Šarūnas Jasikevičius

Early years

Jasikevičius was born into a family of athletes. His mother Rita, a famous Lithuanian handball player, won a silver medal with the Soviet Union women's national handball team during the 1975 World Women's Handball Championship. Following the success in the world championship, Rita was preparing for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. According to Rita: "Everything was calculated, planned: Olympic Games, then - the increase of family, one year break and then back to sports again. But everything happened differently" and she had to choose between her son and the Olympic Games. She decided to give birth to a child and give up the Olympic dream. Later on, the Soviet squad went on to win the Olympic gold medals in the Montreal Olympics and the national team's head coach shut the door for Rita Jasikevičienė to return into the national team in the future. However, Šarūnas's mother never regretted her decision. Šarūnas remembers that his mother constantly said: "My son will give me back the Olympics".

In his childhood Šarūnas was a very agile child. His mother remembers that soon after learning to walk, Šarūnas immediately began to run leaning at 45 degrees. Rita: "He was running and running everywhere and I had to constantly chase him". The biggest penalty for Šarūnas was to sit. His younger brother Vytenis was slightly different though. He was slower, but both brothers were unable to live without a ball as kids.

Jasikevičius's father Linas always was a sports lover and his son followed his lead to cheer for practically anything. Together they cheered for the USSR national teams or any athlete who had USSR written across his or her chest. Not surprisingly, his dad took him to his first basketball workout when he was 6 years old. His first coach was Feliksas Mitkevičius in Kaunas basketball school, who was strict and never chased Šarūnas when he tried to run away from workouts and also coached Žydrūnas Ilgauskas and Tomas Masiulis. According to Mitkevičius, when Šarūnas was 12 years old, he was so sick of basketball that he wished to drop it. He visited his parents, outlined the situation and stated that it would be a huge loss to Lithuania. Following it, his dad had some strong words for Šarūnas and forbade him to drop basketball, which he wished to replace with tennis. In Kaunas basketball school he met with future NBA star Žydrūnas Ilgauskas with whom he was meeting practically every day, at school, in the gym or elsewhere for the next eleven years. Tomas Masiulis was another notable player on his team. Jasikevičius remembers that at first he was seen as the guy who was "talented but lazy" as he was not a committed athlete; all he did was joke around and try to work as little as possible. Consequently, on one occasions, his dad stopped him from going on a trip to Minsk with the team, a trip of the sort that only happens once a year, as his marks were disastrous and it was a punishment: "No school? So no basketball". However, his parents were happy to see him pouring his hyperactivity into basketball, and this made them urge him on towards the sport, as it also helped him avoid bad company. They played in the gym, and also in the street using scrap metal instead of real baskets, and their favorite pastime was called minus, a kind of forerunner of the game that can be seen today during the NBA All-Star Game called "horse". It was far from ideal, but his parents preferred to see him play with the scrap metal hoops in front of their home than down at the pitch, where it would have taken him less than five minutes to pick a fight with the wrong person. His childhood dream was to become a Žalgiris player, a team of which he was such a fan that he knew everything about every player, even the players' shoe sizes. Following the Žalgiris' victory in 1986 Intercontinental Cup, he begged his father to take him to the airport to welcome home the players, where hundreds of people were waiting in the freezing cold. His father knew some of the players, and managed to get signed posters and photos that he used to decorate all the walls of his room.

College career

Jasikevičius played NCAA Division I college basketball at the University of Maryland, with the Maryland Terrapins. He played as a wing, although he remade himself into a point guard in his pro career. He did not see much playing time in his first two years in college, with seniors Duane Simpkins, Johnny Rhodes, and Exree Hipp ahead of him at the wing positions. As a junior, he became a better passer and improved his defense. He averaged a shade under 13 points and 4 assists in his junior and senior years.

Professional career

Early career

Jasikevičius made his pro debut in the 1998–99 season, with the Lithuanian club Lietuvos rytas, of Vilnius. With Rytas, he averaged 18.0 points and 5.4 assists per game. In the following 1999–2000 season, Jasikevičius joined the Slovenian club Union Olimpija. With Union Olimpija, he won the Slovenian Cup. With Union Olimpija, he averaged 9.3 points and 3.4 assists per game.

Barcelona Bàsquet

Jasikevičius played the next three seasons with FC Barcelona, and won the EuroLeague with them in 2003. He started for the championship team, and averaged 13.4 points and 3.2 assists per game. He also led the team to two Spanish League titles, and two Spanish King's Cups.

Maccabi Tel Aviv

Jasikevičius joined Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2003, and helped them win two EuroLeague titles, two Israeli League crowns, and two Israeli Cups. He was named the 2005 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP.

NBA

Jasikevičius signed with the Indiana Pacers in July 2005. The deal was worth $12 million over three years. He played in the NBA with the Pacers in 112 regular season games (16 starts), over one and a half seasons, averaging 7.3 points and 3.0 assists per game.

On 17 January 2007, Jasikevičius was traded to the Golden State Warriors, along with Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington, and Josh Powell, in exchange for Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Ike Diogu, and Keith McLeod. He did not become a part of the rotation in Golden State. He averaged 4.3 points and 2.3 assists per game, in 26 games (2 starts) played, in only 11.9 minutes per game. Jasikevičius was bought out by the Warriors on 20 September 2007.

Panathinaikos Athens

On 25 September 2007, Jasikevičius signed with Panathinaikos. The deal reportedly was worth €7 million euros net income over two years (7.7 million including his buyout). With Panathinaikos, he won the EuroLeague again in 2009. Jasikevičius became the only player in basketball history to win the EuroLeague with three different teams. He also won three Greek League titles and three Greek Cups with Panathinaikos. In 2009, he signed a contract extension worth € 3.5 million euros net income with Panathinaikos. He underwent a knee surgery that same year, and after 5 months of rehabilitation, he returned to the court with limited playing time.

Return to Rytas Vilnius

In November 2010, Jasikevičius signed a one-year contract with Lietuvos rytas of the Lithuanian Basketball League.

Fenerbahçe Istanbul

In January 2011, Fenerbahçe, bought-out Jasikevičius' contract with Lietuvos Rytas, and he signed a one-year contract with them.

Return to Panathinaikos Athens

In September 2011, Jasikevičius signed a new contract with Panathinaikos. At age 36, he was named the Greek Cup Final MVP, as he helped Panathinaikos to victory against Olympiacos, in a game that finished with a score of 71–70.

Return to FC Barcelona Bàsquet

Despite rumors that Jasikevičius would join Žalgiris, in July 2012, Jasikevičius signed with his former team, FC Barcelona Bàsquet. During the fifth Spanish Liga ACB finals game against Real Madrid, Jasikevičius scored 23 points, and dished out 2 assists, in 19 minutes of game action. However, it wasn't enough, as Real won the game 79 to 71.

On 1 July 2013, it was announced that Barcelona had parted ways with Jasikevičius.

Žalgiris

In September 2013, Jasikevičius returned home to Kaunas, signing with Žalgiris. On 30 September 2013, he debuted with Žalgiris, during a game against Unics Kazan, scoring 6 points and dishing out 4 assists. He retired after the season, and joined the Žalgiris coaching staff.

National team career

Lithuanian junior national team

Jasikevičius was a member of the junior national teams of Lithuania. With Lithuania's junior national teams, he won the gold medal at the 1994 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, and the gold medal at the 1996 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship.

Lithuanian senior national team

Jasikevičius started his senior national team career in 1997, when he played for Lithuania's senior national team at the EuroBasket 1997. Jasikevičius was also a member of the senior Lithuanian national team that won the bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He averaged 14.0 points and 5.1 assists, and scored a tournament-high 27 points, in a semifinals loss to the United States.

Jasikevičius also led Lithuania to the EuroBasket 2003 gold medal. He was named the tournament's MVP, after averaging 14.0 points and 8.2 assists per game.

Jasikevičius also helped Lithuania win the bronze medal at the EuroBasket 2007. He averaged 10.4 points and 5.6 assists per game, and scored a tournament-high 18 points against Turkey, on 3 September 2007.

As of 2012, he was the only Lithuanian basketball player to participate in the Summer Olympics four times in a row. He retired from the Lithuanian national team following the 2012 Summer Olympics. Over his entire career as a senior Lithuania national basketball team member, he averaged 10 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. He was named to the FIBA EuroBasket 2000–2020 Dream Team in 2020.

Coaching career

Žalgiris (2014–2020)

On 29 July 2014, Jasikevičius announced his retirement from playing basketball, and was appointed to an assistant coach position with Žalgiris. After the firing of head coach Gintaras Krapikas during the 2015–16 season, Jasikevičius became the team's interim head coach. On 13 January 2016, it was announced that he was appointed their new head coach.

Over the next few years, Jasikevičius took over an underachieving team that almost always failed on the bigger stage, and turned it into a EuroLeague playoff contender. On 22 January 2016, he got his first EuroLeague victory as a head coach, when Žalgiris shockingly crushed the previous season's runners-up, Olympiacos, by a score of 75–55, at Žalgiris Arena. On 26 October 2016, just before the first game versus his former long-time head coach Željko Obradović, Željko said: "I knew that he will be a good coach and in the future - one of the best in Europe". On 13 June 2017, he was named best coach of the 2016–17 LKL season. After the season, San Antonio Spurs and U.S. national team head coach Gregg Popovich invited him to join his coaching staff during the 2017 NBA Summer League. However, Jasikevičius declined, due to previous summer commitments. Jasikevičius also took third place in voting for the 2017 Alexander Gomelsky EuroLeague Coach of the Year award, as Žalgiris finished with a 14-16 record, two games away from the EuroLeague playoffs, while projected to finish last.

During the 2017–18 EuroLeague season, Jasikevičius and his Žalgiris beat expectations by ending in sixth place in the regular season, with an 18-12 record. On 26 April 2018, Žalgiris qualified for the 2018 EuroLeague Final Four by beating Olympiacos in game 4 to clinch a 3–1 series win. It was achieved by having a second lowest budget in the whole league. During the semi-final, Žalgiris played Fenerbahçe, unfortunately losing 76–67. Two days later they faced CSKA Moscow in the bronze medal game, winning that game 77–79 and finishing third for the season. On 20 June 2018, he was named best coach of the 2017–18 LKL season after coaching Žalgiris to yet another Lithuanian League title. On 27 June, Jasikevičius signed one-season contract with Žalgiris. In the 2018-19 season, Žalgiris once again made the EuroLeague playoffs, with a 15-15 record - giving a tough fight against Fenerbahçe, who won the series 3-1. He was named as a LKL Coach of the Year for the third straight time in 2019, with Žalgiris easily winning the LKL championship.

According to Euroleague statistics, Jasikevičius team's defensive rating was 97,0 during the 2019/20 season. Jasikevičius team's offensive rating was 100,7. The tight offensive system by Jasikevičius led to only 15,6 turnovers per game in his last season. Under Šarūnas Jasikevičius, Žalgiris was the third slowest team with 80 possessions per game. This can be explained by mentioning the depth of Jasikevičius playbook, which had more than 40 different plays prepared. Jasikevičius finished his last year with Žalgiris with another LKL championship, along with the King Mindaugas Cup title - Žalgiris also in playoff contention in the EuroLeague, before the season was stopped by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Barcelona (2020–2023)

On 2 July 2020, he signed a two-year contract with FC Barcelona. During his first season as a head coach of FC Barcelona, the club won the 2020–21 EuroLeague Regular Season.

On 26 June 2023, in a surprising move, Jasikevičius parted ways with the Catalan powerhouse after three seasons, despite having won the 2023 Liga ACB championship a few days before. He won two Spanish League (2021, 2023), two Spanish Cup (2021, 2022) and two Catalan League (2022, 2023) with the team, and joined three times to EuroLeague Final Four (2021, 2022, 2023).

After Jasikevičius departure the FC Barcelona Bàsquet did not win any trophies in the next three seasons, which is the worst streak for the FC Barcelona Bàsquet in 49 years (since 1976–1977 season).

Fenerbahçe (2023–present)

On 14 December 2023, Jasikevičius was announced as Fenerbahçe head coach on a three-year deal. He made 15 won and 7 lost in his first season with the team in EuroLeague Basketball, finished sixth place in 2023–24 EuroLeague regular season, beat Monaco in play-offs, helped the team after 4 seasons to join 2024 EuroLeague Final Four. In his first Basketbol Süper Ligi season as a coach with the team, he won the championship against Anadolu Efes in 2023–24 season.

In his second season with the team, he won 23 games in 34 and finished second place in 2024–25 EuroLeague regular season then won EuroLeague Coach of the Year award. In play-offs, they sweep Paris Basketball and join 2025 EuroLeague Final Four. On May 25, 2025, Jasikevičius managed Fenerbahçe to their second EuroLeague championship in Abu Dhabi, defeat the defending champions Panathinaikos in the semi-final, and Monaco in the final. He defended champion Basketbol Süper Ligi as a coach with the team, he won the championship against Beşiktaş Fibabanka in 2024–25 season. This way he achieved his first European Basketball Triple Crown as a head coach. Jasikevičius was also named the Turkish Basketball Super League Coach of the Year this season.

On 24 September 2025, Fenerbahçe, coached by Jasikevičius, won the 2025 Turkish Basketball Presidential Cup, completing a quadruple crown by winning all four major competitions contested in 2025.

Following Nando de Colo's return in early January 2026, Fenerbahçe executive Cem Ciritci responded to a fan's question regarding Jasikevičius' contract extension on social media by replying "tranquilo". On 13 January 2026, Fenerbahçe announced that he signed a three-year contract extension with the club. On 22 February 2026, Fenerbahçe won the Turkish Basketball Cup. In the 2026 EuroLeague Playoffs the Fenerbahçe eliminated 1–3 his hometown team Žalgiris Kaunas and qualified to the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four where the Fenerbahçe was eliminated in the semi-final by the eventual champions Olympiacos B.C. In the 2026 Turkish League final series the Fenerbahçe won 3–1 versus the Beşiktaş J.K., while Jasikevičius became only the second head coach in the history of Fenerbahçe to win three straight Turkish League titles (the other head coach Željko Obradović, 2016–2018).

Career statistics

Coaching record

Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the team played during the season. He also coached in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.

Personal life

In 2006, Jasikevičius became the first European player to have his own nominal basketball shoes manufactured by Adidas.

In 2006, Jasikevičius married Israeli model Linor Abargil, the winner of the Miss World 1998 beauty pageant (as Miss Israel). They divorced in 2008.

In 2009, he met Anna Douka, in an Athens bar. Currently, the pair have two children: a girl named Aila, who was born in 2010, and a boy named Lukas, who was born in 2012. Lukas plays basketball in Fenerbahçe U14.

Šarunas' younger brother, Vytenis Jasikevičius, is also a professional basketball player.

In 2015, his biographical book Laimėti neužtenka (English: To win is not enough) was published in Italian, Greek and Lithuanian languages. An English version was also soon released. Later on, Spanish and Israeli publishing houses also showed interest.

On 21 July 2017, Jasikevičius married the mother of his two children, Anna Douka, after 8 years of relationship. The ceremony was held in Greece. Many famous basketball personalities attended the event, including Željko Obradović, Dimitris Itoudis, Mike Batiste, Paulius Jankūnas, Darius Songaila, and others.

Honors and awards

State awards

Lithuania: Recipient of the Commander's Grand Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (2007)

Lithuania: Recipient of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (2018)

Club career

Lietuvos Rytas (1998–99)

Union Olimpija (1999–2000)

Slovenian Cup: (2000)

FC Barcelona (2000–03)

EuroLeague Championship: (2003)

2× Spanish Championship: (2001, 2003)

2× Spanish Cup: (2001, 2003)

European Triple Crown: (2003)

Maccabi Tel Aviv (2003–05)

2× EuroLeague Championship: (2004, 2005)

2× Israeli Championship: (2004, 2005)

2× Israeli Cup: (2004, 2005)

2× European Triple Crown: (2004, 2005)

Indiana Pacers (2005–07)

NBA Playoffs: (2005–06)

Golden State Warriors (2007)

NBA Playoffs: (2006–07)

Panathinaikos (2007–10)

EuroLeague Championship: (2009)

3× Greek Championship: (2008, 2009, 2010)

2× Greek Cup: (2008, 2009)

European Triple Crown: (2009)

Lietuvos Rytas (2010)

Individual

Spanish League Finals MVP: (2003)

FIBA EuroBasket All-Tournament Team: (2003)

FIBA EuroBasket MVP: (2003)

Mr. Europa: (2003)

2× All-EuroLeague Team: (2004, 2005)

2× All-Europe Player of the Year (2004, 2005)

EuroLeague Final Four MVP: (2005)

EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer: (2005)

Israeli Super League MVP: (2005)

50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors: (2008)

Greek League Best Five: (2009)

EuroLeague 2000–2010 All-Decade Team: (2010)

Greek Cup MVP: (2012)

EuroLeague Legend: (2015)

FIBA EuroBasket 2000–2020 Dream Team: (2020)

Coaching honours

Žalgiris (2016–20)

5× Lithuanian Championship: (2016–2020)

3× King Mindaugas Cup: (2017, 2018, 2020)

FC Barcelona (2020–23)

2× Spanish League: (2021, 2023)

2× Spanish Cup: (2021, 2022)

2× Catalan League: (2022, 2023)

Fenerbahçe (2023-present)

Triple Crown (2024–25)

EuroLeague Championship: (2025)

3x Turkish Championship: (2024-2026)

3x Turkish Cup: (2024–2026)

Turkish Presidential Cup: (2025)

Coaching individual

EuroLeague Coach of the Year (2025)

Catalan League Coach of the Year (2022)

3× LKL Coach of the Year (2017–2019)