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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| Nationality | Lithuanian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 Lithuanian basketball expert and former player. He used to be the sports director for Žalgiris Kaunas. Robertas is very tall, standing at 2.11 meters (6 feet 11 inches). He played as a center in basketball. He was part of the senior men's Lithuanian national team starting in 2004. In the 2001 NBA draft, the San Antonio Spurs picked him as the 55th player overall.
Contents
Robertas Javtokas: Player Profile
When Robertas was young, he was a very athletic player. He had long arms and moved well. He was a great jumper, able to leap 40 inches high. This allowed him to easily dunk the ball even when other players were around. He was also good at running across the court. He could make plays from outside the main playing area. Robertas was known as a strong rebounder. He was also a very good defender. He once set a world record by dunking on a basket that was 12 feet high!
Robertas Javtokas's Professional Basketball Journey
Playing in Europe
In 2000, Robertas Javtokas joined a team called Lietuvos rytas. He quickly became one of the best centers in the Lithuanian League. With his teammates, he helped Lietuvos rytas win the 2002 Lithuanian League championship. They also won the North European League championship that same year.
After a serious accident in 2002, Robertas missed the entire 2003 season. He made a strong comeback in 2004. In 2005, he helped his team win the EuroCup championship. He was even named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the EuroCup Finals!
In 2006, Lietuvos rytas played well in the EuroLeague. They also beat their main rival, Žalgiris, in the Lithuanian league finals. The team also won the Baltic League Championship. After this successful season, Robertas decided to join a new club. He wanted to play in the EuroLeague again and get a better contract.
For the 2006–07 season, he joined Panathinaikos in Greece. With them, he won the Greek League championship. They also won the Greek Cup title. The team achieved the EuroLeague championship too. This meant they won the special "Basketball Triple Crown" that year. Even though he played limited minutes, he was part of this amazing winning team.
On July 24, 2007, Robertas signed a two-year deal with Dynamo Moscow in Russia. While playing for Dynamo, he improved his free-throw shooting. He also scored more points per game. In 2009, he moved to another Russian club, Khimki Moscow Region. On July 15, 2010, he signed a two-year contract with the Spanish team Power Electronics Valencia.
In June 2011, Robertas returned to Lithuania. He signed a three-year contract with Žalgiris, a top club in the Lithuanian league. His contract was extended in 2015 and again in 2016. On June 20, 2012, Robertas Javtokas was named one of the top 10 EuroCup players of all time. He was ranked 4th on that list.
On June 8, 2017, Robertas Javtokas announced he was stopping his professional basketball career. He played his very last game on June 9, 2017.
NBA Draft Rights Explained
Robertas Javtokas was chosen by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2001 NBA draft. He was the 55th player picked overall. When a team picks a player in the NBA draft, they get his "draft rights." This means they have the first chance to sign him to play in the NBA. The San Antonio Spurs kept Robertas's draft rights for 16 years. They held them until 2017, when he decided to retire from basketball. Robertas is one of eight players from the 2001 NBA Draft who never played a game in the NBA.
Playing for His Country: Lithuanian National Team
Robertas Javtokas first played for the senior men's Lithuanian national team at the 2004 Summer Olympics. He played well, scoring almost 9 points and getting over 4 rebounds per game.
At the EuroBasket 2005 tournament, he played in six games for Lithuania. He averaged 11 points and nearly 6 rebounds per game. He was very good at making shots close to the basket.
He also played with Lithuania at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. In this big tournament, his team won a bronze medal, which is a great achievement! He also helped Lithuania win two silver medals at EuroBasket 2013 and EuroBasket 2015, and another bronze medal at Eurobasket 2007.
What Robertas Javtokas Did After Playing
After he stopped playing professional basketball in 2017, Robertas Javtokas wanted to stay involved in the sport. The club Žalgiris Kaunas asked him to become their sports director. In this role, he helped manage the team's sports operations. On July 1, 2021, Robertas left Žalgiris Kaunas. He decided to try and become the president of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation.
Awards and Achievements
Robertas Javtokas won many awards and titles during his career:
Team Championships
- Lithuanian League Champion: 9 times (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
- European Basketball Triple Crown Winner: 2007 (winning EuroLeague, national league, and national cup in one season)
Medals with the Lithuanian National Team
- EuroBasket 2007: Bronze Medal
- 2010 FIBA World Championship: Bronze Medal
- EuroBasket 2013: Silver Medal
- EuroBasket 2015: Silver Medal
Personal Awards
- Lithuanian League All-Star Game: 3 times (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
- Lithuanian League Slam Dunk Champion: 2 times (2000, 2001)
Robertas Javtokas's Personal Life
Robertas Javtokas went to high school in the United States. He attended St. Vincent – St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. This is the same school that famous basketball player LeBron James went to. Robertas also spent a year at Bishop McGuinness High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1997–1998. His older brother, Artūras Javtokas, was also a basketball player.
His Motorcycle Accident
On May 1, 2002, Robertas was involved in a serious motorcycle accident. He was driving his motorcycle when a van turned in front of him. He couldn't stop in time and hit the van. He then crashed into another car. Robertas was thrown a long distance. He landed in some bushes. He suffered several injuries, including a broken thighbone, a broken shoulder, and injuries to his knee and kidneys. After a lot of recovery, he was able to return to playing basketball for the 2003–04 season.
Images for kids
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Javtokas, with Lithuania's national team, in 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Robertas Javtokas para niños
