Latest news with #Jakučionis
Chicago Tribune
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Kasparas Jakučionis feels ready for the NBA draft — and excited for Illinois' new wave of ‘Balkan Ballers'
On the second day of the NBA draft combine, Illinois guard Kasparas Jakučionis was excited simply to be in an NBA jersey. OK, so technically it wasn't a real NBA jersey. Draft prospects spend the week wearing boilerplate scrimmage pinnies emblazoned with the combine logo. But to Jakučionis, that was symbolic of the step he's about to take toward a lifelong dream. 'Everyone starts (dreaming) when they're little,' he said Wednesday at Wintrust Arena. 'If your dream is not to play in the NBA, you're not a real basketball player.' Jakučionis spent most of his freshman season at Illinois as a projected lottery pick while averaging 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists. While some inconsistencies showed the 18-year-old's relative rawness, Jakučionis flashed playmaking potential that could translate well to the NBA. Midway through the week, Jakučionis felt the combine had been a positive experience. He measured well with a 6-foot-7¾ wingspan that outpaces his height (6-4¾) by 3 inches. His shooting was a mixed bag — he went 17 of 25 (68%) to finish in the top 20 of all combine participants in spot-up shooting, then made only 16 of 30 (53.3%) in the off-the-dribble drill. For many prospects, combine week can be a reminder of the work left to do before they can become truly competitive NBA players. Jakučionis was no exception. He said he spent the weeks after Illinois' season ended focused on building strength in the weight room, improving his foot speed on defense and increasing the reliability of his shot. His draft projections have been anything but consistent. Various league experts have Jakučionis getting selected anywhere from fifth to 10th — or even dropping out of the lottery (top 14) entirely. These fluctuations have less to do with his overall talent than with the draft order, which was upended Monday when the Dallas Mavericks won the lottery. For now, Jakučionis is focused on making a strong impression on teams looking to bolster their backcourt. He said he had spoken with six front offices Wednesday but had yet to meet with the Chicago Bulls. In each of those meetings — and in individual workouts throughout the week — Jakučionis is pitching teams on his adaptability as a lengthy guard who can facilitate his teammates. 'My whole life, I've just tried to make everyone better on the court, tried to set pieces on the court, tried to be like a coach on the floor, make everybody better,' Jakučionis said. Jakučionis spent only one year in Champaign, but the Lithuanian guard, along with sophomore center Tomislav Ivišić from Croatia, helped start a new trend for the Illini — something he takes pride in even after leaving the program. The 2025-26 Illinois roster has earned such nicknames as the 'Balkan Brothers' and 'Balkan Ballers' with Ivišić returning and joined by his twin brother, Zvonimir, a transfer from Arkansas; California transfer Andrej Stojaković, the American son of Serbian former NBA star Peja Stojaković; and incoming recruits Mihailo Petrović of Serbia and David Mirković of Montenegro. Jakučionis believes coach Brad Underwood has created a program that appeals to international prospects. 'It's really cool to me that Illinois started recruiting more and more Europeans, because before me, before Tomislav, there wasn't a lot of European guys coming to Illinois,' Jakučionis said. 'That was also a risky decision to do, but I'm really happy that I made the choice there. I think they trusted me, I trusted them. Now you can see the trust in the new players.' Although he only spent one season in the program, Jakučionis credited Underwood and Illinois for preparing him for the draft. He worked out before the combine with Illinois strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher, who is helping him add the weight and muscle necessary to compete as a pro. Jakučionis knows there's room to grow. And he understands the unpredictability of the draft process. But in the upcoming weeks, he hopes to sell teams on the one thing he promises to provide any team that calls his name on draft night. 'All-out effort,' Jakučionis said. 'One hundred percent every day, just working my best. I think I can adapt to whatever a team needs me to do. 'I can play on the ball and playmake for others. I can execute 100% on the defensive end. I can play off the ball. Whatever a team needs me to do, I'll be ready for that.'
USA Today
14-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Projected lottery pick Kasparas Jakučionis declares for 2025 NBA draft
Projected lottery pick Kasparas Jakučionis declares for 2025 NBA draft Illinois freshman Kasparas Jakučionis told ESPN on Monday that he will declare for the 2025 NBA draft after one season with the Fighting Illini. Jakučionis, 18, was named to the All-Big Ten third team, averaging 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists on 44% shooting from 3-point range in 33 games. He led the team in scoring, tying the freshman record for total points in a season (494). The 6-foot-6 forward ranked 13th in the country in scoring among freshmen. He set the freshman program record with 10 20-point performances, including 24 points, six rebounds and five assists on Dec. 10 in a win over Wisconsin. Before Illinois, Jakučionis, born in Lithuania, joined Barcelona at 16 for the 2022-23 season. He played 19 games with Barcelona's second team the following season, averaging 19.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.6 steals on 38% shooting from 3-point range. Jakučionis has also represented Lithuania several times at the junior level, most recently at the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket. He averaged 19.4 points, 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals in seven games en route to a sixth-place finish. He is projected to be a lottery pick this year, with his ability to score at all three levels, playmaking, vision and passing. Given his vast high-level experience, Jakučionis could hear his name called as high as the 6-8 range on June 25.
Chicago Tribune
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
No. 6 seed Illinois feeds off fans for an 86-73 first-round win over Xavier in the NCAA Tournament
MILWAUKEE — Illinois guard Kylan Boswell took a couple of dribbles and launched the 3-pointer with a Xavier defender in his face just a second before the halftime buzzer. He held up three fingers while looking toward the heavy Illini crowd at Fiserv Forum, which roared its approval at a five-point Illinois lead. The buzz and the lead grew from there in the second half of the NCAA Tournament first-round game. In their last game a week earlier, a blowout Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal loss to Maryland, the Illini lamented their lack of energy. The No. 6 seed Illini didn't have that problem Friday night in their 86-73 win over No. 11 Xavier. Illinois advances to play Sunday in the second round against No. 3 seed Kentucky, which beat No. 14 seed Troy 76-57 in the first game of the evening session in Milwaukee. Every big second-half shot revved up the Illini fans that had traveled from Champaign and the Chicago area Friday. A Kasparas Jakučionis three-point play. A Morez Johnson Jr. dunk off a Jakučionis feed. Three straight Will Riley baskets, capped by a 3-pointer and another display of three fingers. Riley waving his hands in front of the crowd before completing a three-point play with a free throw. Riley hitting his seventh of eight field-goal attempts in the half. Riley scored 22 points to lead four Illini players in double figures, along with Tomislav Ivišić (20 points), Jakučionis (16) and Boswell (15). Meanwhile, the Illinois defense was effective against Xavier's stars. Musketeers 6-foot-9 forward Zach Freemantle scored just five points, and guard Ryan Conwell had 12 points. Dailyn Swain scored 27. Xavier cut it to eight points with about 4 minutes, 4 seconds remaining, but Riley hit a 3-pointer and Jakučionis had a steal and layup to make the lead more comfortable. To start the game, the Illini missed 6 of 7 shots but then made 5 of their next 6. Ivišić was key in the run with seven straight Illinois points. He backed down Freemantle in the lane for a basket inside and then hit a 3-pointer. In the first half, Ivišić scored 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range. He gave a tiny fist pump when he answered a Dante Maddox Jr. 3-pointer with his third 3 of the half just 15 seconds later. The Illini went nearly five minutes without a field goal near the end of the first half — getting only two Riley free throws — before Boswell hit the 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer for a 40-35 lead. Illinois attacked Xavier inside in the first half, drew eight fouls and made 10 of 10 free throws to help their halftime advantage. In the earlier night game, Kentucky junior guard Otega Oweh, a transfer from Oklahoma this year, led the Wildcats with 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. Troy trailed by one point with 3:17 to play in the first half. But Kentucky went on a 10-0 run sparked by 3-pointers from Trent Noah and Andrew Carr and a fullcourt drive and dunk from Amari Williams with 1:59 to play. UK went into halftime up 35-27. Kentucky led by double digits for most of the second half and by as many as 25 points.
Chicago Tribune
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
For Illinois' Kasparas Jakučionis, his first — and perhaps only — NCAA Tournament is about ‘the beauty of basketball'
MILWAUKEE — Kasparas Jakučionis never watched NCAA basketball when he was growing up. The time difference in his home country of Lithuania was inconvenient, and he usually focused on European basketball instead. But a few years ago, he latched onto March Madness and he understood its appeal. 'You can see how every win, every detail in the game matters,' Jakučionis said. 'Every possession matters, and you win or you go home. And that's the beauty of basketball.' The Illinois freshman guard will get his first in-person taste of the NCAA Tournament on Friday when the No. 6 seed Illini face 11th-seeded Xavier at 8:45 p.m. at Fiserv Forum. Illinois' Tournament run, however long it lasts, also very well could be the last for Jakučionis, the team leader with 15 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. The latest ESPN NBA mock draft ahead of the NCAA Tournament has the Brooklyn Nets taking the 6-foot-6 Jakučionis at No. 6 and the Miami Heat selecting Illinois freshman forward Will Riley at No. 22. After their Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal loss to Maryland last week, the Illini talked about the need to understand the urgency of this time of year in college basketball. Junior guard Kylan Boswell said the potential near future without some of their best teammates 'definitely' increases the urgency even more. '(Will) and KJ are gone, for sure. There's not even a question about that,' Boswell said. 'We know this could be the last time we play with each other. We've had a great year, but we don't want it to end this early.' If his time at Illinois is just a blink in a long basketball career for Jakučionis, he is determined to savor the moment — and not focus on the NBA attention he's getting. 'I don't think about that now,' Jakučionis said from the Illinois locker room in Milwaukee before Thursday's practice. 'We're in March Madness now. The only focus is tomorrow's game against Xavier, and that's it.' 'I love how much he cares' For a moment in the Big Ten Tournament second-round victory against Iowa, Boswell was going to take the four foul shots stemming from then-Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery's two technical fouls. But Boswell knew Jakučionis was struggling to get his offensive game going, so he offered the shots to the freshman, who made all four. 'He decided to trust me and give those free throws for me,' Jakučionis said. 'He said, 'Go make a few easy buckets, then you will feel the ball, and the game will be easier.' And it really did. I think it helped me a lot, and I really appreciate it. He's that kind of guy. He's that kind of leader, and that's what leaders do.' Listen to coach Brad Underwood and his players talk about what has impressed them most over a season with Jakučionis, a third-team All-Big Ten and All-Freshman player, and they'll give you a number of qualities. Underwood has talked multiple times about the maturity Jakučionis and the Illini's other international recruits have brought to his program, and he more than once has said the guard is 'one of the smartest people I've ever been around.' Illinois will face Xavier in the NCAA Tournament. 5 takeaways on the Illini's 1st-round opponent after its win over Texas. Riley pointed to how humble Jakučionis is, how he doesn't talk about himself and instead tries to lift others up. Guard Tre White said he admires how Jakučionis is fearless, relentless and committed to winning. Boswell zeroed in on something else — how his friend has handled the good and the bad of this season. 'How his perseverance has been throughout the year,' Boswell said. 'He always takes things so hard on himself, and he always comes to me and leans on me. I love how much he cares about the game, he cares about what he does for his team in helping us win. 'The bad games, he's in the gym right after, 5 a.m. and stuff like that. So it's making sure he has the right mentality that it's not on any individual.' Underwood on Thursday praised the relationship between Jakučionis and Boswell, saying the freshman has had a 'tremendous response' to Boswell's advice. 'KJ's respect for Kylan is tremendous, and vice versa,' he said. 'All KJ wants to do is be great, and Kylan knows how good a player he is.' It hasn't all been easy in Jakučionis' first season playing outside Europe, and he had highs and lows over the last month. In a loss at Wisconsin, he scored just six points and had seven turnovers. A couple of weeks after that, he had 17 points and four assists in an upset of Michigan and then hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute in the home finale against Purdue, a moment that prompted Underwood to say, 'He's not afraid of that moment. He's not afraid to fail.' In two Big Ten Tournament games, Jakučionis totaled 25 points, 13 rebounds and four assists, but he also had 12 turnovers. 'I didn't do a very good job to be honest,' Jakučionis said when asked about his play over the last month. 'The shots maybe weren't falling. I still tried to execute on the defensive end, on offensive rebounds, and just help the team however I can help the team. My teammates did a very good job of just being themselves, playing like they can, to show who they are.' After Maryland blew out Illinois in the conference tournament, Underwood acknowledged the mixed results from his star. 'There's been some great moments. There's been some — I don't want to say bad play — but there have been some challenges,' Underwood said after the game. 'He's at the top of the scouting report. I know how good he is. We've all seen that. He's hit big shot after big shot all year long. 'I'm more about getting him dialed in defensively so he doesn't worry about offense. And tonight, defensively, he wasn't very good. The offense stuff will take care of itself when he starts worrying about the other end.' Despite some of the struggles, Underwood also believes in Jakučionis' present and future. The pressure of the end Jakučionis was plenty familiar with playing in rowdy atmospheres before he arrived at Illinois. After beginning his career in Lithuania, he moved to play for FC Barcelona. 'In Barcelona, there were less fans, but they were very passionate,' Jakučionis said. 'The atmosphere is pretty similar to be honest. In Europe, it's like crazy fans too. Here, I expected less fans and less attention, but now I can see they're very passionate too.' Illinois enters its game against a veteran Xavier group as a young team, with Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn as the only holdover from the group that advanced to the Elite Eight last season. But transfers Boswell and White bring some postseason experience. No. 6 seed Illinois glad to be sent to 'Big Ten country' in Milwaukee for its NCAA Tournament opener And the experience Jakučionis and 7-foot-1 Croatian center Tomislav Ivišić had playing in Europe gives Underwood the confidence they can rise to the occasion in the biggest games of their college careers. 'The good thing for those guys, they've been in a lot of big games,' Underwood said. 'They've got kind of a worldly knowledge and understanding. 'This stage is different. It's unmatched. There's nothing like the NCAA Tournament. But it's still basketball, and you've got to go out and play the game and you've got to compete.' Underwood has preached the 'urgency of the end' to his players when it comes to this time of year, and he has publicly been transparent about what the end of the season might mean for Jakučionis. On the Jim Rome Show this week, he acknowledged the possibility of Jakučionis moving on from the Illini, saying that there's no question that Jakučionis has NBA lottery-pick potential. 'He's so instinctive. His feel is great. He's a great teammate,' Underwood said. 'At 6-5, 6-6, he's a guy that shoots it extremely well off the dribble, which you have to do in the NBA. But he has the ability and the physical size. He's 210-215 pounds already. And then he's just 18, so his best days won't be at the University of Illinois. They'll be at the Association.' Still, the Illini hope there are some more good games for Jakučionis with them too. Another big performance certainly would help their chances as they look to the Musketeers and beyond. Jakučionis was asked Thursday how he handles the responsibility of shouldering the Illini's Tournament hopes. He went back to the lesson Boswell tried to impart on him. 'To win and to win in especially these games, we need everybody,' Jakučionis said. 'We need everyone to be involved, every possession. Everyone needs to do their job on the defensive end and the offensive end. I think one player cannot do everything in this type of competition.' And if everyone does their jobs, he said, his NCAA experience might go on a while longer. 'I think the ceiling is very high,' Jakučionis said. 'And if we just do our job, we are a very good team and we can go far.'
Chicago Tribune
16-02-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
No. 11 Michigan State turns Illinois' festive night upside down as Tom Izzo earns Big Ten wins record
CHAMPAIGN — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo stood near one sideline at the State Farm Center on Saturday night, chatting with a TV reporter about earning Big Ten Conference win No. 354. His Spartans' 79-65 victory over Illinois officially made Izzo the all-time leader in Big Ten wins, pushing him past Indiana's Bob Knight. Near the opposite sideline, as disappointed fans filed out, Illinois staff worked to flip around the jersey banner of former Illini All-American Terrence Shannon Jr. Illinois honored Shannon, the team's single-season scoring leader with 736 points, with a ceremony at halftime. The Shannon event started with a highlights montage and a congratulatory video message from coach Brad Underwood. But when Shannon pulled on a string to unveil his banner for the State Farm Center rafters, it was upside down. A promising night for Illinois went upside down from there too. The Illini led by as many as 16 points in the first half, riling up a raucous crowd. But their energy — and their shooting — fizzled in the second half. Illinois went the final 8 minutes, 29 seconds without a basket, missing their final 19 shots. The Illini at one point missed three straight 3-pointers on one possession. Underwood said his players took some good outside looks late, but he lamented that they backed off from trying to make plays inside. 'The succession of those (outside shots) was probably the thing that bothered me, and that's where we have to help this young group grow,' Underwood said. 'We've got to understand that we've got to get the ball downhill. … No excuses. I have to continue to hammer these guys about finding the paint.' Illinois led 65-64 when Ben Humrichous made its last basket with 8:29 to play. Illinois guard Kasparas Jakučionis and forward Morez Johnson Jr. each had 17 points and five rebounds. But Jakučionis missed six shots in Illinois' final scoreless stretch. That included a layup that was originally called goaltending by Michigan State before it was overturned upon review. 'We didn't drive the ball as good as we did in the first half in the last 10 minutes,' Jakučionis said. 'Starting with me, I took some very bad shots without touching the paint, without creating anything, without creating for others, and I think that led us to the loss. 'Mentally we have to come back. Today, after a few bad shot selections, we should try to start driving the ball more, try to find the next action and not settling for the shot again and again and again.' The Illini lost to Michigan State 80-78 in the teams' first meeting Jan. 19, when Jakučionis was held to three points in eight minutes because of foul trouble. This time, the Illini came out on fire, pulling ahead 17-6 on back-to-back Jake Davis 3-pointers just more than five minutes in. The Illini lengthened the lead to 31-15 with a 12-2 run, highlighted by Jakučionis' beautiful drive and free throw to complete a three-point play and Will Riley's 3-pointer. But Michigan State fought its way back into the game with a 13-0 run late in the first half, fueled by seven points from Jaxon Kohler and six from Coen Carr. The Illini committed seven first-half turnovers, which led to 14 Michigan State points. Kohler had a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds and three other players scored in double figures as the Spartans bounced back from a disappointing loss earlier in the week. Izzo had a chance to move past Knight on Tuesday, but Michigan State lost at home to Indiana 71-67. The Illini instead became the footnote to history four days later. Izzo said after the game that he had a lot of respect for Knight as a coach and 'if I can be in the same breath with him on that (in conference wins), that's cool for me.' 'He won three championships, I'd turn that in for the record any day that I could turn it in,' Izzo said. 'But what I am proud of is I tell each team each year, there's something they have to leave here with that's different than everybody else. And this team will get (to) tell their grandkids they were on the team (that broke the record).' Underwood, who counts Izzo as a friend, congratulated the 30th-year Michigan State coach in his opening postgame statement and later spoke of his admiration for Izzo's mission to help his players grow and his ability to inspire passion for his program in those people. 'It stinks, now I have to listen to his (butt) every time I talk to him at 2 o'clock in the morning,' Underwood joked of watching Izzo reach the milestone against the Illini. 'You knew you were going to get their best after their game the other night. 'He's one of the great guys, and I'm truly happy for him. I just wish it happened last week and not tonight.' Illinois' collapse — and the Shannon banner mishap — put a damper on what had started as a festive night in Champaign. Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman addressed reporters after the game. He said the Illini apologized to Shannon and his mother, who was with him on the floor when the banner was unveiled, adding 'we stole that moment from Terrence.' Whitman also apologized to fans. 'Obviously a really regrettable moment,' Whitman said. 'It's a shame that it happened that way. Of course I didn't hang the jersey, but I'm ultimately responsible for everything that happens in this building. And ultimately that means that was on me tonight.' Underwood still expressed appreciation for the moment for Shannon, who now plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves. 'He's from Chicago. He grew up watching this,' Underwood said. 'To be up there with so few others, there's not enough adjectives, there's not enough words for how proud I am. It's been an incredible week seeing two guys (along with Kofi Cockburn) who deserve to have that. I am honored to be a small part of their journey.'
