Zalgiris part ways with Zdovc, announce Kazys Maksvytis / News - Basketnews.com

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The coaching staff of Zalgiris Kaunas will undergo a change. Jure Zdovc, who has been the head coach since mid-October last year, is set to leave the team on a mutual agreement, and the head coach position will be taken over by the 44-year-old Lithuanian national team head coach Kazys Maksvytis from Tuesday.

2-pointers this season

51%18,1Points made:18,1Accuracy:51,4%Place in standings:16Record max:28Record min:11Most made 2FGs:Josh NeboTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

He will be joined on the coaching staff by Gintaras Krapikas, who has already spent time in Zalgiris coaching ranks. Tautvydas Sabonis and Evaldas Berzininkaitis will continue working for the team.

"First of all, I would like to thank coach Zdovc for his work and dedication. Jure joined the team at a really difficult time, he tried to help the team and deserves a lot of praise for that," said Zalgiris Kaunas Director Paulius Motiejunas.

"However, we have decided to lay the foundations not only for the end of this season, but also for next year, so we have decided to make the changes now.

It's no secret that Maksvytis will have to spend the summer working for the Lithuanian men's national basketball team, so he will be able to use the months of this season to get to know the players and coaches, as well as to convey his philosophy and mentality to the people who will be staying in the club, so that he can prepare for the new season with a clear plan."

Maksvytis became the head coach of the Lithuanian national team last autumn and was recently in charge of Parma in Russia. He left the club after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Prior to that, he worked in Lithuanian teams Neptunas and Lietkabelis, who he led to the Lithuanian Basketball League finals. Maksvytis made his EuroLeague debut with Neptunas in the 2014-15 season.

The contract with Maksvytis will keep him in Kaunas for the foreseeable future, as he put a pen on a 2+1 deal, excluding this season.

Maksvytis is set to begin his tenure on Tuesday, as he joins his first Zalgiris practice. An interview with the coach will be published on Zalgiris Insider in the upcoming days, followed by a public press conference.

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