Modestas Paulauskas
 Paulauskas in 1970 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born |
19 March 1945 Kretinga, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Lithuanian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1962–1976 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Small forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 1977–1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1962–1976 | Žalgiris Kaunas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Žalgiris Kaunas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Statyba-Lietuvos rytas Vilnius | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Modestas Paulauskas[note 1] (19 March 1945) is a Lithuanian basketball coach and retired basketball player. He is known for being one of the best Lithuanian basketball players of all-time, and for having superior dribbling ability. He was selected as the Lithuanian Sportsman of the Year a record seven times, in 1965–1967, and 1969–1972.[1]
In 1991, he was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players.
Playing career
Club career
Paulauskas spent his whole career with Žalgiris Kaunas despite getting attention from teams based in Western Europe and National Basketball Association (NBA). He could not join them due to political reasons as Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union and people could not freely decide where to make or continue their career. He was also asked to join Žalgiris Kaunas's main rival CSKA Moscow, but he declined.[2]
Soviet national team
Paulauskas was a part of the senior Soviet Union national basketball teams that won the bronze medal at the 1968 Summer Olympic Games, and the gold medal at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games.[3] Paulauskas became the captain of the senior Soviet national team in 1969.[4]
Coaching career
After retiring from playing basketball competitions, Paulauskas worked as a coach of the Soviet Union junior national teams from 1977 to 1989. In the early 1990s, he was the head coach of his native club, Žalgiris Kaunas.[5] After that, he coached basketball in schools, both in Lithuania and in Russia.[6]
Notes
- ↑ Lithuanian: Modestas Juozapas Paulauskas
Russian: Модестас Йозапас Феликсович Паулаускас
References
- ↑ Stankovic, Vladimir. "Modestas Paulauskas, the first Lithuanian "King"". Euroleague.net. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ↑ Butkus, Saulius (7 April 2015). "Į NBA kviestas M. Paulauskas: jei būčiau išvykęs, būtų nukentėję mano artimieji". DELFI (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 21 June 2017.
- ↑ Modestas Paulauskas. sports-reference.com
- ↑ Andzelis, Paulius. "M.Paulauskas: "Marškinėlių pakėlimas – didžiausias įvertinimas žaidėjui"". Žalgiris.lt. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
- ↑ Khodorkovskii, Boris. Баскетбол. Три секунды и тридцать лет. evasport.ru
- ↑ Nagornyh Elena (17 November 2008) Уроки Паулаускаса. rg.ru
Further reading
- (in Lithuanian) INTERVIU: M.Paulauskas: "Noriu būti reikalingas" (FOTO). Eurobasket.lt.
- (in Lithuanian) Modestas PAULAUSKAS. Kauno diena.
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