Knicks select Rokas Jokubaitis (34th overall)

[Jalen Bluntson]

Rok Jok gonna save us all!!!

[thebuzzardman]

Rok Jok gonna save us all!!!

He's probably not even an NBA player

[Capn'O]

Rok Jok gonna save us all!!!

He's probably not even an NBA player

Is this a joke? He baited us?

[G_K_F]

Rok Jok gonna save us all!!!

He's probably not even an NBA player

What about WNBA?

[thebuzzardman]

Rok Jok gonna save us all!!!

He's probably not even an NBA player

What about WNBA?

He'd be dominant there.

Would need to change the name to Vulvubaitis though

[thebuzzardman]

Rok Jok gonna save us all!!!

He's probably not even an NBA player

Is this a joke? He baited us?

The Knicks drafted some middling talented Euro guy like whose ceiling is probably Shved or Beno Udrih or Sasha Vujačić

I mean, not bad for 33 or 36 or wherever he was drafted.

He can compete with IQ and McBride for those end of bench garbage time minutes if the Knicks ever get guards with real talent.

[duetta]

Watch on YouTube

[Clyde_Style]

Rok Jok gonna save us all!!!

He's probably not even an NBA player

Is this a joke? He baited us?

[Jalen Bluntson]

He's probably not even an NBA player

Is this a joke? He baited us?

Did it really need green font though? Rok Jok?

[UcanUwill]

He's probably not even an NBA player

Is this a joke? He baited us?

The Knicks drafted some middling talented Euro guy like whose ceiling is probably Shved or Beno Udrih or Sasha Vujačić

I mean, not bad for 33 or 36 or wherever he was drafted.

He can compete with IQ and McBride for those end of bench garbage time minutes if the Knicks ever get guards with real talent.

I agree that his NBA material is limited, but at 21 he is already better than what Vujacic was. He has some serious growing to do to reach prime Shved, Shved is very polarazing Euroleague player, but he is a star player. Jokubaitis is probably the best 21 or younger player in the Eurolegue tho.

Did it really need green font though? Rok Jok?

jok is Lithuanian word, its basically an order to ride, like - go and RIDE that horse, Rokas.

[HarthorneWingo]

Rokas will LOVE New York! Mr. Jokubaitis meet Mr. Berman. Mr. Berman meet Mr. Jokubaitis. I'm sure you both will get along just fine.

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/interviews/1296297/rokas-jokubaitis-i-like-to-read-the-negative-things-about-me-not-the-positive/

Rokas Jokubaitis: I like to read the negative things about me, not the positive
17/JAN/22 15:35
By Antonis Stroggylakis/ AStroggylakis@eurohoops.net

With 26 seconds to play in a rematch of last season’s EuroLeague championship game between Barcelona and Anadolu Efes and the score 80 – 77, Blaugrana guard Rokas Jokubaitis took matters into his own hands.

Jokubaitis got the ball from Kyle Kuric while there were 16 seconds remaining on the shot clock. The Lithuanian guard quickly studied his opponents’ defense and when he saw the opportunity the switches gave him, he began his drive to the basket. He then drew the contact from reigning EuroLeague MVP Vasilije Micic while scoring a quite tough basket in a sequence that put his team up by six.

Game over with a career-high 16 points for Jokubaitis who turned 21 just in November. The finale of this match carried a pretty similar script to what happened in the first-leg game of Efes and Barca in Istanbul when Jokubaitis pulled off a crucial 3-point play in the last minute of overtime to help his team get the road win.

“It’s incredible,” Jokubaitis told Eurohoops. “Sometimes to lead the team to victories, to play in crunch time. To make decisions in overtime. It has a huge impact on my experience for sure.” The interview took place in December when the playmaker was establishing himself as an important part of Barca’s rotation.

Jokubaitis found himself receiving a more substantial role and increased minutes as one of the youngest members of a stacked squad when leading floor general Nick Calathes got injured in late November. Over the last 10 EuroLeague games, he’s registered 10.8 points and 4.3 assists in 22:54 minutes while Barcelona has gone 8-2.

“Things happened very fast,” Jokubaitis said. “A few players go injured. This situations changed thing fast. It was like this (snaps fingers) that I got more playing time. Me and Nicolas Laprovittola are the only two point guards on the team. It’s not very easy. But when it comes to the experience I’m getting… it’s incredible. Players will come back from injuries but I showed coaches that I can play.”

While Jokubaitis’ star in Europe has been shining brighter and brighter (and right now it will be a shocker if he doesn’t win EuroLeague’s actual Rising Star award), the New York Knicks have been paying attention. And he has been watching them back as well.

“Sometimes my Summer League coaches text me to see how I’m doing,” Jokubaitis said. “They reach out to my agent and my agents in the USA. I think few staff members from the Knicks are coming in February [to watch me]. I’ll be in better touch with them.”

“[I’m watching their games] whenever I have a chance. The schedule doesn’t allow it all the time. I follow them and I know what’s happening. I keep in contact with a few players, rookies that I’ve played with in Summer League. I know what’s happening on the team.”

Before Jokubaitis got drafted with the 34th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, scouting reports pointed out aspects of his physicality, defense and limited right hand use among his weaknesses.

He’s in agreement, more or less. “Every time someone asks what I have to improve, is making decisions with the right hand, 3-point shooting and defense. If we are talking about NBA – and EuroLeague of course – it’s physicality, speed, shooting. When I think about it, these scouts are right.”

“I like to read these things – what’s more negative, not the positive” Jokubaitis admitted.

The 2021-22 season didn’t begin well for the Barcelona organization since the highly decorated soccer team was eliminated in the Champions League Group stage for the first time in 20 years. Does Jokubaitis feel that he and the rest of the basketball department have an extra mission to sort of redeem the club?

“It was a little bit sad to see that not everything’s going right for the [soccer] team,” Jokubaitis said. “We need to step it up on the basketball side. We are the same club. We are FC Barcelona, not BC Barcelona.”

[Nazrmohamed]

Rokas will LOVE New York! Mr. Jokubaitis meet Mr. Berman. Mr. Berman meet Mr. Jokubaitis. I'm sure you both will get along just fine.

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/interviews/1296297/rokas-jokubaitis-i-like-to-read-the-negative-things-about-me-not-the-positive/

Rokas Jokubaitis: I like to read the negative things about me, not the positive
17/JAN/22 15:35
By Antonis Stroggylakis/ AStroggylakis@eurohoops.net

With 26 seconds to play in a rematch of last season’s EuroLeague championship game between Barcelona and Anadolu Efes and the score 80 – 77, Blaugrana guard Rokas Jokubaitis took matters into his own hands.

Jokubaitis got the ball from Kyle Kuric while there were 16 seconds remaining on the shot clock. The Lithuanian guard quickly studied his opponents’ defense and when he saw the opportunity the switches gave him, he began his drive to the basket. He then drew the contact from reigning EuroLeague MVP Vasilije Micic while scoring a quite tough basket in a sequence that put his team up by six.

Game over with a career-high 16 points for Jokubaitis who turned 21 just in November. The finale of this match carried a pretty similar script to what happened in the first-leg game of Efes and Barca in Istanbul when Jokubaitis pulled off a crucial 3-point play in the last minute of overtime to help his team get the road win.

“It’s incredible,” Jokubaitis told Eurohoops. “Sometimes to lead the team to victories, to play in crunch time. To make decisions in overtime. It has a huge impact on my experience for sure.” The interview took place in December when the playmaker was establishing himself as an important part of Barca’s rotation.

Jokubaitis found himself receiving a more substantial role and increased minutes as one of the youngest members of a stacked squad when leading floor general Nick Calathes got injured in late November. Over the last 10 EuroLeague games, he’s registered 10.8 points and 4.3 assists in 22:54 minutes while Barcelona has gone 8-2.

“Things happened very fast,” Jokubaitis said. “A few players go injured. This situations changed thing fast. It was like this (snaps fingers) that I got more playing time. Me and Nicolas Laprovittola are the only two point guards on the team. It’s not very easy. But when it comes to the experience I’m getting… it’s incredible. Players will come back from injuries but I showed coaches that I can play.”

While Jokubaitis’ star in Europe has been shining brighter and brighter (and right now it will be a shocker if he doesn’t win EuroLeague’s actual Rising Star award), the New York Knicks have been paying attention. And he has been watching them back as well.

“Sometimes my Summer League coaches text me to see how I’m doing,” Jokubaitis said. “They reach out to my agent and my agents in the USA. I think few staff members from the Knicks are coming in February [to watch me]. I’ll be in better touch with them.”

“[I’m watching their games] whenever I have a chance. The schedule doesn’t allow it all the time. I follow them and I know what’s happening. I keep in contact with a few players, rookies that I’ve played with in Summer League. I know what’s happening on the team.”

Before Jokubaitis got drafted with the 34th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, scouting reports pointed out aspects of his physicality, defense and limited right hand use among his weaknesses.

He’s in agreement, more or less. “Every time someone asks what I have to improve, is making decisions with the right hand, 3-point shooting and defense. If we are talking about NBA – and EuroLeague of course – it’s physicality, speed, shooting. When I think about it, these scouts are right.”

“I like to read these things – what’s more negative, not the positive” Jokubaitis admitted.

The 2021-22 season didn’t begin well for the Barcelona organization since the highly decorated soccer team was eliminated in the Champions League Group stage for the first time in 20 years. Does Jokubaitis feel that he and the rest of the basketball department have an extra mission to sort of redeem the club?

“It was a little bit sad to see that not everything’s going right for the [soccer] team,” Jokubaitis said. “We need to step it up on the basketball side. We are the same club. We are FC Barcelona, not BC Barcelona.”

Max him right now

[HarthorneWingo]

Rokas will LOVE New York! Mr. Jokubaitis meet Mr. Berman. Mr. Berman meet Mr. Jokubaitis. I'm sure you both will get along just fine.

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/interviews/1296297/rokas-jokubaitis-i-like-to-read-the-negative-things-about-me-not-the-positive/

Rokas Jokubaitis: I like to read the negative things about me, not the positive
17/JAN/22 15:35
By Antonis Stroggylakis/ AStroggylakis@eurohoops.net

With 26 seconds to play in a rematch of last season’s EuroLeague championship game between Barcelona and Anadolu Efes and the score 80 – 77, Blaugrana guard Rokas Jokubaitis took matters into his own hands.

Jokubaitis got the ball from Kyle Kuric while there were 16 seconds remaining on the shot clock. The Lithuanian guard quickly studied his opponents’ defense and when he saw the opportunity the switches gave him, he began his drive to the basket. He then drew the contact from reigning EuroLeague MVP Vasilije Micic while scoring a quite tough basket in a sequence that put his team up by six.

Game over with a career-high 16 points for Jokubaitis who turned 21 just in November. The finale of this match carried a pretty similar script to what happened in the first-leg game of Efes and Barca in Istanbul when Jokubaitis pulled off a crucial 3-point play in the last minute of overtime to help his team get the road win.

“It’s incredible,” Jokubaitis told Eurohoops. “Sometimes to lead the team to victories, to play in crunch time. To make decisions in overtime. It has a huge impact on my experience for sure.” The interview took place in December when the playmaker was establishing himself as an important part of Barca’s rotation.

Jokubaitis found himself receiving a more substantial role and increased minutes as one of the youngest members of a stacked squad when leading floor general Nick Calathes got injured in late November. Over the last 10 EuroLeague games, he’s registered 10.8 points and 4.3 assists in 22:54 minutes while Barcelona has gone 8-2.

“Things happened very fast,” Jokubaitis said. “A few players go injured. This situations changed thing fast. It was like this (snaps fingers) that I got more playing time. Me and Nicolas Laprovittola are the only two point guards on the team. It’s not very easy. But when it comes to the experience I’m getting… it’s incredible. Players will come back from injuries but I showed coaches that I can play.”

While Jokubaitis’ star in Europe has been shining brighter and brighter (and right now it will be a shocker if he doesn’t win EuroLeague’s actual Rising Star award), the New York Knicks have been paying attention. And he has been watching them back as well.

“Sometimes my Summer League coaches text me to see how I’m doing,” Jokubaitis said. “They reach out to my agent and my agents in the USA. I think few staff members from the Knicks are coming in February [to watch me]. I’ll be in better touch with them.”

“[I’m watching their games] whenever I have a chance. The schedule doesn’t allow it all the time. I follow them and I know what’s happening. I keep in contact with a few players, rookies that I’ve played with in Summer League. I know what’s happening on the team.”

Before Jokubaitis got drafted with the 34th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, scouting reports pointed out aspects of his physicality, defense and limited right hand use among his weaknesses.

He’s in agreement, more or less. “Every time someone asks what I have to improve, is making decisions with the right hand, 3-point shooting and defense. If we are talking about NBA – and EuroLeague of course – it’s physicality, speed, shooting. When I think about it, these scouts are right.”

“I like to read these things – what’s more negative, not the positive” Jokubaitis admitted.

The 2021-22 season didn’t begin well for the Barcelona organization since the highly decorated soccer team was eliminated in the Champions League Group stage for the first time in 20 years. Does Jokubaitis feel that he and the rest of the basketball department have an extra mission to sort of redeem the club?

“It was a little bit sad to see that not everything’s going right for the [soccer] team,” Jokubaitis said. “We need to step it up on the basketball side. We are the same club. We are FC Barcelona, not BC Barcelona.”

Max him right now

His dribble is still really high IMO for the NBA. I don't know how he gets away with it. We'll see what he's got eventually.

[thebuzzardman]

Excited to see this 15th man soon

[Polk377]

I think people are sleeping in Rokas a little too much. Kid has talent and has gotten better over this season. He is crafty, a knock down shooter, knows where everyone is on the floor, goes hard to the basket and goes hard all the time from whistle to whistle on both ends of the floor. He is another guy that will press you full court and gives no space to breathe to the ball handler. I wouldn't even know what his ceiling is but I think he can be a rotational contributer here as early as next season.

[Jalen Bluntson]

Roku Jockitchbitchass is a stud!

[Nazrmohamed]

Rokas will LOVE New York! Mr. Jokubaitis meet Mr. Berman. Mr. Berman meet Mr. Jokubaitis. I'm sure you both will get along just fine.

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/interviews/1296297/rokas-jokubaitis-i-like-to-read-the-negative-things-about-me-not-the-positive/

Max him right now

His dribble is still really high IMO for the NBA. I don't know how he gets away with it. We'll see what he's got eventually.

Yeah I remember though him inpressing me in SL. Voldoza was actually supposed to be the better prospect but choked in the SL and instead Rokas stood out. Hopefully he comes over next yr

[SelbyCobra]

Your February update on the most intriguing PG under Knicks control.

Read on Twitter

[Nazrmohamed]

He's probably not even an NBA player

Is this a joke? He baited us?

The Knicks drafted some middling talented Euro guy like whose ceiling is probably Shved or Beno Udrih or Sasha Vujačić

I mean, not bad for 33 or 36 or wherever he was drafted.

He can compete with IQ and McBride for those end of bench garbage time minutes if the Knicks ever get guards with real talent.

How do you even know that? I'm encouraged by it. Spurs been doing it for yrs. I thought he looked good in SL. Definitely better than the other euro we picked up. Already forgot his name

[thebuzzardman]

Is this a joke? He baited us?

The Knicks drafted some middling talented Euro guy like whose ceiling is probably Shved or Beno Udrih or Sasha Vujačić

I mean, not bad for 33 or 36 or wherever he was drafted.

He can compete with IQ and McBride for those end of bench garbage time minutes if the Knicks ever get guards with real talent.

How do you even know that? I'm encouraged by it. Spurs been doing it for yrs. I thought he looked good in SL. Definitely better than the other euro we picked up. Already forgot his name

I'm just trying to embrace the negativity.

I hope he's good. I think it'll come down to having enough athleticism to turn the corner on NBA players plus however that impacts defense. He has skills.