Rokas Giedraitis discusses Shabazz Napier's case, his move to Zvezda / News - Basketnews.com

Rokas Giedraitis explains why he left Baskonia and joined Crvena Zvezda on a one-year deal last summer, names the reason for skipping the 2023 World Cup and opens up on his relationship with Shabazz Napier. The Lithuanian forward also discusses his mindset in crunch time.

Credit: Erikas Ovčarenko/BNS Credit Erikas Ovčarenko/BNS

Among the 18 EuroLeague teams,Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgradeappear to be the most inconsistent.

Rokas Giedraitis

Team:Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet BelgradePosition:SFAge:31Height:200 cmWeight:88 kgBirth place:Tauragė, LithuaniaProfileNewsStatistics

The Serbian side hit the ground running with a resounding 21-point win over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne before a four-game losing streak curbed the enthusiasm caused by some prominent summer signings and the ensuing high expectations.

After coachDusko Ivanovicwas replaced byGiannis Sfairopoulos, Zvezda kept collecting home wins and away losses, with the first exception to that rule being their triumph over Maccabi in Belgrade on December 21.

Judging from what they showed in their last outing, a 65-82 defeat by Panathinaikos AKTOR in Athens on December 28, one can hardly assume they're on the right track.

"It's tough to talk now after this kind of game,"Rokas Giedraitisadmitted upon exiting his team's locker room in the OAKA arena.

Credit Nikola Krstic/MB Media

"We were bad, especially on offense. But the atmosphere was great, and it was good that we played in a full gym. People love basketball here," he added, referring to a home crowd of 18,000 fans.

Giedraitis, 31, found himself on an expiring deal with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz last summer. He joined the Spanish team in 2020 following a two-year stint with ALBA Berlin and previous experiences with various Lithuanian clubs.

In his chat with BasketNews, Giedraitis explained why he left Baskonia and joined Crvena Zvezda on a short-term deal last summer, referred to his decision to skip the 2023 World Cup, and opened up on his relationship with Shabazz Napier.

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