Jonas Valanciunas

Nationality Lithuanian
Pro career 2008–present
Career history Perlas (2008–2009)
Lietuvos Rytas (2010-present)
Awards LKL Champion (2010)
LKF Cup Winner (2010)
2x LKL All-Star (2010, 2011)
LKL All-Star Game MVP (2011)
FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship MVP (2008)
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship MVP (2010)
FIBA World Under-19 Championship MVP (2011)

Jonas Valanciunas (born 6 May 1992) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player, currently playing for Lietuvos Rytas in the Lithuanian Basketball League, the Euroleague, the Baltic Basketball League, and the VTB United League. He is considered as a top pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Early career (2008-present)

Valanciunas started playing professionally for Perlas in 2008 and played there until December 2009. During the 2008-09 season the team played in the Lithuanian National Basketball League (NKL), Lithuania's second strongest league, but moved up to the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) the following season. Valanciunas played in the first half of the 2009-10 season with Perlas, but on 17 January 2010, he signed a contract with Lithuanian powerhouse Lietuvos Rytas.

While playing for Lietuvos Rytas, Valanciunas has participated in two LKL All-Star Games, the 2010 and 2011 All-Star Games. During the 2011 All-Star Game Valanciunas scored 18 points and grabed 10 rebounds, helping the "Lithuanians" win the game. He was named as the 2011 LKL All-Star Game MVP. Outside of the entertainment events, Valanciunas has led Lietuvos Rytas to the LKL Finals twice, in 2010 and 2011. The team won the 2010 series against ?algiris 4-3, but lost the following year 1-4. In 2010, Lietuvos Rytas also won the Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF) Cup.

Valanciunas was considered as a top prospect at the 2011 NBA Draft, held on June 23, 2011, and was drafted 5th overall by the Toronto Raptors. Valanciunas will wear Toronto Raptors jersey with number 17, but he will have to wait one year until 2012-2013 NBA season to join the Raptors because of his $2.5 million contract buyout with Lietuvos Rytas. The Raptors only can pay $500,000 for his buyout because of NBA rules, but Valanciunas has promised that he will pay the rest of the buyout price so he could play in the NBA. However, Lietuvos Rytas didn't permit him to join the NBA until 2012-2013 NBA season.

He is considered a top prospect at the 2011 NBA Draft.

International careerMedal record
Competitor for  Lithuania
Men's Basketball
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
Gold 2010 Lithuania Team competition
FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship
Gold 2008 Italy Team competition

Valanciunas made his debut for the Lithuanian national basketball team in the 2008 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship in Italy. He dominated throughout the tournament, averaging 14.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 23.5 minutes of action. His team went on to win the gold medal and he was chosen as the MVP. Two years later, Valanciunas led Lithuania to another gold medal. Lithuania dominated in the 2010 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship held in Lithuania. Valanciunas averaged 19.4 points, 13.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks, and was voted as the MVP.

Valanciunas was also a member of the Lithuanian Under-19 basketball team, which competed in the 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Latvia. He led his team to capture the gold medal, averaging 23.0 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in 31 minutes of game action. He was later named the tournament MVP. Valanciunas scored 36 points in the gold medal game against Serbia, which was the highest points scored in a game by any player in the tournament.