Gintaras Einikis
Encyclopedia
Gintaras Einikis (born September 30, 1969 in Kretinga
, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR
) is a retired controversial Lithuania
n professional basketball
player. He stands at 6 ft 10 in (208 cm) and is former Lithuanian
basketball
center
for the Lithuanian national team
. Einikis is the only player from the Lithuanian national team to have won all three consecutive bronze medal
s at the Olympics in Barcelona
, Atlanta and Sydney
.
. He established himself as a strong and aggressive defender, an excellent center and a surprisingly accurate three-point shooter. When Sabonis left Žalgiris, Einikis continued his career as a starter. In 1995, he left for Avtodor Saratov. After dominating with Avtodor, Einikis moved to CSKA Moscow
. After 2 moderate seasons, he moved to Idea-Slask, where he averaged 9 points per game and 4.4 rebounds per game in 22 minutes of Euroleague
action. He moved back to Zalgiris, contributing more to the team. During the last years of his career, however, his averages fell drastically. He retired after the 2005-06 season.
After the incident, Einikis was spotted leaving the club in his car Volkswagen Touareg
. Because he had lost his license a year ago after his involvement in a hit and run
accident, he was fined with additional 2,500 Litas. During the accident, it is speculated that he was on cocaine. The police discovered cocaine powder in his car.
Kretinga
Kretinga is a city in the Klaipėda County, Lithuania. It is the capital of the Kretinga district municipality. It is located east of the popular Baltic Sea resort town of Palanga, and about north of Lithuania's 3rd largest city and principal seaport, Klaipėda.The population was listed as 21,423...
, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) is a retired controversial Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He stands at 6 ft 10 in (208 cm) and is former Lithuanian
Lithuanians
Lithuanians are the Baltic ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,765,600 people. Another million or more make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Russia, United Kingdom and Ireland. Their native language...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
for the Lithuanian national team
Lithuania national basketball team
The Lithuanian national basketball team is the representative for Lithuania in international men's basketball. Lithuania won bronze medals in three out of five Olympic tournaments it participated in....
. Einikis is the only player from the Lithuanian national team to have won all three consecutive bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
s at the Olympics in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Atlanta and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
Player career
In 1987, the 18-year-old Einikis arrived at Žalgiris to replace his injured teammate Arvydas SabonisArvydas Sabonis
Arvydas Romas Sabonis is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player and a businessman. He was an eight-time European Player of the Year, winning the Euroscar Award six times, and the Mr...
. He established himself as a strong and aggressive defender, an excellent center and a surprisingly accurate three-point shooter. When Sabonis left Žalgiris, Einikis continued his career as a starter. In 1995, he left for Avtodor Saratov. After dominating with Avtodor, Einikis moved to CSKA Moscow
PBC CSKA Moscow
PBC CSKA Moscow is a Russian professional basketball team that is based in Moscow, Russia. The club is a member of the VTB United League. It is often referred to in the West as "Red Army" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army. CSKA has won two titles between 2006 and 2009 in Europe's...
. After 2 moderate seasons, he moved to Idea-Slask, where he averaged 9 points per game and 4.4 rebounds per game in 22 minutes of Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
action. He moved back to Zalgiris, contributing more to the team. During the last years of his career, however, his averages fell drastically. He retired after the 2005-06 season.
Controversies
In 2008, Einikis participated in altercation with a night club's staff, yelling insults, threatening physical harm and refusing to leave the club. He and his friend were fined with 3,000 Litas.After the incident, Einikis was spotted leaving the club in his car Volkswagen Touareg
Volkswagen Touareg
The Volkswagen Touareg is a mid-size crossover SUV produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 2002. The vehicle was named after the Tuareg people, a Berber-speaking group in North Africa...
. Because he had lost his license a year ago after his involvement in a hit and run
Hit and run
Hit and run typically refers to:* Hit and run , the crime of failing to stop and identify oneself after a vehicular collision* Hit and run , a baseball play in which runners are in motion before the ball is hit...
accident, he was fined with additional 2,500 Litas. During the accident, it is speculated that he was on cocaine. The police discovered cocaine powder in his car.
Teams
- 1987-1995: ŽalgirisBC ŽalgirisBC Žalgiris is a professional basketball team that is based in Kaunas, Lithuania. It is one of the oldest teams in the Euroleague and plays domestically in the Lietuvos krepšinio lyga , and regionally in the VTB United League...
- 1995-1999: AvtodorAvtodorAvtodor Saratov is a professional basketball team from Saratov, Russia. It is one of the most storied teams in provincial Russia.- Notable players :-External links:**...
, SaratovSaratov-Modern Saratov:The Saratov region is highly industrialized, due in part to the rich in natural and industrial resources of the area. The region is also one of the more important and largest cultural and scientific centres in Russia...
, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... - 1999-2001: CSKA MoscowPBC CSKA MoscowPBC CSKA Moscow is a Russian professional basketball team that is based in Moscow, Russia. The club is a member of the VTB United League. It is often referred to in the West as "Red Army" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army. CSKA has won two titles between 2006 and 2009 in Europe's...
- 2001-2002: Idea-Slask, Wrocław, PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
- 2002-2003: Žalgiris
- 2003-2004: Prokom Trefl SopotProkom Trefl SopotAsseco Prokom Gdynia is a Polish professional basketball team, based in Gdynia, Poland. The team plays in the Polish Basketball League and the Euroleague...
- 2004-2004: Unicaja Málaga
- 2004-2005: BC Lietuvos RytasBC Lietuvos RytasBC Lietuvos rytas is a professional basketball club based in Vilnius, Lithuania playing in the Lithuanian Basketball League , the VTB United League, and the Eurocup...
- 2005-2006: CEZ Basketball NymburkCEZ Basketball NymburkČEZ Basketball Nymburk is a professional basketball team that plays in the top professional Czech basketball league, the NBL. The team is based in the town of Nymburk. The club's main sponsor is ČEZ, a Czech energy company.-History:...
, Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... - 2009-2010: Naglis-Adakris Palanga
Awards/achievements
- Lithuanian LeagueLietuvos Krepšinio LygaThe Lietuvos krepšinio lyga is Lithuania's premier professional men's basketball league, composed of 12 teams.- History :...
Champion - 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2003 - Lithuanian League MVP - 1995
- European Silver Medalist - 1995EuroBasket 1995EuroBasket 1995 final tournament stage was XXIX European basketball championship and was held in Athens, Greece from 21 June to 2 July, 1995. This European championship was the first one that saw the successful return of Lithuania national basketball team to the tournament, since its last triumph...
- Champion of Russian League - 2000
- Champion of Polish League - 2004
- ULEB CupULEB CupEurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
winner - 2005