By Eurohoops Team / info@eurohoops.net
New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas believes that his fellow Lithuanian big man Domantas Sabonis deserved to be an All-Star this year.
Amid a stellar season with the Sacramento Kings, Sabonis is widely considered to be one of the biggest 2024 All-Star snubs.
“He’s very talented. He’s a very good player. I think he deserved to be an All-Star. But it is what it is,” Valanciunas said to Eurohoops. “We can’t reverse that back.”
Sabonis and Valanciunas may again join forces for the Lithuanian national team in the 2024 Olympic Qualifiers of Puerto Rico. The latter committed to be with his national team as long as he’s healthy.
“If everything goes according to plan and if I’m healthy then I will play [in the Olympic Qualifiers],” Valanciunas said.
Valanciunas has participated in all kinds of major summer tournaments with Lithuania but never in the Olympic Games. Getting the ticket to Paris will be a dream come true for the 31-year-old NBAer.
“The Olympics is the biggest sports event in the world,'” Valanciunas said. “It’s a big honor to play for your country. It means a lot to be in the Olympics. As an athlete, no matter if you play basketball or any other sport, it’s the biggest accomplishment to be in the Olympics”.
For that to happen, Valanciunas and Lithuania must win the Olympic Qualifying Tournament that will be held in Puerto Rico. “We need to get all the guys together first,” Valanciunas said. “I hope that every player who’s supposed to play for the Lithuanian national team will play and I hope we’re going to get the ticket for the Olympics.”