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Donatas Motiejūnas
Donatas Motiejūnas 20 AS Monaco Basket EuroLeague 20241212 (2).jpg
Motiejūnas with Monaco in 2024
Free agent
Center / Power forward
Personal information
Born (1990-09-20) September 20, 1990 (age 34)
Kaunas, Lithuania
Listed weight 117 kg (258 lb)
Career information
NBA Draft 2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 20th overall
Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Pro career 2005–present
Career history
2005–2007 Žalgiris-Arvydas Sabonis School Kaunas
2007–2008 Žalgiris Kaunas
2007–2008 →Žalgiris-Arvydas Sabonis School Kaunas
2008–2009 Aisčiai Kaunas
2009–2012 Benetton Basket Treviso
2011–2012 →Asseco Prokom Gdynia
2012–2016 Houston Rockets
2012–2013;
2016		 →Rio Grande Valley Vipers
2017 New Orleans Pelicans
2017–2019 Shandong Golden Stars
2019 San Antonio Spurs
2019–2020 Shanghai Sharks
2020–2021 Xinjiang Flying Tigers
2021–2025 AS Monaco
Career highlights and awards
  • 2× LNB Pro A champion (2023, 2024)
  • French Cup winner (2023)
  • All-LNB Pro A Second Team (2023)
  • CBA rebounding champion (2021)
  • All-CBA Foreign First Team (2021)
  • Polish League champion (2012)
  • EuroCup Rising Star (2011)
  • Lithuanian League All-Star (2009)
  • LKL Most Improved Player (2009)
  • LKL champion (2008)
  • Lithuanian Cup winner (2008)
  • Baltic League champion (2008)
  • FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship MVP (2008)
  • Nike International Junior Tournament MVP (2007)
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Lithuania
EuroBasket
Silver 2013 Slovenia
European U-20 Championship
Silver 2008 Latvia U-20 Team
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
Silver 2008 Greece U-18 Team

Donatas Motiejūnas (born September 20, 1990) is a professional basketball player from Lithuania. He plays as a center or Power forward. He recently played for AS Monaco in France. Donatas was picked 20th in the 2011 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has played for many teams around the world, including the Houston Rockets in the NBA.

Donatas Motiejūnas: A Basketball Journey

Starting Out in Lithuania

Diego Fajardo e Motiejūnas
Motiejūnas (front) with Benetton Treviso in 2011

Donatas started his basketball journey in 2005. He joined the junior team of Žalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania. This team played in the Lithuanian National Basketball League. In the 2007–08 season, he played his first game for the main Žalgiris team. He scored 15 points in just 22 minutes!

In 2008, Donatas moved to Aisčiai Kaunas. He had a great season there. He averaged nearly 20 points and 7 rebounds per game. He even scored a season-high 29 points in one game.

Playing in Europe

In August 2009, Donatas signed a contract with Benetton Treviso in Italy. He played well, averaging almost 10 points and 5 rebounds per game in his first season.

He thought about joining the NBA draft in 2010 but decided to stay in Europe. In 2011, he won the EuroCup Rising Star award. This award goes to the best young player in the EuroCup competition. He helped his team reach the Final Four.

After being drafted by the NBA, Donatas played for Asseco Prokom in Poland during the 2011–12 season. This was because of an NBA lockout, which meant players couldn't play in the NBA at that time. He set a record in the EuroLeague by getting 21 rebounds in one game. He also helped his team win the Polish Basketball League championship.

Time in the NBA

On July 6, 2012, Donatas officially joined the Houston Rockets. He played in the NBA Summer League and showed his skills. He scored 25 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in his first game. He even used a famous Lithuanian saying: "If you're scared of wolves, don't go into the woods." This meant he was ready for any challenge.

Learning in the D-League

Sometimes, players are sent to the NBA Development League (now called the G-League) to get more playing time. Donatas was sent there a few times. He played very well in the D-League, averaging over 20 points and almost 10 rebounds per game. This helped him improve his skills.

Making His Mark with the Rockets

In the 2014–15 season, Donatas really shined. He played a lot more when other key players were injured. He showed he could score and rebound consistently. He even scored a career-high 26 points in a game against the Boston Celtics. He was known for his great "post-up" moves, which means scoring close to the basket.

Unfortunately, a back injury ended his 2014–15 season early. He had surgery and worked hard to recover. He returned to play for the Rockets in December 2015. He even got his first "double-double" (scoring double digits in two different stats, like points and rebounds) in the playoffs.

Moving to New Orleans

After the 2015–16 season, Donatas became a free agent. This means he could choose which team to play for. After some contract discussions, he signed with the New Orleans Pelicans in January 2017. He played 21 games for them, but his role changed when the team traded for another big player, DeMarcus Cousins.

Playing in China

In August 2017, Donatas signed a big contract with the Shandong Golden Stars in China. He became one of the highest-paid foreign players in the league. He had some amazing games there. In one game, he got a "triple-double" (double digits in three stats) with 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. He also set a personal record with 35 points in a playoff game.

In November 2018, he set a new career high for rebounds, grabbing 32 rebounds in one game! He continued to play very well in China, averaging many points and rebounds.

He later played for the Shanghai Sharks and the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in China. He was a top rebounder in the league.

Back to Europe with AS Monaco

In August 2021, Donatas returned to Europe and signed with AS Monaco Basket. He helped Monaco win the French LNB Pro A championship in both 2023 and 2024. He also won the French Cup in 2023. He renewed his contract with Monaco until 2025.

Playing for Lithuania

Donatas has proudly represented his home country, Lithuania, in many international competitions.

He played for Lithuania's Under-16, Under-18, and Under-20 national teams. In 2008, he led the Under-18 team to a silver medal at the European Championship. He was even named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of that tournament!

In 2013, he won a silver medal with the senior Lithuanian national team at the FIBA EuroBasket tournament. He also played in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Personal Life

Donatas has a cool tattoo on his chest of an eagle holding a basketball. He says he likes eagles because "They never give up." He is also a fan of the German football club FC Bayern Munich and the Germany national football team.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular Season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2012–13 Houston 44 14 12.2 .455 .289 .627 2.1 .7 .2 .2 5.7
2013–14 Houston 62 3 15.4 .443 .250 .604 3.6 .5 .3 .3 5.5
2014–15 Houston 71 62 28.7 .504 .368 .602 5.9 1.8 .8 .5 12.0
2015–16 Houston 37 22 14.8 .439 .281 .642 2.9 1.1 .5 .1 6.2
2016–17 New Orleans 34 0 14.1 .413 .234 .510 3.0 1.0 .5 .3 4.4
2018–19 San Antonio 3 0 4.3 .500 — .000 1.0 .3 .0 .3 2.0
Career 251 101 18.2 .469 .300 .597 3.8 1.1 .5 .3 7.3

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2013 Houston 1 0 5.0 1.000 — 1.000 1.0 — — — 5.0
2016 Houston 5 4 19.6 .432 .444 .471 5.2 1.0 .8 .4 8.8
2019 San Antonio 5 0 3.8 .600 .000 .500 1.4 .4 — — 2.6
Career 11 4 11.1 .490 .400 .500 3.1 .6 .4 .2 5.6

EuroLeague

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2007–08 Žalgiris 3 0 7.2 .200 .000 1.000 2.7 — — — 1.3 1.3
2011–12 Gdynia 10 10 31.3 .436 .304 .455 7.9 .9 .6 .8 12.5 13.7
2021–22 Monaco 38 34 19.5 .572 .327 .447 4.6 .7 .5 .3 9.7 10.8
2022–23 41* 37 17.8 .573 .250 .558 3.7 .8 .3 .1 8.5 10.0
2023–24 39 32 17.7 .550 .377 .727 3.4 .9 .4 .2 8.8 10.1
Career 131 113 18.9 .547 .319 .562 4.2 .8 .4 .3 9.1 10.3

EuroCup

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2009–10 Benetton Treviso 12 7 19.7 .547 .714 .444 3.3 .6 1.2 .1 7.6 8.3
2010–11 16 16 27.4 .441 .154 .620 5.6 .8 .9 .6 10.9 10.9
Career 28 23 24.1 .473 .273 .561 4.6 .7 1.0 .4 9.5 9.8

Domestic Leagues

Year Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2008–09 Lithuania Aisčiai LKL 20 30.1 .478 .422 .748 7.6 1.4 1.0 .8 21.0
2009–10 Italy Benetton Treviso LBA 31 20.3 .515 .357 .725 4.7 .6 1.2 .2 9.2
2010–11 Italy Benetton Treviso LBA 37 25.6 .525 .429 .715 4.3 .9 1.2 .4 12.8
2011–12 Poland Gdynia PLK 25 27.0 .468 .286 .667 6.6 1.3 1.2 .9 15.7
2011–12 Poland Gdynia VTBUL 16 26.7 .477 .326 .655 7.5 .7 .7 .4 13.4
2012–13 United States R. G. Valley Vipers D-League 31 34.5 .518 .174 .625 9.7 3.0 .9 .4 20.3
2015–16 United States R.G. Valley Vipers D-League 4 25.0 .525 .467 .500 5.7 3.0 1.0 1.0 13.0
2017–18 China Shandong G.S. CBA 48 34.2 .576 .352 .571 12.0 2.8 1.5 .6 23.6
2018–19 China Shandong G.S. CBA 37 34.2 .551 .323 .528 14.0 4.2 1.8 .8 27.3
2019–20 China Shanghai Sharks CBA 28 36.7 .530 .303 .503 15.1 3.5 1.8 .5 22.8
2020–21 China Xianjiang F.T. CBA 42 34.2 .586 .403 .421 13.7 4.2 2.0 .7 21.6
2021–22 France Monaco LNB Élite 36 20.9 .576 .279 .609 4.5 1.2 .7 .2 11.0
2022–23 France Monaco LNB Élite 36 17.9 .606 .512 .602 4.6 1.0 .5 .2 10.7
2023–24 France Monaco LNB Élite 24 14.3 .530 .344 .605 3.3 1.1 .4 .1 7.5

See also

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