In building their new team, Bayern Basketball has secured a key piece: Lithuanian national team player Rokas Jokubaitis is joining the German champions. The 24-year-old playmaker, with seven seasons of EuroLeague experience, has signed a three-year contract in Munich until 2028. Last season, following three years with FC Barcelona, Jokubaitis played for Maccabi Tel Aviv, averaging 12.6 points per game in the EuroLeague.
“First, I want to thank everyone who made it possible for me to take the next step in my career,” said Jokubaitis, who is currently preparing for the European Championship with the Lithuanian national team. “Bayern is a big club that has grown very quickly in basketball. I’ve heard many good things—especially from Oscar (da Silva), a good friend of mine, who helped me with the decision. The coach and management also reached out to me very early. I want to take on a lot of responsibility at Bayern and believe in this project. Considering how well they played last year, the EuroLeague playoffs are our goal—alongside, of course, winning national titles.”
“I want to take on a lot of responsibility”
Jokubaitis has long been regarded as an outstanding point guard talent. He trained at the basketball academy in the coastal city of Klaipeda and later in the youth program of Lithuanian record champion Zalgiris Kaunas. At 17, the early call-up debuted for Zalgiris in the LKL, and at 18, in the EuroLeague. This season, he is set to play his 200th EuroLeague game (currently 193 games, 6.6 ppg, 39.8% 3FG).
In the 2021 NBA Draft, the dynamic 1.93-meter left-hander was selected 34th overall by Oklahoma (his rights were traded to the New York Knicks). After playing in the Summer League for the Knicks, Jokubaitis signed a long-term deal with FC Barcelona, where he won the Spanish Championship and Copa del Rey once each over three seasons (116 ACB games: 7.3 ppg, 3.1 apg, 54% 2FG, 39% 3FG).
Last season, however, he took the next step at Maccabi, becoming a team leader with his best EuroLeague scoring output to date (60% 2FG, 37% 3FG, 4.6 apg).
I want to take on a lot of responsibility at Bayern and believe in this project.
Rokas Jokubaitis
Three years with FC Barcelona
“Rokas is still so young—one of Europe’s biggest talents—yet he has already established himself as one of the top point guards in the EuroLeague,” says Bayern sporting director Dragan Tarlac. “He has chosen Bayern over the NBA for now, which speaks volumes about his maturity and willingness to further improve his game. Rokas possesses leadership qualities, great court vision, and a winning instinct. This summer, he will also lead his national team at EuroBasket and aim to win a medal for Lithuania for the first time in a long time. We will follow his performance closely and are very excited for him to join us afterward.”
At EuroBasket (August 27 – September 14), Lithuania will be in the same group as Germany, and Jokubaitis will face some of his future teammates, including his friend Oscar da Silva (two years together in Barcelona), on August 30. Other group opponents for the basketball nation Lithuania are Great Britain and Sweden. Jokubaitis says: “We started preparations very early—already on July 14—because we finally want to win another medal for Lithuania.”
ROKAS JOKUBAITIS (*19. November 2000, Mažeikiai/LTU)
Career Timeline:
-
2016–2017: Neptunas Klaipeda (LTU 2)
-
2017–2021: Zalgiris Kaunas (LTU)
-
2021–2024: FC Barcelona (ESP)
-
2024–2025: Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR)
Achievements/Awards:
-
Israeli Cup Winner 2024
-
Spanish Champion 2023
-
Spanish Cup Winner 2022
-
Lithuanian Champion 2019, 2020, 2021
-
Lithuanian Cup Winner 2020, 2021
-
FIBA World Cup participant 2023
-
EuroBasket participant 2022
-
U16 EuroBasket silver medalist 2016
-
EuroLeague Rising Star 2022
-
34th overall pick, NBA Draft 2021
-
Lithuanian Best Young Player 2021
-
First Team, adidas Next Generation Tournament 2018