Marius Grigonis: “The fact that I’m leaving doesn’t mean it’s forever” 9

Marius Grigonis’ three-year run with Zalgiris has come to an end. The swingman signed a long-term agreement and will be suiting up for CSKA Moscow next season.

Before moving to his new club, Grigonis sat down for a final interview in a green-and-white jersey, as he talked about the years in Zalgiris and his decision to move to CSKA.

“This is my city, my country. It couldn’t not have been fun. I spent so much time with my family, I could see my friends. When the season started, I didn’t want to think about the future, but I had offers coming in already mid-season.

Of course, the first thought was it’d be sad to leave the team. Anyone who knows me, knows hom much this team and this city mean to me. There comes a sadness, but you understand it better later on. You want to aim for the highest goals, keep improving. An offer like this one does not come around too often. No one who’s thinking logically would have rejected it,” – said Grigonis.

Ever-present in the Final Four and coached by two-time EuroLeague champion Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA started casting its nets on Grigonis already during the season. One of Europe’s most wanted guards Marius Grigonis explained that it was difficult to pass on this offer.

“First of all, in terms of sportive achievements – you want to take in as much as you can, be the best player you can. How long do we play basketball? 10 years? Okay, Jankis has been playing for 30 years now, but normal players normally last 10-15 years. I want to take as much as possible from those years. The Moscow team is one of the best in Europe and it’s difficult to pass on their offer.”

Grigonis noted that despite leaving Zalgiris, he’ll continue to be a avid fan of the green-and-whites. At the end of the conversation the hooper let us know that in the right circumstances, he’d love to be back in Kaunas

“I want the best and brightest future for Zalgiris. This year it was a combination between the players left over from Saras’ era and the experienced guys that came in with Martin Schiller. We helped each other. Next year the coach will have more experience, he learned a lot during this difficult season.

Everything goes down to what the budget will be, what players arrive. A lot of pieces have to fall into place so that everything would be fine. I’ll always support Zalgiris, and a basketballer’s roads are unknown –  the fact that I’m leaving doesn’t mean it’s forever,” – finished off Grigonis.