Mantas Kalnietis
Encyclopedia
Mantas Kalnietis is a Lithuania
n professional basketball player in the Euroleague
and the Lithuanian Basketball League with Žalgiris Kaunas. He is also a member of the Lithuanian national basketball team. He plays the point guard
position.
. He averaged 17.7 points and 4.3 assists in his second season.
of Kaunas
. He averaged 6.8 points on 65 percent shooting in the Euroleague
.
Kalnietis helped Žalgiris win a Baltic League title in 2008, two Lithuanian League titles in 2007 and 2008 and two Lithuanian Cups in 2007 and 2008. He also led the team to a 2007 ULEB Summer League title, where he was named MVP.
He competed at the Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso
in 2006 and 2008.
Kalnietis had a breakout season in 2008-09, when he averaged 11.3 points in the Lithuanian League and 8.5 points and 3.0 assists in the Euroleague. He scored a career-high 20 points in a loss against the Montepaschi Siena
on December 10, 2008.
Kalnietis signed a three-year contract with the Benetton Treviso
in June 2009. However, because he has another one-year contract with Žalgiris Kaunas, FIBA arbiter's decided that he belongs to Žalgiris. On December 27, 2010 he signed a three-year extension with his hometown club Žalgiris Kaunas.
Kalnietis started at point guard for the Lithuanian national basketball team that finished seventh in the 2006 World Championship. He averaged 6.0 points and 2.8 assists. He also played at the 2010 FIBA World Championship
as a starting Point Guard
and won Bronze
medal.
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n professional basketball player in the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
and the Lithuanian Basketball League with Žalgiris Kaunas. He is also a member of the Lithuanian national basketball team. He plays the point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
position.
Early years
Kalnietis spent two and a half seasons with the LKKA-ŽalgirisŽalgiris-Arvydas Sabonis school
Žalgiris-Arvydas Sabonis school is the second team of the basketball club Žalgiris Kaunas. The team plays in the NKL. School president and owner is legendary Lithuania basketball player Arvydas Sabonis.-Titles:*Junior Euroleague Champion: 2003, 2007...
. He averaged 17.7 points and 4.3 assists in his second season.
Pro career
Kalnietis made his pro debut in February 2006 with the ŽalgirisŽalgiris
Žalgiris is a translation of the German word Grunwald and can refer to:* Battle of Žalgiris, Lithuanian name for the Battle of Grunwald, a decisive battle in 1410* BC Žalgiris, a basketball team from Kaunas, Lithuania...
of Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
. He averaged 6.8 points on 65 percent shooting in the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
.
Kalnietis helped Žalgiris win a Baltic League title in 2008, two Lithuanian League titles in 2007 and 2008 and two Lithuanian Cups in 2007 and 2008. He also led the team to a 2007 ULEB Summer League title, where he was named MVP.
He competed at the Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso
Treviso
Treviso is a city and comune in Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 82,854 inhabitants : some 3,000 live within the Venetian walls or in the historical and monumental center, some 80,000 live in the urban center proper, while the city...
in 2006 and 2008.
Kalnietis had a breakout season in 2008-09, when he averaged 11.3 points in the Lithuanian League and 8.5 points and 3.0 assists in the Euroleague. He scored a career-high 20 points in a loss against the Montepaschi Siena
Mens Sana Basket
Mens Sana Basket, more frequently referred to as Montepaschi Siena, is an Italian League professional basketball club from Siena. More precisely, it is the now-autonomous basketball section of the comprehensive sports club Polisportiva Mens Sana...
on December 10, 2008.
Kalnietis signed a three-year contract with the Benetton Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso, more often known by its sponsorship name of Benetton Basket, or Benetton Treviso, is an Italian Serie A League professional basketball club from Treviso, the headquarters city of its longtime owner Benetton Group...
in June 2009. However, because he has another one-year contract with Žalgiris Kaunas, FIBA arbiter's decided that he belongs to Žalgiris. On December 27, 2010 he signed a three-year extension with his hometown club Žalgiris Kaunas.
Lithuanian national team
Kalnietis led Lithuania to a 2006 European U-20 Championship title. He averaged 11.5 points and 4.8 assists for the team.Kalnietis started at point guard for the Lithuanian national basketball team that finished seventh in the 2006 World Championship. He averaged 6.0 points and 2.8 assists. He also played at the 2010 FIBA World Championship
2010 FIBA World Championship
The 2010 FIBA World Championship, hosted by Turkey, was the international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams. The tournament ran from August 28 to September 12, 2010. It was co-organized by the International Basketball Federation , Turkish Basketball Federation and the...
as a starting Point Guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
and won Bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
medal.