Mantas Kalnietis

Mantas Kalnietis
Free agent
Position Point guard
Personal information
Born 6 September 1986
Kaunas, Lithuania
Nationality Lithuanian
Listed height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight 205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
NBA draft 2008 / Undrafted
Pro career 2003–present
Career history
2003–2006 BC Žalgiris-2
2006–2012 Žalgiris Kaunas
2012–2015 Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar
Career highlights and awards
  • Europe Students Championship Champion (2007)
  • World Students Summer Universiade Champion (2007)
  • ULEB Summer League MVP (2007)
  • 4× BBL Champion (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012)
  • 2× LKF Cup (2007, 2008)
  • 4× LKL Champion (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012)
  • BBL Slam Dunk Champion (2007)
  • 5× LKL All-Star (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
  • ULEB Summer League MVP (2007)
  • LKL Slam Dunk Champion (2008)
  • Lithuania Basketball Player Of The Year (2013)
  • ULEB Cup (2013)

Mantas Kalnietis (born 6 September 1986) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player who last played for Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar of the VTB United League. He is also a member of the Lithuanian national basketball team. He prefers the point guard position, but can play shooting guard as well.

Early years

Kalnietis spent two and a half seasons with the LKKA-Žalgiris. He averaged 17.7 points and 4.3 assists in his second season.[1]

Professional career

Kalnietis made his pro debut in February 2006 with the Žalgiris of Kaunas. He averaged 6.8 points on 65 percent shooting in the Euroleague.

Kalnietis helped Žalgiris win a Baltic League title in 2008, two Lithuanian League titles in 2007 and 2008 and two Lithuanian Cups in 2007 and 2008. He also led the team to a 2007 ULEB Summer League title, where he was named MVP.[2]

He competed at the Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso in 2006 and 2008.[3][4]

Kalnietis had a breakout season in 2008–09, when he averaged 11.3 points in the Lithuanian League and 8.5 points and 3.0 assists in the Euroleague. He scored a career-high 20 points in a loss against the Montepaschi Siena on 10 December 2008.[5]

Kalnietis signed a three-year contract with the Benetton Treviso in June 2009.[6][7][8] However, because he has another one-year contract with Žalgiris Kaunas, FIBA arbiter's decided that he belongs to Žalgiris.[9] On 27 December 2010 he signed a three-year extension with his hometown club Žalgiris Kaunas.[10] In October 2012, however, he announced that he's interested in playing abroad for the first time in Russia's Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar. On October 5, he signed a three-year contract with the team.[11] On December 18, 2013, Kalnietis was named Lithuania Basketball Player Of The Year.[12] On April 27, 2015, he parted ways with Lokomotiva.[13]

Lithuanian national team

Kalnietis started at point guard for the Lithuanian national basketball team that finished seventh in the 2006 World Championship. He averaged 6.0 points and 2.8 assists. He also played at the 2010 FIBA World Championship as a starter and won a bronze medal. He led Lithuania national team during EuroBasket 2013 to silver medals averaging 12.1 points and 5 assists per game (best result in championship[14]).

Euroleague

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2005–06 Žalgiris 4 1 16.2 .647 .333 .333 1.8 2.0 1.3 .5 6.8 8.5
2006–07 Žalgiris 13 1 12.5 .655 .333 .500 1.2 1.3 .8 .1 4.0 4.2
2007–08 Žalgiris 16 0 7.2 .500 .167 .444 .7 .8 .1 .0 1.6 1.1
2008–09 Žalgiris 10 6 24.4 .481 .310 .727 2.3 3.0 1.3 .2 8.5 7.3
2009–10 Žalgiris 16 16 30.1 .642 .275 .800 2.8 3.6 1.0 .2 9.0 10.2
2010–11 Žalgiris 15 7 22.1 .588 .371 .750 2.3 1.9 .2 .1 9.1 8.7
2011–12 Žalgiris 16 12 22.1 .520 .222 .636 2.5 3.7 .6 .1 7.6 7.6
2013–14 Lokomotiv 24 19 28.1 .575 .250 .658 3.0 4.8 1.0 .1 9.4 11.8
Career 90 62 20.3 .571 .283 .667 2.1 2.4 .6 .1 6.6 8.1


References

  1. ↑ "Mantas Kalnietis". BasketNews.lt.
  2. ↑ "Mantas Kalnietis: Miscellaneous". Euroleague.net. 6 September 1986.
  3. ↑ Mantas Kalnietis: Notes
  4. ↑ "2008 Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso, Day Two". Draftexpress.com.
  5. ↑ "Mantas Kalnietis: Sezono lygos statistika". Basketnews.lt. 6 September 1986.
  6. ↑ "Mantas Kalnietis signs with Benetton Treviso". Eurobasket.lt. 20 August 2008.
  7. ↑ Mantas Kalnietis to Benetton Treviso for 3 years
  8. ↑ "BENETTON TREVISO signs guard Mantas Kalnietis". Sportando.net.
  9. ↑ FIBA arbiter's decision: Mantas Kalnietis – Zalgiris Kaunas player.
  10. ↑ "ZALGIRIS, Kalnietis agree for 3 more years". Euroleague.net. 27 December 2010.
  11. ↑ Lokomotiv Kuban signs Mantas Kalnietis to a three-year deal
  12. ↑ Geriausi 2013 metų Lietuvos krepšininkai – M. Kalnietis ir L. Pikčiutė! (Lithuanian)
  13. ↑ Mantas Kalnietis and Lokomotiv Kuban part ways
  14. ↑ Players - Statistical Leaders (assists), EuroBasket2013.com (English)

External links

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