Eurelijus Žukauskas facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | August 22, 1973 Klaipėda, Lithuania |
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| Nationality | Lithuanian | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 260 lb (118 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1995 / Round: 2 / Pick: 54th overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1994–2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1997 | Neptūnas Klaipėda | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2000 | Žalgiris Kaunas | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Paf Wennington Bologna | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Lokomotiv Mineralnye Vody | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | UNICS Kazan | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Ülker Istanbul | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Olympiacos Piraeus | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Lietuvos rytas Vilnius | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Žalgiris Kaunas | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Eurelijus Žukauskas (born August 22, 1973) is a retired professional basketball player from Lithuania. He was known for being very tall, standing at about 2.18 meters (7 feet 2 inches). He played in the center position, which is usually for the tallest players on a team.
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Basketball Career Highlights
Eurelijus Žukauskas had a long and successful career playing basketball for many different teams. He was a key player in both club competitions and for his national team.
Playing for Clubs
In 1995, Eurelijus was chosen by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1995 NBA draft. He was the 54th player picked overall. Even though he was drafted by an NBA team, he spent his career playing for top teams in Europe.
He played for several well-known clubs, including BC Neptūnas in his hometown of Klaipėda, and BC Žalgiris in Kaunas, Lithuania. He also played for teams in Italy, Russia, and Turkey. In 1999, he helped Žalgiris Kaunas win the EuroLeague championship, which is one of the biggest basketball titles in Europe.
He retired from playing professional basketball on May 20, 2009, after a great career.
Playing for Lithuania
Žukauskas was an important player for the Lithuanian national basketball team for many years, from 1995 to 2004. He helped his country win several medals in major international tournaments.
He won two bronze medals at the Summer Olympic Games: one in 1996 in Atlanta and another in 2000 in Sydney. He also won a gold medal at the EuroBasket 2003 tournament in Sweden, showing that Lithuania was one of the best teams in Europe.
Life After Basketball
After retiring from professional basketball, Eurelijus Žukauskas still stays involved with the sport. He plays basketball for fun in his hometown of Klaipėda. He also helps out as a judge at the Lithuanian League (LKL) Slam Dunk Contest, where players show off their amazing dunking skills.
Awards and Achievements
Eurelijus Žukauskas earned many awards and achievements during his basketball career.
Club Achievements
- EuroLeague champion: (1999)
- 3× Lithuanian League Champion: (1998, 1999, 2008)
- Lithuanian All-Star Game Slam Dunk Contest Champion: (1999)
- FIBA Europe League Champion: (2004)
- 2× Baltic League champion: (2007, 2008)
- Lithuanian League runner-up: (2007)
- Lithuanian Cup winner: (2008)
Lithuanian National Team Achievements
- 1996 Summer Olympic Games:
Bronze - 2000 Summer Olympic Games: Bronze
- FIBA EuroBasket 2003:
Gold
See also
In Spanish: Eurelijus Žukauskas para niños
