By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Baskonia was the latest team of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague holding its season-opening Media Day. Rokas Giedraitis was asked about his decision to stay part of the team coached by Dusko Ivanovic.
“During the summer, I was able to think about my situation, what I wanted,” he noted, “I had a couple of NBA offers, but I talked with my family and we decided to stay here.”
Giedraitis, 29, had discussed previous NBA options in an interview with Dionysis Aravantinos and Eurohoops. “Of course I want to play in the NBA. I want to try to be there. A couple of years ago I had said that I can fit well in some NBA team,” he pointed out early in the 2020-21 season.
The Lithuanian sharpshooter went on averaging 12.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per Turkish Airlines EuroLeague contest in his first season at Baskonia. He previously introduced himself to the highest stage of continental competition in Europe as a member of ALBA Berlin. He has played in a total of 59 EuroLeague games between the two teams but has yet to display his talents in the NBA.
“I don’t think about the NBA too much. My family is happy. I am happy too,” he mentioned during the annual Media Day revealing the reason he opted to remain in Baskonia for a second season, “We decided to stay because it was the best option.”
The team based in Vitoria-Gasteiz brought in Steven Enoch, Landy Nnoko, Jayson Granger, Wade Baldwin IV, Simone Fontecchio, Vanja Marinkovic, and Matt Costello during the summer to complement returning players Sander Raieste, Tadas Sedekerskis, Alec Peters, Arturs Kurucs, and Giedraitis.