Robertas Javtokas

Career: Siauliai (Lithuania-LKL, 1997-99), Arizona (USA-NCAA, 1999), Lietuvos rytas (Lithuania-LKL, 2000-06), Panathinaikos Athens (Greece, 2006-07). Selected in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft (#56) by the San Antonio Spurs


May 1st, 2002 is a day Robertas Javtokas and fans of basketball in Lithuania will never forget.  The then 22-year-old was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that left doctors wondering if he would ever walk again, let alone return to the basketball court. Despite the life-threatening injury, the 2.11 m center surprised everybody from basketball scouts to Lithuanian and American surgeons with an amazing recovery. He still missed EuroBasket 2003 in Sweden, but was back on the roster for the 2004 Olympics where he proved that he could compete with NBA-level talent. His defensive abilities became the trademark of his game, using his great body and perfect timing to block shots and leap over defenders. At age 18, he won the LKL Slam Dunk Contest by dunking on a rim that was 3.592 meters high! His offensive game has improved over the last few years and in the 2005 ULEB Cup final he scored 14 points, added five rebounds and blocked two shots to collect not only a trophy for the team but an MVP award for himself. The next year Javtokas took another step forward by averaging almost 10 points, over eight rebounds and two blocks per game in Euroleague competition. His solid and consistent play drew the attention of many famous European clubs that tried to sign him in the summer of 2006. Javtokas chose Greek giant Panathinaikos and in Athens he found himself surrounded by a very competitive roster which saw his playing time decrease sharply to nine minutes per game. Despite that, he’s still the player on whom coaches of the National Team can rely when tough defense under the basket is needed.