Kazys Maksvytis gives advice to other coaches after his exit from Zalgiris / News - Basketnews.com

Kazys Maksvytis, drawing from his experience coaching Zalgiris Kaunas and the Lithuanian national team simultaneously, advises fellow coaches to prioritize either national team or club commitments for optimal success and quality performance.

Credit: Betsafe-LKL Credit Betsafe-LKL

Kazys Maksvytis has been on a relentless schedule since taking over Zalgiris Kaunas before the 2022-23 season.

Despite the absence of Keenan Evans, he successfully guided the Greens to the EuroLeague playoffs and secured two domestic titles.

Maksvytis then took on the role of coaching the Lithuanian national team in the summer and FIBA World Cup 2023, only to swiftly return to Zalgiris' responsibilities.

However, his tenure at Zalgiris concluded a few weeks ago. The 46-year-old coach found himself in the challenging position of managing two high-pressure roles simultaneously, drawing attention and expectations from the entire nation.

Reflecting on his experience, Maksvytis offered advice to fellow coaches, emphasizing the difficulty of juggling national team and club duties.

"No, I don't have any plans to do that [again]. And if a colleague, for example, Giedrius Zibenas [Lithuanian NT assistant and Rytas Vilnius head coach] was to ask for advice, I would suggest focusing on just one path -- either the national team or the club," Maksvytis stated during Friday's press conference. "I followed that approach myself, but I can say that it is difficult, sometimes even impossible, to perform these two tasks with high quality."

Maksvytis left Zalgiris after a series of losses, with Andrea Trinchieri stepping in as his successor.

Addressing the challenges faced by coaches in club basketball, Maksvytis emphasized mutual support and understanding within the coaching community.

"When it comes to club basketball, coaches become very vulnerable and are the first target to be replaced by teams. Of course, we [coaches] keep in touch, understand our situation, and help each other," he responded.

In addition, Lithuanian Basketball Federation president Vydas Gedvilas revealed in a press conference that Maksvytis will take charge of the Lithuanian national team during the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers.

Originally,Giedrius Zibenas was appointed as the head coach for the EuroBasket Qualifiers in December of the previous year. However, the situation shifted following Maksvytis' departure from Zalgiris.

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