Keenan Evans set to join the Lithuanian national team this summer 26

American Keenan Evans, who introduced himself to Zalgiris Kaunas fans this season with his impressive play, will now become an even more important part of our country’s basketball – the guard, who is recovering from an Achilles’ tendon injury, is now looking to wear the jersey of Lithuania’s men’s national basketball team this summer.

The player has started his citizenship paperwork, for which he temporarily left Kaunas and left for the USA last week. It is hoped that the process with the Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF) will be successful and that the player will have the opportunity to become a naturalised player of the national team.

“Initially, it was just thoughts and dreams, but Keenan expressed his desire to play for Lithuania. As far as I understand, maybe the fact that he has found a Lithuanian girlfriend, with whom he might want to have a more serious relationship, has pushed this process. The benefits became mutual. Especially since we have been talking for years about the lack of skilled point guards on the Lithuanian national team,” Kazys Maksvytis, who will coach the Lithuanian men’s national basketball team in this year’s World Cup, commented.

The player, who joined Zalgiris last summer, quickly won the hearts of fans with his strong showcases in the Euroleague. Evans, who was the tournament MVP, was sidelined by an Achilles tendon injury at the beginning of January, but he quickly fell in love with Lithuania and welcomed the opportunity to join the national team.

“Talking with coach, he brought it up kind of as a joke. First I thought he was joking, but he was being serious. Got in contact with my agent, we started doing our research about it, and found out it could be official. Did the paperwork, sent it in, and you know. Coach came here, delivered the news today and… Lietuva.”, the player said.

In July, the Lithuanian men’s national basketball team candidates will start their preparations for the World Cup tournament to be held in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan from 25 August to 10 September. Evans is expected to arrive on time for his first training camp, having already recovered from the serious injury.

“According to the treatment plans, he should be ready in June. He is even ahead of those plans. We hope that he will be able to fully join the training from July onwards,” said Maksvytis.

The player remained positive about joining the national team on time and assured that playing with the Lithuanian national team will help him prepare for another season with Zalgiris.

“It’ll be amazing. The support I’ve received here playing for Zalgiris, it has been amazing. I’ve said it over and over again, best fans in the world. I’m sure I’ll be ramping it up at that time, getting into the flow. It’s just me taking it day by day to prepare myself for that summer. That summer will also work into next season, just trying to get as healthy as I can to be able to help our team next season and, of course, the national team,” explained Evans.