Zalgiris brings back Mantas Kalnietis 0

Zalgiris Kaunas reached an agreement with homegrown point guard Mantas Kalnietis, who penned a one-year deal with the Lithuanian powerhouse on Friday.

Born in Kaunas and raised in Zalgiris, Kalnietis made his Euroleague debut with the team in the 2005-06 season. He played seven Euroleague seasons with Zalgiris and another one with Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, totalling 818 points and 329 assists in 114 games.

“Getting back to Zalgiris is a good feeling. I grew up here and am happy that I will be able to play again in Kaunas. Maybe I didn’t expect to return to the team so soon but I am glad I made this choice. In particular, I am pleased to be completely healthy and I hope to help the club achieve its goals,” Kalnietis said. “All of us really want to get past the Euroleague Top 16. We want our fans to celebrate that we reached the playoffs and fight to make it to the Final Four.”

Kalnietis helped Zalgiris win 4 Lithuanian League, 4 Baltic League and 3 Lithuanian Cup titles from 2006 to 2012. He helped Lokomotiv lift the Eurocup trophy and reach the VTB League finals in 2013.

Kalnietis is also a regular member of the Lithuanian national team, helping it get it get a bronze medal at the 2010 FIBA World Cup and a silver medal at EuroBasket 2013.