Robertas Javtokas facts for kids
Javtokas with Lithuania's national team in 2013
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | March 20, 1980 Šiauliai, Lithuania |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 270 lb (122 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Arizona (1999–2000) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2001 / Round: 2 / Pick: 55th overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the San Antonio Spurs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2000–2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2006 | Lietuvos rytas Vilnius | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Panathinaikos | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Dynamo Moscow | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Khimki | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Valencia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2017 | Žalgiris Kaunas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Robertas Javtokas (born March 20, 1980) is a famous Lithuanian basketball player who used to play as a center. He was known for his height, standing at 2.11 meters (6 feet 11 inches). After his playing career, he became a sports director for the Žalgiris Kaunas basketball club.
Javtokas was chosen by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2001 NBA draft. He also played for the Lithuanian national team starting in 2004.
Contents
Player Profile: Skills and Strengths
Robertas Javtokas was a very athletic player, especially when he was younger. He had long arms and was very coordinated. He was a great jumper and could easily dunk the ball even when other players were trying to stop him. He once even set a world record by dunking on a 12-foot-high basket!
Javtokas was also known for being a strong rebounder, which means he was good at getting the ball back after a missed shot. He was also a good defender, helping to stop the other team from scoring.
Professional Basketball Career
Playing in Europe
Robertas Javtokas started his professional career in 2000 with the team Lietuvos rytas in Lithuania. He quickly became one of the best centers in the Lithuanian League. With his team, he won the Lithuanian League championship in 2002 and also the North European League championship.
In 2005, he helped Lietuvos rytas win the EuroCup championship, which is a big European basketball competition. He was even named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the EuroCup Finals that year!
In 2006, Javtokas helped his team, Lietuvos rytas, play well in the EuroLeague, which is the highest level of basketball in Europe. They also won the Baltic League Championship and beat their main rival, Žalgiris, to win the Lithuanian league again.
After that successful season, Javtokas decided to join a new team, Panathinaikos, for the 2006–07 season. With Panathinaikos, he had an amazing year, winning the Greek League championship, the Greek Cup, and the EuroLeague championship. This meant his team won the "Basketball Triple Crown," a very special achievement!
Later, he played for other teams like Dynamo Moscow in Russia (2007–2009), Khimki Moscow Region (2009–2010), and Power Electronics Valencia in Spain (2010–2011).
In 2011, Robertas Javtokas returned to Lithuania and joined Žalgiris, one of the country's top teams. He played for Žalgiris for many years, helping them win multiple Lithuanian League titles. In 2012, he was even named one of the top 10 EuroCup players of all time!
On June 8, 2017, Robertas Javtokas announced that he was retiring from playing professional basketball. His last game was on June 9, 2017.
NBA Draft Experience
Robertas Javtokas was chosen by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2001 NBA draft. He was the 55th player picked overall. Even though the Spurs kept his draft rights for 16 years, Javtokas never played a game in the NBA. He is one of a few players from that draft who didn't get to play in the league.
Playing for His Country: The National Team
Javtokas first played for the senior men's Lithuanian national team at the 2004 Summer Olympics. He continued to represent Lithuania in major tournaments.
He played in the EuroBasket 2005 tournament. He also helped Lithuania win a bronze medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. Later, he won silver medals with the national team at EuroBasket 2013 and EuroBasket 2015. He also earned a bronze medal at Eurobasket 2007.
Life After Playing Basketball
After retiring from playing in 2017, Robertas Javtokas wanted to stay involved in basketball. He was invited to become the sports director for Žalgiris Kaunas, the same club he played for in his final years. He worked in this role until July 1, 2021, when he decided to try for the president position of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation.
Awards and Achievements
Team Titles
- 9× Lithuanian League Champion: 2000, 2002, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- North European League Champion: 2002
- ULEB Cup (EuroCup) Champion: 2005
- Baltic League Champion: 2006
- Greek Cup Winner: 2007
- EuroLeague Champion: 2007
- Greek League Champion: 2007
- Triple Crown Winner: 2007
National Team Medals
- EuroBasket 2007: Bronze Medal
- 2010 FIBA World Championship: Bronze Medal
- EuroBasket 2013: Silver Medal
- EuroBasket 2015: Silver Medal
Individual Awards
- 3× Lithuanian League All-Star Game: 2001, 2002, 2006
- Lithuanian League Rookie of the Year: 2001
- Lithuanian All-Star Game MVP: 2002
- EuroCup Finals MVP: 2005
- Led the Lithuanian League in blocked shots: 2006
- Led the Baltic League in blocked shots: 2006
- 2× Lithuanian League Slam Dunk Champion: 2000, 2001
Personal Life and Challenges
High School Years
Robertas Javtokas went to high school in the United States for a short time. He attended Bishop McGuinness High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for one year. He also went to St. Vincent – St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, which is the same school that famous basketball player LeBron James attended. Robertas has an older brother, Artūras Javtokas, who also played basketball.
Motorcycle Accident
On May 1, 2002, Robertas Javtokas was in a very serious motorcycle accident while driving near Vilnius. He was going fast when a van turned in front of him. He crashed into the van and then into another car. Robertas was thrown a long distance and suffered serious injuries to his leg, shoulder, and other parts of his body. It was a very difficult time, but he worked hard to recover. He was able to return to playing basketball for the 2003–04 season, showing incredible strength and determination.
See also
In Spanish: Robertas Javtokas para niños
