Meet Arnas Velicka, the "baby-faced killer" from Lithuania at Eurobasket 2025

Lithuania has once again found a top-notch orchestra conductor in its basketball. The injury of Rokas Jokubaitis in the group stage left a huge void at the point guard position, but Arnas Velicka took on the responsibility and did so with a memorable performance in the round of 16 against Latvia: 21 points, 12 assists, 5 rebounds, and a rating of 24, numbers that place him in the history of the EuroBasket.

Only Sarunas Jasikevicius and Mantas Kalnietis had previously dished out more than 10 assists in an elimination game while wearing the Lithuanian jersey.

Jonas Valanciunas did not spare praises: “He is a great player, a killer with a kid's face.” Velicka himself, calm despite the feat, barely hinted at emotion: “I am happy to be on this stage. It was a dream before the summer to be part of the team. Today, I just appreciate the opportunity to play and perform.” His impact was immediate: with him on the court, Lithuania had a +15; without him, the team plummeted to a -6 in just four and a half minutes.

Not even a cut on his head could stop his determination. “I always knew I had this in me,” Valanciunas pointed out amidst laughter. His teammates confirmed their confidence in his performance. Deividas Sirvydis highlighted his silent yet assured character, while Azuolas Tubelis recalled how coach Rimas Kurtinaitis pressured him to step up following Jokubaitis' absence: “We thought it would be tough, but he showed what he's made of at this level.”

Talent from afar

Far from surprising many on the continent, Velicka knew that this was his moment. At 25 years old and with a career marked by stints in leagues in Lithuania, Spain, Estonia, France, Germany, and Italy, he didn’t hesitate to seize the opportunity: “It’s my position, I must lead, bring the ball down, create for everyone. I had played like this in my previous season; I was ready.”

His talent had already shone in lower categories, such as in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket 2019, where he averaged 16.4 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds. However, that outstanding game with the senior national team was missing. In Riga, it arrived, although Velicka didn’t forget the man who led Lithuania to the elimination phase: “Rokas was our leader, he carried all the offensive weight. It was very sad what happened to him. This victory is for him.” In the quarterfinals, facing the winner of Greece vs. Israel.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Así es Arnas Velicka, el "asesino con cara de niño" de Lituania en el Eurobasket 2025