021Žalgiris Kaunas
2017–2019→ Žalgiris-2 Kaunas
2021–2024FC Barcelona
2024–presentMaccabi Tel Aviv
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing Lithuania Lithuania
FIBA U16 European Championship
Silver medal – second place 2016 Poland Team

Early life and youth career

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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

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Žalgiris (2017–2021)

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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]

FC Barcelona (2021–2024)

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On 21 July 2021, Jokubaitis signed a four-year contract with FC Barcelona of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague.[8] In 2023-24 in 74 games averaging 16 minutes per game he averaged 6.2 points and 2.7 assists per gamem and shot 50% on two-point field goals. On 23 July 2024, Jokubaitis mutually parted ways with the club.[9]

Maccabi Tel Aviv (2024–present)

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On 24 July 2024, Jokubaitis signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League and the Euroleague.[10]

NBA draft rights

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Jokubaitis was selected with the 34th overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2021 NBA draft.[11] Later on the draft-day, his rights were traded to the New York Knicks, alongside Miles McBride, in exchange for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.[12] On 3 August 2021, it was announced that Jokubaitis would return to FC Barcelona after the conclusion of the 2021 NBA Summer League.[13]

National team career

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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.[14] 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.[15] 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.[16]

On 24 February 2020, Jokubaitis made his senior national team debut for Lithuania during EuroBasket qualification.[17] In June and July 2021, he played at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Kaunas.[18]

Personal life

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Jokubaitis' father, Aivaras [lt], played professional basketball in Lithuania and Poland. His mother and sister also played the sport.[19]

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.[20]

Career statistics

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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

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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 10 0 6.4 .444 .500 .750 .5 1.3 .3 .0 2.2 2.0
2020–21 31 5 20.9 .454 .388 .756 1.7 2.5 .5 .0 7.0 6.8
2021–22 Barcelona 37 2 16.7 .563 .568 .714 1.6 2.6 .4 .0 7.1 7.5
2022–23 39 0 14.8 .416 .413 .776 2.0 2.6 .3 .1 5.3 6.6
2023–24 36 2 15.5 .443 .277 .652 1.7 2.8 .3 .1 5.3 5.5
Career 165 9 15.4 .470 .406 .742 1.6 2.4 .3 .0 5.6 6.0

Domestic leagues

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Year Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2017–18 Lithuania  Žalgiris-2 NKL 46 24.7 .458 .333 .822 2.8 4.5 1.1 .0 9.7
2017–18 Lithuania  Žalgiris LKL 3 12.9 .615 .250 — 2.0 2.3 .3 — 5.7
2018–19 Lithuania  Žalgiris-2 NKL 22 24.8 .537 .371 .710 3.4 5.0 .9 .1 12.4
2018–19 Lithuania  Žalgiris LKL 34 11.4 .442 .250 .774 .8 1.5 .5 .0 4.4
2019–20 Lithuania  Žalgiris LKL 19 17.3 .542 .457 .808 2.1 2.7 .5 .0 7.4
2020–21 Lithuania  Žalgiris LKL 43 20.0 .477 .330 .689 1.6 3.9 .7 .0 7.9
2021–22 Spain  Barcelona ACB 39 16.9 .493 .409 .753 1.7 2.8 .4 .0 7.3
2022–23 Spain  Barcelona ACB 42 18.7 .446 .310 .788 2.0 3.9 .5 .0 7.3
2023–24 Spain  Barcelona ACB 34 16.6 .576 .500 .719 1.4 2.6 .3 .0 7.0

References

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  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. ^ "Agreement to end contract with Rokas Jokubaitis". FC Barcelona. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Maccabi signs Rokas Jokubaitis". Maccabi.co.il. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  11. ^ "2021 NBA Draft results: Picks 1-60". nba.com. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Knicks Acquire Draft Rights to Jokubaitis and McBride". nba.com. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Rokas Jokubaitis to play Summer League with the Knicks". fcbarcelona.com. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Rokas Jokubaitis (LTU)'s profile – FIBA U16 European Championship Division A 2016". FIBA. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  15. ^ "Jokubaitis looks to erase Lithuania disappointments, awaits facing USA at U19 World Cup". FIBA. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  16. ^ "Rokas Jokubaitis (LTU)'s profile – FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019". FIBA. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  17. ^ Askounis, John (10 February 2020). "Rokas Jokubaitis earns Lithuania call-up". Eurohoops. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  18. ^ "Jokubaitis: These are do-or-die games for Lithuania". FIBA. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  19. ^ "Tėvas ir sūnus: Jokubaičių istorija". Basketnews.lt (in Lithuanian). 9 January 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  20. ^ "Man pretending to be Rokas Jokubaitis scammed woman for money". Eurohoops. 13 December 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
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