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Honourable Friends,
In Lithuania, basketball is something more than just sport, and our marches in it are indisputable. And what is the price of bronze in the European Championship! Basketball unites us, makes us feel proud about our flag.
Lithuanian League was a school for many Lithuanian basketball stars - A. Sabonis, Z. Ilgauskas, S. Jasikevicius, S. Stombergas. These players promote our country throughout the world, like the best ambassadors. I believe, that Lithuania will never be short on famous basketball names and the Lithuanian League will guarantee it.
The league is a great place for our young players to improve, reach for new heights and to raise the bar for new Lithuania's achievments in sport.The league is growing stronger every year and the competition is getting more fierce and interesting. The evidence are the new arenas, growing team budgets and the great ambitions for the executives, coaches and players for Lithuania to be to the basketball state credit.We watch the championship finals with the utmost pleasure - when the two strongest teams in Lithuania and in Europe "Lietuvos Rytas" and "Zalgiris" meet together.
These duels are the jewel of the Lithuanian basketball.I wish that the Lithuanian League will never starve of action, luck and great results. I wish that together we would celebrate more victories in the future.
Prime Minister
Gediminas Kirkilas
Dear all,
Over the past 15 years the Lithuanian League has become a strong league within Europe, consolidating itself in ULEB and amongst the elite of European basketball. It has for example this is a record season for the Lithuanian League, with three teams in ULEB competitions for the first time: Zalgiris and Lietuvos Rytas, ULEB Cup´s finalist last year in the Euroleague, Siauliai in the ULEB Cup.
Euroleague Basketball is proud of the commitment that the Lithuanian League has shown over the years, to the competition, to the teams and to the players. The league has strongly invested and looked towards helping young Lithuanian talents to become European basketball superstars, like Sarunas Jasikevicius, Arvydas Macijauskas, Ramunas Siskauskas, Gintaras Einikis or Saulius Stombergas.
Through solid management, patience and vision the Lithuanian League has helped its main clubs to be successful in European competitions. Zalgiris won the 1998 Saporta Cup title and lifted the 1999 Euroleague trophy. In fact, this year is a year of celebrations in European Basketball, and the Lithuanian League, along with several of its teams will host the celebration of 50 years for European Club Basketball, by celebrating the 1999 Euroleague final.
The league is developing quickly, and that shows with state-of-the-art arenas built in Vilnius and Siauliai. Basketball is the number 1 sport in Lithuania and that says it all.
From Euroleague Basketball we wish you a good season, and look forwards to sharing a season of great basketball.
Euleague CEO Jordi Bertomeu
Dear friends,
The Lithuanian League started as the first proffesional league in Lithuania 15 years ago and has opened a new page in the history of the club basketball.
During this time the league has developed and created a new generation of proffesional players, and a great number of basketball stars. They have and still are making a name for Lithuania and its basketball school throughout the world.
It is great, that the championship gets the attention of the sport fans every year and our strong clubs represent the country in the elite European championships, such as Euroleague, ULEB and FIBA Cups.
For this great occasion I would like to thank the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, the Basketball Confederation of Lithuania, municipalities and businessmen for the support to the Lithuanian League and clubs, also people who create the game: coaches, players, managers, referees and all the rest who somehow has helped the success of the league.
As for the future, I wish the members of the Lithuanian League new goals, new challenges, a proffesional view to a job you love, and I wish the fans the greater support and good impressions in the league's games.
President of the Lithuanian League Sarunas Kliokys
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